I like so much of his music, but "Thunder" and "Tick, Tick Bang" are by far two of his worst songs. I was really surprised "Thunder" was an album opener and "Tick, Tick Bang" was featured in the Grafitti Bridge movie.

DMSR said:

I like so much of his music, but "Thunder" and "Tick, Tick Bang" are by far two of his worst songs. I was really surprised "Thunder" was an album opener and "Tick, Tick Bang" was featured in the Grafitti Bridge movie.

the unreleases 81 version of Tick Tick Bang is HOT

DMSR said:

I like so much of his music, but "Thunder" and "Tick, Tick Bang" are by far two of his worst songs. I was really surprised "Thunder" was an album opener and "Tick, Tick Bang" was featured in the Grafitti Bridge movie.

I happen to thoroughly enjoy both of those songs.

Apparently you haven't heard "Aknowledge me"

My vote for "Thunder" is as an awesome song. "Tick,Tick, Bang" also gets a pass 'cause the drum pattern there reminds me of The Jimi Hendrix Experience's "Little Miss Lover."

Germanegro said:

My vote for "Thunder" is as an awesome song. "Tick,Tick, Bang" also gets a pass 'cause the drum pattern there reminds me of The Jimi Hendrix Experience's "Little Miss Lover."

I think it's actually a sample of that song's drums.

bonnie184 said:

Acknowledge Me is classic Prince imo..

and Thunder is a great opener as well, I've always loved this song. The pic disc 12 inch looks amazing..

dodger said:

bonnie184 said:

Apparently you haven't heard "Aknowledge me"

No way, Acknowledge Me is a great song! Plus it's got the poetic 'titties swinging like a door' line which gets me every time

Prince's lyrics certainly had a certain grown-up swagger during the 90s. He could craft a clever line in the 80s, but there was a different kind of bravado behind them in in the mid-90s. That stuff was just brilliant. "Acknowledge Me" gets in ya from the get-go. You can't just shake that stank off of ya, no matter how many windows you open.

___________

As far as the question at hand:

"Thunder" sounds like it was recorded in an old pork n' beans can, by three 4th graders who still haven't quite graduated from their toddler Fisher-Price pianos or xylophones. Production wise, and lyrically it's cheap, and less than what he's capable of. The live version only slightly improves it.

"Tick Tick Bang"'s original version from 1981 is synthy, aggressive goodness.

On GB, there's a lot going on in that song, and it takes away from an otherwise classic Prince-wants-to-get-laid-before-his-boner-explodes song.

But still - I'd take "Tick Tick Bang", either version, over "Thunder" any ol' day.

And um......"Jughead".

[Edited 4/18/16 8:44am]

I always enjoy the posts that are "best of" or "worst of".

It always shows me how many styles Prince has as an artist.

Myself, I liked both of these songs. I've liked them since they were released they never had to grow on me.

DMSR said:

I like so much of his music, but "Thunder" and "Tick, Tick Bang" are by far two of his worst songs. I was really surprised "Thunder" was an album opener and "Tick, Tick Bang" was featured in the Grafitti Bridge movie.

Both of those songs are good. Thunder is maybe 7 out of 10 and Tick Tick Bang is maybe a 6 but both are enjoyable to listen to.

Worst song is something like Arms Of Orion or Baltimore or most everything he's written for the last couple of years. And don't hate on Prince for writing bad songs. He doesn't do it on purpose but he's getting older and has lost some of his superpowers.

"Thunder" has an urgency that sounds forced.It's not a very good song.

"Tick,Tick,Bang" is OK,but it's hard to listen to it without thinking of the ridiculous performance of it in GB

Thunder is a better production than it is a song isn't it? There's not a lot going on there really.

Tick, Tick, Bang is a decent song that's been produced to within an inch of its life.

[Edited 4/18/16 1:46am]

I like both songs.

One of his worst songs is "My name is prince" and most of HITNRUN Phase One.

OldFriends4Sale said:

DMSR said:

I like so much of his music, but "Thunder" and "Tick, Tick Bang" are by far two of his worst songs. I was really surprised "Thunder" was an album opener and "Tick, Tick Bang" was featured in the Grafitti Bridge movie.

the unreleases 81 version of Tick Tick Bang is HOT

whatever are you talking about? Unrealeased? I have never ever heard of such!

oh and Tick Tick Bang is a better song.

Thunder > Tick, Tick Bang

The award goes to "Tick Tick Bang".


"Thunder isn't a great song, but at last it is decent.

Twas like Thunder all thru the night

Promised to see Jesus in the morning light.....

Come on take your soull tonight... (last line don't know which song that comes from) but remember the tune and opening.

.

Tick tick bang though. So memorable all I know is that it is a title of a song. So I guess this one wins the prize.

thedoorkeeper said:

Thunder is the worst. Definitely the worst. Never liked it.

Y'all forget about "Jughead"?

TrivialPursuit said:

thedoorkeeper said:

Thunder is the worst. Definitely the worst. Never liked it.

Y'all forget about "Jughead"?

y'all forgot

PURPLE & GOLD

If you think these are his worst songs, you have a lot of catching up to do..

The 3 worst are all on the same album. Daddy Pop. Push and Thunder. The Flow and Push it Up are others that are not his best efforts. There are a few on Plectrum Electrum and Phase 1 that are in the running like Boy Trouble and Aint About 2 Stop. But everyone has some bad songs. Everything can't be Last December. He has given us so many great ones and Black Muse is proof that he can still put out legendary stuff.

I love both songs, I'm a big fan of Prince's early 90s work.

Acknowledge me bad though? really? If I could afford to buy Crystal Ball physically right now, I would buy it if only for that track!! It's one of my all time favourites!

Neither of these are Prince's worst song, by any stretch of the imagination.

Dog crap vs Gorrilla shizz.

Genesia said:

Neither of these are Prince's worst song, by any stretch of the imagination.

They are actually among the songs I really like. I believe "Thunder" is very much in the same mold as "When Doves Cry" from a melodic and tonal quality, and he could easily do a live version where he alternates between the two in the same key and pace. Not to say that "When Doves Cry" is not far superior. But I do like "Thunder" and it's minimal futeristic synth arrangement that dropped the Linn sound in a refreshing way.