SoulAlive said:

KAB said:

It is a classic.

It was the last single from the album and released after the name-change wasn't it thou. Or near enough. Prince had moved on and as with many a great song / album if Prince wasn't actively promoting it then the sales would naturally be lower.

it was actually released in early 1993....around the time that Prince began his 'Act 1' Tour in the US.

Probably should have charted better then, as it was released during the US tour.

rosie and prince together were beuatiful

feeluupp said:

SchlomoThaHomo said:

Yes Frank Dileo was hired by the suggestion of Warner's pr publicist at the time, Jill Willis and Gilbert Davidson... Warners met with Dileo to discuss his promotional ideas which were very calculated to the "masses" everything was hand picked to market to the most appeal... It's one thing to be promoting an album with video specials in Paisley Park, which Prince would do without a promotion advisory regardless... But Frank literally handpicked the most viable promotion sources at the time. He tried to get Prince on the most popular magazines at the, example: SPIN magazine... He booked him for major events like the special olympics, the MTV Video Music Awards, Aersenio Hall, etc... Comparing promotion for Diamonds & Pearls vs. Love Symbol and saying oh he promoted the same is not entirely correct. Yes he promoted for Love Symbol but Frank was in charge of every aspect of promotion for Dimaonds... As a matter of fact It was Dlielo who hinted at Willis there should be a "unique" and special packaging for the D&P album... Which later was revelaed in a meeting with Prince looking at hologram cover for another album and saying he liked to have that as well..

As a matter of fact there started to be friction with the Love Symbol album promotion because Prince wanted to promote a new album right away and sent singles to radios but they refused to play them at the time because they were still playing the songs from Diamonds & Pearls as Dileo and the marketing team pushed WB to release 5 singles in 7 months, which radio was still playing at the time...

Dileo with WB pr team suggested 7 be the lead single, Prince refused... Dileo later got fired by Prince, and WB marketing team Bob Merlis said Prince was saying he wondered if publicists even bothered to prommote singles they didn't want to release. He also stated how WB spent top dollar to promote his other acts even though Prince would go against everything the marketing team tried to suggest...

This has been in many books, Alex Hans book, in addition to Prince: Inside the Music and the Masks...

Is Dileo the main reason that Love Symbol failed to sell, ofc not! But it is a huge factor because for once Prince had a top marketing team that was very strategical which is why and only why he achieved the sales for D&P at the time... The album nor music was nothing groundbreaking, grundge, gangster rap, new jack swing, and the beginning of house music dominated the charts, Prince was following the trends. Not saying it's the only reason but the main reason for the success of D&P was the promotion the shock value, the next day everyone was talking about the assless pants... Not the song Get Off... But the performance... Everything was calculated by Dileo and the marketing team...

During the promotion conflict with Love Symbol he actually blamed WB for not promoting it enough to become a hit, even though as the album was aleady sliding off the charts, he took a few months off to go to Puerto Rico for a break with Mayte.

Prince started trying to promote Love Symbol more vigorously than D&P as the album wasn't performing to expectations... But Prince would reject the marketing teams ideas and Prince took control, editing the ABC In Concert special to two hours, editing the songs, etc...

After Prince failed to cooperate with the marketing team for the Love Symbol release, he never had a platinum album again in the U.S. (Not including THE HITS THE B SIDES released in 1993, which actually WB paid him a million to not interfere with the project or promotiona t all) until Musicology in 2004.

So did he promote Love Symbol more, actually yes he did... Was it promoted as smart and strategical as Dileos promotion with D&P, absolutely not.

[Edited 7/11/18 12:08pm]

[Edited 7/11/18 19:12pm]

... Although D&P is a mixed bag album in my opinion, it's not bad, it's not great, it's very average, with some standouts... Musically that's up to the fans to discuss, but statisically and commercial wise the facts are the facts...

The promotion calculated by Dileo is why Diamonds & Pearls became his 2nd biggest selling album. D&P landed at #3, CREAM at #1 for only 2 weeks... Those were the only TOP 10 singles from D&P... The rest were minor hits, Money Don't Matter 2 Night hit #23 and quickly faded away from the charts... I saved Get Off for last... It was the first single released and it was pushed quite heavily yet it only managed to hit #21 on the Billboard Hot 100... The performance of Get Off at the MTV Video Music Awards had a far more lasting impact for promotional value rather than the single... The next day everyone was talking about the performance, yet the song was way off the charts by then... As Money Don't Matter 2 Night was still on rotation at radio in 1992 as it was released as a single, shortly after Prince wanted to release SEXY M.F. against his pr team advice, and already fired Dileo at the time... So the whole Love Symbol promotion was in chaos from the start... Prince even tried to promote Love Symbol extra as it was sliding down the charts and wouldn't meet its minimum 5 million plus sales requirement as stated in the infmaous contract with WB...

Prince did a lot to promote Love Symbol, but it was promotion the Prince way, which means unorganized, unstrategical, and controlled only to his comfort way of promotion... D&P was far more calculated in terms of promotion because the professionals were actually in control of the marketing... Love Symbol was Prince once again taking control doing it his way and going against the advices from the marketing team and the result is Love Symbol was a modest success only selling 2 million world wide compared to Diamonds & Pearls selling over 6 million and just under the 7 million mark by today.

KAB said:

james said:

.

It's also a song about being in love with a school girl... so, umm....

Not sure. A schoolboy's fantasy but doesnt mean she was a school girl.

album is confusing in terms of the age of Mayte's character. But at least 16, probably 18. Mirroring her joining the NPG.

.

"Every school boy's fantasy she was, that's why he had to wait..."

.

She's under age

james said:

KAB said:

Not sure. A schoolboy's fantasy but doesnt mean she was a school girl.

album is confusing in terms of the age of Mayte's character. But at least 16, probably 18. Mirroring her joining the NPG.

.

"Every school boy's fantasy she was, that's why he had to wait..."

.

She's under age

well, mayte was when he was first introduced to her, right?
he waited a little while before he hired her and even had to
sign for legal guardianship or something.

likewise anna garcia was seeing him but they had to wait till
her 18th before they got intimate.

so it's not a shocking revelation, knowing prince

KAB said:

SoulAlive said:

it was actually released in early 1993....around the time that Prince began his 'Act 1' Tour in the US.

Probably should have charted better then, as it was released during the US tour.

it's not a great song,though I can see why it wasn't a big hit

Near classic. The only two songs i absolutely can't stand are Jughead and Push. I never was a super fan of Cream and Daddy Pop but minus my personal tastes, those are pretty good song(Cream more so).

I especially like Walk Don't Walk, Money Don't Matter, and Get Off. And Diamonds & Pearls is one of the best and most classiest songs that Prince ever wrote.

I even like Live 4 Love(always have).

Overall, i think D&P has a pretty good mix of songs. I always thought it had a nice vibe(minus the two songs that i mentioned i didn't like).

[Edited 7/23/18 15:08pm]

IstenSzek said:

james said:

.

"Every school boy's fantasy she was, that's why he had to wait..."

.

She's under age

well, mayte was when he was first introduced to her, right?
he waited a little while before he hired her and even had to
sign for legal guardianship or something.

likewise anna garcia was seeing him but they had to wait till
her 18th before they got intimate.

so it's not a shocking revelation, knowing prince

This context gives a fresh meaning to "Count the Days .

gandorb said:

IstenSzek said:

well, mayte was when he was first introduced to her, right?
he waited a little while before he hired her and even had to
sign for legal guardianship or something.

likewise anna garcia was seeing him but they had to wait till
her 18th before they got intimate.

so it's not a shocking revelation, knowing prince

This context gives a fresh meaning to "Count the Days .

And a subtle prelude to 18 & Over (I wants to bone ya)

james said:

KAB said:

Not sure. A schoolboy's fantasy but doesnt mean she was a school girl.

album is confusing in terms of the age of Mayte's character. But at least 16, probably 18. Mirroring her joining the NPG.

.

"Every school boy's fantasy she was, that's why he had to wait..."

.

She's under age

Not necessarily a schoolgirl but yeah under age (16) because that is mentioned in the segues and we know it was a take on real-life, Mayte joining the NPG.

KAB said:

james said:

.

"Every school boy's fantasy she was, that's why he had to wait..."

.

She's under age

Not necessarily a schoolgirl but yeah under age (16) because that is mentioned in the segues and we know it was a take on real-life, Mayte joining the NPG.

how now, the princess was 'only 16 years old' according to the reporter so not under

Near-Classic or Near-Turkey?

Half-Empty or Half-Full?

A Difference Without Little Distinction?

I'd Say Both

IstenSzek said:

KAB said:

Not necessarily a schoolgirl but yeah under age (16) because that is mentioned in the segues and we know it was a take on real-life, Mayte joining the NPG.

how now, the princess was 'only 16 years old' according to the reporter so not under

I meant she was 16. Under age in the USA?

Its all a lil vague but much as you say I agree

KAB said:

IstenSzek said:

how now, the princess was 'only 16 years old' according to the reporter so not under

I meant she was 16. Under age in the USA?

Its all a lil vague but much as you say I agree

ah, you're right, i always forget that the legal age is 18 in the us

we're a bunch of whores here in europe

HamsterHuey said:

Also, I love the tidbit that this is an album he recorded 'fresh'. aka, he did not polish old compositions, but was composing while building/rehearsing his new band.

And you can hear it; besides the obvious duds, the album as a whole flows really well. I always kept missing Something Funky, even if it would be considered a dud by most of you.

Forgot about that song. Agree it should have been on the album somewhere.

I don't bust out D&P too often and don't hate it but it's not a favorite either. Agree that the TV performances were really great, especially Arsenio. I had a musician friend who hated Prince but told me after he saw the Arsenio set that "dude has it going on".

I really like Thunder, Gett Off (an all timer), Daddy Pop, Live for Love, Willing and Able, Money Don't Matter and Walk Don't Walk. Cream is overrated for me. I don't hate Push like most do and, musically, really like Jughead. I think it's funky just dragged down by corny lyrics. Insatiable is another by the numbers ballad that I've heard 1000 times before.

Only song I really hate is Strollin, which reminds me of gimmicky stuff like Do u Lie and Courtin Time. Album could have used a hard rock number somewhere, and "pop" Prince has never been my favorite, but it's hard to argue it's a BAD album in any way. Just not one of his best. What is it, his second or third all tiem seller? No way.

IstenSzek said:

KAB said:

I meant she was 16. Under age in the USA?

Its all a lil vague but much as you say I agree

ah, you're right, i always forget that the legal age is 18 in the us

we're a bunch of whores here in europe

O-M-G


ROFLMMFAO!!!!

His most genius commercial move. He had a point to prove & he damn well owned it!

Fans thoughts on the music are irrelevant...he was back front & centre on the global stage.

PURPLEIZED3121 said:

His most genius commercial move. He had a point to prove & he damn well owned it!

Fans thoughts on the music are irrelevant...he was back front & centre on the global stage.

You mean Frank Dileo's geniues commercial move..

By the way, a 97-minute video of the D&P Tour in London at Earl's Court is on YouTube, published 3 days ago. Not official, but pro-quality. I'm downloading it now.

TrivialPursuit said:

By the way, a 97-minute video of the D&P Tour in London at Earl's Court is on YouTube, published 3 days ago. Not official, but pro-quality. I'm downloading it now.

Thanks! My first time seeing this show, other than the snippets from the VHS. If only we could get official proshots of this, Act I, and Act II. And all the rest I guess.

modified said:

Neither classic nor turkey. Diamonds and Pearls was Prince's attempt to produce a commercial success for the US market and reconnect with what black/rnb/urban radio was playing. It had a few decent songs and slick production, but this was also the album where Prince really lost his edge; no longer a trend-setter, but a follower.

Nonsense...your point has been made since the album came out. The album totally divided the audience..however he did what he needed to do. In subsequent years he still did what the hell he pleased ie TGE, Rainbow Children, Crystal Ball etc....he covered ALL bases in a stellar career.

modified said:

Neither classic nor turkey. Diamonds and Pearls was Prince's attempt to produce a commercial success for the US market and reconnect with what black/rnb/urban radio was playing. It had a few decent songs and slick production, but this was also the album where Prince really lost his edge; no longer a trend-setter, but a follower.

Nah, that started with Batman

thanks for this.

My god, how can anyone hate on "Live 4 Love"?

herb4 said:

modified said:

Neither classic nor turkey. Diamonds and Pearls was Prince's attempt to produce a commercial success for the US market and reconnect with what black/rnb/urban radio was playing. It had a few decent songs and slick production, but this was also the album where Prince really lost his edge; no longer a trend-setter, but a follower.

Nah, that started with Batman

... Batman was ultimately a commercial success due to the movie. It only had one #1 hit, BATDANCE, all the other songs was a moderate success...

I feel Prince made the soundtrack more to fit the mood of each of the scenes, clearly not to produce hit after hit for a commercial success since like I stated it only had one hit.

With Diamonds & Pearls it was a CALCULATED strategic promotion to make this album commercial, Frank Dimeo and the marketing team as well as Prince were clearly making this album as commercially viable as possible, with Batman it was piggybacked due to the film... Had the film not have had any tie to Batman, the songs on there contained no major hits.

edit: wrong thread

[Edited 7/28/18 19:09pm]

SchlomoThaHomo said:

TrivialPursuit said:

By the way, a 97-minute video of the D&P Tour in London at Earl's Court is on YouTube, published 3 days ago. Not official, but pro-quality. I'm downloading it now.

Thanks! My first time seeing this show, other than the snippets from the VHS. If only we could get official proshots of this, Act I, and Act II. And all the rest I guess.

Also Atlanta 1985, Revolution's last show in Yokohama 1986 (bad quality but there*), Nude Tour Spain (July 25, 1990), Vienna August 1993 are out there.

* remember, this was the show where he broke one of his cloud guitars, and he said "so beautiful" during "Sometimes It Snows in April", etc.

[Edited 7/28/18 17:27pm]

A great rebound from the "GB" film fiasco...P was back in the spotlight again in a positive way..Friday Night Videos, MTV, VH-1 and BET played the video singles...The title track was a big hit on urban radio (along with "Money Don't Matter") and "Cream" was a huge hit on the pop stations...I even heard "Gett Off" on the local alt rock radio station...The yellow "ass out" pants made news after he did the 91 MTV Awards show...I taped the Arsenio performance and watched it over and over..Joan Rivers even had a special show dedicated to him back then...That was a fun time to be a P fan.