One of favorite things about Prince was that he rarely repeated himself musically, especially considering the volume of work. As I've been binge listening I'm still not finding much, but ther's at leaast one major one I'd never noticed before:

Under the Cherry Moon & Question of U

You can really go back and forth between these songs' melodies and no one would notice - and yet I love them both dearly. It's amazing how their different production makes them sound so wildly different.

What are other ones you've noticed?

"America" has the same drum pattern as "Baby I'm A Star".

"Wet Dream" and "Wet Dream's Cousin" are similar, and named so because of that.

"Toy Box", "Blue Limousine", and "17 Days" are all incredibly similar hooks.

"My Summertime Thang", and "Latest Fashion" (and possibly one other track?) all traded lyrics. "My Summertime Thang" was originally sung over what is now "Latest Fashion".

I don't hear similarities, enough to note here, between "Scandalous" and "Insatiable".

On Arsenio he blended "Mutiny" and "Ice Cream Castles". I suppose they have a similar groove to mash together like that, but I never saw them as similar per se.

While in the same rockabilly style, moreover "Jack U Off" and "Horny Toad" and "Delirious" have very similar hooks. But that could still lend back to the genre, not the hooks themselves.

And although they're not exactly the same, a few of cousin songs could be:

Purple Rain - Gold

Let's Go Crazy - Endorphinmachine

Darling Nikki - 319

The Beautiful Ones - I Hate U

I often mix up "Fury" and "Guitar" in my head. They just have a similar feel to me, I guess...

Shockadelica and Housequake have the same beat...

MendesCity said:

One of favorite things about Prince was that he rarely repeated himself musically, especially considering the volume of work. As I've been binge listening I'm still not finding much, but ther's at leaast one major one I'd never noticed before:

Under the Cherry Moon & Question of U

You can really go back and forth between these songs' melodies and no one would notice - and yet I love them both dearly. It's amazing how their different production makes them sound so wildly different.

What are other ones you've noticed?

I'm sorry, but you're hallucinating.

OK, they're both in minor. Good catch. But that's about it.
The chords progressions have nothing in common.

Let's Go Crazy/Can't Stop This Feeling I Got

All The Critics Love U In New York/Boom Boom (Can't U Feel The Beat In My Heart)

8 (Madhouse)/Reflection

Joy In Repetition/Beautiful Strange/Call My Name

Shake/Cream/Get On Up ('92 Version)

Snow Man/Emale

Get It Up/New Power Generation

Purple Rain/The Ladder

UncleJam said:

Shockadelica and Housequake have the same beat...

Which was a rather typical beat back in the late 80s. Even playing it in reverse order was a thing.

It reminds me of the mid 90s when everyone used another popular beat. "All Around The World" by Lisa Stansfield, "Keep On Movin'" Soul II Soul, "Sadeness" by Enigma, etc. etc.

scorp84 said:

Let's Go Crazy/Can't Stop This Feeling I Got

All The Critics Love U In New York/Boom Boom (Can't U Feel The Beat In My Heart)

8 (Madhouse)/Reflection

Joy In Repetition/Beautiful Strange/Call My Name

Shake/Cream/Get On Up ('92 Version)

Snow Man/Emale

Get It Up/New Power Generation

Purple Rain/The Ladder

Actually, the chords and the synths from "8" are the same as the underlying (heard in the intro) synths to "U Got The Look".

bonatoc said:

MendesCity said:

One of favorite things about Prince was that he rarely repeated himself musically, especially considering the volume of work. As I've been binge listening I'm still not finding much, but ther's at leaast one major one I'd never noticed before:

Under the Cherry Moon & Question of U

You can really go back and forth between these songs' melodies and no one would notice - and yet I love them both dearly. It's amazing how their different production makes them sound so wildly different.

What are other ones you've noticed?

I'm sorry, but you're hallucinating.

OK, they're both in minor. Good catch. But that's about it.
The chords progressions have nothing in common.

You really can't hear the similarity with melodies on the verses? And then the similarities of the melody during "I died in your arms under the cherry moon" and "What is the answer to the question of U"? The songs also have basically the same beat and tempo. Think you may be the one hallucinating

[Edited 6/5/16 18:55pm]

1999 = Manic Monday.

Mintchip said:

1999 = Manic Monday.

wasn't box of chocolates and when doves cry mentioned about being very similar in beats ??

"Cross The Line" sounds very similar to "All The Critics Love U"...and the music in "Yo' Mister" (Patti Labelle) sounds like the ending music in "Anna Stesia"( but just a little faster).

postiepaul3 said:

wasn't box of chocolates and when doves cry mentioned about being very similar in beats ??

Hmmmm... if so, there ends the similarities between this unimaginative, super-repetitive song and one of Prince's greatest masterpieces.

This is not Prince repeating himself but ... last night I stumbled upon a song that I haven't heard in decades .. Ready For The World's "Oh Sheila" ... did Prince help create their sound or were they copying his sound?

For me, songs having the same drum pattern doesn't count as repeating yourself. Drums in 4/4 timing only have a certain amount of patterns as it is.. For me, even if it uses the same loop (drum pattern/sound) its not repeating.

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Prince uses the Cocteau Twins Firty-Firty Clown sound/drum intro loop on "One of Us" and "Love Thy Will B Done" - doesn't bother me.

makeadifference said:

This is not Prince repeating himself but ... last night I stumbled upon a song that I haven't heard in decades .. Ready For The World's "Oh Sheila" ... did Prince help create their sound or were they copying his sound?

They were copying his sound.

I've been binge listening to him for months and as a musician I can't find any two songs that make me think he tried to re-use a musical idea (unless it was for artistic effect, like on Stare). Prince has ALWAYS come up with original ideas.

Compassion and Lets Pretend Were Married

jodznsez said:

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Prince uses the Cocteau Twins Firty-Firty Clown sound/drum intro loop on "One of Us" and "Love Thy Will B Done" - doesn't bother me.

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You think Prince was into The Cocteau Twins? I hear the similarity, but you think it is a direct lift?

Cloreen said:

jodznsez said:

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Prince uses the Cocteau Twins Firty-Firty Clown sound/drum intro loop on "One of Us" and "Love Thy Will B Done" - doesn't bother me.

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You think Prince was into The Cocteau Twins? I hear the similarity, but you think it is a direct lift?

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. i know 4 a fact he was. Long story but I used to work for/with them (96-01) and he mentioned them a few times over the years / saw them live in the US a few times i believe (so i heard from various management type pricks). They loved the fact / were honoured he'd used 50/50 clown (as they loved him back).. They didn't know he'd used that till I played it to them haha... cheeky.

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for example. from mojo / guardian in 14/15

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"he revealed that the song was inspired by a night listening to the Cocteau Twins. “We recorded it in Bryan Ferry’s studio in London, after a night of partying for which the Cocteau Twins was the soundtrack,” he explained. “You can’t understand the words of the Cocteau Twins songs, but their harmonies put you in a dreamlike state.”

[Edited 6/5/16 20:08pm]

jodznsez said:

Cloreen said:

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You think Prince was into The Cocteau Twins? I hear the similarity, but you think it is a direct lift?

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. i know 4 a fact he was. Long story but I used to work for/with them (96-01) and he mentioned them a few times / saw them live in the US a few times. They loved the fact / were honoured he'd used 50/50 clown.. They didn't know till I played it to them haha... cheeky.

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That's very interesting. I was at one time a big fan of The Cocteau Twins and all that time I never, ever would make any association between their sound and Prince's sound. Apart from the fact that they both made amazing music, there was nothing in common between the two. Very surprised to hear you say that Prince knew of them, let alone was a fan.

Cloreen said:

jodznsez said:

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. i know 4 a fact he was. Long story but I used to work for/with them (96-01) and he mentioned them a few times / saw them live in the US a few times. They loved the fact / were honoured he'd used 50/50 clown.. They didn't know till I played it to them haha... cheeky.

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That's very interesting. I was at one time a big fan of The Cocteau Twins and all that time I never, ever would make any association between their sound and Prince's sound. Apart from the fact that they both made amazing music, there was nothing in common between the two. Very surprised to hear you say that Prince knew of them, let alone was a fan.

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There's no association between prince/Cocteau's music. He loved them as they made music he "couldn't", well that's what Prince said anyway..

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Cloreen said:

jodznsez said:

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Prince uses the Cocteau Twins Firty-Firty Clown sound/drum intro loop on "One of Us" and "Love Thy Will B Done" - doesn't bother me.

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You think Prince was into The Cocteau Twins? I hear the similarity, but you think it is a direct lift?

I'm not sure if it was a direct lift but I know that he liked the Cocteau Twins because he mentioned it more than once in interviews.

NikkiH said:

Cloreen said:

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You think Prince was into The Cocteau Twins? I hear the similarity, but you think it is a direct lift?

I'm not sure if it was a direct lift but I know that he liked the Cocteau Twins because he mentioned it more than once in interviews.

One sort of melodic similarity I've always noticed was that the guitar riff in Positivity, sounds like the first half of the the "oh---"/guitar melody in the chorus of Graffiti Bridge. He also sampled himself a lot of course like with the crowd noise from Alphabet Street in Joy in Repetition or his frequent reuse of Clare’s arrangements in other songs(like Push). The Question of U was written the same time as a lot of Parade tracks so that might be why they’re kind of melodically similar and I know the Revelation synth sound that is also from U Got the Look was on purpose because he said so in that interview excerpt that was pulled from Ebony’s website last year.

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its a direct lift , pitched with new drums over the top.

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That medley of Raspberry Beret and Take me with U in live shows.