Recorded just days before, and with insufficient time to include in final album configuration, was Cool Love. A song so underrated most people didn't get it.

[Edited 5/15/21 3:07am]

PurpleHigh said:

What I'd like to hear is what went through y'alls minds having to place that album on the record store counter with that cover in 1988.

It was a moment of internal conflict that stays with me 33 years later. I was in high school and bought it from a record store located on the campus of a southern state college town. I should have recognized I was in a relatively safe space. But I still felt an intense pressure when I saw the album artwork on the new releases rack. I went to the store with the sole purpose of making the purchase. But found myself lingering and trying to muster the courage to pick up a copy without being seen.

I had to be quite the sight. To shop staff, I must have seemed like a shoplifter. To other customers, I probably seemed like someone losing their virginity. Still, like a creep on the prowl, I managed to find a lull in floor traffic and make the purchase through dissociation; watching myself from within and not making eye contact.

At the time, the few insufferable hipster kids in school were always proclaiming "I'm not a conformist," and I didn't understand what they meant. In hindsight, as I stood there in the record shop, I was confronting something not right in the world and within myself. I had to choose between the external pressure and something that I felt strongly about. By contrast, like many others, I sought out copies of the Black Album without hesitation and without having heard a single song; knowing, per Prince's wishes, it was forbidden fruit.

Prince was many things, including clever. Perhaps he intended for that powerful personal experience to be part of the art itself.

[Edited 5/15/21 5:47am]

Three weeks from graduating from high school .

Bought it on May 10th and jammed for 4 hours with this on repeat.

Wolfie87 said:

mmart2008 said:

From the moment I saw the vid for alphabet street I loved it all. Tour and album were something otherworldly.

Hmmm. Considering what MJ, Madonna and other artists did in the Music Video category compared to Prince it really looks like he's struggling or like an artist with huge financial problems. Second tier video at best, embarrassing quality for 1988. It doesn't do that album ANY favor or present it like his best work. You had to be at your A-game with music videos at the time.

I see no lies in this post...

God damn.

I just went in and bought the fucking record. Went to the show in Philly in 88. A few of my friends made fun of Lovesexy and some of the kids I went to high school with that loved Purple Rain officially checked out when this one dropped. I know for a fact that the album cover cost him a portion of his audience.

In retrospect, the whole "controversy" seems rather funny and quaint.

Electrostar said:

I had a poster of the cover on my bedroom wall. "why do you want a naked guy on your wall?" she used to say

kingricefan said:

Vannormal said:

-

As far as naked goes, everything was covered up.

I'll never understand why most poeple in the Anglo-Saxon world have so much issues with this even prudish but great album cover, that represent the title in all it's glory.

I mean, they even did not want to sell in some shops in the US, is that true ?

-

Yes there were record stores in the US that would not sell the Lovesexy album. Others placed large stickers over Prince, mostly covering up all but his head.

-

Would love to see one with that 'sticker'

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nayroo2002 said:

jfenster said:

Did Prince ever talk about the cover??

Not that I know of. Pretty sure he felt it was all in the music.

It was obvious this was a passion project for him, unless you subscribe to the idea that the Black Album "controversy" was entirely manufactured (and I'm not saying it wasn't). Even then, it only adds to the "good vs evil" Geminishit he was going for. Playing several TBA songs on the tour makes me think he didn't think it was "evil" and that its existence was there to play off this record.

I'm not sure what he was aiming for here but it was wild, seemed very personal and the androgyny was absolutely dialed up to 110. I like the record and agree that listening to it and its message often made me feel good and optimistic but it's still way the fuck out there.

jfenster said:

Did Prince ever talk about the cover??

Prince Talks - Rolling Stone

Lovesexy, Prince says, was “a mind trip, like a psychedelic movie. Either you went with it and had a mind-blowing experience or you didn’t. All that album cover was, was a picture. If you looked at that picture and some ill come out of your mouth, then that’s what you are — it’s looking right back at you in the mirror.”

jfenster said:

Did Prince ever talk about the cover??

Prince Talks - Rolling Stone

Lovesexy, Prince says, was “a mind trip, like a psychedelic movie. Either you went with it and had a mind-blowing experience or you didn’t. All that album cover was, was a picture. If you looked at that picture

and some ill come out of your mouth, then that’s what you are — it’s looking right back at you in the Mirror....fucken ..brilliant

nayroo2002 said:

-

Thank you for that.

Still, how idiot this all seems from my EU liberal and free point of view.

This shot had nothing to do with nakedness or porn or shamefull nude.

I can't seem to understand this even after all these years/decades.

He just didn't had any clothes on, that's all.

You hardly see one hand, no feet, barely one nipple, no butt(-crack), the picture is taken from the side even, no frontal nude...

there's basically no bodyhair to be seen, he puls his leg up for fuckssake, and doesn't look provacative at you.

He has no facial expression which most nude and porn pictures have.

This just is as innocent as nudidty can be.

And the picture is also so heavily photoshopped 'en-plus'.

How do people cope with classic paintings where most men and woman are starnaked represented ?

Knowing that the porn-industry is the biggest in the US of the whole world...

And since 1988 not much has changed really, except an ex childish president can openly say that he grabs women by the pussy. How Princey is that even.

All jokes aside, peace.

-

SoulAlive said:

jfenster said:

Did Prince ever talk about the cover??

Prince Talks - Rolling Stone

Lovesexy, Prince says, was “a mind trip, like a psychedelic movie. Either you went with it and had a mind-blowing experience or you didn’t. All that album cover was, was a picture. If you looked at that picture and some ill come out of your mouth, then that’s what you are — it’s looking right back at you in the mirror.”

-

Wonderful. Never read that. thanx

Smart Prince.

-

PJMcGee said:

This is an underrated album for sure. The tour gets a lot of love but the album is fantastic. I would love to see this get the deluxe treatment combined with the black album. Anybody have any ideas as to what would be on it?! Outtake wise I mean. Technically it should include stuff recorded from fall 87 to winter 89 if we go by the SOTT box set.

The closest Janet Jackson - Prince connection in this 'Lovesexy' timeframe i can think of is "What Have You Done For Me Lately" 1986 - "Partyman" 1989.

I agree with all this lol heavily underrated era and album. Tour always gets props. Don't forget it was his first paisley park recorded album!

Vannormal said:

-

His highlight (for me) after Purple Rain & Parade.

I was 24, and it arrive din springtime like a dog in heat.

We were standing in line at the local recordshop to get it first thing in the morning.

It remains an important year and release in my life.

POLKADOTS !

A very overlooked album from start to finish. Should've got more attention.

The last and most coherent and best album in a row of 6 (imho).

After that, it went slowly downhill. (Don't bash me).

The B-sides were surprisingly great and fun !

That ''Alphabet st.'' video hit us all like a bomb !

That fantastic cover art.

The fonds, the looks, the lyrics, the hair, the words all over their clothes ...

The layers and layers or arrangements, and still he got away with it.

The fact that he kept ''When 2 R In Love"...

Great extended versions from every released single.

That very beginning of "Eye No", building up... the funk !

This is an album where you still can discover so much in those wonderful multiple layers, even after all these years.

And the feel that came with it was a complete 180° turn after SOTT and Parade.

Brighter and fresh.

-

Seen Prince 5 times live wiht that tour.

This was his most visual, most entertaining, most clear sound, flashiest, the

most special cause it had a pause halfway, which was new adn bizarre,

the craziest lightshow, the most hunting stage performances by all members,

the car when he arrived with Cat and Sheila...

Prince was having fun, visually having loads of fun.

The horn section were imortant troughout the shows and were absolutely stunning,

The famous aftershows (never attended one, only have the bootlegs),

The Trojan Horse (Paard Van Troje) bootleg, was a reply as a live album to that tour for me.

I listened to that boot soooooo much.

The ladies in the band were tight and fun, loads of songs, a fantastic tourbook, and so on and so forth...

-

This is also the era where he went over the top on everything, also budget wise.

He could do what he wanted, but started to loose it too, bit by bit.

jfenster said:

We r so far off from deluxe of this it's heartbreaking

Are we? What'd you hear?

jfenster said:

We r so far off from deluxe of this it's heartbreaking

-

I absolutely agree.

It wasn't a commercial success.

Guess it either will never get a SDE or hopefully an online SD treatment.

Oh god i hope The Estate is able to create a affordable online something... payable download, whatever formula.

Something where we fans at least are able to enjoy the unreleased and related stuff they don't considder valuable for a physical SDE treatment.

It is kind of my last hope.

-

Vannormal said:

jfenster said:

We r so far off from deluxe of this it's heartbreaking

-

I absolutely agree.

It wasn't a commercial success.

Guess it either will never get a SDE or hopefully an online SD treatment.

Oh god i hope The Estate is able to create a affordable online something... payable download, whatever formula.

Something where we fans at least are able to enjoy the unreleased and related stuff they don't considder valuable for a physical SDE treatment.

It is kind of my last hope.

-

they will.

Once they've milked the biggest selling albums for all they're worth, they'll be down to the hat teh die hards want if they want to make any money. I'm not crazy about that overall approach but I'm not gonna sit here and say it makes no sense. They're working their way through the stuff that as the most popular.

Except Batman is kind of an outlier there and I kind of doubt they'll do anything with it. Maybe in 2029 on the 40th anniversary of the film, they'll do some sort of tie in with that.

The first album recorded at Paisley on those SSL's and his sound changed dramatically. He lost that edge from SOTT and it sounded too clean. Alphabet, Glam Slam and I Wish U Heaven are genius but I didn't care for the rest of it. Maybe if the songs had better mixes. It sounded like he recorded the album very fast

herb4 said:

Vannormal said:

-

I absolutely agree.

It wasn't a commercial success.

Guess it either will never get a SDE or hopefully an online SD treatment.

Oh god i hope The Estate is able to create a affordable online something... payable download, whatever formula.

Something where we fans at least are able to enjoy the unreleased and related stuff they don't considder valuable for a physical SDE treatment.

It is kind of my last hope.

-

they will.

Once they've milked the biggest selling albums for all they're worth, they'll be down to the hat teh die hards want if they want to make any money. I'm not crazy about that overall approach but I'm not gonna sit here and say it makes no sense. They're working their way through the stuff that as the most popular.

Except Batman is kind of an outlier there and I kind of doubt they'll do anything with it. Maybe in 2029 on the 40th anniversary of the film, they'll do some sort of tie in with that.

-

Or 2024, the 35 anniversary...

Isn't ther any new Batman project coming up soon by the way ?

Thought i read something ....

-

SanDiegoFunkDaddy said:

The first album recorded at Paisley on those SSL's and his sound changed dramatically. He lost that edge from SOTT and it sounded too clean. Alphabet, Glam Slam and I Wish U Heaven are genius but I didn't care for the rest of it. Maybe if the songs had better mixes. It sounded like he recorded the album very fast

-

Well, it's the cleanness that I so much like about it.

Yes it's a hard break with SOTT. But some of these songs were already recorded and mixed at several locations IIRC. Not to forget they were written in another time (frame), thus mixed towards the use of the instruments he used back then.

That clean effect fits the overall concept of the album for me. A clean break with SOTT.

Although I agree on the mixing.

It would be great to have better mixes indeed.

-

Vannormal said:

SanDiegoFunkDaddy said:

The first album recorded at Paisley on those SSL's and his sound changed dramatically. He lost that edge from SOTT and it sounded too clean. Alphabet, Glam Slam and I Wish U Heaven are genius but I didn't care for the rest of it. Maybe if the songs had better mixes. It sounded like he recorded the album very fast

-

Well, it's the cleanness that I so much like about it.

Yes it's a hard break with SOTT. But some of these songs were already recorded and mixed at several locations IIRC. Not to forget they were written in another time (frame), thus mixed towards the use of the instruments he used back then.

That clean effect fits the overall concept of the album for me. A clean break with SOTT.

Although I agree on the mixing.

It would be great to have better mixes indeed.

-

You wouldn't be the first person to say the sound was overwrought. Cue, Eric Leeds. I don't have strong opinion on it. Personally, if I could I might and still would maybe, maybe not, definitely possibly swop in 'Cool Love' for 'Dance On'.

Then again that would mean omitting it from 'The Grand Progression'. And that is probably my favourite vault album, courtesy of my brotha from another mutha. Ooh how cryptic.