In my mind I group these two together. I guess that's because they're the two studio albums attributed to Prince & The New Power Generation. Plus they both have healthy doses of Tony Moseley, which gives them a similar sound.

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When they first came out I greatly prefered The Love Symbol Album. I thought D&P was too commerical. Plus I thought Tony's rapping improved significantly on the second album. And I thought the Love Symbol Album had more of an edge.

.

But now, all these years later, I find myself pulling out D&P far more often than the Love Symbol Album.

.

I can still rationalize arguments in my mind that The Love Symbol is a better album. But when I stop analyzing the albums / stop trying to be an armchair critic, and I simply sit back and enjoy the music, I gravitate to D&P.

I group these two together, too. I prefer "Love Symbol" as it is more of a fans album. But I was very happy that D&P brought Prince back in the commercial spotlight. And "Gett Off" was such a bold, innovative and danceable first single for "D&P"

And don´t forget: "Love Symbol" was Maytes introduction to Princes world and a she was such an inspiration for years to come. I just love this whole era.

lurker316 said:

I'll always love this era as it's when I first became a fan after seeing the Gett Off video as a 15 year old.

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I also group them together and I'm in the minority in liking the Tony M/hip hop elements. But for those who don't there is still plenty of vintage Prince across both with the likes of Cream, D&P, Damn U, And God Created Woman, 7 etc.

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I love the live band sound on D&P and then the horns on Love Symbol add even more to it.

lurker316 said:

In my mind I group these two together. I guess that's because they're the two studio albums attributed to Prince & The New Power Generation. Plus they both have healthy doses of Tony Moseley, which gives them a similar sound.

.

When they first came out I greatly prefered The Love Symbol Album. I thought D&P was too commerical. Plus I thought Tony's rapping improved significantly on the second album. And I thought the Love Symbol Album had more of an edge.

.

But now, all these years later, I find myself pulling out D&P far more often than the Love Symbol Album.

.

I can still rationalize arguments in my mind that The Love Symbol is a better album. But when I stop analyzing the albums / stop trying to be an armchair critic, and I simply sit back and enjoy the music, I gravitate to D&P.

It's funny it's exactly the same for me.

I love D&P but was always my favorite, it's epic, it's hysterical, it's more ambitious both musically and lyrically, it's Prince at the top of his game.

But I think in the end today I listen to D&P way more often, maybe because it's an easier listening, it does not involve me as much, it's just a relaxing album to me, while is so intense.

dodger said:

I'll always love this era as it's when I first became a fan after seeing the Gett Off video as a 15 year old.

.

I also group them together and I'm in the minority in liking the Tony M/hip hop elements. But for those who don't there is still plenty of vintage Prince across both with the likes of Cream, D&P, Damn U, And God Created Woman, 7 etc.

.

I love the live band sound on D&P and then the horns on Love Symbol add even more to it.

They even form a sort of quadrilogy with Gold Nigga and Carmen Electra.

And I really don't mind Tony either. He was sort of shouting on stage but in the studio his rap is neat.

databank said:

dodger said:

I'll always love this era as it's when I first became a fan after seeing the Gett Off video as a 15 year old.

.

I also group them together and I'm in the minority in liking the Tony M/hip hop elements. But for those who don't there is still plenty of vintage Prince across both with the likes of Cream, D&P, Damn U, And God Created Woman, 7 etc.

.

I love the live band sound on D&P and then the horns on Love Symbol add even more to it.

They even form a sort of quadrilogy with Gold Nigga and Carmen Electra.

And I really don't mind Tony either. He was sort of shouting on stage but in the studio his rap is neat.

Yea, I've got a nice long playlist consisting of these and the remixes/non-album tracks from the maxi-singles

Neither is among my top picks, but I'll go with whichever has less Tony M.

I like both albums,but I think 'Love Symbol' is the superior one.It's more edgy and powerful.

This is a toughy! I love both of these albums! If I had to choose it would be the Love Symbol. I've listened to this album several hundred times and I never get tired of it. I have no problem with Tony either. My Name is Prince is so much fun to sing along to.

There is nothing sounding like that album anywhere that I know of! Dated?

Mikado said:

Yeah, for whatever reason sounds really dated. There are obviously highlights, like 7, but even stuff like Sexy MF sounds really stilted and hasn't aged well.

databank said:

lurker316 said:

In my mind I group these two together. I guess that's because they're the two studio albums attributed to Prince & The New Power Generation. Plus they both have healthy doses of Tony Moseley, which gives them a similar sound.

.

When they first came out I greatly prefered The Love Symbol Album. I thought D&P was too commerical. Plus I thought Tony's rapping improved significantly on the second album. And I thought the Love Symbol Album had more of an edge.

.

But now, all these years later, I find myself pulling out D&P far more often than the Love Symbol Album.

.

I can still rationalize arguments in my mind that The Love Symbol is a better album. But when I stop analyzing the albums / stop trying to be an armchair critic, and I simply sit back and enjoy the music, I gravitate to D&P.

I love D&P but was always my favorite, it's epic, it's hysterical, it's more ambitious both musically and lyrically, it's Prince at the top of his game.

But, I think, D&P, it's an easier listening, it does not involve me as much, it's just a relaxing album to me, while is so intense.

Agreed with databank's culled bits

bwaaatch said:

lurker316 said:

In my mind I group these two together. I guess that's because they're the two studio albums attributed to Prince & The New Power Generation. Plus they both have healthy doses of Tony Moseley, which gives them a similar sound.

.

When they first came out I greatly prefered The Love Symbol Album. I thought D&P was too commerical. Plus I thought Tony's rapping improved significantly on the second album. And I thought the Love Symbol Album had more of an edge.

.

But now, all these years later, I find myself pulling out D&P far more often than the Love Symbol Album.

.

I can still rationalize arguments in my mind that The Love Symbol is a better album. But when I stop analyzing the albums / stop trying to be an armchair critic, and I simply sit back and enjoy the music, I gravitate to D&P.

“Plus they both have healthy doses of Tony Moseley” I think we all know that there is no safe level.

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Ha. I should chosen my words more carefully. I agree that there's no such thing as a "healthy" dose of Tony. Obvious I just meant both albums had a lot of him.

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I know some people are replying to this thread and saying they have no problem with him, but I thought he was godawful. Like I wrote above, I think he did marginally improve from D&P to 0+>, but he still sucked.

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Love Symbol gets my vote. While D&P is more hit heavy, Love Symbol's music is more expansive and diverse.

My first Prince records were Diamonds and Pearls and Love Symbol which I bought on cassette, so they are pretty closely linked in my book. I go for the grandeur of the Love Symbol, Prince's wannabe rock opera. I think Diamonds and Pearls is a cool album, but I like the scope of Love Symbol. Whatever you think of the song, you have to say the 3 chains of gold is a pretty ballsy and Purple version of bohemian rhapsody. I mean who does that, takes on Queen and in my mind comes off not too bad. The ballads are delicious - Damn U, Sweet Baby, The Morning Papers (such a cool rock sheen on this song and I happen to like the 3 chains of gold videos). Then you have diversity with the slinky Blue light, the playboy channel ready I wanna melt with u. You have 7, the song that many non-prince fans liked/like at the time. You have the groove of And God Created Woman. You have the second best use for Carmen Electra doing a talk rap on the superb continental (why be a star when you can be a sun), The funk of sexy mf (with some cool instrumental contributions from the band), the swagger of My name is Prince, the incredible harmonys in love 2 the 9's, and some quality theme based filler in the flow and arrogance. What about the playfully semiautobiographical play of the sacrifice of victor. Even the contentious interludes have a quality with the raspy voice of Kirsty Alley and some humour cool lines and chemistry between her and P. And the gold foil symbol on the cover. Yes I like this album the best. Diamonds and Pearls does have classics like cream, diamonds and pearls, money don't matter 2 night (my fave on the album), and some cool tracks that are slept on like daddy pop, thunder, strollin, and the epic live 4 love.

To me, they have less than nothung in common.

While I love D&P pretty much; I very VERY much dislike the other one.

Genesia said:

Neither is among my top picks, but I'll go with whichever has less Tony M.

I remixed and edited Tony M. out of about 98% of those two records. I was never greatly connected to D&P, but loved . When I edited Tony out of both, I loved D&P in a new way, and found a more concise record with album. Frankly, I think they're pretty great mixes, and I've had good feedback on them. It was a fun project, a little tricky here and there, but I got it done.

To the OP: is still superior, a bit, although I would have loved to hear Rosie's voice on it.

I don't think I've listened to either one as an album since his death--but I've listened to the Diamonds and Pearls Beginnings release several times during the same period. So... whatever that means. I'd probably choose Symbol as a better album, and I certainly prefer it to the released Diamonds and Pearls the last time I listened to them.

But I was singing Diamonds and Pearls out of nowhere earlier today...

But I was singing Arrogance out of nowhere yesterday...

So I don't guess I need to listen to either album, as they seem to both be playing in my head anyway.

Love Symbol

The symbol album for sure.

TrivialPursuit said:

Genesia said:

Neither is among my top picks, but I'll go with whichever has less Tony M.

I remixed and edited Tony M. out of about 98% of those two records. I was never greatly connected to D&P, but loved . When I edited Tony out of both, I loved D&P in a new way, and found a more concise record with album. Frankly, I think they're pretty great mixes, and I've had good feedback on them. It was a fun project, a little tricky here and there, but I got it done.

To the OP: is still superior, a bit, although I would have loved to hear Rosie's voice on it.

.

I came across a fan edit of Love 2 the 9s with Tony's rap cut out. I already loved that song, but it's even better without Tony.

.

To all those people posting that the Love Symbol Album is better. Like I said in my original post, I agree from an analytical perspective. It's edgier, less commerical, Tony's raps are better, etc. But at the end of the day I simply enjoy listening to D&P much more. Which surprises me because for years I hated D&P.

[Edited 4/20/19 14:27pm]

lurker316 said:

I came across a fan edit of Love 2 the 9s with Tony's rap cut out. I already loved that song, but it's even better without Tony.

I wonder if it's my edit. There is one guy who literally cut whole sections out of songs, like the chorus from "The Max" or whatever. It's horrible.

I used instrumental loops from the song to lay over Tony's parts. So in things like "Gett Off", it just uses instrumentation from the intro over "23 positions in a one night stand", etc. Same with "The Max". Other raps were easier to just cut out as a whole.

When I did my edits, I realized that so many of those songs on D&P & were done, and the raps were tagged on the end somewhere. When I worked to take them out and keep the flow of the song, it was actually pretty easy. The raps started to stand out like sore thumbs. I took him out as much as possible in every song, but in some things he stayed just because of aural logistics. He's about 5% there, opposed to his former 100%.

Both albums mean a lot to me as they were the first Prince albums I bought brand new after falling in love with his music. "Money Don't Matter Tonight" and "Strollin" were the two I couldn't get enough of. Apart from those two, I enjoyed the rest of the album but it just didn't "stick to my ribs". However, The Love Symbol album still gets a lot of play here at the house. Apart from "Eye Wanna Melt With U", every cut on this one is rock solid: "Damn U", "And God Created Woman" and "The Max" are three I love just as much as the day I first heard them. I have to give the nod to The Love Symbol album here!

TrivialPursuit said:

lurker316 said:

I came across a fan edit of Love 2 the 9s with Tony's rap cut out. I already loved that song, but it's even better without Tony.

I wonder if it's my edit. There is one guy who literally cut whole sections out of songs, like the chorus from "The Max" or whatever. It's horrible.

I used instrumental loops from the song to lay over Tony's parts. So in things like "Gett Off", it just uses instrumentation from the intro over "23 positions in a one night stand", etc. Same with "The Max". Other raps were easier to just cut out as a whole.

When I did my edits, I realized that so many of those songs on D&P & were done, and the raps were tagged on the end somewhere. When I worked to take them out and keep the flow of the song, it was actually pretty easy. The raps started to stand out like sore thumbs. I took him out as much as possible in every song, but in some things he stayed just because of aural logistics. He's about 5% there, opposed to his former 100%.

.

The version I have just cuts his part of the song rather than looping music on top. Right after Prince says "Hit it" / right before Tony starts questioning Mayte, it cuts. It jumps right to the part with Tony singing "Dance, girl, let me see the booty boom..."

.

I came across what appear to be earlier versions of some the D&P songs. I have Willing & Able and Live for Love without Tony's raps, and the song Diamonds and Pearls minus Rosie. They aren't cutout or looped over -- it just sounds like an early mix before Prince added their parts.

.

LOVE SYMBOL is definiltey my favorite between the two

I could cut 30% of it out and it would be even better... get rid of Bue Light/The Flow/Arrogance/3 Chains...actually I would get rid of MNIP too (shhh!)

The Max should have been the single after 7 for sure... that song is RIDICULOUS!!!!!

Ideal Tracklist:
Sexy MF

Love 2 The 9's

The Morning Papers

The Max

I Wanna Melt With U

Sweet Baby

Continental

Damn U

And God Created Woman

7

Singles Should Have Been:

Sexy MF

7

The Max

And God Created Woman

I would also add Player from this period ... love that song!