i need your expert help here…if you’re willing that is. i’ve set myself the challenging task of burning a CD for a friend to (somewhat forcefully) introduce him to Prince. i’m sure he’ll thank me later. i’ve sorted out a live CD already based on the ONA tour, mainly aftershow stuff. i’m only a newbie myself really, and at 18 there’s loads of tracks i need to discover yet. just yesterday i bought dirty mind for the bargain price of £3.99 in some clearout and how pleased am i. ‘uptown’ and ‘dirty mind’ are damn funky . anyway…he says the only songs he knows are ‘1999’, ‘the most beautiful girl in the world’, ‘the greatest romance ever sold’ (somehow) and ‘the beautiful ones’ through a cover version. basically he has no idea. i don’t wanna scare the poor guy but i still want an honest overview. i was gonna do a hits thing but that’s not really right or would fairly sum up Prince. anyway, he could buy that for himself in a shop. he likes, or is obsessed should i say, with, gulp, mariah carey (hence the not scaring thing and the reason he needs a new obsession) but also likes more creditable artistes such as norah jones, india arie, tracy chapman etc. here’s what i’ve come up with so far in this order:

dirty mind
gotta broken heart again
condition of the heart
moonbeam Levels
hot thing (12” mix)
the beautiful ones
the ballad of dorothy parker
forever in my life
strollin’
D.M.S.R.
rockhard in a funky place (?)
all day, all night (?)
power fantastic
sometimes it snows in april

so, the question is what extra tracks do you think i should include or replace? if you wanna suggest a completely new track-list that’s great too. i don’t really know much of the 90’s stuff you see. i can accommodate about 15 tracks depending on their size. the only tracks i would particularly mind losing would be ‘condition of the heart’, ‘the ballad of dorothy oarker’ and ‘sometimes it snows in april’, the reason being i’m sure he’ll like these. thanks in advance (says crossing fingers).

If he likes Norah Jones, india.arie and Tracy Chapman, I'd go a little more laid-back, if I were you.

The Ballad Of Dorothy Parker
Joy In Repetition
Forever In My Life
Walk Don't Walk
17 Days
The Beautiful Ones
The Question Of U
Scandalous
Sweet Baby
Pink Cashmere
Venus De Milo
How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore?
Free
Condition Of The Heart
Power Fantastic
Sometimes It Snows In April
She Gave Her Angels
Adore
God

It might just all fit on one CD, I'm not sure.

If he's diggin Mariah - there's no saving Him!

try 'Betcha By Golly Wow'! If he's in2 Mariah - solid production, and amazing vocals - I'd go as far 2 say I think its the best PRODUCED song He's released 2 date...

These tracks really are really coherent, they've got a good flow if you know what I mean. Thanks. OK, so here's the revised list I've made to play in this order:

17 Days
The Beautiful Ones
The Ballad of Dorothy Parker
The Question of U
Adore
Forever in My Life
Pink Cashmere
Power Fantastic
Venus de Milo
She Gave Her Angels
Joy in Repetition
Walk Don't Walk
Free
Condition of the Heart
Moonbeam Levels
How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore?
Sometimes It Snows in April

I'm happy now

Any other suggestions are still welcome by the way...perhaps you'll be able to outdo the current list. what do'ya recon, needs altering?

How about starting it all off with 'For You'?
When 2 R In Love?
When We're Dancing Close and Slow?
I Cant Make U Love Me is a great cover, with a touching lyric - a great cover (if u felt like including one - bonus track?)
Shhh... that'd be particularly kool.