I'm not really into ballads, but Prince's ballads from his Emancipation album are an exception. "Soul Sanctury", "I Can't Make U Love Me" and "Betcha By Golly Wow" - all nice, relaxing, lush songs that takes me to places.

What do you think?

Disc II is among his finest hours of his music, ever. I don't believe we ever saw him as vulnerable and honest, before or after.

they are certainly very beautiful, yes. even the outtakes are pretty amazing. songs like 'goodbye',
'love (never has 2 say goodbye) and especially 'journey 2 the centre of your heart'. i'm not sure
that 'she gave her angels' is ballad, but if it counts as one, that's pretty much a stellar one.

perhaps it's because there are so many ballads on emancipation and because he was writing them
one after the other after the other, that they somehow feel a bit less special than the ones on his
previous or later albums?

when emancipation was first released i needed A LOT of time before i could appreciate the ballads
as individual songs and not be overwhelmed by the amount of them.

from emancipation as it was released, i think 'soul sanctuary' is probably my favorite since i must
have listened to that one at least twice as many times as all the others.

however, my favorite prince ballads are not on emancipation which just goes to show you how
many great, great ballads the man actually wrote.

No.

IstenSzek said:

they are certainly very beautiful, yes. even the outtakes are pretty amazing. songs like 'goodbye',
'love (never has 2 say goodbye) and especially 'journey 2 the centre of your heart'. i'm not sure
that 'she gave her angels' is ballad, but if it counts as one, that's pretty much a stellar one.

perhaps it's because there are so many ballads on emancipation and because he was writing them
one after the other after the other, that they somehow feel a bit less special than the ones on his
previous or later albums?

when emancipation was first released i needed A LOT of time before i could appreciate the ballads
as individual songs and not be overwhelmed by the amount of them.

from emancipation as it was released, i think 'soul sanctuary' is probably my favorite since i must
have listened to that one at least twice as many times as all the others.

however, my favorite prince ballads are not on emancipation which just goes to show you how
many great, great ballads the man actually wrote.

I also think Soul Sanctuary is the best ballad on Emancipation. The others, to me, are quite "syrupy" and uninspired in terms of the lyric and arrangement.

*

The songs that were not included - Goodbye (recorded in '91), Journey To The Center Of Your Heart, A Million Days (recorded in '95) - are all better ballads.

*

He had many in previous years that are much better - Nothing Compares 2 U, When 2 R In Love, Condition Of The Heart, Adore, Forever In My Life, and Empty Room far exceed any on Emancipation...

[Edited 8/11/18 9:02am]

There certainly are some really good ones on there. Especially most of Disc 2.

A non emancipation ballad that doesn't seem to get much attention is Call My Name. Everytime I go back and play that one, I realize I forgot just how good it is.

Wlcm2thdwn3 said:

No.

Boop. The truth.

"Betcha" was a cover, so that's not even really his to begin with. The best ballads in 3 hours of love, sex, and liberty are "Soul Sanctuary" (again, not totally his as he took it from Sandra St. Victor), "The Love We Make" (although not a full-on romantic song), "Saviour" (often overlooked, I think), "One Kiss At A Time" (the one that really throws back to stuff like "do me, baby" or

Stuff like "Let's Have A Baby" or "Curious Child" are cute, but they're hardcore fanbase appreciation, not part of the overall canon of the best Prince ballads. Because if you're really throwing ballads together, you have to put things like or "Let's Have A Baby" up against "International Lover", "Adore", "The Beautiful Ones", "If I Was Your Girlfriend", "When 2 R In Love", "Scandalous", "Insatiable", and "damn U" to name a few. That doesn't even mention later released tracks like "dark", "Shhh", "Wasted Kisses", "Extraordinary", Some of the ballads on Emancipation cannot hold their own against those superior tracks.

So no, his best was not on Emancipation. BUT the album certainly offers a small handful of ballads that deserve a place on the canon of great Prince slow jams.

Emancipation has plenty but it also has a three-hour run-time - you could fit four Purple Rains in there and have room left over. Per capita, I'd say Purple Rain had more great ballads - "The Beautiful Ones" and title track - about a quarter of the album, and certainly more canonical. Emancipation doesn't really have eight tracks that compare. According to some definitions, "Darling Nikki" is a ballad as well. Sign o' The Times has "Dorothy Parker," "Slow Love," "Forever in My Life," "If I Was Ur Girlfriend" and "Adore" (maybe also "Strange Relationship" and "The Cross," depending on how we're defining ballad) - more than a quarter of its tracks, and more canonical than anything on Emancipation.

But if the point is Emancipation has killer ballads and fantastic vocals, then agreed. "One Kiss at a Time" is the standout for me.

"One Kiss At A Time" is a COMPLETE MaSTerPiEcE........

SoftSkarlettLovisa said:

ChocolateBox3121 said:

I think they are some of his best and I find them very soothing to listen to as well.

pinkcashmere23 said:

ChocolateBox3121 said:

"One Kiss At A Time" is a COMPLETE MaSTerPiEcE........

Another one....

mtlfan said:

Sign o' The Times has "Dorothy Parker," "Slow Love," "Forever in My Life," "If I Was Ur Girlfriend" and "Adore" (maybe also "Strange Relationship" and "The Cross," depending on how we're defining ballad)...

The purpose of ballads is evoke sensuality and romance. "The Cross" is more a religious/ social commentary than a romantic one.

Musze said:

Latin said:

Musze said:

Disc II is among his finest hours of his music, ever. I don't believe we ever saw him as vulnerable and honest, before or after.

Indeed, those songs were both heartfelt and very much inspired.

Prince

Deeply In LOVE

With Mayte

and his FREEDOM

I never thought about it but this is probably true. Of course, you have to grade it on a curve since it's a 3 disc release.


[Edited 8/12/18 5:28am]

[Edited 8/12/18 5:28am]

The most amazing collection of ballads on one album that I have ever heard.

TrivialPursuit said:

Wlcm2thdwn3 said:

No.

Boop. The truth.

"Betcha" was a cover, so that's not even really his to begin with. The best ballads in 3 hours of love, sex, and liberty are "Soul Sanctuary" (again, not totally his as he took it from Sandra St. Victor), "The Love We Make" (although not a full-on romantic song), "Saviour" (often overlooked, I think), "One Kiss At A Time" (the one that really throws back to stuff like "do me, baby" or

Stuff like "Let's Have A Baby" or "Curious Child" are cute, but they're hardcore fanbase appreciation, not part of the overall canon of the best Prince ballads. Because if you're really throwing ballads together, you have to put things like or "Let's Have A Baby" up against "International Lover", "Adore", "The Beautiful Ones", "If I Was Your Girlfriend", "When 2 R In Love", "Scandalous", "Insatiable", and "damn U" to name a few. That doesn't even mention later released tracks like "dark", "Shhh", "Wasted Kisses", "Extraordinary", Some of the ballads on Emancipation cannot hold their own against those superior tracks.

So no, his best was not on Emancipation. BUT the album certainly offers a small handful of ballads that deserve a place on the canon of great Prince slow jams.

Right on. LOVE Wasted Kisses - dark, but so intense with the "flatline" sound effect representing his dead heart with the finality of not seeing the woman again. And I would add Forever In My Life, Goodbye, and Solo to your list. Even I Hate U is a ballad of sorts, especially the remix - because he is essentially saying he hates her, because his love is still so strong for her, but she left him.

Lovejunky said:

Latin said:

Musze said: Indeed, those songs were both heartfelt and very much inspired.

Prince

Deeply In LOVE

With Mayte

and his FREEDOM

I agree that some of the songs - tracks 8-12 on Disc II - were written for/about his relationship with Mayte and the baby, but the rest seem to be about other things. Soul Sanctuary is his memory and love for an ex being his "soul sanctuary". Emale is an online connection with a woman. Sex In The Summer is partying on the beach and jamming with his band. One Kiss At A Time is pleasing his lover with the "right kisses" in the right places. Joint 2 Joint is Prince and Ninety-9 singing about sex.

*

Again, this has been discussed before, but the album was sequenced multiple times from early '95 up through Summer of '96. The ballads regarding the marriage and baby were written and recorded in early '96. The ballad Goodbye was originally slated to be the last track on an early configuration. Here are the two '95 tracklists:

*

• July 1995 configuration

1. Right Back Here In My Arms
2. Slave
3. (Slowly Candle Burns)
4. New World
5. 2020
6. Feel Good
7. Journey 2 The Center Of Your ♥
8. D.J.
9. Emancipation

*

• Fall 1995 configuration

1. Emancipation
2. Right Back Here In My Arms
3. Slave
4. (Slowly Candle Burns)
5. 2020
6. New World
7. Feel Good
8. Journey 2 The Center Of Your ♥
9. D.J.
10. (Excuse Me Is This) Goodbye

leecaldon said:

The most amazing collection of ballads on one album that I have ever heard.

I agree..

But I DONT agree that his BEST BALLADS were only on Emancipation..

He had HEAPS of EPIC Ballads,

Most Albums had at least ONE

but YES..Emancipation has the MOST in one release

I blame Mayte

I've ALWAYS felt "Emancipation" was Prince's answer to Stevie's "Songs In The Key Of Life".The concepts are very similar.

Krystalkisses said:

No. Prince album and For You. Such romantic ballads on those. It makes me fall in love with him all over again when I listen to those love songs .

I'm with U hear. Those earlier songs were so vulnerable and some other word I just cannot find.

The music to When We're Dancing Close and Slow broke me when I heard it right after he passed.

The ballads on the first 3 albums are just so heartfelt and innocent yet with a touch of danger at times.

OldFriends4Sale said:

Krystalkisses said:

No. Prince album and For You. Such romantic ballads on those. It makes me fall in love with him all over again when I listen to those love songs .

I'm with U hear. Those earlier songs were so vulnerable and some other word I just cannot find.

The music to When We're Dancing Close and Slow broke me when I heard it right after he passed.

The ballads on the first 3 albums are just so heartfelt and innocent yet with a touch of danger at times.

I agree, the earlier ballads were very sweet and innocent. He was maturing and learning about love. By the mid 80's he was getting deeper and more ecclectic with the lyrics and meaning.

*

I think Empty Room, Condition Of The Heart, Forever In My Life, When 2 R In Love, Adore and others during that time frame just capture the depth of his feelings and are truly inspired.

*

I'm sure I'm going to get pounced on by some, but I just don't really care for the "Mayte" ballads on the album as compared to those listed above. The depth of feeling just isn't there - or maybe it's the lyrical content - I don't know.

*

The ballads that he gave away or didn't release during '95/'96 I think are more inspired - Stone, Van Gogh, A Million Days, Journey To The Center Of Your Heart....those are fantastic and better than the other ballads.

OldFriends4Sale said: