With the plethora of material that has been released, and a thirty-two year perspective on the music, I figured I'd reassemble the playlist for Graffiti Bridge.

The first knee-jerk of many fans would be to compile it with the order of the movie, throw in more Time and Robin Power tracks, etc. But I opted for something a bit different. I replaced a few tracks with the originals and moved the non-Prince stuff to the second half (much like The Bodyguard).

Note, I did it on Amazon Music, so other options like The Rebels' "Tick Tick Bang" or the earlier "Elephants and Flowers" isn't available here.

Side A:
Can't Stop (This Feeling I Got)

New Power Generation

The Question of U

Elephants & Flowers

We Can Funk

Joy In Repetition

Tick, Tick, Bang

Thieves in the Temple (Remix used for video)

Still Would Stand All Time

Side B:

Round and Round

Release It

Love Machine

The Latest Fashion

Melody Cool

Love Machine

Blondie

Jerk Out

Anything you'd change or rearrange?

Edit: Updated with a few things changed around, and replaced back to the album versions.

[Edited 9/20/22 10:35am]

It still blows my mind how bad the title track is. It really is one of the worst songs of all time. I just cannot sit through it and I love cheesy music LOL

Little surprise the title track did not make the movie haha

[Edited 9/10/22 18:14pm]

thesexofit said:

It still blows my mind how bad the title track is. It really is one of the worst songs of all time. I just cannot sit through it and I love cheesy music LOL

Little surprise the title track did not make the movie haha

Even Prince knew it was a stinker, and shoved it in the credits. HA

LoveGalore said:

That's some serious clashing of styles though. It would hurt my ears as much as it hurts my eyes even though I like all those songs.

No different than the hodge podge of mess already on there. I really dislike the associated artists in the mix. They belong in the 2nd half by themselves.

I listened to the playlist today. It was an interesting take. Thinking about how he overproduced a few of those tracks compared to the 80s versions.

I think I'm going to move "Latest Fashion" to where it belongs before "Melody Cool" since they sorta flow into each other.

I may switch the SDE versions back to the album versions. But hearing just his music together first make a huge impact. You can't think about the order of the movie. You just take it as a set of songs in general.

TrivialPursuit said:

Normally vehemently opposed to restructuring on artistic intent, and doubly opposed to fans ignoring the many wonderful tracks written/produced for other artists,

for this specific case this was split right out the gate (it was the mp3-era), full hypocite,

to a simple / magically just like the previous 80s records-style tracking:

Graffiti Bridge folder

01. Can't Stop This Feeling I Got

02. New Power Generation

03. The Question of U

04. Elephants & Flowers

05. We Can Funk [ft. George Clinton]

06. Joy in Repetition

07. Tick, Tick, Bang

08. Thieves in the Temple

09. Still Would Stand All Time

10. Graffiti Bridge

11. New Power Generation (Pt. II) [ft. T.C. Ellis]

the other tracks birthed a new folder: Songwriting/Production Credits folder

which at one point was really hodgepodgy, now is arranged by recording date from PrinceVault (with longwinded semantics beyond this post). Basically: the recording date determines sequence. Like you brought up "Melody Cool", it would be in the middle of:

1987-04-xx - So Strong
1987-07-xx - Melody Cool
1987-07-29 - The Sex of It

and "Round and Round" would be:

1989-latesummr - Miss Thang
1989-autumnwinter - Round and Round
1989-08-,xx - Heaven Must Be Near

Perhaps too clinical-appearing especially in the playlist-era, this method of arranging often yields a more natural sequence that both enhances overall enjoyment/appreciation of not just the tracks themselves, but gives a more academic perspective of Prince's day-to-day artistic evolution comparable to the albums themselves.

Honestly, this is a solid era.... Sort of seems like the released version was reactionary to people probably always wishing/wanting associated Purple Rain movie tracks like "Modernaire" on the actual record coupled with the new CD format making this a possibility? Maybe? eh.

[Edited 9/10/22 19:36pm]

WhisperingDandelions said:

Normally vehemently opposed to restructuring on artistic intent, and doubly opposed to fans ignoring the many wonderful tracks written/produced for other artists,

for this specific case this was split right out the gate (it was the mp3-era), full hypocite,

to a simple / magically just like the previous 80s records-style tracking:

.....

I'm kinda just worked with what's on streaming.

TrivialPursuit said:

I'm kinda just worked with what's on streaming.

You should be more than kinda worked up, these playlists threads always have some kind of caveat, "oh it wasn't on streaming." This is why 95% of this forum ardently prefers physical media to streaming, from wax cyllinder on up. Geoff Bez0s is personally undermining your Prince threads.

[Edited 9/10/22 23:38pm]

WhisperingDandelions said:

You should be more than kinda worked up, these playlists threads always have some kind of caveat, "oh it wasn't on streaming." This is why 95% of this forum ardently prefers physical media to streaming, from wax cyllinder on up. Geoff Bez0s is personally undermining your Prince threads.

I have no idea what you're saying, so....

Sorry, but I enjoyed the soundtrack the way it was. I think the film needed more "re-inventing" than the soundtrack.

I think the album itself is great the way it is. To me, the only parts that bring it down are a few of The Time tracks.

I have a playlist version that is only Prince-sung songs, and it's so much more cohesive.

SPYZFAN1 said:

Sorry, but I enjoyed the soundtrack the way it was. I think the film needed more "re-inventing" than the soundtrack.

Well we ain't tryna get into all that, are we?

Se7en said:

I think the album itself is great the way it is. To me, the only parts that bring it down are a few of The Time tracks.

I have a playlist version that is only Prince-sung songs, and it's so much more cohesive.

And I think that's what feels so criminal about the album. The Time, of all people, have these sorta ridiculous songs (for them) that should've just stayed elsewhere. "Release It" is just not a time song. Musically, barely lyrically - it's horrible for them. Their songs are too pop-py, too Prince, despite knowing he's writing this stuff. They made "The Walk" and "Cool" etc their songs. These songs don't share that gift.

That said, it's why I've sorta re-done the playlist.

The album feels more rounded and full when you put "Blondie" and "Jerk Out" on it since they had moments in the movie. I think beyond feeling cohesive, just to side step the aural assault of "Release It" or "The Latest Fashion" or whatever in between other, and arguably superior, songs is what feels good about it. The drop in quality is pushed to the 2nd half of the playlist.

Also, I've put the GB versions of the 1999/Purple Rain tracks back on my playlist. It just didn't work well for me. The GB versions are what they are and should stay together.

dodger07 said:

Surely Robin Power's Number 1 should be on there

Surely you jest. I'm not trying to recreate the movie on CD. Prince already did that. I'm trying to make it more listenable and not so .... random?

TrivialPursuit said:

LoveGalore said:

dodger07 said:

TrivialPursuit said:

Surely you jest. I'm not trying to recreate the movie on CD. Prince already did that. I'm trying to make it more listenable and not so .... random?

Come on, not even a hidden track Always had a soft spot for Robin. And always had a tendency to root for the underdog.

Well, you're the only dog in that race so - YOU WIN! She's all yours, bruh. haha

dodger07 said:

LoveGalore said:

N****, n***** What, what N****, n***** What What u wanna do in the back of my truck? U wanna fuck? U wanna cut? - Robyn Power's stunning lyricism. A true skinny legend.

She looks good and can paint as well

And, get this, AND she can sit cross legged and make cookie dough.

Gonna let that simmer for a hot second.

One of my favorite Robin talents is her cowardace. Like when she reads the Org, gets up in her feelings, sends OrgNotes to everyone trying to talk shit, then cowardly signs off. She can't handle interaction and the truth about some D-movie she was in 31 years ago that was compared to Howard The Duck, and various tightly coil piles of steaming dog offerings in the front yard.

TrivialPursuit said:

dodger07 said:

LoveGalore said: She looks good and can paint as well

And, get this, AND she can sit cross legged and make cookie dough.

Gonna let that simmer for a hot second.

One of my favorite Robin talents is her cowardace. Like when she reads the Org, gets up in her feelings, sends OrgNotes to everyone trying to talk shit, then cowardly signs off. She can't handle interaction and the truth about some D-movie she was in 31 years ago that was compared to Howard The Duck, and various tightly coil piles of steaming dog offerings in the front yard.

Can't believe you didn't let it simmer...I was taking the piss.

Howard The Duck was half decent though

dodger07 said:

TrivialPursuit said:

And, get this, AND she can sit cross legged and make cookie dough.

Gonna let that simmer for a hot second.

One of my favorite Robin talents is her cowardace. Like when she reads the Org, gets up in her feelings, sends OrgNotes to everyone trying to talk shit, then cowardly signs off. She can't handle interaction and the truth about some D-movie she was in 31 years ago that was compared to Howard The Duck, and various tightly coil piles of steaming dog offerings in the front yard.

Can't believe you didn't let it simmer...I was taking the piss.

Howard The Duck was half decent though

I know, I was just goin' with it and being snarky toward her, not you. She has sent me OrgNotes like that, just within the past year. The same babbling from a post she made on the Ass. forum.

I like GB the way it is - very much so. But still fun of course to play around

I remember this got 5 out of 5 stars at Rolling Stone review when it came ou,t and the gist of the review was "most artists would happily retire if they in their whole career had created four songs as strong and diverse as Prince shows here - on his first four tracks..." - something along those lines

i dont think the early 80s versions of songs like NPG and cant stop... would fit here (even if i prefer those versions). way too early 80s.

but a prince-only version of this works best. chocolate and jerk out, the two best time songs from this period were on pandemonium anyway. release it and shake were good ones and would have been good on pandemonium.

the other artists' songs could have stayed on their solo albums.

id have got rid of new power generation though. for an artist in his 30s, that sort of song didnt quite fit anymore.

[Edited 9/20/22 6:06am]

I highly regard the original sequencing of the album, and the kaliedescopic presentation that it brings (all that graffiti all over the place).