slyjackson said:

What's wrong with u, you just don't like extended funk jams.

I really don't. I love the funk, and love other bands extended funk jams (any George, for instance), but I tap out on Prince's one-man funk after about 4 1/2 minutes with rare exception. Something about the endless looping, cyclical arrangements.... I take the edits 99 times of 100, I will readily admit that.

But I'll tell you what I do like:

fishwillbite said:

Surprised Do U Lie? hasn't been mentioned yet.

That is one stupid-ass song. Thin, wobbly melody, wack instrumentation (an accordion?! come on Prince, you might as well don a ring of onions round your neck and put on mime make-up, sacre bleu), and dreadful lyrics. Complete lead balloon in the middle of a wonderful album. SKIP!

See, to me, any time Prince tries something new and unique to Prince, whether it's totally successful or not, I will always rate highly. I fell in love with the artist for his diversity, not him doing the same shit on a different record. "Do U Lie" has actually hands-down always been my favorite on Parade just because the dude at least could commit, same with "Around the World in a Day" on its album.

I'll take something new over trademark Linn programming + purple synth funk jam any day of the week.

[Edited 3/16/20 1:09am]

CAL3 said:

This list makes me sick.

Well, we're all waiting with baited breath on your list of ballads, bro.

WhisperingDandelions said:

See, to me, any time Prince tries something new and unique to Prince, whether it's totally successful or not, I will always rate highly. I fell in love with the artist for his diversity, not him doing the same shit on a different record. "Do U Lie" has actually hands-down always been my favorite on Parade just because the dude at least could commit, same with "Around the World in a Day" on its album.

I'll take something new over trademark Linn programming + purple synth funk jam any day of the week.

Co-sign.

I like Do U Lie and the experimentation on albums such as Around The World. The success of songs such as Kiss and Raspberry are proof I'm not alone.

It took a while to grow on me, but I like "Do You Lie?" If it's true that Wendy and Lisa brought Prince around to The Beatles, this song exhibits his ability to do a McCartney-esque, music hall-era throwback novelty number, and he does it with skill and originality.

Now if I were compiling a boxed set of canonical Prince songs, would I put "Do You Lie?" on it over "Temptation?" Not a chance. Were there better unreleased cuts that could have replaced it on Parade? As always.

WhisperingDandelions said:

CAL3 said:

This list makes me sick.

Well, we're all waiting with baited breath on your list of ballads, bro.

.

Ballads?? What do you mean??

CAL3 said:

RJOrion said:

CAL3 said:

.

Ballads?? What do you mean??

Lol...he's calling you soft?

.

uh.... based on WHAT????

Housequake.

CAL3 said:

PliablyPurple said:

Off the top of my head in no particular order:

1. The Ladder

2. Temptation

3. Batdance

4. Arms of Orion

5. When 2 R In Love

6. Do Me, Baby

7. Gotta Broken Heart Again

8. Free

I included Free because it seems so off brand for Prince; given his rants about the U.S. during the 2000s. America from ATWIAD is a great song and fits his ouevre.

Now that I think about it, why hasn't a country act covered Free? Seems like a pot o' gold just laying there.

FUNKNROLL said:

WhisperingDandelions said:

See, to me, any time Prince tries something new and unique to Prince, whether it's totally successful or not, I will always rate highly. I fell in love with the artist for his diversity, not him doing the same shit on a different record. "Do U Lie" has actually hands-down always been my favorite on Parade just because the dude at least could commit, same with "Around the World in a Day" on its album.

I'll take something new over trademark Linn programming + purple synth funk jam any day of the week.

Well that's a solid response and I love your comment about how Prince 'commits'. I too prefer experimental Prince to meat-and-potatoes Prince. And Parade is that experimental thing. You haven't won me over on Do U Lie? just because I find it to be a deeply unsuccessful experiment. A collapsed fluffy soufflé. But your point is very well made. Touché (as he sings at the end of Rippopgodazippa)

fishwillbite said:

SantanaMaitreya said:

SoulAlive said:

I like "The Arms Of Orion" I think,with this song,Prince was trying to come up with a big "love theme" for the movie.These type of songs are always big and schmaltzy.I think it's nice.

Yeah, well, I guess that's why Prince never made a James Bond theme song.

Big and schmaltzy and Prince just doesn't go together and it's a shame that he even tried.

Just imagine if Dance With the Devil had been the third track... That would have fit the mood perfectly. But maybe he didn't want to make the album too dark because it was, after all, the soundtrack of a movie, so you're right about that. But a song so full of clichés wasn't what you'd expect from a man who was known for always trying something new. [Edited 3/12/20 13:52pm]

Nonsense.
"Pink Cashmere", "The One", "Eye Hate You", examples abound where Prince overdoes it and ends up victorious.

Take "Adore". Say what you will, but at the end of the day it's big, and schmaltzy. Yet it's a masterpiece.

The drops, chirps, clock samples on "The Most Beautiful Girl In The World" are borderline ridiculous, or sublime if you submit to the vision.

I still think Prince's capacity to handle big arrangements is one of his strongest talents.




But many around have been smoking the wrong Purple Skunk.



Seeing titles from the eighties thrown in is incomprehensible, as "Rave" or "Planet Earth" provide plenty of half-baked ideas much weaker than anything on "Prince" or "Dirty Mind".

Clearly, someone who doesn't recognize, if not appreciate, "Temptation" as a pivotal moment for Prince as a musician and for pop music in general, is either lacking historical background, as "Temptation" mashes up Mick Jagger, The Stooges, Elvis and Jerry Lee, and of course, Prince himself, taking the crown of the best screamer in 1985 (for the second consecutive year).

The impact of anything from "Around the World In A Day" and "Parade" was massive for musicians around the world. Prince had enough talent to bring back the risk-taking of the sixties back into the first cold, calculating, business-centered decade.

If you're one of these philistines that likes to diss everything post Lovesexy, you only have the business to blame. And I feel sad for you if you don't appreciate Prince going back to his roots during the nineties, putting the flashlight on his influences rather than on himself.

A few years were about economic survival, and in those you can find the most prudent Prince, which is always disappointing from a man willing to break barriers. But the blank page comes to us all.

But being lazy to the point of not unearthing songs such as "Emotional Pump" and "Purple or Gold" as the low end of Prince's production, and instead putting titles that display his most creative themes and musicianship, deserves only contempt, from the poor and uneducated judgement on display.

[Edited 3/16/20 12:52pm]

Galaxy said:

SquirrelMeat76 said:

Title says it all. Let's see your list. I know this will be tricky for some!

Chronogical Order....

1) So Blue

2) With You

3) Sexuality

4) Horny Toad

5) Take Me With U

6) Temptation

7) Girl

8) Life Can Be So Nice

9) Dance On

10) Partyman

Notable mentions for Arms Of Orion, Batdance & God

Why even create a negative thread like this. If you dont like Sexuality you never understood the music of Prince. Am I the only one who can go through most Prince Albums without being negative about the songs. Damn I have a diverse taste. Another mans trash art is another mans Masterpiece art.

I'd say threads like that are legit but the problem is the phrasing. The words "worst songs" should have been "songs you like the least", or the OP should at least have provided, and demanded from others, an argumented explanation regarding why they believe such or such song is objectively bad.

.

And no, you are not the only one who can go through albums without feeling the need to pick and choose which songs they like or dislike

bonatoc said:

Nonsense.

"Pink Cashmere", "The One", "Eye Hate You", examples abound where Prince overdoes it and ends up victorious.

Take "Adore". Say what you will, but at the end of the day it's big, and schmaltzy. Yet it's a masterpiece.

The drops, chirps, clock samples on "The Most Beautiful Girl In The World" are borderline ridiculous, or sublime if you submit to the vision.

I still think Prince's capacity to handle big arrangements is one of his strongest talents.

I don't think any of those are schmaltzy except "The Most Beautiful Girl in the World"... Epic, definitely, particularly "The One" which is least schmaltz-ridden of all, anyway most of those are post 198--

bonatoc said:

But many around have been smoking the wrong Purple Skunk.

Seeing titles from the eighties thrown in is incomprehensible, as "Rave" or "Planet Earth" provide plenty of half-baked ideas much weaker than anything on "Prince" or "Dirty Mind".

>>>

But being lazy to the point of not unearthing songs such as "Emotional Pump" and "Purple or Gold" as the low end of Prince's production, and instead putting titles that display his most creative themes and musicianship, deserves only contempt,

...But you just didn't read the title of the thread. It's Prince Worst Songs (1978-1989). That's why it's so well-done.... we don't need 90 pages of "Purple & Gold" votes.... but, thanks for casting your vote for "Purple & Gold" anyway.

bonatoc said:

from the poor and uneducated judgement on display.

Well I didn't say it, I just quoted it.

[Edited 3/16/20 14:48pm]

[Edited 3/16/20 14:51pm]

CAL3 said:

WhisperingDandelions said:

RANKED, from absolute worst of the worst to just kinda bad.

01. "Free" : People just like the message/lyrics. Remove those sentiments and stand aghast at what plays before you. This song makes the slab of steaming limburger that is "Arms of Orion" sound like "When Doves Cry" in comparison.
02. "Delirious" : It's like "Jack U Off" if the synth was super annoying and jacked off all over the song instead of in short tasteful bursts.
03. "God(Vocal)" : Caterwauling that would make Yoko Ono blush.
04. "Trust" : Just crap. I'm convinced this was bad on purpose because he was pissed at Burton/WB rejecting "200 Balloons".
05. "Positivity" : See everyone's "Free" rationalization, add annoying superfluous layers and exteeeeennnnd the mix.
06. "Lovesexy" : All these Lovesexy songs have too much going on honestly... way way too much. Make it stop. There might very well have been a good song here at some point, buried underneath 65 layers of multitrack.
07. "All the Critics Love U in New York" : Meandering. 1999 already won everybody by this point in the sequence, so it usually falls through the cracks... not on my watch, bub.
08. "Love or Money" : I've never heard the edit, I'd probably prefer the edit. This goes nowhere... for a long long time.
09. "Girls & Boys" : I'm probably just bias against the ducksynth quacking over every nook and cranny of this one (see: "Delirious" for similar annoying perpetual synth).
10. "Baby I'm a Star" : This was always the one glaring blight on maybe the most accessible album of all time, thankfully it's short. I do get why it's for others--but it's just not for me.

[Edited 3/14/20 6:03am]

. This list makes me sick.

I feel you, except fro Lovesexy, Positivity and God (vocal).

Mindbells9 said:

Girl I Love U In Me With You

"Girl" is one of my favourite Prince tracks. These kind of discussions are pretty pointless... just an opportunity for people to be outraged by the perceived poor taste of others.

radicalrojo said:

Damn y'all "Temptation" is a great track imo...

Yes, it's his campest track by a long shot (it has always reminded me of The Rocky Horror Picture Show), but I think it's great. Funny and musically ballsy.

fen said:

radicalrojo said:

Damn y'all "Temptation" is a great track imo...

Yes, it's his campest track by a long shot (it has always reminded me of The Rocky Horror Picture Show), but I think it's great. Funny and musically ballsy.

...and his vocal performance is remarkable.

WhisperingDandelions said:

slyjackson said:

What's wrong with u, you just don't like extended funk jams.

I really don't. I love the funk, and love other bands extended funk jams (any George, for instance), but I tap out on Prince's one-man funk after about 4 1/2 minutes with rare exception. Something about the endless looping, cyclical arrangements.... I take the edits 99 times of 100, I will readily admit that.

But I'll tell you what I do like:

fishwillbite said:

Surprised Do U Lie? hasn't been mentioned yet.

That is one stupid-ass song. Thin, wobbly melody, wack instrumentation (an accordion?! come on Prince, you might as well don a ring of onions round your neck and put on mime make-up, sacre bleu), and dreadful lyrics. Complete lead balloon in the middle of a wonderful album. SKIP!

See, to me, any time Prince tries something new and unique to Prince, whether it's totally successful or not, I will always rate highly. I fell in love with the artist for his diversity, not him doing the same shit on a different record. "Do U Lie" has actually hands-down always been my favorite on Parade just because the dude at least could commit, same with "Around the World in a Day" on its album.

I'll take something new over trademark Linn programming + purple synth funk jam any day of the week.

[Edited 3/16/20 1:09am]

Do U Lie it's amazing, love it.

databank said:

Galaxy said:

SquirrelMeat76 said: Why even create a negative thread like this. If you dont like Sexuality you never understood the music of Prince. Am I the only one who can go through most Prince Albums without being negative about the songs. Damn I have a diverse taste. Another mans trash art is another mans Masterpiece art.

I'd say threads like that are legit but the problem is the phrasing. The words "worst songs" should have been "songs you like the least", or the OP should at least have provided, and demanded from others, an argumented explanation regarding why they believe such or such song is objectively bad.

.

And no, you are not the only one who can go through albums without feeling the need to pick and choose which songs they like or dislike

I agree, databank. There's no reason for this thread to be negative, in the sense of destructive, if what we have is a well-reasoned discussion about the songs we don't think worked so well and, more importantly, why they didn't work. A problem on this forum is that so many threads are set up for users to regurgitate mere lists of songs (best/worst/sexiest/funkiest etc.), given without any explanation whatsoever. There are evidently enough people who enjoy that kind of thread, but it seems to me that no one really learns anything from them.

fen said:

Mindbells9 said:

Girl I Love U In Me With You

"Girl" is one of my favourite Prince tracks. These kind of discussions are pretty pointless... just an opportunity for people to be outraged by the perceived poor taste of others.

I'm outraged at my own perceived poor taste in threads.
I'm locking myself in penitence.

slyjackson said:

WhisperingDandelions said:

See, to me, any time Prince tries something new and unique to Prince, whether it's totally successful or not, I will always rate highly. I fell in love with the artist for his diversity, not him doing the same shit on a different record. "Do U Lie" has actually hands-down always been my favorite on Parade just because the dude at least could commit, same with "Around the World in a Day" on its album.

I'll take something new over trademark Linn programming + purple synth funk jam any day of the week.

[Edited 3/16/20 1:09am]

Do U Lie it's amazing, love it.

That is precisely why my eyes couldn't believe this thread was actually centered on his most creative decade.
Mods should nudge it up a bit and save kilobytes by shutting this kind of downer the moment they show up.
The org is supposed to be a place for discussions from the ground up, not pointing to the bottom as a premice.
Then again, I didn't build it, so what do I know.

All I mean is that if a thread goes down, hey, vox populi.
But a thread starting with, "hey, let's diss this for no reason",
and having all of us poor souls in starvation come readin' and replying in this shit,
I choose to see it as an indicator that Prince is very much missed.
How sad it has to take this form.


"Perceived poor taste" my ass.
There's culture, and there's opinion.
Thread subtitles notwithstanding.

[Edited 3/17/20 9:08am]

fen said:

Mindbells9 said:

Girl I Love U In Me With You

"Girl" is one of my favourite Prince tracks. These kind of discussions are pretty pointless... just an opportunity for people to be outraged by the perceived poor taste of others.

This is no discussion.

It's been a dumbass throwing a list for no reason other than "Title says it all...", like, Bring it on, let's see you bite at yourselves. Do you see the moron participating? Hey, StinkyMeat, show up your ass and enlighten us! I'm dying to know how I could be in the wrong for so many years!

You gotta applaud the one who explained with a full paragraph his choice for his top, pardon me, worst three.
Great effort. After that, he gets tired.

We have a list with ten Twitter-like blurbs.
Go easy on your fingers, pal.

We have one who says he's in charge of Prince's crown.

And then the whole bunch of self-appointed shining armour knights
coming down in flames, justifiably, defending albums that don't need to be.


Pretty pointless, to say the least.


I think I'll go listen to some music now.
Hey, the playlists in this thread seem kinda cool actually.
Forget what I said, SquirrelSheet. Thumb up.


https://open.spotify.com/...XjiOptFgff

[Edited 3/17/20 9:40am]

bonatoc said:

slyjackson said:

Do U Lie it's amazing, love it.

That is precisely why my eyes couldn't believe this thread was actually centered on his most creative decade.
Mods should nudge it up a bit and save kilobytes by shutting this kind of downer the moment they show up.
The org is supposed to be a place for discussions from the ground up, not pointing to the bottom as a premice.
Then again, I didn't build it, so what do I know.

All I mean is that if a thread goes down, hey, vox populi.
But a thread starting with, "hey, let's diss this for no reason",
and having all of us poor souls in starvation come readin' and replying in this shit,
I choose to see it as an indicator that Prince is very much missed.
How sad it has to take this form.


"Perceived poor taste" my ass.
There's culture, and there's opinion.
Thread subtitles notwithstanding.

[Edited 3/17/20 9:08am]

Didn't understand a shit, what's your point, without embellishments.

FWIW I agree the thread title should probably be phrased "Least Favorite Songs" instead of "Worst Songs".

Pokeno4Money said:

rusty1 said:

Wolfie87 said:

Great first spot man! Seriously, fuck Free. What I've heard even Village Voice ranked 1999 higher than Thriller in 1982. Never mind 1983 and the music videos which accelerated Thriller beyond. At the time this album was just waaaaaay ahead of it's time. How the hell do you make a decision then to put Free on that album instead of Moonbeam Levels or How Come You Don't Call Me Anymore. And don't give me that "it wouldn't fit the musical structure of the album". Free isn't advanced in style or tone compared to the other songs on 1999. I have mad hate for that song. Chris Rock said that Thriller had one major flaud; The Girl Is Mine. Well, give me that 10/10 times over Free.

Chris rock said there were two awful songs on MJ's Thriller " baby be mine" & " the lady in my life" Purple Rain had no weak songs at all.. i'd take it any day over Thriller

Well i disagree with Chris Rock. Only 'The Girl Is Mine' is shit.

As for Prince 78-88 is pretty much perfect, I put an album on when I fell like listening to it. I skip nothing really out of dislike. More mood. Batman was jarring after Lovesexy. His own vision to WB insisting on a commercial 'pop' album.