Cool. Just, cool.

Had me a revisit to the videos. Cool. Simply, cool.

And as the video to Mountains faded out, all I could hear was the crash chord that segues you into the 12"...what a magnificent piece of music that was.

And then you realise that Love or Money and Alexa de Paris accompanied these singles.

And then you reember that An Honest Man didn't even get a proper release and the rest of the soundtrack that fizzed and brought the film to life wasn't used...

Cool. Just, cool.

Sometimes It Snows In April.

D

[Edited 4/15/18 12:24pm]

I watched Under the Cherry Moon for the first time a couple weeks ago - I know I'm super late on that, but being in college, it took me a long time to get around to it. But anyway, seeing the movie really helped me understand Parade's narrative and have a greater appreciation for all of that music, and the entire era as a whole! Not that I didn't love all those songs before, but there were just certain things that made more sense after seeing the movie.

.

Like the OP said, it really made me appreciate how cohesive the entire project was. The album is amazing and as a soundtrack to the movie, maybe even better. I was very moved by every scene that was accompanied by a song.

I suspect History will remember Parade as the strongest artistic statement ever made by Prince.

I may be wrong, but when you have been reading fan feedback on this very board for 16 years as I have, the more time passes, the more Parade gets respect

databank said:

I suspect History will remember Parade as the strongest artistic statement ever made by Prince.

I may be wrong, but when you have been reading fan feedback on this very board for 16 years as I have, the more time passes, the more Parade gets respect

Well put.

It seems both effortless and masterful; the culmination of so much hard work on the part of The Revolution and Prince - and then this blissful celebration of beautiful and complex and easy and challenging music.

And so much left in the vault.

And then Prince released Sign O The Times and Lovesexy and the Black album was in the mix...the creativity of that 2/3 years is staggering.

But - Parade - Cool.

databank said:

Strive said:

Parade being the next Deluxe Edition release has been the rumor for awhile now.

I hope so!

Hopefully, P knows we love him...on the other side. Maybe his spirit is looking over my shoulder, as I write this.

Christopher Tracy's Parade--Echoing drums, flute...and Prince screams "Haow!" Majestic horns...and "strawberry lemonade". Powerful intro song...different from the frantic rock overload of say "Let's Go Crazy" but, still, stirring! The power is in the music...

New Position--steel drums, meaty bass guitar and sketchy snare drums with a sublime vocal by Prince and singalong with Wendy and Lisa.

I Wonder U--bass guitar and deep drums with Wendy and Lisa on vocals with flute and scratchy funk guitar at the end. Most of us got into Prince with Purple Rain. By this point after buying Purple Rain and Around the World In a Day...with this album? You know this dude Prince is Different, different, different... (afterthought...after all of this, he comes back with Sign O' the Times, the Black Album, Lovesexy and Batman...he was kicking ass in the 80's!)

Under the Cherry Moon...plaintive piano and keyboard and echoey drums again that are echoey but, still, sound different on every track on this album. P sounds sad. Pulls at your emotional strings. What a ride!

Girls and Boys...drums. Keyboards. "Veep!" or whatever he says at the beginning. Funky. Especially the keyboard and the saxophone. I ain't ever heard a saxophone sound like this. Rap towards the end...

Life Can Be So Nice...intense. Layers of clanking drums and flute and keyboard. Lisa and Wendy singing along. Uptempo...

Venus De Milo...Majestic, sweeping strings, piano. No one has ever done an album so different from everything else they've done. This track, let alone the album, sends my mind through various alpha and gamma and beta waves trying to comprehend it all. Leading to

Mountains...P lead vocal with singalong Wendy and Lisa. "oh oh oh ohoh.." Horns that don't sound like anything I've ever heard from him before or since. This is when his horn use wasn't corny but poignant. Extended version sounds like a mini-concert on record.

Do U Lie...lounge music. But u gotta love the way P sings it. Nice backing vocals from the ladies..."Going down...down...down..."

Kiss...funk masterpiece. Nuff said. Oh, wait...extended version is even better. Funk turned up to 1000!

Anotherloverholenyohead...P's first use of long word titles, I think. Funk on the piano. Funk bass. Once again...extended version is even better and funkier.

Sometimes it snows...didn't like to listen to this one too much. It was beautiful but sad. Beautiful ending to an art masterpiece like Michaelangelo or Beethoven would have done.

END OF THE REVOLUTION

It's a weird album and I don't pull it out much but I remember when I first got it thinking "this is what ATWIAD should have been". Around the World sounded like it was trying too hard to be weird and offbeat while Parade was genuine and felt better thought out.

I seem to remember reading somewhere that Prince didn't like the finished product.

herb4 said:

It's a weird album and I don't pull it out much but I remember when I first got it thinking "this is what ATWIAD should have been". Around the World sounded like it was trying too hard to be weird and offbeat while Parade was genuine and felt better thought out.

I seem to remember reading somewhere that Prince didn't like the finished product.

You can have a Hell of an album between the two.

databank said:

I suspect History will remember Parade as the strongest artistic statement ever made by Prince.

I may be wrong, but when you have been reading fan feedback on this very board for 16 years as I have, the more time passes, the more Parade gets respect

I suspect you might be right.

herb4 said:

HerecomethePurpleYoda said:

Cool.

Cool.

databank said:

I suspect History will remember Parade as the strongest artistic statement ever made by Prince.

I may be wrong, but when you have been reading fan feedback on this very board for 16 years as I have, the more time passes, the more Parade gets respect

I think you may be right ...

One of the reasons is that Parade is unlike anything else done by anyone else at any time ever

It is absolutely Unique and timeless

WHen people force you to choose a Favorite amongst princes catalogue..

Parade is the one that easily bubbles to the surface..

Lovejunky said:

databank said:

I suspect History will remember Parade as the strongest artistic statement ever made by Prince.

I may be wrong, but when you have been reading fan feedback on this very board for 16 years as I have, the more time passes, the more Parade gets respect

I think you may be right ...

One of the reasons is that Parade is unlike anything else done by anyone else at any time ever

It is absolutely Unique and timeless

WHen people force you to choose a Favorite amongst princes catalogue..

Parade is the one that easily bubbles to the surface..

It's the creative vein, too...I'm just listening to a version of Can I Play With U? I've never heard before and the creativity and musicianship is simply off the chart. It does make you wonder what was going through prince's mind when he said it wasn't good enough for Miles' album!

The whole time around Parade, as The Revolution expanded and became a collective of performers comfortable in their skins is simply Prince and his friends cresting their creative peak. Arguably it is there they plateau and after the work through 87, things were never the same again.

databank said:

I suspect History will remember Parade as the strongest artistic statement ever made by Prince.

I may be wrong, but when you have been reading fan feedback on this very board for 16 years as I have, the more time passes, the more Parade gets respect

.

Parade was album of the year in NME in 1986.

BartVanHemelen said:

databank said:

I suspect History will remember Parade as the strongest artistic statement ever made by Prince.

I may be wrong, but when you have been reading fan feedback on this very board for 16 years as I have, the more time passes, the more Parade gets respect

.

Parade was album of the year in NME in 1986.

That's true - it was well received by NME, yes. Supports databank's idea that history will remember...etc...because it was warmly received at the time.

I have to be honest - my responses have been wildly different with each listen. Sometimes I love it, other times I'm very lukewarm. It's so different for him I think that I have to be in a certain mood for it.

databank said:

I suspect History will remember Parade as the strongest artistic statement ever made by Prince.

I may be wrong, but when you have been reading fan feedback on this very board for 16 years as I have, the more time passes, the more Parade gets respect

It's a great album for sure, but I don't think it will be remembered as his greatest. It ows too much to Beatles, Sly and others. Clare Fisher is to prominent. And some of the songs are a bit faux arty. I think 1999 or SOTT will have the strongest lasting inpact.

Parade is one of my favs. Aside from Kiss, my favorite song is I Wonder U. Danced to Venus de Milo with my grandma at my wedding

BartVanHemelen said:

databank said:

I suspect History will remember Parade as the strongest artistic statement ever made by Prince.

I may be wrong, but when you have been reading fan feedback on this very board for 16 years as I have, the more time passes, the more Parade gets respect

.

Parade was album of the year in NME in 1986.

not to mention 10 out of 10 in Smash Hits!

26ten said:

I have to be honest - my responses have been wildly different with each listen. Sometimes I love it, other times I'm very lukewarm. It's so different for him I think that I have to be in a certain mood for it.

Same. I played the hell out of it back in the day and liked it better than ATWIAD so I was relieved to hear Prince challenge me. Also lost my virginity during that spring of Parade so it always has a soft spot in my heart but like you said, I have to be in the mood for it.

the wonderful strings of albums from Prince in 1980 to 1988 is unbeatable, unique.

So many masterpieces, from Dirty Mind and to the (last?) wonder/ masterpiece: Lovesexy!



And, this, Parade is 1 brilliant work of art.....

sulls said:

Parade is one of my favs. Aside from Kiss, my favorite song is I Wonder U. Danced to Venus de Milo with my grandma at my wedding

I Wonder U is arguably the best 1:40 of Prince and the Revolution.

SimonCharles said:

sulls said:

Parade is one of my favs. Aside from Kiss, my favorite song is I Wonder U. Danced to Venus de Milo with my grandma at my wedding

I Wonder U is arguably the best 1:40 of Prince and the Revolution.

I LOVE I Wonder U, just short enough to make you mad with joy

SimonCharles said:

Strive said:

Parade being the next Deluxe Edition release has been the rumor for awhile now.

I've never seen a definitive list but have always wondered had Prince made Parade a double album what finished tracks would he have included?

Love or Money

Alexa Da Paris

An Honest Man

Old Friends 4 Sale

Others Here With Us and All My Dreams maybe?

My favorite album by Prince. Yes. It had to be said!

DarkHorse77 said:

Strive said:

Parade being the next Deluxe Edition release has been the rumor for awhile now.

I've never seen a definitive list but have always wondered had Prince made Parade a double album what finished tracks would he have included?

Love or Money

Alexa Da Paris

An Honest Man

Old Friends 4 Sale

Others Here With Us and All My Dreams maybe?

There is a finished Parade outtake (not heard) God Is Everywhere

OldFriends4Sale said:

DarkHorse77 said:

I've never seen a definitive list but have always wondered had Prince made Parade a double album what finished tracks would he have included?

Love or Money

Alexa Da Paris

An Honest Man

Old Friends 4 Sale

Others Here With Us and All My Dreams maybe?

There is a finished Parade outtake (not heard) God Is Everywhere

Yes, I've never heard anything about that one. I did read somewhere that Edwin Konings (sp?) is finishing up a Prince discography book like the ones he did on P-Funk and Sly Stone so maybe we'll know more.