Blondies1973 said:

I would have removed Wanna melt with U, The Continental, Blue Light and The Flow from the album.

There are two tracks that I would have removed:

*"I Wanna Melt With You"----To me,this song just feels like B-side material.It's not terrible,but on the album it seems like a filler track.

*"The Sacrifice Of Victor"----The song that comes right before it,"Three Chains O'Gold",is obviously the big "finale" track.The album should end right there.Adding another song just seems like overkill.

Wow. To me, Chains was nonsense with a retread of the Let's Go Crazy solo. Victor was autobiographical & funky & rousing & wonderful.

funkbabyandthebabysitters said:

Hip hop)/ rnb were all over the charts in the US for years.
It was almost inexistent in the European top 40. That's why songs like MNIP or MJ's Jam were huge hit in Europe, but flopped in the US.

PJMcGee said:

Agreed. Victors my favorite song on the album.

PJMcGee said:

“Chains” is the big,dramatic finale to the rock soap opera storyline.If feels like the end of a movie. ”Sacrifice of Victor” feels like a tacked-on bonus track,imo.

kewlschool said:

Gett Off was released "only" Two months before its album / compared yo the 4 months of the orphan Sexy MF.
But I already said it numerous times : 2 months was already too late for D&P to benefit from the momemtum of the single.

2 months, that s an unusual 6 weekweeks too long, instead of the usual 3 weeks between a lead single and the album.

That's 6 weeks that the album could have done in the top 40, worldwide... That's surely one million albums sales lost.

I ll say it again, D&P selling only 7 millions with 4 big worldwide hits is an underperformance.
Gett Off released way too soon before the album is one main explanations of that
Underperformance.
The lack of US tour being another.

The WB move from pop to rnb is just a fan BS conspiracy theory to explain these underperformances.
First BS is that at the time in the US, rnb/hip hop was the thing, so it would have been a smart move from WB to do that.

But what contradicts this theory is that Cream was #1 in pop, 7 was #3 in pop.
MNIP and Sexy MF were hip hop/rnb, but failed in the US.
When 7 was a success, WB tried to repeat that success by releasing not an rnb song, but a pop/rock song ( Morning Papers).

What makes this fan theory even more ludicrous is that 7 was #61 on rnb charts (!). Even Sexy MF performed better on the main charts (#66) than on rnb charts (#76), and that was a challenge!

Cream was #1 only with pop radios : it never entered the rnb charts. Why? Because it wasn't even sent to rnb radios!
And you said WB put Prince in the rnb department?
In what planet?

SoulAlive said:

It s Prince becoming its old self again, beginning with his childhood amd teenage years, before he was a star amd made his dreams come true.
Full circle, that s the good ending.

jdcxc said:

ufoclub said:

Fans were disgusted with Sexy MF?

Ridiculous. Sexy MF is an All Time Jam! It is LOVED...ask Salt N Pepa, Dave Matthews or anyone who appreciates James Brown.

I'm not talking about actual artists being disgusted with the song. I'm talking about your everyday average Joe's or Josephine's that were upset with the word 'motherf*cker'. Musically the song is an excellant one, but that one word turned off alot of people. If it didn't, then why was there another version released that edited that one particular word? It wasn't just to get airplay on the radio, folks. I was there back when this album was released and I quite clearly remember people that I knew saying how much they didn't like this song just because Prince said that one word. Some even said that he went too far this time.

SoulAlive said:

kingricefan said:

I think that Damn U should have been promoted as a single. It's one of his more beautiful love songs. It's a different sound for Prince (like you're listening to a lounge act) and it would have drew in some more 'radio friendly' listeners. I used to do Damn U at karaoke and I had people come up to me after I sang it asking who the real singer was. I'd tell them Prince. They'd get an amazed look on their face and ask 'Really?'. They just didn't want to believe that Prince could do such a beautiful love song. I'd have to show them my CD to prove it. Releasing Damn U as a single would have received more attention to the album. It could have saved the lost fans who were disgusted with Sexy MF. That song turned off alot of fans.

actually,”Damn U” was released as a single.It was mostly promoted to R&B radio and received very little pop airplay and attention.

Then they should have promoted the h*ll out of it as it is an excellant song. It showcases Prince's vocal range off and also his musical prowess. Lyrically it's great and even has a little joke in the mix (I'll be standing naked with nothin' but a smile on!- you know Prince was smirking when he wrote that line).

kingricefan said:

That was just in the US.
In other English-speaking countries, it was very popular.

SoulAlive said:

I don't go to Prince for storylines. That's what (real) screenwriters are for. I go to him for awesome music, "tacked on" or not.

Kinda like his second movie, which had an awesome tacked-on bonus song.

kingricefan said:

That line (“I’ll be naked with nothing but a smile on”) is from the song “Blue Light”,if I’m not mistaken

but I agree with you,”Damn U” should have been promoted better.It is a superb song.

SoulAlive said:

kingricefan said:

Then they should have promoted the h*ll out of it as it is an excellant song. It showcases Prince's vocal range off and also his musical prowess. Lyrically it's great and even has a little joke in the mix (I'll be standing naked with nothin' but a smile on!- you know Prince was smirking when he wrote that line).

That line (“I’ll be naked with nothing but a smile on”) is from the song “Blue Light”,if I’m not mistaken but I agree with you,”Damn U” should have been promoted better.It is a superb song.

Oh, yes, you're right! Sorry for messing up the two songs. I was in a rush to get off the computer and get to making dinner. Being hungry does not promote great thinking.

RODSERLING said:

kingricefan said:

I'm not talking about actual artists being disgusted with the song. I'm talking about your everyday average Joe's or Josephine's that were upset with the word 'motherf*cker'. Musically the song is an excellant one, but that one word turned off alot of people. If it didn't, then why was there another version released that edited that one particular word? It wasn't just to get airplay on the radio, folks. I was there back when this album was released and I quite clearly remember people that I knew saying how much they didn't like this song just because Prince said that one word. Some even said that he went too far this time.

That was just in the US. In other English-speaking countries, it was very popular.

I can only speak about what I witnessed in the US (where I lived), but I agree that other countries are more open about sex and language. We're still pretty prudish here in the States.

I somehow ended up with an edited album. It wasn't labeled or anything.

"You sexy motherOWW!"

I had to buy an imported single to get the real deal.

PJMcGee said:

Well said.
Some people here go to an artist for their storylines. For Christ'segues...

kingricefan said:

Again, the song in its first line prevents the listener : " It s not about ur body, but ur mind u fool", then " It s not about sex"
But the mere fact he is saying " Sex" Or " Sexy" re interpreted by "perverted" minds as sexual! Prince is talking about cooking and washing dishes...

Prince did a great " Fuck U" To the music and radio industry with this song, making them face to their contradictions and their intellectual dishonesty. He knew for sure it would trigger some controversy, but surely honestly thought the censored version would be played on radio.

To think this album sold only about one million in the US, that's crazy.

Poplife88 said:

Warners tried to convince Prince to release “7” as the first single,but Prince wanted “My Name Is Prince” to be released first.Looks like Warners had the right idea: “7” became a Top 10 hit.

what’s interesting about “7” is……most listeners had no idea what the song is about,lol…but it has a really catchy chorus and it caught on with the mainstream.

RODSERLING said:

kewlschool said:

Some of Prince's music just wasn't POP enough to cross over to sell at large numbers. That's what happens with Prince's art/music.

Gett OFF was unofficially released on June 1991 to DJ's and officially released in July 1991; the album Diamonds and Pearls released October 1991. Gett OFF was released almost 4 months before the album that didn't kill the sales.

The most important killer of the symbol album sales was the WB move Prince from the POP artist category to an R&B category which limited Prince's air play on POP market Radio.

[Edited 5/25/21 11:31am]

Gett Off was released "only" Two months before its album / compared yo the 4 months of the orphan Sexy MF. But I already said it numerous times : 2 months was already too late for D&P to benefit from the momemtum of the single. 2 months, that s an unusual 6 weekweeks too long, instead of the usual 3 weeks between a lead single and the album. That's 6 weeks that the album could have done in the top 40, worldwide... That's surely one million albums sales lost. I ll say it again, D&P selling only 7 millions with 4 big worldwide hits is an underperformance. Gett Off released way too soon before the album is one main explanations of that Underperformance. The lack of US tour being another. The WB move from pop to rnb is just a fan BS conspiracy theory to explain these underperformances. First BS is that at the time in the US, rnb/hip hop was the thing, so it would have been a smart move from WB to do that. But what contradicts this theory is that Cream was #1 in pop, 7 was #3 in pop. MNIP and Sexy MF were hip hop/rnb, but failed in the US. When 7 was a success, WB tried to repeat that success by releasing not an rnb song, but a pop/rock song ( Morning Papers). What makes this fan theory even more ludicrous is that 7 was #61 on rnb charts (!). Even Sexy MF performed better on the main charts (#66) than on rnb charts (#76), and that was a challenge! Cream was #1 only with pop radios : it never entered the rnb charts. Why? Because it wasn't even sent to rnb radios! And you said WB put Prince in the rnb department? In what planet?

The move to R&B artist didn't happen until after Diamonds and Pearls. As for radio play on POP radio I can assure you that 7 didn't get as much airplay as Cream or Diamonds and Pearls did. Why you think the smaller budget for promotion that came with that move to R&B artist didn't affect sales doesn't make sense. Because the budget was much smaller.

The album needed a great pop tune. I wish he had kept "Standing on the altar" (even with Margie vocals) for this one.

RODSERLING said:

Lovesymbol is one of Prince great albums, up to what he did in the 80's. I never understood the harsh critics on it- and on D&P. Maybe too complex and eclectic for casual fans. I think these albums were aimed for the US audience, were hated by them, but were loved by Europeans It made lost fans in the US, but gained new fans in Europe. The mix of hip/hop funk and pop was kind of revolutionary in Europe. In the US, they were already invaded and bored by hip hop. Prince created his own hip-hop, with his own sound, real music, made by great musicians, and created his own universe. Tony M was a great rapper, he had a wonderful flow, and god knows the flow were really hard to stand on Willing and Able or Sexy MF. Ask that to the likes of Chuck D, 50 cent, Kanye West, etc. They can't have this range of flow. Surely because they don't have these extraordinary music to rap with. Sexy MF lyrics were smart as always, when everybody thought it was about sex, it was in fact about spirituality ( " I wanna do 2U, not ur body ur mind u fool". The same message than Lovesexy. These two albums have great melodies, great musicians and performers, incredible vocals and jams, it s fun, punchy, spiritual, sexy... It s all Prince. Except that, for the first time he decided to have fun, even fun of himself, and there is in the same time a feeling of completness in Lovesymbol : he s in love and wants to shate his happiness with the world. For D&P and Lovesymbol, Prince started from scratch recording songs in a genre he didn't dare to do before. Hell, he created a hip hop amd jazz band, made like 25 videos, 3 tours, numerous tv performances, all in only TWO years! I will always be amazed this incredible amd successful work is still bashed 30 years after. It should be honored and an inspiration. The guy in two albums covered every genre existing : jazz, rock, pop, rnb, gospel, hip hop, dance, opera rock, raggae, folk... But you are still spitting on it, talking about segues... Hell, there are two segues, two fucking minutes of segues...I d rather get these segues than your trolling.

Agree with most of this..

.

I loved all the videos back then, when I was a new fan after seeing the Gett Off video.

.

The MNIP video was always on MTV Europe. P jumping off dumpsters and Russian dancing in a puddle in an alley-way and the NPG walking round with sticks on fire... I still love that ludicrous shit

The album starts with My name is Prince and ends with My name will be Victor. Prince subsequently changes his name to the album title, an unpronounceable, invented symbol.

He seemed to take a cue from Led Zeppelin's fourth album, and then took an extra, unimaginable step.

Which most people treated as a joke. Bill Maher created the Get Over Yourself award, his name as a trophy nobody would want.

I thought it was ridiculous, and expected him to forget about it after he reverted back to Prince. When he didn't, when he kept the symbol as his own personal totem, even creating a stage of it for his highest profile gig ever (and subsequent tour), it felt like a triumph, a vindication.

What an original thinker. Outside the box? Prince didn't need no stinking boxes, except for the one with a mirror and a tongue inside.

Again, the song in its first line prevents the listener : " It s not about ur body, but ur mind u fool", then " It s not about sex"

you might have had a point (though cant say i believe it really) if the video wasnt all about semi naked women.

not exactly putting their 'minds' on display....

SoulAlive said:

7 was a flop outside the US.
SexY MF was top 5 in Europe and Australia, and MNIP top ten in both.
So it seems Prince was right commerially.
By the way, Sexy MF had enough sales to make the top 40, but since the Hot 100 singles was coupled with airplay, and had almost none, then it ranked so low as #66.
Add to that the video single for Sexy MF also was certified Gold for 50.000 sales in the US.

kewlschool said:

Cream and D&P were respectively #1 and #2 on airplay, while 7 was #3.
That doesn't make much difference to this point.
The competition was very harsh at the time, especially in quality.

In the end, these 3 singles all sold about 500.000 copies.
7 even outsold D&P for 5000 copies!

So the promotion was completely equivalent.
In term of production value, 7 is surely the most expensive video of Prince ever.

funkbabyandthebabysitters said:

Prince played the controveesy, but like Cream, it wasn't about sex at all.
In the video by the way, he is constantly pushing back the girl, even closing his door to her nose.
What he wants is to be loved " 2 the 9's

Prince was misunderstood even by his own fans. Sorry u can't understand this, but that's the way it was intented toto, and the way it was written.
[Edited 5/26/21 4:20am]
[Edited 5/26/21 5:00am]

'Sexy MF' was a hit in the UK and Europe. 'My Name is Prince' reached no 7 in the UK, so was a hit also.

RODSERLING said:

funkbabyandthebabysitters said:

you might have had a point (though cant say i believe it really) if the video wasnt all about semi naked women.

not exactly putting their 'minds' on display....

Prince played the controveesy, but like Cream, it wasn't about sex at all. In the video by the way, he is constantly pushing back the girl, even closing his door to his nose. What he wants is to be loved " 2 the 9's Prince was misunderstood even by his own fans. Sorry u can't understand this, but that's the way it was intented toto, and the way it was written. [Edited 5/26/21 4:20am]

yeah youre right.

he never had sex with anyone.

all he wanted was to be loved in a pure and chaste way.

PJMcGee said:

I somehow ended up with an edited album. It wasn't labeled or anything. "You sexy motherOWW!" I had to buy an imported single to get the real deal.

I'd love to get hold of that version.

I recall Chris Moyles on Radio 1 in about 2001 playing the song but replacing MF with a 'boing' sound. It was hilarious.