It was totally a misleading single. The rest of the record is a lot more challenging. It's also the only Prince songs you'll hear on cruise ships and at weddings (since his death you hear more than Kiss, but for a while the only places I heard Kiss was where I never wanted to hear Prince's music, like the supermarket).

But is it more misleading than Raspberry Beret or Alphabet Street? Those 3 should have been on the same album with Starfish and Coffee and Take Me With U.

I don't get "Kiss" as a 1999 throwback at all but I'll say it's one song that's everywhere and I tune it out, but every so often I hear it in a different way and I focus in on different things.

Yes, it's out of place because someone else besides Prince produced the basic tracking.

That's not hard to understand, right?

David Rivkin covered Prince's demo with Mazarati and then Prince took that cover and covered THAT cover as the foundation.

Like i stated already, the second half of the extended 12" version, that doesn't use that initial production, is more in the vibe of the 'Parade' album.

lavendardrummachine said:

It was totally a misleading single. The rest of the record is a lot more challenging. It's also the only Prince songs you'll hear on cruise ships and at weddings (since his death you hear more than Kiss, but for a while the only places I heard Kiss was where I never wanted to hear Prince's music, like the supermarket).

But is it more misleading than Raspberry Beret or Alphabet Street? Those 3 should have been on the same album with Starfish and Coffee and Take Me With U.

I don't get "Kiss" as a 1999 throwback at all but I'll say it's one song that's everywhere and I tune it out, but every so often I hear it in a different way and I focus in on different things.

but thats because it became a hit.did you know that it was a problem for Prince to release it,executives at WB comlained "There is no reverb,no bass,this is a demo ,we cant release this .Prince was either this or nothing .after it smashed the charts WB were looking to sign people sounding like that.Kiss is the lest interesting song on Parade in terms of harmony,it's just 12 inch blues but it's the most groundbreaking song on the album because of it's sparse sound stripped to the bone,even more minimalistic than When Doves Cry .With Kiss Prince pushed the envelope further,but in this stance he had help.Most of us got bored because it's overplayed as hell but actually it' a very strange sounding song and decades in front everything else.I love 12 inch versions of every song in the world not to mention Prince but in this case i think it didn't work.In the past Prince 12 inch versions had connection and natural flow.The b extended section of Kiss 12 inch was made just to make a 12 inch.it was not done like usualy while the song was in the process of birth,it was an afterthough.yeah i like the jaszz fusion tendencies of the extended section but in reality it have little in common with the song.Regarding if it worked live i love Parade live versions and 2010 electro funk re work

TrivialPursuit said:

thebanishedone said:

BlueShakooo said:

I think Gett Off was far more misleading.

There it is!!!

I think Sign o The Times wasn't very representive of the album either. The only other serious song in that vein on that album was The Cross.

thebanishedone said:

.I love 12 inch versions of every song in the world not to mention Prince but in this case i think it didn't work.In the past Prince 12 inch versions had connection and natural flow.The b extended section of Kiss 12 inch was made just to make a 12 inch.it was not done like usualy while the song was in the process of birth,it was an afterthough.

"like usual"?

i think the whole point of the 12" version was to show his fans how he would have produced the song.

(all comic book style)

Prince to Mazarati: "here's a simple song for you guys"

Mazarati to Prince: "thanks!"

Mazarati to David Z: "what are we gonna do with THIS???"

David Z to Mazarati: "i got some ideas..."

-next morning-

David Z to Prince: "whaddya think?"

Prince to David Z: "this is too funky for you guys, i'm takin' it back!"

Prince mixes his overdubbed version with David's production and Mazarati's BG vocals.

*This is now projected assumption on my part*

Prince realizes it doesn't really fit the aesthetic of 'Parade' and proceedes to record a second part for the 12" which will be the first single.

.

Anyone else feel that line of thinking?

Its Princes song. Even from the demo the song is all there.

antonb said:

thebanishedone said:

antonb said:

Its Princes song. Even from the demo the song is all there.

Nobody sane should try to dispute that.Prince acoustic demo contained all the harmonic elements so thats why i don't understand Brown Marks clams.

i guess if they worked on it for hours then they might be pissed about the lack of credit. But when i heard the demo I kinda got why Prince claimed it as his own. The lyrics the way he plays it. The song is there already. Bet alot disagree though!

thebanishedone said:

but thats because it became a hit.did you know that it was a problem for Prince to release it,executives at WB comlained "There is no reverb,no bass,this is a demo ,we cant release this .Prince was either this or nothing .after it smashed the charts WB were looking to sign people sounding like that.Kiss is the lest interesting song on Parade in terms of harmony,it's just 12 inch blues but it's the most groundbreaking song on the album because of it's sparse sound stripped to the bone,even more minimalistic than When Doves Cry .With Kiss Prince pushed the envelope further,but in this stance he had help.Most of us got bored because it's overplayed as hell but actually it' a very strange sounding song and decades in front everything else.I love 12 inch versions of every song in the world not to mention Prince but in this case i think it didn't work.In the past Prince 12 inch versions had connection and natural flow.The b extended section of Kiss 12 inch was made just to make a 12 inch.it was not done like usualy while the song was in the process of birth,it was an afterthough.yeah i like the jaszz fusion tendencies of the extended section but in reality it have little in common with the song.Regarding if it worked live i love Parade live versions and 2010 electro funk re work

Kiss isn't groundbreaking. There is also tons of reverb, the guitar is run through the Linn drum as an effect. Not sure why WB's opinion matters, it was released as a single and it sounded overly produced and commercial at the time, or at least pop-y, only now do I hear the minimalism in it.

antonb said:

Its Princes song. Even from the demo the song is all there.

Yeah, everyone forgets the draft version. He just borrowed some of the arrangement, but the story has gone too far at this point.

tomds said:

-

I was hoping for a Parade SDE release,

certainly for the extendedversion of KISS we've never heard before.

It's one that was announced for the second Crystal Ball compilation release;

-

''Kiss - Xtended Version (Never released b4) (a previously-unreleased version,

distinct from Kiss (Extended Version)) is presumably from 1985,

but possibly the extended version was from a more recent date.''

-

The song on Parade, was also the only song not having any Clare Fischer orchestration.

Or maybe this unknown extended version has 'm, i don't know.

I am super curious to hear this.

The extended part of the 12'' sound far way better than the single (first) part imho.

-

Vannormal said:

-

I was hoping for a Parade SDE release,

certainly for the extendedversion of KISS we've never heard before.

It's one that was announced for the second Crystal Ball compilation release;

-

''Kiss - Xtended Version (Never released b4) (a previously-unreleased version,

distinct from Kiss (Extended Version)) is presumably from 1985,

but possibly the extended version was from a more recent date.''

-

The song on Parade, was also the only song not having any Clare Fischer orchestration.

Or maybe this unknown extended version has 'm, i don't know.

I am super curious to hear this.

The extended part of the 12'' sound far way better than the single (first) part imho.

-

well if it was from 1985 i bet it would be closer to the songs nature but i doubt,cause he didn't do the original arrangement.he just re edited Mazarati's take in 4 hours time.

Rimshottbob said:

I remember back in 86-87?? reading a story in either right on! or ebony about the parade album and how misleading the single kiss was and how alot of his black audience thought he was returning to his funk roots but he didn't.

dbpdexter said:

I remember back in 86-87?? reading a story in either right on! or ebony about the parade album and how misleading the single kiss was and how alot of his black audience thought he was returning to his funk roots but he didn't.

He faked his audience out all the time. "Prince is back" was half the draw of his career.

Kiss for his Black audience though? I'd wonder if anyone remembers thinking that back in the day.

Mentioning Dynasty made white people lose their minds, but some other lines do sound more geared for a Black audience in hindsight. I just don't recall it being perceived like that.

funkbabyandthebabysitters said:

lurker316 said:

Hey, my post was on topic too! I wrote:

"From the standpoint of muscial style, Kiss (a techno-funk song) doesn't fit with the rest of the album (accoustic and even orchestral pop). Imagine a non-fan or casual fan who hears Kiss on the radio, loves that techno sound, and runs out to buy the album expecting it to be full similar tracks. They would have been shocked and, depending on their disposition, possibly disappointed by what they found."

Thats what singles were for! To drive album sales.

You made the very mistake @Rimshottbob and @TrivialPursuit were pointing out. The topic of this thread isn't about the quality of the song or its value as a single. It's about whether the song is representative of the rest of the album.

Bottom line, no matter how good Kiss is or isn't, no matter how many sales it did or didn't generate, its techno-funk sound is nothing like the acoustic/orchestral sound of the rest of the album.

[Edited 4/5/21 12:32pm]

lavendardrummachine said:

dbpdexter said:

I remember back in 86-87?? reading a story in either right on! or ebony about the parade album and how misleading the single kiss was and how alot of his black audience thought he was returning to his funk roots but he didn't.

He faked his audience out all the time. "Prince is back" was half the draw of his career.

Kiss for his Black audience though? I'd wonder if anyone remembers thinking that back in the day.

Mentioning Dynasty made white people lose their minds, but some other lines do sound more geared for a Black audience in hindsight. I just don't recall it being perceived like that.

wether or not you don't remember it being percieved like that, that was what the article was about.

I remember clearly kiss was played on the r&b stations and mountains wasn't.nobody I knew had the parade album except for me and as a matter of fact my cousin had the 7inch of kiss and mountains and gave mountains to me because she never listened to it

funkbabyandthebabysitters said:

Kiss a return to funk roots? I dont see it. It's like when doves cry, a skeletal pop song. What prince was famous for- minimalism. Misleading audiences is what prince was always good at in any case. Kiss is no different in that sense. Really though, after do u lie, parade should have just had sometimes it snows after do u lie. A perfect 35 min album. [Edited 4/5/21 13:18pm] [Edited 4/5/21 13:22pm]

Hmmm.

Interesting.

.

Then release an EP of

.

Side One:

1. Anotherloverholenyohead

2. Alexa De Paris

Side Two:

3. Love Or Money

4. Kiss