I said (alone) so that no one says songs like "Mountains" or "Purple Rain" prove his songwrting abilty. (those were entirely too collaborative). I am starting to think Purple Rain was barely his song.

Which was better --- his ability to perform or his ability to write songs?

everything to me that prince did alone was somewhat better songwriting and performing most of his bggest hits were songs that he did alone

Prince Vault seems to indicate a lot of songwriting on Prince's part. But who knows.

cbarnes3121 said:

everything to me that prince did alone was somewhat better songwriting and performing most of his bggest hits were songs that he did alone

purplerabbithole said:

I said (alone) so that no one says songs like "Mountains" or "Purple Rain" prove his songwrting abilty. (those were entirely too collaborative). I am starting to think Purple Rain was barely his song.

Which was better --- his ability to perform or his ability to write songs?

Purple Rain wasn't really a collaborative effort. Og course Prince didn't tell the band note for note what to play, rock bands don't work that way, but he came to the rehearsal with a demo and sat by the piano and taught the song to the band.

I love his songwriting talent but he was and amzing performer. So that's my call.

It sounds like it was very collaborative. How do you know he sat by the piano and taught the song to the band. We can only go by their words. I wish they would be a bit more clear about what he did after he showed up with that really basic demo. They basically state what parts they worked on but they act like he just left the room after he dropped off the demo. Obviously, that can't be the case because the song has complete lyrics and a somewhat long guitar solo as well..

It sounds like there are recordings of some of teh other songs being created, but is there recordings of this one?

paulludvig said:

purplerabbithole said:

I said (alone) so that no one says songs like "Mountains" or "Purple Rain" prove his songwrting abilty. (those were entirely too collaborative). I am starting to think Purple Rain was barely his song.

Which was better --- his ability to perform or his ability to write songs?

Purple Rain wasn't really a collaborative effort. Og course Prince didn't tell the band note for note what to play, rock bands don't work that way, but he came to the rehearsal with a demo and sat by the piano and taught the song to the band.

performer....

But haven't you heard the bootleg from the rehearsal? It makes it very clear that Prince taught the band how to play the song. It's a pity we can't post examples for reference when people are having these discussion on the org.

purplerabbithole said:

It sounds like it was very collaborative. How do you know he sat by the piano and taught the song to the band. We can only go by their words. I wish they would be a bit more clear about what he did after he showed up with that really basic demo. They basically state what parts they worked on but they act like he just left the room after he dropped off the demo. Obviously, that can't be the case because the song has complete lyrics and a somewhat long guitar solo as well..

It sounds like there are recordings of some of teh other songs being created, but is there recordings of this one?

paulludvig said:

Purple Rain wasn't really a collaborative effort. Og course Prince didn't tell the band note for note what to play, rock bands don't work that way, but he came to the rehearsal with a demo and sat by the piano and taught the song to the band.

that really is hard to gauge, as a performer, not too many people are in his league. there are guys who could dance and sing better but those guys weren't as good on instruments and also, as a bandleader, he was one of the best even if he was an asshole sometimes. Most of the great bandleaders had to be.

as a songwriter, he may have had his most commercial stuff with the collaborative stuff on PR but I know that my favorite songs of his are generally the one man efforts, little red corvette had that dynamite guitar work and the singing of lisa but it was still mainly his work. He was fortunate that he had people who could take a great song and make it even better, I can't imagine Little Red Corvette without Dez' guitar and voice, but I'd still consider that a solo effort. His stuff alone had it's own kind of vibe to it too. to me, purple rain is completely different from 1999/controversy in that regard, they actually do sound like he's speaking to the world on PR whereas he sounds completely self absorbed on the earlier stuff.

[Edited 6/24/17 0:18am]

in the long run a better performer