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Thread started 11/26/16 6:30am

KingSausage

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Compare official Prince compilations! What's your favorite?

Let's compare the official Prince best of/greatest hits compilations. What are the pros and cons of The Hits & The B-Sides, The Very Best Of, Ultimate, and 4ever? Which one is your favorite, and why? Do the lesser collections have some advantages?

The Hits & The B-Sides reigns supreme to me. It's a little unfair to compare a 3-disc set to the others, but I'll do it anyway. This might be the best 3-disc compilation I own from any artist. The biggest hits are all there (except Batdance). The b-sides are great to have on CD. I'd love to have full-length versions of tracks like When Doves Cry and She's Always In My Hair, but there's so much content it's hard to complain. Plus, the liner notes and packaging are great.
"Drop that stereo before I blow your Goddamn nuts off, asshole!"
-Eugene Tackleberry
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Reply #1 posted 11/26/16 6:36am

thedoorkeeper
#1 - Ultimate
#2 - The Hits
#3 - 4ever
#4 - Best of
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Reply #2 posted 11/26/16 6:40am

TheDigitalGard
ener

I'm with you on The Hits/B-Sides. It was great to have those b-sides on cd. Also the addition of Pink Cashmere makes the whole thing a no brainer imo.

Again, Ultimate was worth having for the tracks on the second disc, a few of which were on cd for the first time iirc.

As for The Very Best Of.. I've never even played my copy.

Not bought 4Ever yet and I'm in no hurry to do so.

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Reply #3 posted 11/26/16 7:11am

starkitty
Would you mind posting the track list for each? Even though I'm preemptively voting for hits / b sides because a) it's the only one I have and b) PINK CASHMERE/ POWER FANTASTIC
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Reply #4 posted 11/26/16 7:26am

KingSausage

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starkitty said:

Would you mind posting the track list for each? Even though I'm preemptively voting for hits / b sides because a) it's the only one I have and b) PINK CASHMERE/ POWER FANTASTIC



I would mind. I'm WAY too lazy for that! lol


In a serious note, the two tracks you mention are my favorite two songs on The Hits & The B-Sides. That alone makes the set #1 for me.
"Drop that stereo before I blow your Goddamn nuts off, asshole!"
-Eugene Tackleberry
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Reply #5 posted 11/26/16 7:36am

starkitty

GUESS I BETTER FIRE UP THE OL' COMPUTER AND GET TA SEARCHIN

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Reply #6 posted 11/26/16 7:43am

starkitty

HITS / B SIDES

  1. When Doves Cry (3:47)
  2. Pop Life (3:41)
  3. Soft And Wet (3:02) 1
  4. I Feel For You (3:24)
  5. Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad? (3:48)
  6. When You Were Mine (3:43)
  7. Uptown (4:09)
  8. Let's Go Crazy (4:39)
  9. 1999 (3:36)
  10. I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man (3:38)
  11. Nothing Compares 2 U (4:57)
  12. Adore (4:39)
  13. Pink Cashmere (6:13)
  14. Alphabet St. (5:38)
  15. Sign O' The Times (3:42)
  16. Thieves In The Temple (3:19)
  17. Diamonds And Pearls (4:19) 2
  18. 7 (5:09) 3
  1. Controversy (3:35)
  2. Dirty Mind (3:49) 4
  3. I Wanna Be Your Lover (2:56)
  4. Head (4:43)
  5. Do Me, Baby (3:55)
  6. Delirious (2:38)
  7. Little Red Corvette (4:55)
  8. I Would Die 4 U (2:56) 5
  9. Raspberry Beret (3:31) 5
  10. If I Was Your Girlfriend (3:46)
  11. Kiss (3:45)
  12. Peach (3:48)
  13. U Got The Look (3:46)
  14. Sexy M.F. (5:24) 6
  15. Gett Off (4:29) 2
  16. Cream (4:12) 2
  17. Pope (3:28)
  18. Purple Rain (8:40) 5
  • Disc 3: (The B-Sides)
  1. Hello (3:23)
  2. 200 Balloons (5:05)
  3. Escape (3:30)
  4. Gotta Stop (Messin' About) (2:54)
  5. Horny Toad (2:12)
  6. Feel U Up (3:44)
  7. Girl (3:47)
  8. I Love U In Me (4:12)
  9. Erotic City (3:55)
  10. Shockadelica (3:30)
  11. Irresistible Bitch (4:11)
  12. Scarlet Pussy (4:18)
  13. La, La, La, He, He, Hee (3:21)
  14. She's Always In My Hair (3:27)
  15. 17 Days (3:54)
  16. How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore (3:50)
  17. Another Lonely Christmas (4:51)
  18. God (4:02)
  19. 4 The Tears In Your Eyes (3:23)
  20. Power Fantastic (4:45)

VERY BEST OF

  1. I Wanna Be Your Lover (2:57)
  2. 1999 (3:35)
  3. Little Red Corvette (4:58)
  4. When Doves Cry (3:49)
  5. Let's Go Crazy (4:39)
  6. Purple Rain (8:45) 1
  7. I Would Die 4 U (2:57) 1
  8. Raspberry Beret (3:31) 1
  9. Kiss (3:46)
  10. Sign O' The Times (3:44)
  11. U Got The Look (3:58)
  12. Alphabet St. (5:38)
  13. Thieves In The Temple (3:19)
  14. Gett Off (4:27) 2
  15. Cream (4:12) 2
  16. Diamonds And Pearls (4:20) 2
  17. Money Don't Matter 2 Night (4:48) 2

ULTIMATE

  • Disc 1:
  1. I Wanna Be Your Lover (2:57)
  2. Uptown (4:09)
  3. Controversy (7:15)
  4. 1999 (3:37)
  5. Delirious (2:38)
  6. When Doves Cry (3:47)
  7. I Would Die 4 U (2:56)1
  8. Purple Rain (8:40)1
  9. Sign O' The Times (3:42)
  10. I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man (3:39)
  11. Alphabet St. (5:38)
  12. Diamonds And Pearls (4:19)2
  13. Gett Off (4:31)2
  14. Money Don't Matter 2 Night (4:47)2
  15. 7 (5:08)3
  16. Nothing Compares 2 U (4:57)2
  17. My Name Is Prince (4:03)4
  • Disc 2:
  1. Let's Go Crazy (Special Dance Mix) (7:36)1
  2. Little Red Corvette (Dance Remix) (8:22)
  3. Let's Work (Dance Remix) (8:02)
  4. Pop Life (Fresh Dance Mix) (6:18)1,5
  5. She's Always In My Hair (12" Version) (6:31)1
  6. Raspberry Beret (12" Version) (6:34)1
  7. Kiss (Extended Version) (7:16)1
  8. U Got The Look (Long Look) (6:40)
  9. Hot Thing (Extended Remix) (8:30)
  10. Thieves In The Temple (Remix) (8:08)
  11. Cream (N.P.G. Mix) (4:50)2

4EVER

  • Disc 1:
  1. 1999 (edit) (3:39)
  2. Little Red Corvette (edit) (3:09)
  3. When Doves Cry (edit) (3:48)
  4. Let's Go Crazy 1 (edit) (3:50)
  5. Raspberry Beret 1 (3:35)
  6. I Wanna Be Your Lover (edit) (3:00)
  7. Soft And Wet 2 (edit) (3:05)
  8. Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad? (edit) (3:51)
  9. Uptown (edit) (4:11)
  10. When You Were Mine (edit) (3:46)
  11. Head (4: 46)
  12. Gotta Stop (Messin' About) (edit) (2:75)
  13. Controversy (edit) (3:38)
  14. Let's Work (edit) (3:02)
  15. Delirious (edit) (2:41)
  16. I Would Die 4 U 1 (edit) (3:59)
  17. Take Me With U 1 (edit) (3:44)
  18. Paisley Park 1 (4: 44)
  19. Pop Life 1,8 (edit) (3:45)
  20. Purple Rain1 (edit) (8:41)
  • Disc 2:
  1. Kiss 1 (3:46)
  2. Sign O' The Times (edit) (3:44)
  3. Alphabet St. (edit) (2:25)
  4. Batdance (edit) (4:07)
  5. Thieves In The Temple (3:21)
  6. Cream 3 (4:13)
  7. Mountains 4 (3:58)
  8. Girls & Boys 1 (edit) (3:28)
  9. If I Was Your Girlfriend (edit) (3:46)
  10. U Got The Look (3:48)
  11. I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man (edit/fade) (3:41)
  12. Glam Slam (edit) (3:31)
  13. Moonbeam Levels (4:06)
  14. Diamonds And Pearls 3 (edit) (4:20)
  15. Gett Off 3 (UK Single Remix) (4:00)
  16. Sexy M.F. 5 (5:26)
  17. My Name Is Prince 6 (4:04)
  18. 7 7 (album edit) (4:23)
  19. Peach (3:48)
  20. Nothing Compares 2 U (4:19)
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Reply #7 posted 11/26/16 7:44am

starkitty

why is pink cashmere listed in "the hits"? interesting.

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Reply #8 posted 11/26/16 7:46am

KingSausage

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starkitty said:

why is pink cashmere listed in "the hits"? interesting.




Thanks for posting the lists!


Along with Pink Cashmere we had Pope, Peach, and Nothing Compares 2 U. Just some added tracks to entice fans to buy stuff they already had.
"Drop that stereo before I blow your Goddamn nuts off, asshole!"
-Eugene Tackleberry
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Reply #9 posted 11/26/16 8:03am

IstenSzek

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KingSausage said:

Let's compare the official Prince best of/greatest hits compilations. What are the pros and cons of The Hits & The B-Sides, The Very Best Of, Ultimate, and 4ever? Which one is your favorite, and why? Do the lesser collections have some advantages? The Hits & The B-Sides reigns supreme to me. It's a little unfair to compare a 3-disc set to the others, but I'll do it anyway. This might be the best 3-disc compilation I own from any artist. The biggest hits are all there (except Batdance). The b-sides are great to have on CD. I'd love to have full-length versions of tracks like When Doves Cry and She's Always In My Hair, but there's so much content it's hard to complain. Plus, the liner notes and packaging are great.


plus, there were 6 (!) new songs. or well, at least songs we didn't have yet.

that is superb for a greatest hits package. cool

for me the hits / the bsides is the best compilation, it's absolutely great.

and true love lives on lollipops and crisps
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Reply #10 posted 11/26/16 8:36am

starkitty
I got my box set as a promo from a dj i was seeing cool
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Reply #11 posted 11/26/16 9:03am

Doozer

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Three of the four have their merits for fans who already own all of Prince's albums.

The Hits / B-sides
This one has the most to offer - awesome packaging and liner notes, wonderful photography, unreleased tracks on all three disks and B-sides never on CD before. The clear winner.

Ultimate
A more concise hits collection and a great second disk of extended versions, some of which were not released on CD before. 2nd place for me.

4ever
The value here is clearly in Moonbeam levels and the fact that it's the first official release after Prince's death. Marred by confusing choices of edits.

The Very Best Of
This is the only official release that I've never purchased, and I can't see why I would. Not a thing here in packaging or content that any true fan doesn't already have. Just make your own copy and save $12.
Check out The Mountains and the Sea, a Prince podcast by yours truly and my wife. More info at https://www.facebook.com/TMATSPodcast/
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Reply #12 posted 11/27/16 8:19am

KingSausage

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I have to give a shoutout to how clear (and free of distortion) the vocals are on the extended mix of Little Red Corvette on the Ultimate Prince compilation. That alone is worth the price of admission.
"Drop that stereo before I blow your Goddamn nuts off, asshole!"
-Eugene Tackleberry
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