I don't know if this is a valid thread-starting thought or not. It's late and I'm tired and I'm listening to "If I Was Your Girlfriend" in the context of a mixtape I've made for a girl I know.. I've been putting this song on mixtapes for girls for years. It's such an important statement about gender, sex, love and friendship and can be read any number of ways. I think this is the song where he really got everything 100% right, absolutely perfect and totally unique and strange-- vulnerability and sexuality, male and female. It's a song that absolutely nobody else could have done. Maybe I'm not being so coherent at 1am but I feel a decent case could be made that it's Prince's best song. What do you think?

100% with you on this one. For all the reasons you've said. A strangely dissarming, raw, lyrical and musical masterpiece. It goes on any Prince playlist I make too.

why have you been putting songs on mixtapes for girls for years?

on another thread in the non prince section people were finding songs that find like other songs such as stuff on mjs thriller album. is there any song at all that sounds like if i was your girlfriend before it was made?

Artistically and lyrically it's one his of his best... Overall it's a great song, but not his best.

aaroncanderson said:

Everyone has their favorite Prince sing. Girlfriend is a great pick if you said some nonsense like Jughead or Dead On It then we'd have a problem. My fave is Anna Stesia by the way.

Careful with "Dead On It".
It's one of his best licks ever.

It's made in 198fucking7 when this piece was released.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wxyN3z9PL4&hd=1

Makes you stop, think and say "Who is this guy, and is he even from this planet?". It's by far his best work to date, considering how ahead of it's time it really is. Queer is common known to people in this day and age. But man, back then he was already breaking boundaries within the community.

Yes. It's my favourite aswell

RJOrion said:

top 10 Prince best song candidates My Love Is Forever I Wanna Be Your Lover 1999 When Doves Cry When2RinLove I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man And God Created Woman Party Up Clouds Condition Of The Heart

wtf ?!

I wouldn't say it's his 'best' song (really, what is? He has so many) but it's certainly one of his most interesting and thought provoking tracks. It's one of my most played anyway so that says something.

I've always felt this song uniquely represents and symbolizes Prince as an artist.. It was completely original then, and now and nobody else could have written it.

Yes, great thread, and I agree-- If I Was Your Girlfriend is incredibly profound, a song that pops into my head regularly. It speaks to loneliness, and wanting to be so naturally close to someone-- and it also has Prince's darker, controlling aspect as a subconscious sort of subtext. The song is as naked as can be-- I remember being surprised it was even released as a single, and of course, didn't do anything on the charts. As many have pointed out, there was nothing like it in 1987, and I'm sure radio didn't even know what to do with it.

Yes, for me it´s his best and it mad me a fan. First time i heard it on the radio and i was hooked. Still remember that moment.

aaroncanderson said:

Everyone has their favorite Prince sing. Girlfriend is a great pick if you said some nonsense like Jughead or Dead On It then we'd have a problem. My fave is Anna Stesia by the way.

RJOrion said:

top 10 Prince best song candidates My Love Is Forever I Wanna Be Your Lover 1999 When Doves Cry When2RinLove I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man And God Created Woman Party Up Clouds Condition Of The Heart

It just goes to show how different we all are as fans. I wouldnt have any of those songs on my favourites list. Currently, my favourite vibe is the early, synth funk years so I would list my favourite songs at this point in time as:

Sexy Dancer

Cool

Dirty Mind

Head

The Walk

Lets Work

DMSR

Automatic

Lady Cab Driver

Baby Im a Star

What I actually did there was write down my latest playlist that I have on repeat at the moment. Its the best I can do when it comes to Prince's best songs... Its an ever evolving door.

As for the topic at hand. IIWYGF is one of his best ideas. Its clever and it is catchy. Hell, its a great song all round. But very hard to say its one of his best. Not until such time as Im feeling it and adding it to my current favourites playlist anyway. Its certainly been there before and will no doubt be again one day.