there are no good singles on here really. sleep around could def have been a contender but only if someone edited it down properly.

right back here in my arms, its def catchy, but again, it would need a remix of some sort. its an almost-hit song. catchy, but not really sounding like it would have been a hit in 96? at least not to me.

Poplife88 said:

herb4 said:

I know this album gets talked about a lot. Probably because of the hype, the sheer volume, the name change, the incident with Amir...a lot of reasons.

I still like it and think there's a lot to enjoy. The ballads (of which I'm usually not a fan) on disc 2 in particular are fantastic. If you dig through it, there's a lot of gold to be mined here and some really terrific songwriting. When it came out, I was thrilled to to have 3 full CD's to dig into for the first time ever and I liked the book that came with it too (not sure how I wound up with one). Not the CD sleeve but like a music program I think it was. Pretty sure I still have it.

It's a minority opinion but I think that "Right Back Here in My Arms" was the best candidate for a lead single here, for a variety if reasons.

I have that program/booklet! It showed up in the mail back when Emancipation came out. I didn't order it and have no idea who sent it. I remember asking a few friends if they sent it as a gift. No one ever fessed up. Its a great book with beautiful pics, but its still a mystery who sent it.

Maybe that's how I wound up with one. I ordered something or another from 1800 NEWFUNK and/or Love4OneAnother or...something. Somehow I have this book but I never BOUGHT it. At least not directly.

KoolEaze said:

herb4 said:

I know this album gets talked about a lot. Probably because of the hype, the sheer volume, the name change, the incident with Amir...a lot of reasons.

I still like it and think there's a lot to enjoy. The ballads (of which I'm usually not a fan) on disc 2 in particular are fantastic. If you dig through it, there's a lot of gold to be mined here and some really terrific songwriting. When it came out, I was thrilled to to have 3 full CD's to dig into for the first time ever and I liked the book that came with it too (not sure how I wound up with one). Not the CD sleeve but like a music program I think it was. Pretty sure I still have it.

It's a minority opinion but I think that "Right Back Here in My Arms" was the best candidate for a lead single here, for a variety if reasons.

Totally agree with you. There are some songs on the album that are probably better, but I think that song was quite catchy and had the biggest hit potential. It was the song that got the most positive reaction from non-fans and casual fans when I made them listen to it. The same goes for I Hate U off of the Gold Experience. I think we could speculate for days on how Prince´s career could´ve been more successful in the mid to late 90s if he had opted for different single releases.

Thanks. Yeah...it's not my favorite track on the album (though I quite like it) but it felt like a "right time, right place" sort of thing for that particular number.

It had a solid beat, a fairly heavy bottom end, a really nice keyboard riff/hook, a very catchy little rap interlude/bridge with some nice vocal overlays/punctuaton, and it might have benefited from Prince singing in his normal register rather than the falsetto that some folks occasonally found off putting.

It's pretty funky and would have slotted in well and landed a little noise (IMO) with some of the other pop that was making the rounds at the time.

Could have crossed over into the clubs too with a remix/12" like funkbabysitter said.

Only thing it lacked was any guitar but the song didn't really need it.

[Edited 11/23/21 17:34pm]

RODSERLING said:

Well, I would have released Mr Happy as a lead single. Always thought it was a killer track from day 1. Why it is so hated here, I don't know. Excellent rap section.

I believe one thing us Prince fans forget is that we love Prince's music. We know him through his music, we recognize his production, his styles, etc. We can love a random track like "Mr. Happy" and think it's the best on the record. And maybe it is.

But is it truly radio friendly? Is it something that fits into the landscape of current day radio? We'd like to hear it on radio, but is it radio worthy? Would it be a hit that everyone is listening to and calling the radio stations to play?

Our vision of Prince's music is a bit tinted, and if we were program directors of a station, we'd probably pick very different music.

TrivialPursuit said:

RODSERLING said:

I discovered Emancipation circa 2002, and at the time I was listening a lot to radio. And I thought it was very radio friendly, like a Dr Dre song. It sounded like Prince being hype and produced by dr Dre.

Well, we all listened to radio, still, back then.

Emancipation was released six years prior to all that. Maybe if Dre or Chuck D was on it, then it could've hit urban radio. But that's barely a 70/30 chance. It's a goofy song lyrically.

TrivialPursuit said:

if joan osbourne hadnt had such a big hit with it, princes one of us would have been a great single.

love we make could have been a good one too.

shame that song isnt better known.

RODSERLING said:

I m not saying it would have been a top ten hit neither. A top 40 song maybe. The only potential hit in here is Holy River. But, despite huge airplay, it flopped in sales and didn't help the album to sell. Betcha was #1 in Europe, which is his only #1 with TMBGITW in airplay, but it didn't help the album neither. So I think this album is doomed from the start. The Love we Make is a great song, but I don't think it was too radio friendly neither. What's interesting, is that to me, it immediately spunded like there was 20 potential hits in this album, but taken separately, each track is a pain in the ass to sell. That album was made to sound commercial and radio friendly, but in fact it's not. I was into MJ's Invincible at the time, and thought Emancipation ( and Rave) had a lot in common with that album. All the tracks were designed to be a commercial hit, but in fact were not radio friendly at all, besides some exceptions. Despite 36 tracks, the covers were the best potential hits from the set and best produced songs, and that tells a lot. [Edited 11/24/21 2:08am]

I don't believe Prince was trying to have a hit. He did during Diamonds and Pearls, because songs like "Cream" or the title track, or even "Gett Off" are really hooky and catchy.

ANd while there are catchy songs on Emancipation, there isn't a lot of purpose to have a hit here, just to "be free." I don't believe 3 hours of music was intended - even in part - to be radio friendly.

"The Holy River" wasn't a big hit because it was a little too religiousy. "La La La" was a cover and a single, so no reason "One Of Us" couldn't have been, too. However, does he want to appear as a guy who's time was over, out of his contract (a 7-year-no-name battle) then suddenly release a string of covers? "La La La" was a terrible first single. He has the worst taste in first singles sometimes. Releasing a ballad as a first single worked for MJ on Bad, but it ain't workin' for Prince. The ballad from the record, and a 2nd or 3rd single in line, should've been "One Kiss At A Time." "The Love We Make" is beautiful, but it's preachy. Not in a bad way, but it's an anti-drug song, not a proper love ballad. Prince is known for those ballads, and "One Kiss At A Time" would've been huge on urban radio (the way "Adore" found a place).

A banger like "Damned If I Do," or "We Gets Up" should've been the first single. The former even better since it loosely references the fight, the media, etc. "Somebody's Somebody" was fine, but by that time, interest had waned. Hell, even "Sex in the Summer" would've been a better choice than "La La La" as a single. Prince. Sex. DUH.

TrivialPursuit said:

I can't see "We Gets Up" as a "banger" but I know people's mileage may vary. That's some weak ass funk to my ears.

LoveGalore said:

TrivialPursuit said:

I don't believe Prince was trying to have a hit. He did during Diamonds and Pearls, because songs like "Cream" or the title track, or even "Gett Off" are really hooky and catchy.

ANd while there are catchy songs on Emancipation, there isn't a lot of purpose to have a hit here, just to "be free." I don't believe 3 hours of music was intended - even in part - to be radio friendly.

"The Holy River" wasn't a big hit because it was a little too religiousy. "La La La" was a cover and a single, so no reason "One Of Us" couldn't have been, too. However, does he want to appear as a guy who's time was over, out of his contract (a 7-year-no-name battle) then suddenly release a string of covers? "La La La" was a terrible first single. He has the worst taste in first singles sometimes. Releasing a ballad as a first single worked for MJ on Bad, but it ain't workin' for Prince. The ballad from the record, and a 2nd or 3rd single in line, should've been "One Kiss At A Time." "The Love We Make" is beautiful, but it's preachy. Not in a bad way, but it's an anti-drug song, not a proper love ballad. Prince is known for those ballads, and "One Kiss At A Time" would've been huge on urban radio (the way "Adore" found a place).

A banger like "Damned If I Do," or "We Gets Up" should've been the first single. The former even better since it loosely references the fight, the media, etc. "Somebody's Somebody" was fine, but by that time, interest had waned. Hell, even "Sex in the Summer" would've been a better choice than "La La La" as a single. Prince. Sex. DUH.

I'm happy to be the person pointing out that it was Betcha By Golly Wow, not La La Means I Love You as the single. Cheeky.

Wait...was it Betcha? Shit, it was. Seriously - thought it was "la La La."

herb4 said:

we gets up is straight filler. respectable filler but still just filler. lot of songs like that on emancipation - get yo groove on, for example. id include jam of the year too tbh. but they all have one or two redeeming things about them.

herb4 said:

I can't see "We Gets Up" as a "banger" but I know people's mileage may vary. That's some weak ass funk to my ears.

That track makes me want to break things. 'Exhibit A' in the case for why I haven't listened to Emancipation in years.

funkbabyandthebabysitters said:

we gets up is straight filler. respectable filler but still just filler. lot of songs like that on emancipation - get yo groove on, for example. id include jam of the year too tbh. but they all have one or two redeeming things about them.

The songs you mentioned above plus Courtin Time, Damned If I Do , Slave and New World are songs that I always skip and that I´ve listened to maybe two or three times in total.

Seven songs...almost a full album of songs I absolutely can´t stand but I still like the album as a whole.

It´s that one album that fans just can´t agree on. Everybody has their own favorite tracklist and I´m glad he found the freedom to release this kind of album but in hindsight the weaker songs make me wish he had put some of the unreleased songs on it, such as 2020, Goodbye etc.

those songs are perfectly decent, i dont hate them, but yeah, theres something just a bit filler-ish about them. nothing very inspired going on there. there are many parts of emancipation where it sounds like he put a lot of craft into the songs, but it was kind of a slog.

funkbabyandthebabysitters said:

those songs are perfectly decent, i dont hate them, but yeah, theres something just a bit filler-ish about them. nothing very inspired going on there. there are many parts of emancipation where it sounds like he put a lot of craft into the songs, but it was kind of a slog.

I can see this. The main thing I really dig about is just the sheer volume which allows every fan to generate at least one really killer CD, all of which are different. I always want(ed) more and would listen to anything he released. As his volume and output increased, I found myself almost always splicing albums together to suit my taste and it kind of started with this album.

It's better that we got 3 discs as oppossed to just one. That way we could hear everything. If we got just one disc, people would be fawning all over the outtakes that would have made up the remaining 2 discs anyway...

Phase3 said:

Would have a 3 minute edit of "Joint 2 joint" be a hit back in 96? I think so

That one goes on a bit too long. Don't need the tap dancing. Leave that for the 12" version.

somebodys somedbody is a a good song, but its like many songs on here, jam of the year, right back here in my arms, just a bit anonymous. thats good in a way if you felt prince sometimes let his personality compensate for when the song wasnt that good (eg quite a few tracks in the 90s), but theres nothing that special about it, it doesnt stick out very much from what else was on the radio in 95/96. thats prob what prince wanted tbh, he just wanted to play it a bit more conservative with this album, not stick out too much, cos he was going it alone, no WB safety net anymore, but it also made it a bit unremarkable at times.

TrivialPursuit said:

Phase3 said:

Would have a 3 minute edit of "Joint 2 joint" be a hit back in 96? I think so

That one goes on a bit too long. Don't need the tap dancing. Leave that for the 12" version.

I friggin love the tap dancing! J2J is one of my fave tracks on Emancipation BECAUSE its so sprawling! Another example of Emancipation being something else to everyone!

funkbabyandthebabysitters said:

somebodys somedbody is a a good song, but its like many songs on here, jam of the year, right back here in my arms, just a bit anonymous. thats good in a way if you felt prince sometimes let his personality compensate for when the song wasnt that good (eg quite a few tracks in the 90s), but theres nothing that special about it, it doesnt stick out very much from what else was on the radio in 95/96. thats prob what prince wanted tbh, he just wanted to play it a bit more conservative with this album, not stick out too much, cos he was going it alone, no WB safety net anymore, but it also made it a bit unremarkable at times.

I guess I can go along with this.

There's no real standout track on the release that really sets your ears on fire or that you immedately want your friends to hear or blast from your car at red light. But there's a lot of good stuff on it. I love "Face Down", "One of Us", "RBHiMA", "In This Bed I Scream" and "Sex in the Summer" but I'm not prepared to put those tracks up against the stronger tracks from his better albums so fair enough.

I will, however, put the quieter songs on disc 2 up against any of his slower songs - from any era.

I don't generally care for his ballads overall but "Dreamin About U", "Soul Sanctuary", "Friend Lover Sister Mother Wife" and "Curious Child" are absolutely bone chilling and hauntingly good. You can hear his passion and love for Mayte and his unborn child resonating thru these tracks.

yup, agree 100%

it was a peak for his ballads and love songs.

holy river isnt a ballad, but its def up there in terms of his most sincere love songs.

disc 2 is actually the most consistent disc of the three.

if you made the set into his 'love songs' album, i think it would have been undeniably strong, and prob also maybe his most personal, or at least most intimate, album:

In this bed I scream

one kiss at a time

soul sanctuary

curious child

dreamin about u

holy river

lets have a baby

saviour

the plan

friend lover sister mother wife

i cant make you love me

One of us (sort of a love song/tribute to god)

the love we make

[Edited 11/30/21 15:33pm]

Poplife88 said:

TrivialPursuit said:

That one goes on a bit too long. Don't need the tap dancing. Leave that for the 12" version.

I friggin love the tap dancing! J2J is one of my fave tracks on Emancipation BECAUSE its so sprawling! Another example of Emancipation being something else to everyone!

Then you're gonna love the 12" single. It includes sounds of the Canon copy machine, a fax machine mashup with a 9600 baud modem, Prince's heels click-clacking down the hallway, and a coffee maker in the kitchen. If you listen near the end fade, you can hear Mayte screaming "Hey, Hannigan!" from the parking lot when she was using Steve Parke's jeep to make a hummus & pita chip run to Rainbow Foods.

funkbabyandthebabysitters said:

yup, agree 100%

it was a peak for his ballads and love songs.

holy river isnt a ballad, but its def up there in terms of his most sincere love songs.

disc 2 is actually the most consistent disc of the three.

if you made the set into his 'love songs' album, i think it would have been undeniably strong, and prob also maybe his most personal, or at least most intimate, album:

In this bed I scream

one kiss at a time

soul sanctuary

curious child

dreamin about u

holy river

lets have a baby

saviour

the plan

friend lover sister mother wife

i cant make you love me

One of us (sort of a love song/tribute to god)

the love we make

[Edited 11/30/21 15:33pm]

True

His love and passion really come thru on many of these tracks and I agree with u about disc 2.

Such a fucking shame and a tragedy what happened with Amir and Mayte. What a gut punch that must have been for him, especially in light of his optimism, faith and what he obviously felt like was his breakthrough into freedom, turning a new page and embarking on a beautiful whole new chapter in his life.

It must have fucking crushed him. It would have me anyways but he kept on even if he acted weird dealing with the baby's death. I chalk it up to to some weird sunk cost fallacy, and I'm not trying to be mean here, but this was HIS ALBUM, HIS WIFE, HIS CHILD and it all went to shit in the worst way imaginable just when he probably felt it everything teed up. Keeping up with the promotions and shit (Oprah) and diggin deeper into "god" I think was the only thing he knew to do.

Imagine being that excited and feeling so free only to have life pull a big old "nope" like that.