Only doing '78-'84 for length's sake. If you could add a little detail for some of the tracks, that would make it much more interesting. I've ended up including runners up, but just your #1s will do.

For You: Just as Long as We're Together

Pretty tough choice between this and Soft and Wet, which is a catchier and a superior pop song, but the dramatic coda of this is very well constructed and seals the deal.

Prince: I Wanna Be Your Lover

The only plausible competitor in my eyes is Sexy Dancer, but it just can't cut it. Again, the instrumental coda is the highlight and changes the feel of the track for me. The repetitive, driving bassline sounds kinda menacing and gives me the feeling that he has become a stalker!


Dirty Mind: Dirty Mind

Never been a fan of the album. I know it's important in the Prince canon and all, but... The track itself is very catchy. Doing a lot with only a few elements. Reminds me (and a lot of other people, I'm sure) of Jump by Van Halen! It sounds like a great song to drive to. When You Were Mine second place.


Controversy: Annie Christian

Again, never been a big fan of this album, but it's a fair bit better than Dirty Mind. This one flows nicely and features lovely synth textures and great guitar work. The lyrics are the most interesting on the album, as is the vocal performance. Let's Work runner up.

1999: Little Red Corvette

Simply pop-rock perfection. Clever lyrics and really catchy tune. The intro pad and percussion sounds gorgeous and the buildup is sublime. 1999 is its toughest competitor.

Purple Rain: Purple Rain

Every song on the album is great, but it has to be Purple Rain. It's just so epic and moving. Not one second too long.
With that said, it's not the track I would listen to most often. Has to be When Doves Cry in second place, which is just as epic in its own way.

Ranking the tracks:

1. Purple Rain
2. Little Red Corvette
3. Just as Long as We're Together
4. I Wanna Be Your Lover
5. Annie Christian
6. Dirty Mind

This changes constantly...but:

Crazy You...there something about this cool little song that has always stood out. Just love it. I'm Yours is runner up...today.

I Feel For You...Always been my fave from the album. I Wanna Be, WYWT, and Sexy Dancer are runner ups .

When You Were Mine...Top song from a top album. Never gets old. Uptown is a close 2nd.

Controversy will forever be one of my fave songs from anyone. Sexuality is runner up. Almost as good as Dirty Mind...but never been a fan of jack u off.

DMSR. Anthem. Runner up is Automatic.

The Beautiful Ones. Another top song from top album. This one seems to be my go-to lately. But it will change as it always has over the years. Runner up today is Darling Nikki

[Edited 6/8/21 11:57am]

For You: "Crazy You" (just a beautiful tune)

Prince: "Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad?" (an early rocker that, to me, trumps "Bambi")

Dirty Mind: "Do It All Night" (it's a bop!)

Controversy: "Sexuality" (so much about Prince's belief system is in this song, and later reflected in songs like "The Future.")

1999: "D.M.S.R." (that shimmy-shimmy thing in it gets me every time)

Purple Rain: "Computer Blue"

soladeo1 said:

The Definitive List, y’all...

Soft & Wet

I Wanna Be Your Lover

When You Were Mine
Do Me, Baby
Little Red Corvette
Computer Blue

You spelled "radio listener only" wrong.

My Love Is Forever

Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad?

Head

Controversy

Something in the Water

Computer Blue

For You: "For You" -- unique in his cannon and aurally very pleasing (runners up: Soft & Wet, Crazy You)

Prince: "I Wanna Be Your Lover" -- because it's catchy as hell (runner up: It's Gonna Be Lonely)

Dirty Mind: tie between "Dirty Mind" & "Head" -- the former is super original, the latter is a funk workout

Controversy: "Controversy" -- perhaps my all-time favorite Prince song (runners up: Sexuality, Private Joy)

1999: "D.M.S.R." -- another funk workout (runner up: Something in the Water)

Purple Rain: "Computer Blue" -- objectively I would say When Doves Cry is the better song, but Computer Blue is my personal favorite

For You: "Soft And Wet"----from the very beginning,Prince was bold and edgy.This is some cool late-70s funk.

Prince: "It's Gonna Be Lonely"----this album has some really good songs on it,but Prince saves the best for last.This track is moody and has some great lyrics.

Dirty Mind---"Head"----an early funk masterpiece from Prince.I love the outrageous lyrics!

Controversy---"Private Joy"---if this song had been a single,it would have been Prince's first big crossover hit.I'm sure of it.

1999---"Automatic"---"fasten your seatbelt....prepare for takeoff".......indeed! This song really takes you on a wild trip.

Purple Rain---"When Doves Cry"----absolute brillance! The best song that Prince has ever done,imo.

FunkJam said:

Only doing '78-'84 for length's sake. If you could add a little detail for some of the tracks, that would make it much more interesting. I've ended up including runners up, but just your #1s will do.

For You: Just as Long as We're Together

Pretty tough choice between this and Soft and Wet, which is a catchier and a superior pop song, but the dramatic coda of this is very well constructed and seals the deal.

Prince: I Wanna Be Your Lover

The only plausible competitor in my eyes is Sexy Dancer, but it just can't cut it. Again, the instrumental coda is the highlight and changes the feel of the track for me. The repetitive, driving bassline sounds kinda menacing and gives me the feeling that he has become a stalker!


Dirty Mind: Dirty Mind

Never been a fan of the album. I know it's important in the Prince canon and all, but... The track itself is very catchy. Doing a lot with only a few elements. Reminds me (and a lot of other people, I'm sure) of Jump by Van Halen! It sounds like a great song to drive to. When You Were Mine second place.


Controversy: Annie Christian

Again, never been a big fan of this album, but it's a fair bit better than Dirty Mind. This one flows nicely and features lovely synth textures and great guitar work. The lyrics are the most interesting on the album, as is the vocal performance. Let's Work runner up.

1999: Little Red Corvette

Simply pop-rock perfection. Clever lyrics and really catchy tune. The intro pad and percussion sounds gorgeous and the buildup is sublime. 1999 is its toughest competitor.

Purple Rain: Purple Rain

Every song on the album is great, but it has to be Purple Rain. It's just so epic and moving. Not one second too long.
With that said, it's not the track I would listen to most often. Has to be When Doves Cry in second place, which is just as epic in its own way.

Ranking the tracks:

1. Purple Rain
2. Little Red Corvette
3. Just as Long as We're Together
4. I Wanna Be Your Lover
5. Annie Christian
6. Dirty Mind

Didn't read the others and posting directly.

FOR YOU:

"Soft And Wet"

PRINCE:

"Bambi"

DIRTY MIND:

"Head"

CONTROVERSY:
"Do Me, Baby" ("Let's Work")

1999:

"DMSR"

PURPLE RAIN:

"When Doves Cry"

FunkJam said:

Hamad said:

FunkJam said:

Nice to see a few Computer Blue picks. Appears to be generally underrated. Must be the track I’ve listened to most from PR, and it’s definitely the coolest song on the album. The one you listen to to feel energized!

Would the B-Sides/extended version fit in the list, or only official album cuts?

I just think i'ts kind of a cheat to include the other versions. But some of them are better than the album versions, for sure.

FunkJam said:

Hamad said:

FunkJam said: Would the B-Sides/extended version fit in the list, or only official album cuts?

I just think i'ts kind of a cheat to include the other versions. But some of them are better than the album versions, for sure.

Gotcha

For You: Just As Long As We're Together

It makes total sense why Prince decided to record the song (or a demo of it?) in front of those WB suits, following the WB audition tape. The song has the perfect formula of rhythm, melody and surprise elements at the end. And its a perfect debut showcase of him being a studio wizard and instrumentalist. To me, its one of the best afternoon drive music (the entire album is, to be fair).

Prince: It's Gonna Be Lonely

I wanted to pick "Sexy Dancer" first because, well, its pure heat. But I love this one, because I feel this was the first time Prince ventured into personal song writing, whether it was inspired by real events or not, the emotions where genuine. That entire album was impeccably mixed, and this song is a perfect example of what I'm talking about. The drums and the guitar mesh together like honey and butter. Also, and this might be a reach argument, but I hear a faint influence of Joni Mitchell here.

Dirty Mind: Head

Who doesn't like a tribute song about oral sex? I truly wish I had lenses that transported in the past where people listened to this one, just so I can see the reaction on their faces. MVP: Dr. Fink

Controversy: Private Joy

I love this one because it walks the fine line between whimsical and creepy. And I love it everytime Prince sounds like he's having a ball singing on a record, nothing to prove, nobody to compete with, just a pure good ol' time.

1999: Lady Cab Driver

This is such a dark song when one compartmentalizes the music from the lyrics, that being said, I have never heard anyone who made personal insecurities, self depreciation and loneliness sound so charming. "This is for why I wasn't born like my brother, handsome and tall", I feel seen

He remarked that he was going through alot of depression when he wrote that album, this song is one of the many moments that highlighted that, I believe.

Purple Rain: The Beautiful Ones

I don't feel Prince gets enough recognition for his singing voice, if I could make a playlist where he sang from the abyss of his prostate, this song would make the list. And it has one of my fave screams from him. As for the lyrics, I'm not sure if its because English is my second language or not, but due to that factor, the song meant different things in different days, emotionally. I never bothered to fix that impression or dig deep into it, it added to the song's charm and mystique to me.

For You - "My Love Is Forever"

Prince - "I Wanna Be Your Lover"

Dirty Mind - "Dirty Mind"

Controversy - "Let's Work"

1999 - "1999"

Purple Rain - "Let's Go Crazy"

Except for "My Love Is Forever", these all rank among my top 15 favorite Prince songs, with "Dirty Mind", "1999" and "Let's Go Crazy" making my top five.

For You - Just as Long as We're Together (runner-up: Soft and Wet)

Prince - When We're Dancing Close and Slow (runner-up: It's Gonna Be Lonely)

Dirty Mind - When You Were Mine (runner-up: Do It All Night)

Controversy - Do Me, Baby (runner-up: Controversy)

1999 - Little Red Corvette (runner-up: Lady Cab Driver)

Purple Rain - I Would Die 4 U (runner-up: Let's Go Crazy)

FunkJam said:

Nice to see a few Computer Blue picks. Appears to be generally underrated. Must be the track I’ve listened to most from PR, and it’s definitely the coolest song on the album. The one you listen to to feel energized!

I LOVE Compuer Blue. However the long Hallway Speech version has become the definitive version for me. Since the album version is so short compared to what I now know, its not my fave on the album. That being said I still love the album version.

'78 FOR YOU - Soft and Wet - runner up: I'm Yours

.

'79 PRINCE - Bambi - runner up: I Wanna Be Your Lover

.

'80 - DIRTY MIND - When U Were Mine - runner up: Head

.

'81 - CONTROVERSY - Sexuality - runner up: Controversy

.

'82 - 1999 - Let's Pretend We're Married - runner up: Little Red Corvette

.

'84 - PURPLE RAIN - The Beautiful Ones - runner up: Let's Go Crazy

For You: I'm Yours
Prince: It's Gonna Be Lonely
Dirty Mind: Head
Controversy: Controvery (this is what made me a fan of Prince)
1999: D.M.S.R.
Purple Rain: When Doves Cry