Tough call for me, but will give the nod to the B sides, but both so diverse and wacky at times, think the low points of Signs (It, Slow Love, Hot Thing) are perhaps the difference makers, not much waste in the b sides, he fits more songs into the 70 mins than the 80 mins of Signs, and most are far from throwaways

Tough to say. Some of the B-sides are among my all-time favorites. However, as a collection, Sign O' The Times works better, and the fact that most of the B-Sides are in edited form on the disc (and my preferred versions of many are the extended ones), so I'm gonna go with Sign. Besides, of the tracks you list as low points, It and Hot Thing are at worst somewhere in the middle range in comparison to the B-side tracks. They're not anywhere near as good as the top b-sides, and as individual songs 7 or 8 of the B-sides would have to be included on any essential tracks list I'd make (but, as I said, many would be in their longer form). That's a different subject, though.

Short answer: Sign o' the Times.

probably the b sides just because it has a little more classic material but i think the real comparison is B sides vs. A sides .. even when doves cry vs 17 days is a tough call .. but if u could only have one or the other .. if eye wuz yr g frend vs shockadelica .. crazy vs erotic city .. all tough tough choices

EddieC said:

Tough to say. Some of the B-sides are among my all-time favorites. However, as a collection, Sign O' The Times works better, and the fact that most of the B-Sides are in edited form on the disc (and my preferred versions of many are the extended ones), so I'm gonna go with Sign. Besides, of the tracks you list as low points, It and Hot Thing are at worst somewhere in the middle range in comparison to the B-side tracks. They're not anywhere near as good as the top b-sides, and as individual songs 7 or 8 of the B-sides would have to be included on any essential tracks list I'd make (but, as I said, many would be in their longer form). That's a different subject, though.

Short answer: Sign o' the Times.

The bolded part I agree with completely!

On the topic of B-sides...

Can they PLEASE release the B-sides album from Hits/B-Sides on vinyl!

Throw me a bone here!

Seriously? Sign 0 The Times is considered one of the best albums - if not the best - of Prince's career. The B Sides isn't an even an album (as such) - and all of the material on it is available elsewhere (hence the name).

Genesia said:

Seriously? Sign 0 The Times is considered one of the best albums - if not the best - of Prince's career. The B Sides isn't an even an album (as such) - and all of the material on it is available elsewhere (hence the name).

yes seriously, do agree Signs is top 3 Prince album for sure, but if you took the angle I could never hear either The B sides ever again or Sign O the Times ever again, I would choose Signs, though I would miss the Cross, title track, Play in the Sunshine, Forever in Your Life, Starfish, Adore and Dorothy dearly.

But I would rather continue to hear Girl, Erotic City, Shockadelica, Gotta Stop, Scarlett Pussy, La La La, Hello, Horny Toad, 200 Balloons, 17 Days, Alway in Hair, Another Lonely Christmas, 4 the Tears.

Open for debate, but I don't think cut and dry. Of course I am disregarding I do own extended and other source (Girl 6) for both sets, just think the B sides offer up more terrific songs overall.

runningbear said:

Genesia said:

Seriously? Sign 0 The Times is considered one of the best albums - if not the best - of Prince's career. The B Sides isn't an even an album (as such) - and all of the material on it is available elsewhere (hence the name).

yes seriously, do agree Signs is top 3 Prince album for sure, but if you took the angle I could never hear either The B sides ever again or Sign O the Times ever again, I would choose Signs, though I would miss the Cross, title track, Play in the Sunshine, Forever in Your Life, Starfish, Adore and Dorothy dearly.

But I would rather continue to hear Girl, Erotic City, Shockadelica, Gotta Stop, Scarlett Pussy, La La La, Hello, Horny Toad, 200 Balloons, 17 Days, Alway in Hair, Another Lonely Christmas, 4 the Tears.

Open for debate, but I don't think cut and dry. Of course I am disregarding I do own extended and other source (Girl 6) for both sets, just think the B sides offer up more terrific songs overall.

You completely missed my point that everything on The B-sides is available elsewhere. But you do you.