Anotherwontdare said:

There is no version of IIWYG with a sitar opening. That's Strange Relationship. IIWYG isn't quirky for quirky's sake. It's Prince being Prince and letting you in on it.

No, no, no!

"Hot Thing" is one of Prince's greatest and most original funk creations, with such tight timings and mathematical precision. The incesant rhythm with the cold, electronic keyboard line, the hint of a country vibe in the vocal, the cheeky bits of percussion, and then the glory of the sax solo - it's got everything. The way Prince then translated it to the SoTT concert film highlighted the brilliance of studio work, while also showing the genius of Prince live - how he could take the cold, mechanical sheen of the studio and make it explode with the warm colours of a band playing live, together.

"It", I agree, is harder to love but I've always had time for it. What has recently sealed it for me was someone (I can't remember where - on the Org? On a podcast?) pointing out that it is very similar to Sign O The Times the song, in terms of feel, instrumentation, the guitar solos, etc. You can see it as the direct flipside of that song. Also, doesn't Prince do an impression of that robot from Buck Rogers towards the end of "It"? How cool is that?!

Overall, I've got to agree with people who say that the album is perfect as it is. The work of a lot of thought and effort to get the sequencing correct, to balance the sides and balance the whole. There are better individual songs Prince could have put on, no doubt, but this album is a 'set'.

LittleBigFan said:

No, no, no!

"Hot Thing" is one of Prince's greatest and most original funk creations, with such tight timings and mathematical precision. The incesant rhythm with the cold, electronic keyboard line, the hint of a country vibe in the vocal, the cheeky bits of percussion, and then the glory of the sax solo - it's got everything. The way Prince then translated it to the SoTT concert film highlighted the brilliance of studio work, while also showing the genius of Prince live - how he could take the cold, mechanical sheen of the studio and make it explode with the warm colours of a band playing live, together.

"It", I agree, is harder to love but I've always had time for it. What has recently sealed it for me was someone (I can't remember where - on the Org? On a podcast?) pointing out that it is very similar to Sign O The Times the song, in terms of feel, instrumentation, the guitar solos, etc. You can see it as the direct flipside of that song. Also, doesn't Prince do an impression of that robot from Buck Rogers towards the end of "It"? How cool is that?!

Overall, I've got to agree with people who say that the album is perfect as it is. The work of a lot of thought and effort to get the sequencing correct, to balance the sides and balance the whole. There are better individual songs Prince could have put on, no doubt, but this album is a 'set'.

-

Could not agree more on how you put it.

-

First when I heard "HOT THING" ...

Who the hell out there is capable to SPIT-OUT these famous funky first two words ?!

So willingly ready to uncontrolably fuck that 'Hot Thing', blinded in a flash by it's exposing HOT beauty, dancing so good. The drilling funk...

-

"It" is indeed 'one of those hard to love songs' to most here aparently.

But i've always had a weak spot for those that needed more effort, more digging.

That contrary intertwine between the guitar solo and the two-chord synth was an unheard Prince to me by then.

Prince's difficult songs are (to me) the unexpected underground sounds that made him rich in the understanding of going further than they usual musical approaches.

-

SOTT is indeed perfect. The 1987 couldn't be a better cramped, well thought of sequenced asseblage into a four sided LP.

For how I experienced Prince's universe, the eighties ended right there in 1987 after it's release.

And the nineties kicked off early with 'Lovesexy'. Prince was always faster and ahead of his own shadow.

As if the sun came out.

-

To me, 'Batman' was kind of a side journey as if he had something to proof after that great 'SOTT' and misconceived 'Lovesexy' masterpiece.

It was sort of a short burst or craving for the stardom he had experienced before.

As if he needed that vehicle of the movie which was not his as a brief recognition or a transition to a new time in his own fast universe.

-

This reminds me of the discussions about how you could trim Emancipation down to 10-12 songs to make it one of the greatest albums ever. Except nobody can agree on the 10-12 songs. There is no bad Prince song, only a song that hasn't resonated with you... yet.

Check that, "Purple and Gold" is a terrible song disliked by 100% of the humans who have heard it.

It, Starfish and Coffee, Hot Thing, Slow Love, Ballad of Dorothy Parker, The Cross, Strange Relationship.

This album was NEVER a favorite.

Just a bunch of stuff thrown together.

However, I've always heard a subpar version of this album; first on cassette and then on CD.

Maybe the remaster will change my mind.

jasopig said:

This reminds me of the discussions about how you could trim Emancipation down to 10-12 songs to make it one of the greatest albums ever. Except nobody can agree on the 10-12 songs. There is no bad Prince song, only a song that hasn't resonated with you... yet.

Check that, "Purple and Gold" is a terrible song disliked by 100% of the humans who have heard it.

Wrong about "Purple and Gold." It's fine for what it is. I just wished the Vikings used it. I don't even think the Vikings were playing "Let's Go Crazy" for touchdowns this week.

But F--K the Vikings and the NFL and the NBA and all of them.

Get woke and go broke.

jasopig said:

.
Oh dear Lord in heaven...
.
Sooooo many bad Prince songs. And with these posthumous messes, they just keep on coming.

CAL3 said:

jasopig said:

This reminds me of the discussions about how you could trim Emancipation down to 10-12 songs to make it one of the greatest albums ever. Except nobody can agree on the 10-12 songs. There is no bad Prince song, only a song that hasn't resonated with you... yet.

Check that, "Purple and Gold" is a terrible song disliked by 100% of the humans who have heard it.

. Oh dear Lord in heaven... . Soooooo many bad Prince songs. And with these posthumous messes, they just keep on coming.

What are those bad song according to you?

slyjackson said:

.
Not to shoot fish in a barrel...
.
Take “Call My Name” off Musicology and we can start with that whole abomination of an album.

Did this guy just say "Ballad of Dorothy Parker" is "sub-par"

That is like a top 3 Prince of all time.

sro100 said:

It, Starfish and Coffee, Hot Thing, Slow Love, Ballad of Dorothy Parker, The Cross, Strange Relationship.

This album was NEVER a favorite.

Just a bunch of stuff thrown together.

However, I've always heard a subpar version of this album; first on cassette and then on CD.

Maybe the remaster will change my mind.

emesem said:

Did this guy just say "Ballad of Dorothy Parker" is "sub-par"

That is like a top 3 Prince of all time.

sro100 said:

It, Starfish and Coffee, Hot Thing, Slow Love, Ballad of Dorothy Parker, The Cross, Strange Relationship.

This album was NEVER a favorite.

Just a bunch of stuff thrown together.

However, I've always heard a subpar version of this album; first on cassette and then on CD.

Maybe the remaster will change my mind.

Yeah. Did this guy, who took his name from a rapper, just questioned the fact that people have different tastes?

So f----ing what?

I'd say my favorite P album is "The Gold Experience" and my favorite track is "P Control" and guess what? It makes no difference at all to me whether you have the same opinion.

sro100 said:

It, Starfish and Coffee, Hot Thing, Slow Love, Ballad of Dorothy Parker, The Cross, Strange Relationship.

This album was NEVER a favorite.

Just a bunch of stuff thrown together.

However, I've always heard a subpar version of this album; first on cassette and then on CD.

Maybe the remaster will change my mind.

What's wrong with you Dani?

slyjackson said:

sro100 said:

It, Starfish and Coffee, Hot Thing, Slow Love, Ballad of Dorothy Parker, The Cross, Strange Relationship.

This album was NEVER a favorite.

Just a bunch of stuff thrown together.

However, I've always heard a subpar version of this album; first on cassette and then on CD.

Maybe the remaster will change my mind.

What's wrong with you Dani?

Who is Dani? See above.

sro100 said:

emesem said:

Did this guy just say "Ballad of Dorothy Parker" is "sub-par"

That is like a top 3 Prince of all time.

Yeah. Did this guy, who took his name from a rapper, just questioned the fact that people have different tastes?

So f----ing what?

I'd say my favorite P album is "The Gold Experience" and my favorite track is "P Control" and guess what? It makes no difference at all to me whether you have the same opinion.

JUast that you've got not taste whatsoever, nothing much else.

CAL3 said:

slyjackson said:

What are those bad song according to you?

. Not to shoot fish in a barrel... . Take “Call My Name” off Musicology and we can start with that whole abomination of an album.

What's wrong with Call My Name? it's a beautiful song.

sro100 said:

slyjackson said:

What's wrong with you Dani?

Who is Dani? See above.

You're Dani.

slyjackson said:

sro100 said:

Who is Dani? See above.

You're Dani.

No, not even close. I'm sure there's some clever reason you think that though. Good for you! Dick.

slyjackson said:

sro100 said:

Yeah. Did this guy, who took his name from a rapper, just questioned the fact that people have different tastes?

So f----ing what?

I'd say my favorite P album is "The Gold Experience" and my favorite track is "P Control" and guess what? It makes no difference at all to me whether you have the same opinion.

JUast that you've got not taste whatsoever, nothing much else.

Well from my point of view you're classless, presumptive, arrogant and you have very limited intelligence. So I guess we're even.

slyjackson said:

CAL3 said:

slyjackson said: . Not to shoot fish in a barrel... . Take “Call My Name” off Musicology and we can start with that whole abomination of an album.

What's wrong with Call My Name? it's a beautiful song.

He's saying that's the only good song on the record. As in "Take 'Call My Name' off" and then he considers everything left on that specific album an "abomination".

[Edited 9/17/20 16:50pm]

WhisperingDandelions said:

slyjackson said:

What's wrong with Call My Name? it's a beautiful song.

He's saying that's the only good song on the record. As in "Take 'Call My Name' off" and then he considers everything left on that specific album an "abomination".

[Edited 9/17/20 16:50pm]

Yeah I see now, sorry I didn't read well.

sro100 said:

slyjackson said:

You're Dani.

No, not even close. I'm sure there's some clever reason you think that though. Good for you! Dick.

You're a Dani to me.

slyjackson said:

sro100 said:

No, not even close. I'm sure there's some clever reason you think that though. Good for you! Dick.

You're a Dani to me.

OK Dick.

WhisperingDandelions said:

.
I use the word “abomination” fairly loosely here.
.
“Seriously subpar” would be more accurate. But as to no “bad” Prince songs, I do start with that crappy album.
.
“Illusion Coma Pimp and Circumstance” is a very bad song.
.
“Reflection” is a very bad song.
.
Most of it is just so blah - it’s far beneath his standards.
.
Mind you, anyone can of course LIKE songs like the ones I mentioned but that doesn’t make them “good.”

sro100 said:

slyjackson said:

You're a Dani to me.

OK Dick.

Dani stop it.

CAL3 said:

WhisperingDandelions said:

He's saying that's the only good song on the record. As in "Take 'Call My Name' off" and then he considers everything left on that specific album an "abomination".

[Edited 9/17/20 16:50pm]

. I use the word “abomination” fairly loosely here. . “Seriously subpar” would be more accurate. But as to no “bad” Prince songs, I do start with that crappy album. . “Illusion Coma Pimp and Circumstance” is a very bad song. . “Reflection” is a very bad song. . Most of it is just so blah - it’s far beneath his standards. . Mind you, anyone can of course LIKE songs like the ones I mentioned but that doesn’t make them “good.”

What's bad about Reflection?

CAL3 said:

slyjackson said:

What are those bad song according to you?

. Not to shoot fish in a barrel... . Take “Call My Name” off Musicology and we can start with that whole abomination of an album.

"Cinnamon Girl" is a great song. Might be in my Top 20 of all time Prince tunes.

POOK said:

POOK LOVE SLOW LOVE

rubs tummy

MIInsane said:

.
Being in your personal top 20 doesn’t make it a great song.

haveaglamslam said:

It, Hot Thing and It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Night honestly perplex me as to how they made it to the finished album. It sounds like he didn't finish it, very B-Sidey and sounds incomplete and Hot Thing just sounds average to me. It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Night seems very unnecessary, the rap is corny imo, and was kinda dated from the start if you ask me. It doesn't really offer very much, it's very repetative, while it showcases Prince live, it showcases him with The Revolution, a band that he was no longer playing with upon release. IMO he could have taken those off, put on Crystal Ball, title the album that and then it be final.

'It' was possibly my least favourite Prince song of the 80's. I didn't like it in 1987, and hearing it with a super duper deluxe treatment hasn't change my opinion. I became very skilled at dropping the needle down at the beginning of Starfish & Coffee, because I almost always skipped 'It.'

Similarly, Hot Thing never did anything for me, either. IGBABN never sounded like it belonged to me, and when I think of all the songs that could have taken its place... it's baffling.

It goes without saying that the rest of what was on the album more than made up for these three tracks.