independent and unofficial
Prince fan community
Welcome! Sign up or enter username and password to remember me
Forum jump
Forums > Prince: Music and More > The Black Album was saying " This is all blackness"
« Previous topic  Next topic »
Page 2 of 3 <123>
  New topic   Printable     (Log in to 'subscribe' to this topic)
Reply #30 posted 10/31/20 3:17am

funkbabyandthe
babysitters

LoveGalore said:

It's definitely Prince by the numbers.

I think Bob George is really the only song that covers new ground or even old ground in an interesting new way.


The lyrics on certain songs are also interesting with prince in full creepy mode. I quite like creepy and obsessive prince.

Rock hard is a good track

When 2... is lovely

But as an album it's not consequential
  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #31 posted 10/31/20 9:13am

herb4

Spinal Tap beat Prince him to the punch by 5 years with Smell the Glove


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHy6_vQueLI

That album was "none more black"

  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #32 posted 11/02/20 6:02am

Vannormal

rednblue said:

Vannormal said:

-

Yep. Back in the day it was even announced and explaining there was nothing wrong with your television, and there wasn't a protest going on either... I remember some female VJ saying this IICC.

I was looking forward to see this video, as I read or heard somewhere he did it all black.

-

I remember very well that it indeed made you focus more on the song than anaything else.

(I have it somewhere still on VHS)

And with those lyrics, you could imagine your own video in your head.

Found it also very daring of both Prince, and MTV to make/broadcast this.

-

[Edited 10/30/20 3:12am]


However the video came into being in that form, my reaction is like yours. It is great for the song.

Maybe because I've had the song playing in my head for so many years, it feels to me that what goes on in each listeners head should be the (possibly more elaborate : ) ) video. Perhaps I underestimate the potential of a less spare official video, though. I don't know.

Also love that the video highlights the lyrics, but really wish it didn't have the mistakes. sad

Thanks for the info on how the video was presented on television. Do you remember whether this was at time of Lovesexy release or Black Album release?


-

It was back in 1994.

-

"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves. And wiser people so full of doubts" (Bertrand Russell 1872-1972)
  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #33 posted 11/02/20 7:03am

rednblue

Vannormal said:

rednblue said:


However the video came into being in that form, my reaction is like yours. It is great for the song.

Maybe because I've had the song playing in my head for so many years, it feels to me that what goes on in each listeners head should be the (possibly more elaborate : ) ) video. Perhaps I underestimate the potential of a less spare official video, though. I don't know.

Also love that the video highlights the lyrics, but really wish it didn't have the mistakes. sad

Thanks for the info on how the video was presented on television. Do you remember whether this was at time of Lovesexy release or Black Album release?


-

It was back in 1994.

-


Thank you!

On slightly unrelated note, I was thinking today about the proposed When 2 R In Love: The Ballads Of Prince compilation.

http://www.princevault.co..._Of_Prince


  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #34 posted 11/02/20 7:11am

ufoclub

avatar

RODSERLING said:

How would you have pictured a music video for le Grind?

I imagined of a bit of the staging that was then sort of realized years later (by coincidence of course) in Lenny Kravtiz "Are You Gonna Go My Way?" video which shows him in the middle at the botom of this cylinder club silo. I was like, damn, Prince missed out on a cool video.



  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #35 posted 11/02/20 8:25am

Vannormal

rednblue said:

Vannormal said:

-

It was back in 1994.

-


Thank you!

On slightly unrelated note, I was thinking today about the proposed When 2 R In Love: The Ballads Of Prince compilation.

http://www.princevault.co..._Of_Prince


-

Me too !!

I just read about that @ Princevault too. wink

Well... He had so many projects up and running in his head/mind rather than completing them.

Eric Leeds explained that in some interview, and it makes sense somehow, him being so prolific.

As if he had just too much going on at the same time - seem almost that he had difficulties to focus on one thing, let it rest and redigest it again towards a more finished result.

-

Then again, how much finished results are still lurking around in the vault we have no knowledge of...

How exciting this all is at the same time..

One big riddle of a person, one big puzzle of an oeuvre. wink

Just love it.

-

"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves. And wiser people so full of doubts" (Bertrand Russell 1872-1972)
  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #36 posted 11/02/20 8:28am

udo

avatar

As TBA shares a song with Lovesexy it is not all blackness, if that ever could true.

There's more than simple boxes, black vs white and such

This worldview has to change for progress ot occur.

Pills and thrills and daffodils will kill... If you don't believe me or don't get it, I don't have time to try to convince you, sorry.
  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #37 posted 11/02/20 9:23am

funkbabyandthe
babysitters

i consider lovesexy to also be white and pink.

black album to be black and grey.

  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #38 posted 11/02/20 9:31am

rednblue

Vannormal said:



rednblue said:




Vannormal said:



-


It was back in 1994.


-




Thank you!

On slightly unrelated note, I was thinking today about the proposed When 2 R In Love: The Ballads Of Prince compilation.

http://www.princevault.co..._Of_Prince




-


Me too !!


I just read about that @ Princevault too. wink


Well... He had so many projects up and running in his head/mind rather than completing them.


Eric Leeds explained that in some interview, and it makes sense somehow, him being so prolific.


As if he had just too much going on at the same time - seem almost that he had difficulties to focus on one thing, let it rest and redigest it again towards a more finished result.


-


Then again, how much finished results are still lurking around in the vault we have no knowledge of...


How exciting this all is at the same time..


One big riddle of a person, one big puzzle of an oeuvre. wink


Just love it.


-



Wow!

me too right back at you

riddles, puzzles...
and so much music simultaneously swirling music heart
  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #39 posted 11/02/20 10:13am

OldFriends4Sal
e

I always saw variations of g r e y and a grey-purple color with the Black album

  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #40 posted 11/02/20 10:17am

funkbabyandthe
babysitters

i see a lot of different shades, it has a lot of energy but its a dark energy. i guess you could say it has peach in there too, but i dont see it, except for the sticker. so id say black, grey, and maybe red, to account for the anger.

lovesexy is bright white, and some sickly sweet pink too, but then thats already on the typeface on the album cover.

  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #41 posted 11/02/20 3:29pm

ufoclub

avatar

LoveGalore said:

It's definitely Prince by the numbers. I think Bob George is really the only song that covers new ground or even old ground in an interesting new way.

There is nothing "Prince by the numbers" about the Black Album!

That album is cohesive and strong as hell for every... single... track... something he never did before or after.

There is a definite non pop minded, non top 40 attitude to the energy and mixes.

Something like Emancipation is Prince by numbers to me except for "Slave"

There are live after shows that had an energy and raw attitude contained in a cohesive sound... and heavily edited SOTT movie also had that cohesion and successful sequence.

This is the only studio album that really succeeds like that, to me, in my opinion.

That's not to say that other albums didnt have greater individual songs (for example Grafitti Bridge has Joy in Repetition), but they always had fluff or moments in the sequence that threw me off. Even SOTT.

  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #42 posted 11/02/20 5:14pm

OldFriends4Sal
e

funkbabyandthebabysitters said:

i see a lot of different shades, it has a lot of energy but its a dark energy. i guess you could say it has peach in there too, but i dont see it, except for the sticker. so id say black, grey, and maybe red, to account for the anger.

lovesexy is bright white, and some sickly sweet pink too, but then thats already on the typeface on the album cover.

Lovesexy I see a lot of white-milky, deco neon colors, aqua, hot pink

  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #43 posted 11/03/20 1:08am

slyjackson

Bob George and Superfunky and Rockhard are the only great songs in here.

  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #44 posted 11/03/20 2:57am

RODSERLING

slyjackson said:

Bob George and Superfunky and Rockhard are the only great songs in here.



Hell no.
Le Grind, Cindy C and Dead On It are great too.
  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #45 posted 11/03/20 3:02am

SexyMuthaF

2NU4WC is the best.
  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #46 posted 11/04/20 10:13am

ufoclub

avatar

RODSERLING said:

slyjackson said:

Bob George and Superfunky and Rockhard are the only great songs in here.

Hell no. Le Grind, Cindy C and Dead On It are great too.

And 2 Nigs as well. that leaves When 2 R in Love.

Whats the verdict? I think it fits the mood, and its a prankster touch to then flip the record and listen to Bob George. And the high hat track style and effects are very trippy.

  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #47 posted 11/04/20 10:52am

funkbabyandthe
babysitters

its not really an album

a couple of uptempo funk tracks

some midtempo funk tracks

a ballad thats totally out of place

one rap dis track

one weird spoken word track

  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #48 posted 11/04/20 12:04pm

ufoclub

avatar

funkbabyandthebabysitters said:

its not really an album

a couple of uptempo funk tracks

some midtempo funk tracks

a ballad thats totally out of place

one rap dis track

one weird spoken word track

It feels more like a cohesive successful album to me than anything else past 1987. Every song shares a similar vibe and core mood even while they are all different in texture and pattern. And the song sequence is perfect.

It's the Prince album I've listened to the most repeatedly. Lovesexy is a close second on listens but only because I still can't quite get it. In other words, I still think there are things about it that are glaringly uncool. So its like "why?"

Other albums like "Chaos and Disorder" I probably only listened to in sequence once.

  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #49 posted 11/04/20 10:32pm

RODSERLING

To me The Black Album should be regarded as one of his 5 best albums, in the likes of a Rolling Stone 500 albums of all time list, aside Purple Rain, SOTT and 1999 ( and... Dirty Mind?!).
[Edited 11/4/20 22:33pm]
  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #50 posted 11/05/20 3:59am

LoveGalore

ufoclub said:



funkbabyandthebabysitters said:


its not really an album


a couple of uptempo funk tracks


some midtempo funk tracks


a ballad thats totally out of place


one rap dis track


one weird spoken word track






It feels more like a cohesive successful album to me than anything else past 1987. Every song shares a similar vibe and core mood even while they are all different in texture and pattern. And the song sequence is perfect.

It's the Prince album I've listened to the most repeatedly. Lovesexy is a close second on listens but only because I still can't quite get it. In other words, I still think there are things about it that are glaringly uncool. So its like "why?"

Other albums like "Chaos and Disorder" I probably only listened to in sequence once.



To me, the album doesn't mesh well at all beyond the few tracks that are Crystal Ball era and obviously have a similar aesthetic. A bit jarring to hear an album with Revolution style vocals from Susannah and then SOTT band vocals from Sheila, Cat, and Boni.
  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #51 posted 11/05/20 4:36am

funkbabyandthe
babysitters

When 2 r in love makes no sense on a supposedly dark album

What is it even doing there?

Everything else makes more sense, I just dunno if it hangs together very well
  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #52 posted 11/05/20 8:19am

Vannormal

ufoclub said:

funkbabyandthebabysitters said:

its not really an album

a couple of uptempo funk tracks

some midtempo funk tracks

a ballad thats totally out of place

one rap dis track

one weird spoken word track

It feels more like a cohesive successful album to me than anything else past 1987. Every song shares a similar vibe and core mood even while they are all different in texture and pattern. And the song sequence is perfect.

It's the Prince album I've listened to the most repeatedly. Lovesexy is a close second on listens but only because I still can't quite get it. In other words, I still think there are things about it that are glaringly uncool. So its like "why?"

Other albums like "Chaos and Disorder" I probably only listened to in sequence once.

-

Same for me !

TBA was on repeat since I got my hands on a bootleg vinyl copy in January 1988.

I still have a cassetee which i recorded in early December 1987,

from a Dutch radio station (VERONICA) that broadcasted the whole album in one take on a friday midnight! I still remember so well... with the voice of some DJ djingle "The Black Album" throughout every song, is somthing I lavished myself from still. smile

And Lovesexy for some unexplicable reason was thé most important Prince record for me.

ALthough I followed him since 1999.

Still loooooooove that album. It's quite difficult to understand how he just did it.

The complexity of Lovesexy, throughout the whole album... amazing.

And certainly right after SOTT.

Lovesexy, an album he wasn't happy with apparently, a world tour he hate apparently,

and then knowing he sacked the whole staff in Paisley Park,

had his filmdirector of Purple Rain becoming his manager together with his lawyers and all,

not knowing a clue what to do next. And the the sacked Bob Cavallo calling Prince to tell him The Batman movie wa sin the making, and he should jump on that wagon, which Prince gladly did apparently.

That wole era remains THE transition era that started with the end of The Revolution.

Adocumentary needs to be made.

-

By the way, Alan Leeds 3 1/2 hours interview with the Prince Podcast ono YT is amazing !

If you don't listen to that, you'll miss so much important puzzle pieces that are very othen quesntioned here and often misunderstood. You get to know Prince much better through the Leeds family. That is for sure. They didn't idolise him for the wrong reasons, but for the right ones.

-

"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves. And wiser people so full of doubts" (Bertrand Russell 1872-1972)
  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #53 posted 11/05/20 11:19am

ufoclub

avatar

LoveGalore said:

ufoclub said:

It feels more like a cohesive successful album to me than anything else past 1987. Every song shares a similar vibe and core mood even while they are all different in texture and pattern. And the song sequence is perfect.

It's the Prince album I've listened to the most repeatedly. Lovesexy is a close second on listens but only because I still can't quite get it. In other words, I still think there are things about it that are glaringly uncool. So its like "why?"

Other albums like "Chaos and Disorder" I probably only listened to in sequence once.

To me, the album doesn't mesh well at all beyond the few tracks that are Crystal Ball era and obviously have a similar aesthetic. A bit jarring to hear an album with Revolution style vocals from Susannah and then SOTT band vocals from Sheila, Cat, and Boni.

Sussanah vocal? Where's that?

  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #54 posted 11/05/20 4:19pm

OldFriends4Sal
e

the Black album is still very Purple

  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #55 posted 11/05/20 4:19pm

OldFriends4Sal
e

ufoclub said:

LoveGalore said:

ufoclub said: To me, the album doesn't mesh well at all beyond the few tracks that are Crystal Ball era and obviously have a similar aesthetic. A bit jarring to hear an album with Revolution style vocals from Susannah and then SOTT band vocals from Sheila, Cat, and Boni.

Sussanah vocal? Where's that?

Le Grind and Rock Hard In a Funky Place

  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #56 posted 11/05/20 4:22pm

OldFriends4Sal
e

ufoclub said:

funkbabyandthebabysitters said:

its not really an album

a couple of uptempo funk tracks

some midtempo funk tracks

a ballad thats totally out of place

one rap dis track

one weird spoken word track

It feels more like a cohesive successful album to me than anything else past 1987. Every song shares a similar vibe and core mood even while they are all different in texture and pattern. And the song sequence is perfect.

It's the Prince album I've listened to the most repeatedly. Lovesexy is a close second on listens but only because I still can't quite get it. In other words, I still think there are things about it that are glaringly uncool. So its like "why?"

Other albums like "Chaos and Disorder" I probably only listened to in sequence once.

I agree, it felt complete to me, in a Prince likes mistakes, kinda way. It worked

Rock Hard In a Funky Places 'Camille' vocals sets it apart, but it's probably the most wickedly dark song on the album next to SuperfunkiCalifragisexy

  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #57 posted 11/05/20 11:36pm

funkbabyandthe
babysitters

OldFriends4Sale said:



the Black album is still very Purple



I think blue too. Maybe dark green also.
  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #58 posted 11/05/20 11:42pm

funkbabyandthe
babysitters

So I know fans want the estate to make a double release of TBA and LS
Never gonna happen lol

BUT
It did make me think that a better album would have been half TBA and half LS

Let's be honest, both are quickie albums, turned out very fast, and dont have the greatest level of care given

So I'd make it one album like this

le grind
Cindy c
Supercali...
2 nigs United....
Bob George

Eye no
Alphabet st
Glam slam
Ana stesia
When 2 r in love
I wish u heaven
  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #59 posted 11/06/20 12:37am

Vannormal

funkbabyandthebabysitters said:

So I know fans want the estate to make a double release of TBA and LS Never gonna happen lol BUT It did make me think that a better album would have been half TBA and half LS Let's be honest, both are quickie albums, turned out very fast, and dont have the greatest level of care given So I'd make it one album like this le grind Cindy c Supercali... 2 nigs United.... Bob George Eye no Alphabet st Glam slam Ana stesia When 2 r in love I wish u heaven

-

I find it impossible to shuffle or split both albums.

I refuse to mix them. Outrageous ! wink

Two masterpieces with a twist due to weird coincidences,

and new people entering his life.

Not to forget the bad trip.

And - to me - all started to change from there on imho.

He just got over the top of his enitre carreer.

Right there he's been a superstar for just a couple of years, but wasn't that game changer anymore.

-

"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves. And wiser people so full of doubts" (Bertrand Russell 1872-1972)
  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Page 2 of 3 <123>
  New topic   Printable     (Log in to 'subscribe' to this topic)
« Previous topic  Next topic »
Forums > Prince: Music and More > The Black Album was saying " This is all blackness"