https://www.washingtonblade.com/2016/04/28/nothing-compares-to-prince/

1. “Gotta Broken Heart Again” (from “Dirty Mind,” 1980)

A combination of styles, the song’s a charmer that brings a little tenderness to the hard-edged “Dirty Mind.”

2. “Annie Christian” (from “Controversy,” 1981)

Prince creates the kind of new wave synthesized background you’d expect from a Berlin album, and layers it with squealing guitar effects, and a strident vocal in which he accuses Annie Christian of multiple high-profile murders. It’s a uniquely unsettling song that is one of the first examples of Prince’s ability to go far beyond the slick R&B/Pop sound of his first two albums and tackle more diverse subject matter.

3. “All The Critics Love U In New York” (from “1999,” 1982)

This track is hidden away on the double-album masterpiece “1999,” although an edited version did appear as the b-side to “Little Red Corvette.” The song is basically just a wicked groove, a funky beat and a popping bass over which Prince sing/speaks a set of sardonic lyrics. The hook sung during the repetition of the title brings in a sharp melody and flashes of keyboard.

4. “17 Days” (“When Doves Cry” b-side, 1984)

Although its partner b-side from “Let’s Go Crazy,” “Erotic City,” was unquestionably the most infamous and popular of the two, “17 Days” seems to rest in its shadow. It shouldn’t. “17 Days” has a wicked groove of its own, especially from that elastic bass, and a tense and effective vocal by Prince. With its vaguely trippy nature, “17 Days” is an obvious foreshadowing of the full-blown psychedelic to be heard soon on 1985’s “Around the World in a Day.”

5. “New Position” (from “Parade,” 1986)

This taut slice of kinetic funk is built largely by Prince as a solo recording. There’s not much to it, but there doesn’t need to be. Prince plays the frenetic percussion anchored by a clanging steel drum, between which coils a wildly gyrating bass line.

6. “Power Fantastic” (Recorded 1985, not released until “The Hits/The B-sides “1993”)

It required an unconventional recording set-up to get the right sound, but Prince managed to capture the elegant vibe he was seeking. It’s a one-take jaw-dropper with the Revolution recorded as a track for the possible follow-up “Parade,” presumably to be called “The Dream Factory,” but Prince disbanded the Revolution and the follow-up never materialized. Happily this dreamy, elegant ballad was finally made available when it was added to the “B-sides” disc to a 1993 combination.

Anna Stesia” (from “Lovesexy,” 1988)

Widely considered by Prince fans as among his finest pieces of work, “Anna Stesia” is the emotional centerpiece of “Lovesexy.” It builds slowly from a stark piano intro to the stirring chorus at the end repeating, “Love is God, God is Love. Girls and boys love God above.” Both the vocal and musical arrangement are complex, and Prince delivers one of his most impassioned vocals.

9. “The Question of U” (from “Graffiti Bridge,” 1990)

Forget the movie — the soundtrack is high quality. “The Question of U” is basically one exquisite verse over a trippy groove, followed by Prince’s guitar histrionics, rhythmic clapping, soaring background vocals and exotic lines of keyboard. Beautiful.

10. “And God Created Woman” (from “Love Symbol,” 1992)

Prince turns the biblical story from Genesis into a gorgeous soul ballad with a touch of a Latin/jazz vibe. Prince’s nuanced vocal is beguiling and the vocal arrangement throughout the song is nothing short of magical.

11. “Pheromone” (from “Come,” 1994)

One of Prince’s darkest and most extreme dance tracks, “Pheromone” boasts a truly massive beat and a throbbing bass. Prince sings the lurid lyrics in a hard falsetto from the point of view of a highly aroused man surreptitiously peeping a couple in the process of enacting a violent sexual fantasy. It’s a stellar track, disturbing in its way but loaded with power and an unusually dangerous vibe for a Prince song.

12. “Shhh” (from “The Gold Experience,” 1995)

Prince scored a hit for young vocalist Tevin Campbell with “Round & Round” from “Graffiti Bridge” in 1990. Campbell’s next attempt to record a Prince tune, “Shhh,” wasn’t as successful. In exasperation, Prince transformed the song into a rock behemoth with some of the most stunning guitar the man ever recorded, plus some of the most devastating, come-hither, sexually charged vocals of his career.

13. “The Same December” (from “Chaos & Disorder,” 1996)

Prince handed Warner Bros. two albums of “older” material in 1996 for them to put out as they chose to complete his contract — “Chaos & Disorder” and “The Vault.” “The Same December” is a buoyant guitar rocker that would have soared into the Top 20 had it been released a decade earlier.

14. “When the Lights Go Down” (from “The Vault — Old Friends for Sale,” 1999)

A long, R&B/jazz flavored slow-jam with booming bass and some jaw-dropping instrumentation, it’s clear that Prince didn’t have it in him to turn in subpar material even for contract filler. Prince nails his sweet falsetto, which doesn’t come in until after two minutes of sublime Latin-groove instrumental introduction.

15. “The Love You Make” (from “Emancipation,” 1995)

This powerful gospel-flavored rock ballad ratchets up the intensity as it approaches a breathtaking climax. Often a stunner in live performance, “The Love You Make” sounds entirely more authentic than almost anything else on “Emancipation.”

16. “Comeback” (from “The Truth,” 1997)

“The Truth” is an all-acoustic album included with the “Crystal Ball” box set of previously unreleased material. Because of its hard-to-acquire status, “The Truth” has not been widely heard. The highlight is the short but exquisitely beautiful “Comeback,” a song presumably written by Prince for his late son. Not often does Prince allow something so nakedly personal to be heard by his audience and the song

17. “Wasted Kisses” (from “New Power Soul,” 1998)

This track is indeed a hidden gem — you have to scroll through the CD to track 49 to find it, but it’s well worth the extra clicks. It’s about as bitter a Prince song as you’ll ever hear. We hear gunshots, an ambulance, medical personnel and a flatline all the while Prince is singing, “Why did I waste my kiss on you, baby?/Why did I waste my kisses on you now.” It’s as strange and as chilling a song as Prince has ever released.

18. “I Love U, But I Don’t Trust U Anymore” (from “Rave un2 The Joy Fantastic,” 1999)

Prince’s performance here is emotionally authentic and shows a naked vulnerability we’re not used to hearing from him.

19. “She Loves Me 4 Me” (from “The Rainbow Children,” 2001)

“The Rainbow Children” seems to be Prince’s version of a concept album inspired by the teachings of his new religion. It seems nobody really understood any of it but Prince himself, but that hardly matters. “She Loves Me 4 M” is a classic mid-tempo Prince pop tune built on the lovely interplay between a glistening order and Prince’s guitar. It stands along

with anything he has done.

20. “Reflection” (from “Musicology,” 2004)

The final track from Prince’s 2004 comeback “Musicology” — a year in which Prince launched his first major U.S. tour in ages and also saw him steal the show at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, “Reflection” may be the musical highlight — a charming piece of nostalgia set to gentle acoustic guitar, like a photograph faded with time.

21. “Love” (from “3121,” 2006)

“3121” earned Prince his first No. 1 album in America since the ‘80s, and it’s easy to understand why. It’s a super-slick and modern collection of first-rate pop and R&B, and “Love” is one of the album’s highlights. Although it was never a single, the song has an irrepressible groove, jittery keyboard, a strong melodic hook and Prince sounds his confident best.

22. “All the Midnights in the World” (from “Planet Earth,” 2007)

Prince’s 2007 album “Planet Earth” was the first to prominently feature old Revolution mates Lisa Coleman and Wendy Melvoin substantially in 30 years. It’s a gentle song that doesn’t fit with much of what Prince has been doing in recent years, which is no doubt part of its luminous charm.

23. “Future Soul Song” (from “20ten,” 2010)

“20ten” is generally not regarded as one of Prince’s finest efforts, but it’s not nearly as bad as some would have you believe. There are indeed gems, like the electronic powerhouse “Beginning Endlessly,” the lithe and funky “Sticky Like Glue,” and especially the gorgeous ballad “Future Soul Song,” with an old school groove, sumptuous keyboards and with Prince shifting from his soulful slower register during the versions to his most feathery falsetto for the chorus.

24. “Way Back Home” (from “Art Official Age,” 2014)

Most people in this world were born dead, but I was born alive.” It’s a line impossible to forget and impossible to argue. “Way Back Home” is Prince’s transcendent ballad from his triumphant 2014 release “Art Official Age,” a smart collection of fresh pop and R&B. The vocal harmonies and the sincerity in Prince’s voice make “Way Back Home” the standout. It’s sheer beauty and heart on an album loaded with terrific songs.

25. “Revelation” (from “HITNRUN Phase 2,” 2015)

The final Prince album during his life was released in December 2015, “HITNRUN Phase 2.” Happily, it’s an album worthy of his catalogue. “Revelation” is the type of stripped-down ballad that Prince can crunch out by the dozen, but they’re all different and usually worthy of attention. He is careful to keep the song melodically interesting — he’s not trying to create a boring Top 40 hit. He delivers a superb falsetto and a blistering guitar solo. On the strongest track from his last album, Prince could still bring it at the highest quality.

[Should have probably included Old Friends for Sale or something in the water but still a great list.] there are even a few songs I don't know. (just two..LOL)

purplerabbithole said:

https://www.washingtonblade.com/2016/04/28/nothing-compares-to-prince/

5. “New Position” (from “Parade,” 1986)

This taut slice of kinetic funk is built largely by Prince as a solo recording. There’s not much to it, but there doesn’t need to be. Prince plays the frenetic percussion anchored by a clanging steel drum, between which coils a wildly gyrating bass line.

And he spells out "P-U-S-S-Y", so it's certainly a saucy song.

Hands down beats a "Prince 4Ever" by a long way. The later songs mentioned - Love, All the midnights, etc - they belong in the pentheon of Prince tunes.

Superfluous and idiot comment, I know, but nonetheless, this list of songs helps me remember why Prince was such a genius. The list of songs of 4Ever is incredible - no doubt about that - but when you then consider "second tier" songs like these listed here, it's so easy to see why we stuck around for this man for so long.

SimonCharles said:

Hands down beats a "Prince 4Ever" by a long way. The later songs mentioned - Love, All the midnights, etc - they belong in the pentheon of Prince tunes.

Superfluous and idiot comment, I know, but nonetheless, this list of songs helps me remember why Prince was such a genius. The list of songs of 4Ever is incredible - no doubt about that - but when you then consider "second tier" songs like these listed here, it's so easy to see why we stuck around for this man for so long.

ON 4Ever - not of...silly boy.

Fantastic list.

purplerabbithole said:

Anna Stesia” (from “Lovesexy,” 1988)

Widely considered by Prince fans as among his finest pieces of work, “Anna Stesia” is the emotional centerpiece of “Lovesexy.” It builds slowly from a stark piano intro to the stirring chorus at the end repeating, “Love is God, God is Love. Girls and boys love God above.” Both the vocal and musical arrangement are complex, and Prince delivers one of his most impassioned vocals.

Not to mention the blistering guitar solo!!!

Great picks, never enough of course, good to see Anna Stesia

SimonCharles said:

Hands down beats a "Prince 4Ever" by a long way. The later songs mentioned - Love, All the midnights, etc - they belong in the pentheon of Prince tunes.

Superfluous and idiot comment, I know, but nonetheless, this list of songs helps me remember why Prince was such a genius. The list of songs of 4Ever is incredible - no doubt about that - but when you then consider "second tier" songs like these listed here, it's so easy to see why we stuck around for this man for so long.

right on...this is the stuff that would make people take notice..

luvsexy4all said:

SimonCharles said:

Hands down beats a "Prince 4Ever" by a long way. The later songs mentioned - Love, All the midnights, etc - they belong in the pentheon of Prince tunes.

Superfluous and idiot comment, I know, but nonetheless, this list of songs helps me remember why Prince was such a genius. The list of songs of 4Ever is incredible - no doubt about that - but when you then consider "second tier" songs like these listed here, it's so easy to see why we stuck around for this man for so long.

right on...this is the stuff that would make people take notice..

4Ever was not made for "US".

It was made for the people who are the "I'm a Prince fan" who didn't buy anything after Around A World in A Day.

purplerabbithole said:

https://www.washingtonblade.com/2016/04/28/nothing-compares-to-prince/

1. “Gotta Broken Heart Again” (from “Dirty Mind,” 1980)

A combination of styles, the song’s a charmer that brings a little tenderness to the hard-edged “Dirty Mind.”

2. “Annie Christian” (from “Controversy,” 1981)

Prince creates the kind of new wave synthesized background you’d expect from a Berlin album, and layers it with squealing guitar effects, and a strident vocal in which he accuses Annie Christian of multiple high-profile murders. It’s a uniquely unsettling song that is one of the first examples of Prince’s ability to go far beyond the slick R&B/Pop sound of his first two albums and tackle more diverse subject matter.

3. “All The Critics Love U In New York” (from “1999,” 1982)

This track is hidden away on the double-album masterpiece “1999,” although an edited version did appear as the b-side to “Little Red Corvette.” The song is basically just a wicked groove, a funky beat and a popping bass over which Prince sing/speaks a set of sardonic lyrics. The hook sung during the repetition of the title brings in a sharp melody and flashes of keyboard.

4. “17 Days” (“When Doves Cry” b-side, 1984)

Although its partner b-side from “Let’s Go Crazy,” “Erotic City,” was unquestionably the most infamous and popular of the two, “17 Days” seems to rest in its shadow. It shouldn’t. “17 Days” has a wicked groove of its own, especially from that elastic bass, and a tense and effective vocal by Prince. With its vaguely trippy nature, “17 Days” is an obvious foreshadowing of the full-blown psychedelic to be heard soon on 1985’s “Around the World in a Day.”

5. “New Position” (from “Parade,” 1986)

This taut slice of kinetic funk is built largely by Prince as a solo recording. There’s not much to it, but there doesn’t need to be. Prince plays the frenetic percussion anchored by a clanging steel drum, between which coils a wildly gyrating bass line.

6. “Power Fantastic” (Recorded 1985, not released until “The Hits/The B-sides “1993”)

It required an unconventional recording set-up to get the right sound, but Prince managed to capture the elegant vibe he was seeking. It’s a one-take jaw-dropper with the Revolution recorded as a track for the possible follow-up “Parade,” presumably to be called “The Dream Factory,” but Prince disbanded the Revolution and the follow-up never materialized. Happily this dreamy, elegant ballad was finally made available when it was added to the “B-sides” disc to a 1993 combination.

Anna Stesia” (from “Lovesexy,” 1988)

Widely considered by Prince fans as among his finest pieces of work, “Anna Stesia” is the emotional centerpiece of “Lovesexy.” It builds slowly from a stark piano intro to the stirring chorus at the end repeating, “Love is God, God is Love. Girls and boys love God above.” Both the vocal and musical arrangement are complex, and Prince delivers one of his most impassioned vocals.

9. “The Question of U” (from “Graffiti Bridge,” 1990)

Forget the movie — the soundtrack is high quality. “The Question of U” is basically one exquisite verse over a trippy groove, followed by Prince’s guitar histrionics, rhythmic clapping, soaring background vocals and exotic lines of keyboard. Beautiful.

10. “And God Created Woman” (from “Love Symbol,” 1992)

Prince turns the biblical story from Genesis into a gorgeous soul ballad with a touch of a Latin/jazz vibe. Prince’s nuanced vocal is beguiling and the vocal arrangement throughout the song is nothing short of magical.

11. “Pheromone” (from “Come,” 1994)

One of Prince’s darkest and most extreme dance tracks, “Pheromone” boasts a truly massive beat and a throbbing bass. Prince sings the lurid lyrics in a hard falsetto from the point of view of a highly aroused man surreptitiously peeping a couple in the process of enacting a violent sexual fantasy. It’s a stellar track, disturbing in its way but loaded with power and an unusually dangerous vibe for a Prince song.

12. “Shhh” (from “The Gold Experience,” 1995)

Prince scored a hit for young vocalist Tevin Campbell with “Round & Round” from “Graffiti Bridge” in 1990. Campbell’s next attempt to record a Prince tune, “Shhh,” wasn’t as successful. In exasperation, Prince transformed the song into a rock behemoth with some of the most stunning guitar the man ever recorded, plus some of the most devastating, come-hither, sexually charged vocals of his career.

13. “The Same December” (from “Chaos & Disorder,” 1996)

Prince handed Warner Bros. two albums of “older” material in 1996 for them to put out as they chose to complete his contract — “Chaos & Disorder” and “The Vault.” “The Same December” is a buoyant guitar rocker that would have soared into the Top 20 had it been released a decade earlier.

14. “When the Lights Go Down” (from “The Vault — Old Friends for Sale,” 1999)

A long, R&B/jazz flavored slow-jam with booming bass and some jaw-dropping instrumentation, it’s clear that Prince didn’t have it in him to turn in subpar material even for contract filler. Prince nails his sweet falsetto, which doesn’t come in until after two minutes of sublime Latin-groove instrumental introduction.

15. “The Love You Make” (from “Emancipation,” 1995)

This powerful gospel-flavored rock ballad ratchets up the intensity as it approaches a breathtaking climax. Often a stunner in live performance, “The Love You Make” sounds entirely more authentic than almost anything else on “Emancipation.”

16. “Comeback” (from “The Truth,” 1997)

“The Truth” is an all-acoustic album included with the “Crystal Ball” box set of previously unreleased material. Because of its hard-to-acquire status, “The Truth” has not been widely heard. The highlight is the short but exquisitely beautiful “Comeback,” a song presumably written by Prince for his late son. Not often does Prince allow something so nakedly personal to be heard by his audience and the song

17. “Wasted Kisses” (from “New Power Soul,” 1998)

This track is indeed a hidden gem — you have to scroll through the CD to track 49 to find it, but it’s well worth the extra clicks. It’s about as bitter a Prince song as you’ll ever hear. We hear gunshots, an ambulance, medical personnel and a flatline all the while Prince is singing, “Why did I waste my kiss on you, baby?/Why did I waste my kisses on you now.” It’s as strange and as chilling a song as Prince has ever released.

18. “I Love U, But I Don’t Trust U Anymore” (from “Rave un2 The Joy Fantastic,” 1999)

Prince’s performance here is emotionally authentic and shows a naked vulnerability we’re not used to hearing from him.

19. “She Loves Me 4 Me” (from “The Rainbow Children,” 2001)

“The Rainbow Children” seems to be Prince’s version of a concept album inspired by the teachings of his new religion. It seems nobody really understood any of it but Prince himself, but that hardly matters. “She Loves Me 4 M” is a classic mid-tempo Prince pop tune built on the lovely interplay between a glistening order and Prince’s guitar. It stands along

with anything he has done.

20. “Reflection” (from “Musicology,” 2004)

The final track from Prince’s 2004 comeback “Musicology” — a year in which Prince launched his first major U.S. tour in ages and also saw him steal the show at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, “Reflection” may be the musical highlight — a charming piece of nostalgia set to gentle acoustic guitar, like a photograph faded with time.

21. “Love” (from “3121,” 2006)

“3121” earned Prince his first No. 1 album in America since the ‘80s, and it’s easy to understand why. It’s a super-slick and modern collection of first-rate pop and R&B, and “Love” is one of the album’s highlights. Although it was never a single, the song has an irrepressible groove, jittery keyboard, a strong melodic hook and Prince sounds his confident best.

22. “All the Midnights in the World” (from “Planet Earth,” 2007)

Prince’s 2007 album “Planet Earth” was the first to prominently feature old Revolution mates Lisa Coleman and Wendy Melvoin substantially in 30 years. It’s a gentle song that doesn’t fit with much of what Prince has been doing in recent years, which is no doubt part of its luminous charm.

23. “Future Soul Song” (from “20ten,” 2010)

“20ten” is generally not regarded as one of Prince’s finest efforts, but it’s not nearly as bad as some would have you believe. There are indeed gems, like the electronic powerhouse “Beginning Endlessly,” the lithe and funky “Sticky Like Glue,” and especially the gorgeous ballad “Future Soul Song,” with an old school groove, sumptuous keyboards and with Prince shifting from his soulful slower register during the versions to his most feathery falsetto for the chorus.

24. “Way Back Home” (from “Art Official Age,” 2014)

Most people in this world were born dead, but I was born alive.” It’s a line impossible to forget and impossible to argue. “Way Back Home” is Prince’s transcendent ballad from his triumphant 2014 release “Art Official Age,” a smart collection of fresh pop and R&B. The vocal harmonies and the sincerity in Prince’s voice make “Way Back Home” the standout. It’s sheer beauty and heart on an album loaded with terrific songs.

25. “Revelation” (from “HITNRUN Phase 2,” 2015)

The final Prince album during his life was released in December 2015, “HITNRUN Phase 2.” Happily, it’s an album worthy of his catalogue. “Revelation” is the type of stripped-down ballad that Prince can crunch out by the dozen, but they’re all different and usually worthy of attention. He is careful to keep the song melodically interesting — he’s not trying to create a boring Top 40 hit. He delivers a superb falsetto and a blistering guitar solo. On the strongest track from his last album, Prince could still bring it at the highest quality.

[Should have probably included Old Friends for Sale or something in the water but still a great list.] there are even a few songs I don't know. (just two..LOL)

great list! these are some of my favorite tracks! whoever did this list was a fan.

muleFunk said:

luvsexy4all said:

right on...this is the stuff that would make people take notice..

4Ever was not made for "US".

It was made for the people who are the "I'm a Prince fan" who didn't buy anything after Around A World in A Day.

I appreciate that 4Ever was an appeal to the mass market - I just think this is a superb list of songs that remind me of Prince's genius. In isolation, the same could be said of 4Ever - except that the masses already had The Hits, Ultimate and The Very Best of...they didn't need another compilation of hits (as the sales appear to be showing).

purplerabbithole said:

So many gems here.

Poplife88 said:

great article!!! this would make a great cd!! (I think I will make one for my car!!)

[Edited 12/24/16 18:42pm]

Poplife88 said:

So many gems here.

All of them actually, Count The Days must be there.