This may be an unpopular or at least a divisive opinion, but does anyone else think that making Emancipation a 3 disc set was a mistake?

We all know the history around Crystal Ball and how Warner Bros told Prince to cut the LP down to two records instead of three. Although this may have made sense from a business point of view, what they ended up doing was butchering some of Prince's most critically acclaimed work.

Ironically when it came to Prince making his first album outside of his WB contract I think he would have benefitted from someone advising him to strip the project back. I think there are some great jams on this record, unfortunately they get lost amongst a lot of filler.

This is counter to how I usually feel about Prince's songs. Normally my opinion is to just get as much material released as quickly possible. But let's be honest, if songs like 'Courtin' Time' and 'New World' had of ended up in the vault would anyone have missed them? It annoys me to think that songs like 'Courtin' Time' got a proper release while 'Rebirth of the Flesh', 'Looking for a Penny...', 'It's a Wonderful Day' and 'All My Dreams' are gathering dust.

Here's a suggested track list that I would have advised releasing on a single disc instead of the box set as it stands. I think I prefer Emancipation a lot more this way...

01) Jam Of The Year (6:09)
02) Right Back Here In My Arms (4:33)
03) Somebody's Somebody (4:43)
04) Emale (3:37)
05) Joint 2 Joint (7:51)
06) Face Down (3:16)
07) La, La, La Means I Love U (3:58)
08) My Computer (4:36)
09) One Of Us (5:19)
00) Da, Da, Da (5:15)
11) Mr. Happy (4:46)
12) In This Bed I Scream (5:40)

Please let me know what you think. If you agree with the premise then please add your own track list suggestions. I'd like to see what everyone makes of the idea of a slimmed down Emancipation.

LOL, oh man. You're new so welcome to the org, I apologise in advance for how this thread will go.

In answer to your question, yes and no; almost everyone agrees it's too long, but no one can agree on anything close to a 1cd tracklist - case in point you don't even have The Love we Make on your one; that'd be the only track I'd say people normally agree upon.

Also note that of the tracks you mentioned, both Rebirth of the Flesh and 'Looking for a Penny' (actually titled In a Large Room with No Light) were officially released in one form or another. Check Princevault.com for details.

I think SOTT benefited from being cut down to a double LP. Although the whole of Crystal Ball was largely on par with what was released, in my opinion focusing it down only improved it as an album, giving it a clearer focal point (the title track) and tightening it up overall.

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People have been making 1CD versions of Emancipation since 1996. We all have our own versions, and it definately could use a go with the weed whacker - but in the end I think all you end up with are the better songs on an overall disappointing set. The production, mixing and instrumentation would be the same and that's where the biggest problems lie. A single CD Emancipation is a Musicology, 3121 type album - nice, inoffensive R&B/pop with little sonic interest. I do think the better songs on Emancipation do have stronger songwriting than the similar pop albums that followed though, they're just let down by that anodyne production.

You know what, I don't think anyone has suggested this before. I bet we find a single disc consensus within the first dozen posts...

More seriously though, every week when this comes up I say the same thing. Even though I don't like all of it I'm so glad we got the three disc set, because my single disc would not be the same as your single disc and both would be different to Prince's single disc.

Jam of the Year

Get yo Groove On
Courtin Time
Betcha By Golly Wow
We Gets up
The Holy River
Saviour
Slave
Face Down

My Computer
One Of Us

The Love We Make
Emancipation

jaawwnn said:

LOL, oh man. You're new so welcome to the org, I apologise in advance for how this thread will go.

Thank you for the welcome Jaawwnn. Sorry if I'm retreading old ground.

jaawwnn said:

Also note that of the tracks you mentioned, both Rebirth of the Flesh and 'Looking for a Penny' (actually titled In a Large Room with No Light) were officially released in one form or another. Check Princevault.com for details.

I have to be honest, as grateful as I am for the live rehearsal of Rebirth and the new version Large Room, for me they are just not the same as the original studio versions. OK, the versions in circulation sound a bit rough (less so Rebirth these days), but they are a couple of my favourite gems. I hope the fact that they've both been released in some form or fashion won't harm their chances at getting a full studio release later on down the road when the Estate releases more outtakes. I feel the same way about 'Extra Loveable' being released on HitNRun. The new version is pretty cool, but the original was on fire.

NouveauDance said:

I think SOTT benefited from being cut down to a double LP. Although the whole of Crystal Ball was largely on par with what was released, in my opinion focusing it down only improved it as an album, giving it a clearer focal point (the title track) and tightening it up overall.

Hi NouveauDance. With regards to SOTT, from a consumer point of view what you have said makes a lot of sense. However as a fan I much prefer Sign as it was in its Crystal Ball state. The tracklist worked well for me and I could easily get lost in that album for a full two hours. As much as I love the Sign 'O' the Times album, to me it feels like a 'best of' compilation of what remained after a long and turbulent development period.

NouveauDance said:

A single CD Emancipation is a Musicology, 3121 type album - nice, inoffensive R&B/pop with little sonic interest. I do think the better songs on Emancipation do have stronger songwriting than the similar pop albums that followed though, they're just let down by that anodyne production.

Yep, I can agree with this. I can get down with inoffensive R&B/pop on a sunny day. It might not take the world by storm, but I enjoy it.

[Edited 6/27/19 4:31am]

[Edited 6/27/19 4:33am]

TheEnglishGent said:

You know what, I don't think anyone has suggested this before. I bet we find a single disc consensus within the first dozen posts...

More seriously though, every week when this comes up I say the same thing.

Sorry. I'm embarrassed now.

I'll try my best to stop being a noob from now on.

Don't be embarrassed, i'm still waiting for someone to post the perfect 1CD Emancipation (or even better, two sides of vinyl), it has to be out there! It'll happen some day.

[Edited 6/27/19 5:14am]

It's been done many times but most topics have on here, so don't be sorry or embarrassed. It's only the internet who gives a shit.

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I was quite disappointed with Emancipation at the time. It was the end of a golden (literally) era for me. I loved almost everything from D&P, Symbol, Come, TGE, Exodus and C&D then Emancipation came and sounded plastic and flat on the whole without that live NPG band sound.

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The 3 tracks they are on (Betcha By Golly Wow!, Saviour and One Of Us) stand out a mile. Imagine Jam Of The Year with Sonny and Michael..

.

Anyway, still a few great tracks in there.. and 2 of my choices would be The Love We Make and The Holy River which don't make your cut!

.

New World

Somebody's Somebody

Betcha By Golly Wow!

In This Bed I Scream

Joint 2 Joint

My Computer

Dreamin' About U

One Of Us

Face Down

THe Holy River

Saviour

The Love We Make

No

It was about 2 CDs too short!

LP SIDE 1

1. "Jam of the Year" 6:09
2. "Get Yo Groove On" 6:31
3. "Courtin' Time" 2:46
4. "Soul Sanctuary" 4:41
5. "Curious Child" 2:57

LP SIDE 2

6. "The Holy River" 6:55
7. "Slave" 4:51
8. "New World" 3:43
9. "Face Down" 3:17
10. "The Love We Make" 4:39

No, not too long

Jesus God do these threads happen every other month now or what?!?!

VaultCurator said:

TheEnglishGent said:

You know what, I don't think anyone has suggested this before. I bet we find a single disc consensus within the first dozen posts...

More seriously though, every week when this comes up I say the same thing.

Sorry. I'm embarrassed now.

I'll try my best to stop being a noob from now on.

Haha, don't be embarassed, it's nice to have new members who are keen to get involved with discussion. I was just teasing and did at least play along with a track listing.

TrivialPursuit said:

TrivialPursuit said:

Jesus God do these threads happen every other month now or what?!?!

I would have said every 2-3 weeks.

why would u want LESS Prince music?

Alright, I'll play. I've been an org member for about forever, and I've never commented on one of the numerous threads on this topic. But this actually is my Emancipation 1-CD playlist below (and it does fit on a single CD). I still wouldn't call it a classic, but it flows nicely for me:

Jam of the Year

Courtin' Time

Betcha By Golly, Wow

In This Bed Eye Scream

Joint 2 Joint

One Kiss at a Time

Let's Have a Baby

The Holy River

La, La, La Means Eye Love You

New World

Face Down

Sleep Around

Saviour

The Love We Make

Friend, Lover, Sister, Mother/Wife

[Edited 6/27/19 11:16am]

[Edited 6/27/19 11:22am]

[Edited 6/27/19 11:28am]

Some fat can be trimmed, no doubt. Songs like Da Da Da and ALL of the covers could go, but everything else can stay. It's a great album.

....

The one track I find myself returning to quite often over the years is White Mansion.

I know it's probably not on most lists, but I love that tune!

Just laid-back, fun, funny....I get a grin on my face every time I listen to that.....

...

NouveauDance said:

I think SOTT benefited from being cut down to a double LP. Although the whole of Crystal Ball was largely on par with what was released, in my opinion focusing it down only improved it as an album, giving it a clearer focal point (the title track) and tightening it up overall.

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I totally agree.I also think that most listeners,when they sit down to hear music,don't have the attention span to listen to three whole CDs.Emancipation has some great songs on it,but I rarely have the time to listen to it as a whole.

It was half a CD too long.

The rest of the tracks would have fitted on 2 CDs and it could have been sold at the price of a double CD.

Really, you just need to take out a few of the tracks and the unnecessarily long outros on some of the other tracks - and there you have it.

Darshy said:

Love Courtin' Time, and how can u not have The Love We Make on ur list?!

Agree on both counts!

TheEnglishGent said:

Haha, don't be embarassed, it's nice to have new members who are keen to get involved with discussion. I was just teasing and did at least play along with a track listing.

Cheers EnglishGent. It's cool.

jfenster said:

why would u want LESS Prince music?

Yeah, I get it. I was just discussing the structure of the album and how to make it a more palatable experience.

Funnily enough, despite most people being in agreement that the set is too long, the fact that no one can agree on which songs should be cut actually proves me wrong. There doesn't seem to be a consensus on which songs are the essential ones. Had Prince of cut the LP back someone would have ended up disappointed.

jfenster said:

why would u want LESS Prince music?

Now that's the motherfucking answer right here!!!!!!

TrivialPursuit said:

jfenster said:

why would u want LESS Prince music?

Now that's the motherfucking answer right here!!!!!!

thanx....the estate needs to hear that also

Who cares? Really. At that time, Prince's career was in such freefall, it didn't matter if EMANCIPATION was one CD or 50. Both the critical response, and sales, were predictably bad.

Sounds fun, I want to do it too!

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1) Jam Of The Year

2) Somebody's Somebody

3) Courtin' Time

4) We Gets Up

5) Damned If I Do

6) In This Bed I Scream

7) Sex In The Summer

8) One Kiss At A Time

9) Curious Child

10) Joint 2 Joint

11) The Holy River

12) New World

13) Face Down

14) My Compute

15) The Love We Make

It was a bout 2 CD's too short for me.

Aside from We Gets Up and Da Da Da, I like every track on there.