If you think of some of the big hit singles he had in the 80s - songs like When Doves Cry or Kiss - which were incredibly inventive and something only Prince could have done, and compare it with LRC, which is structured like a more normal pop song, wouldn't you say so?

U Got The Look is much more conventional I think.

Both songs noted are pretty catchy. But LRC is the most conventional as far as that white rock crossover appeal. I sorta hate that he and Stevie Nicks never got together to do a one-off performance of that and "Stand Back" together.

"U Got The Look" is funk pop, and just pop enough it appealed to a broader audience.

But "Let's Go Crazy" ascends LRC. It has not one, but two guitar solos, an unconventional intro that is very memorable, and has a big ending (much like "Purple Rain").

"Cream" was conventional straight ahead pop, too. Prince making conventional music wasn't a sin like so many people think.

U Got the Look has too many crazy backing vocals and guitar freakouts to be really that conventional, it's a testament to the song itself that it gets away with it all while still sounding like a hit.

I don't think he really had any conventional hits in the 80s, maybe Raspberry Beret in that its a pretty tasteful song that people who hate 80s production still like.

Take Me With U is one of my votes for a relatively conventional song.

Love how the LRC synth intro sets the mood. I can remember how, on first hearing, it pulled me into the song. It didn't have a typical, or "this is one of those songs," kind of feel. Then again, my judgments on "conventionality" are undoubtedly biased by the particular music I'm exposed to vs. all the music out there.

[Edited 5/19/20 11:49am]

jaawwnn said:

U Got the Look has too many crazy backing vocals and guitar freakouts to be really that conventional, it's a testament to the song itself that it gets away with it all while still sounding like a hit.

I don't think he really had any conventional hits in the 80s, maybe Raspberry Beret in that its a pretty tasteful song that people who hate 80s production still like.

I like U Got the Look's quirky (IMO) introduction.

Here we r folks, the dream we all dream of
Boy versus girl n the World Series of love

Have to agree with those mentioni U Got the Look. It sounded a lot more conventional at the time. So did Raspberry Beret once you get past the title, it was like something Mellencamp could have written.

Little Red Corvette had that "believe it or not" line that sounded like a popular tv theme song at the time otherwise the slow intro and other time chances made it pretty unique. I think people are blurring 80's music and forgetting Plus most of us first hear it on MTV so the visual really was hard to separate.

The other thing about 1983 is the chart toppers like China Girl, Sweet Dreams are Made of These, Maniac, Mr. Roboto, Total Eclipse of the Heart, Fascination...these were really fresh sounding songs.

Here's the top 100 https://en.wikipedia.org/...es_of_1983

lavendardrummachine said:

Have to agree with those mentioni U Got the Look. It sounded a lot more conventional at the time. So did Raspberry Beret once you get past the title, it was like something Mellencamp could have written.

Little Red Corvette had that "believe it or not" line that sounded like a popular tv theme song at the time otherwise the slow intro and other time chances made it pretty unique. I think people are blurring 80's music and forgetting Plus most of us first hear it on MTV so the visual really was hard to separate.

The other thing about 1983 is the chart toppers like China Girl, Sweet Dreams are Made of These, Maniac, Mr. Roboto, Total Eclipse of the Heart, Fascination...these were really fresh sounding songs.

Here's the top 100 https://en.wikipedia.org/...es_of_1983

These are all good points, the very notion of a hit has changed so much as well. Most people have no idea what's at number 1 these days. The only hits are things like Uptown Funk that are completely inescapable, everything else is people living in their own private streaming playlist.

Never forget, Laurie Anderson's O Superman, an 8 minute long experimental chant, got to number 2 in the UK simply because people liked it.