I don't really care for Parade, barring a few great songs. (Yeah, I know, it's the hipster album of choice among the Prince hardcore, but I just don't really like it.)

So yes, I would have welcomed some other good songs of that period onto it. I think it needed less funk (which isn't my thing) and more soul (which is). The "Funk with orchestrations" sound somehow doesn't really do it for me, and I think there aren't quite enough strong songs on Parade.

I do wonder if in 1984-85 (post Purple Rain, that is), Prince kind of stretched himself too thin with the protégé projects. I know he was bursting at the seams with material then, and I'm glad most of it got released, but ideally I'd like him to have kept a little more of the first-rate stuff he gave away ('Nothing Compare 2 U', 'The Glamorous Life', etc.) for his own records.