leecaldon said:

WhisperingDandelions said:

James Earl Jones had nothing to do with 'The Rainbow Children'

nayroo2002 said:

ShellyMcG said:

The Rainbow Children Ok, I'm definitely missing something here because I don't see why this album is so hated by some people. I really like it. I could do without the Darth Vader stuff but this album has a nice feel throughout. Granted, I haven't looked up the lyrics and I have been told that some of his lyrics from this point on are a bit out there. But from my initial impressions, this album, as a whole, is pretty damn good. Even if I don't quite understand a lot of it. Muse 2 The Pharaoh, Mellow and She Loves Me For Me are really nice songs. 1+1+1=3 is great once you get past the Darth Vader voice at the start. The Work, Family Name and The Everlasting Now are all really good too. My only real complaint with this album is the aforementioned Darth Vader stuff. It's completely unnecessary. But the music itself is really good here. One Nite Alone The title track alone makes up for some of the less than stellar songs on here. Overall, a nice album. Reminds me of The Truth only with piano instead of acoustic guitar. I don't really know what else to say about this one. It's good. But only good. I'm going to skip the two instrumental albums for now and circle back to them later. So it's Musicology up next. I know this was supposed to be some sort of comeback album or something right? I've heard the song "Musicology" before and I think I heard "Cinnamon Girl". Looking at the tracklist, that one sounds familiar but I can't remember what it sounds like. I do remember Musicology though. There's a kid in the video dancing in his room and later ends up at a Prince concert. It was only on TV a few weeks ago

I worked with a guy who considers himself someone of a music snob and he told me he never tried getting into Prince even though his musical snob friends recommended his music. I showed him the Musicology video and he instantly loved it !

ShellyMcG said:

I'm going to skip the two instrumental albums for now and circle back to them later.

What? Bad form. Lame. You've literally have done every. single "Prince" released album in order, cold, with no exceptions and you're already hopping on the anti-instrumental album bandwagon without even giving one of them a fair shot? Have you been pre-combing reviews in case one tried to sneak by?

They're part of his jazz-fusion phase which you just liked! You liked The Rainbow Children! They evolve from that style. Rainbow Children isn't underrated or hated, N.E.W.S. is, and you just joined the club without even a 30sec.snippet.

paisleyparkgirl said:

I worked with a guy who considers himself someone of a music snob and he told me he never tried getting into Prince even though his musical snob friends recommended his music. I showed him the Musicology video and he instantly loved it !

I had the opposite experience in high school. Andre 3000 was poppin' with all the indie kids and some hippie art girl always shuffling her discman was like, "yeah, no, I hear Prince is supposed to be cool.................. . . . . . . What's with that lame 'Musicology' song though?"

ShellyMcG said:

leecaldon said:

I'd go with Rave Un2 as well. There's an alternative (original) version of Beautiful Strange on a video release of the same name. It was for promotion around the time of Newpower Soul, and features the oddity of Mel B/Scary Spice interviewing/flirting with Prince at Paisley Park, and some cool footage of a London late show, also featureing Chaka Khan and Larry Graham.

.

The Chocolate Invasion singles were initially only available to buy as CDs at concerts! A friend kindly got me Supercute at one.

[Edited 11/3/22 6:46am]

[Edited 11/3/22 9:34am]

The Prince/Spice Girls crossover I never knew I needed. I will have to check that out.

Some time later, Mel B implied that Prince had said he would produce her and that possibly he had led her along. He apparently specifically requested her for the interview. (It was originally part of a big Prince night on Channel 4 in the UK in 1998).

Seeing them flirt in the Paisley Park playground has to be seen to be believed.

ShellyMcG said:

WhisperingDandelions said:

Supercute had a CD Single in April 2001 but it was only sold at concert dates.

Good luck with the next two. If you dig them, check out his 2002 boxset, his very first formal live album One Nite Alone... Live! It's mostly Rainbow Children material, though, FYI.

[Edited 11/2/22 13:11pm]

There's a DVD I found called Live At The Aladdin. Judging by the tracklist it looks like it's from around that time too. Is it worth getting?

The short answer is yes. But...

.

One Nite Alone was one of the great tours of Prince's career (the first live albums he released in his career were of this tour, and One Nite Alone... Live! and It Ain't Over: The Aftershow would be the next chronological releases on your list - very much orth checkw out. There are also some other great live tracks from that era that are only released digitally). The sets had fewer hits than on most tours in his career - and featured many Rainbow Children tracks.

.

This was also the tour where members of his NPG Music Club were invited to soundchecks - sometimes he would chat and interact with them. Sometimes you would be treated to up to a 40 min set of songs. I was at one soundcheck where he sat at the drums, with Rhonda on bass, and took song requests from us. It was also free for members to get into aftershows.

.

So we were looking forward to the DVD with great anticipation. And it is fair to say, it did not meet those expectations, for two key reasons. It does not feature an entire concert - but probably about half of the final show of the tour. And the picture quality is not great, to say the least

.

Based on the footage they do have, and the way it is edited, I presume the video was unuseable from the rest of the show. But it sounds great (even if it is is only in stereo).
.

So it's still great to have this DVD, it is really enjoyable. But it falls far short of the document of this great tour that it could and should have been.

.

Have you seen the Rave Un2 the Year 2000 new year special?

[Edited 11/4/22 0:07am]

ShellyMcG said:

The Rainbow Children Ok, I'm definitely missing something here because I don't see why this album is so hated by some people. I really like it. I could do without the Darth Vader stuff but this album has a nice feel throughout. Granted, I haven't looked up the lyrics and I have been told that some of his lyrics from this point on are a bit out there. But from my initial impressions, this album, as a whole, is pretty damn good. Even if I don't quite understand a lot of it. Muse 2 The Pharaoh, Mellow and She Loves Me For Me are really nice songs. 1+1+1=3 is great once you get past the Darth Vader voice at the start. The Work, Family Name and The Everlasting Now are all really good too. My only real complaint with this album is the aforementioned Darth Vader stuff. It's completely unnecessary. But the music itself is really good here. One Nite Alone The title track alone makes up for some of the less than stellar songs on here. Overall, a nice album. Reminds me of The Truth only with piano instead of acoustic guitar. I don't really know what else to say about this one. It's good. But only good. I'm going to skip the two instrumental albums for now and circle back to them later. So it's Musicology up next. I know this was supposed to be some sort of comeback album or something right? I've heard the song "Musicology" before and I think I heard "Cinnamon Girl". Looking at the tracklist, that one sounds familiar but I can't remember what it sounds like. I do remember Musicology though. There's a kid in the video dancing in his room and later ends up at a Prince concert. It was only on TV a few weeks ago

Your take on The Rainbow Children is a popular one - love the music, could do without the deep voice. I'm with you.

Wait til you hear 1+1+1 is 3 live! The Aladdin version is the best reason to get that DVD.

Some of the lyrics on this one are a bit questionable - they certainly caused a lot of debate and concern for those of us lucky enough to attend the listening sessions at Paisley Park a few months before it was released, with Prince often getting involved in the discussions (all filmed by Kevin Smith for a documentarry that never saw the light of day - but may pop up as part of a Netflix doc next year). But this was a phase - the rest of his career was not like this, lyrically, apart from the lack of any swearing for the rest of it.

WhisperingDandelions said:

leecaldon said:

leecaldon said:

leecaldon said:

ShellyMcG said:

leecaldon said:

Your take on The Rainbow Children is a popular one - love the music, could do without the deep voice. I'm with you.

Wait til you hear 1+1+1 is 3 live! The Aladdin version is the best reason to get that DVD.

Some of the lyrics on this one are a bit questionable - they certainly caused a lot of debate and concern for those of us lucky enough to attend the listening sessions at Paisley Park a few months before it was released, with Prince often getting involved in the discussions (all filmed by Kevin Smith for a documentarry that never saw the light of day - but may pop up as part of a Netflix doc next year). But this was a phase - the rest of his career was not like this, lyrically, apart from the lack of any swearing for the rest of it.

I had to Google this to see if it was the same Kevin Smith who directed Clerks. That's so random I just assumed The Rainbow Children was hated because my cousin hates it. I think it was actually that album that almost made her give up listening to Prince completely. I'm 95% sure it was The Rainbow Children anyway. Although to be honest, it could have been anything that mentions God or religion. Let's just say that she's a very devout atheist .

Us atheists can still appreciate The Rainbow Children for its musical ambition

.

Back in 2001, I was working on a presentation with someone at university. We discovered a shared love of funk while editing a video (the funky sondtrack that had been added to the footage we had of the Brixton uprising was a little inappropriate but gave us both the funky face). He was very musical but had never listened to much Prince. On giving him a lift home, I thought I would put on The Rainbow Children and just observe his reaction. By the following day, he had huted down an import in the local independent record store. Two and a half years later, we were travelling from London to New York for a Musicology show at MSG (and he would have come to Paisley Park from the UK for the 2002 Celebration just months after first hearing The Rainbow Children, if it hadn't sold out).
.

So that was the album that made him a hardcore fan. For me it was Emancipation. You just never know which album is going to be the one that does it.

ShellyMcG said:

leecaldon said:

Some time later, Mel B implied that Prince had said he would produce her and that possibly he had led her along. He apparently specifically requested her for the interview. (It was originally part of a big Prince night on Channel 4 in the UK in 1998).

Seeing them flirt in the Paisley Park playground has to be seen to be believed.

I found it on YouTube. I don't know why but I really enjoyed it. Especially his little "run" in the garden .

I find the whole thing very entertaining. Especially the stuff that happened in the garden.

.

If you want to see Prince messing about at Paisley Park more recently, see the beginning and end of this Judith Hill video - [url]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xsQ5g6Lkjkg[url]

ShellyMcG said:

leecaldon said:

Your take on The Rainbow Children is a popular one - love the music, could do without the deep voice. I'm with you.

Wait til you hear 1+1+1 is 3 live! The Aladdin version is the best reason to get that DVD.

Some of the lyrics on this one are a bit questionable - they certainly caused a lot of debate and concern for those of us lucky enough to attend the listening sessions at Paisley Park a few months before it was released, with Prince often getting involved in the discussions (all filmed by Kevin Smith for a documentarry that never saw the light of day - but may pop up as part of a Netflix doc next year). But this was a phase - the rest of his career was not like this, lyrically, apart from the lack of any swearing for the rest of it.

I had to Google this to see if it was the same Kevin Smith who directed Clerks. That's so random I just assumed The Rainbow Children was hated because my cousin hates it. I think it was actually that album that almost made her give up listening to Prince completely. I'm 95% sure it was The Rainbow Children anyway. Although to be honest, it could have been anything that mentions God or religion. Let's just say that she's a very devout atheist .

I didn't have access to Google when he introduced himself as Kevin at the beginning. I thought it must be, that it looked him. But it just seemed so random. So, just to confirm, as I was leaving, I asked. And he confirmed, by doing a Silent Bob.

.

Prince had recently seen Dogma, knew he was a fan, and so asked him to come over. There are some videos online of him speaking about it his experience there.

Cool!

Now find a good quality live show from 2004 where Prince plays the solo acoustic guitar set.

For me, it's one of the best things he ever included in a mainstream live show.

ShellyMcG said:

Xpectation & N.E.W.S. I'm bundling these two in together because I can't think of anything to really say about them. Other than I wasn't expecting N.E.W.S to be so long, given that it only has 4 songs. I only noticed afterwards that each song was 14 minutes long. I don't really feel qualified to critique these albums. I'm not very musically minded and I fear this kind of music goes over my head. I guess I don't dislike it though. So at least that's something. But I couldn't get into these the way I did with the others. Maybe these albums were a step too far for me at the moment. A bit TOO much of a departure from what I'm used to. But right now, I wouldn't go out of my way to listen to it again. Having said that, I can imagine having them on in the background if I ever have any guests over or something. Musicology I listened to this on the bus home and then again once I got home. And then again. And I'm currently listening to it again. I really, really like this album. Not one song on here that I don't like and 4 or 5 that I absolutely love. Call My Name is my favourite song since Insatiable. A Million Days, If I Was The Man In Your Life and On The Couch are the others on here that I could just listen to all day. I do have one observation though. I was always under the impression that after Prince converted to the Jehovah's Witnesses that he kind of toned down the sexual content. And I suppose he did, to a degree. He's not as vulgar here as he was on the earlier albums. But some of these lyrics are still somewhat sexually charged. It's still Prince. He just sounds more mature.

Prince definitely was not as hardcore JW in his later years... Seems like (my opinion ONLY!) that he was going back to a more... "open" kind of spirituality... To me (and others) that seemed to be reflected in his musical concerts as well.

ShellyMcG said:

ShellyMcG said:

Xpectation & N.E.W.S. I'm bundling these two in together because I can't think of anything to really say about them. Other than I wasn't expecting N.E.W.S to be so long, given that it only has 4 songs. I only noticed afterwards that each song was 14 minutes long. I don't really feel qualified to critique these albums. I'm not very musically minded and I fear this kind of music goes over my head. I guess I don't dislike it though. So at least that's something. But I couldn't get into these the way I did with the others. Maybe these albums were a step too far for me at the moment. A bit TOO much of a departure from what I'm used to. But right now, I wouldn't go out of my way to listen to it again. Having said that, I can imagine having them on in the background if I ever have any guests over or something. Musicology I listened to this on the bus home and then again once I got home. And then again. And I'm currently listening to it again. I really, really like this album. Not one song on here that I don't like and 4 or 5 that I absolutely love. Call My Name is my favourite song since Insatiable. A Million Days, If I Was The Man In Your Life and On The Couch are the others on here that I could just listen to all day. I do have one observation though. I was always under the impression that after Prince converted to the Jehovah's Witnesses that he kind of toned down the sexual content. And I suppose he did, to a degree. He's not as vulgar here as he was on the earlier albums. But some of these lyrics are still somewhat sexually charged. It's still Prince. He just sounds more mature.

Xpectation - I think he said something about recording it so he could play it at dinner parties

As for his lyrics - from this point on I always felt like he was pushing the boundaries of what he could get away with and still be considered a JW. And he was always good at being subtle in his 'filth'. More matureis exactly what he was trying to put across from Musicology onwards.

He had been cutting edge in the 80s, had varying degrees of success in the 90s but was no longer part of the zeitgeist, had his indie phase in the late 90s/early 00s with pioneering use of the internet. Then this was his moment where the new acts were old enough to have been influenced by him and he took on this 'elder statesman' role with aplomb.

.

2004 was the year he had Beyonce as his sidekick at the Grammies, where he inducted into the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame by a wonderfully gushing Alicia Keys and Outkast, showed new maturity by playing with a bunch of peers on the tribute to George Harrison and stealing the show with one of the great guitar solos, played the system to keep Musicology in the Top 10 for months on end by giving it away at his shows, which was the biggest tour of the year and I think the most successful of his career.

.

Well worth finding his MTV performance for the album launch, which includes a fantastic acoustic set (abridged from what he was playing on the tour).

ShellyMcG said:

3121 Aside from maybe Purple Rain, this was the Prince album I was perhaps most familiar with. My cousin would play this in the car regularly so I have definitely heard a lot of this before. But this was the first time I actually listened to it by choice. I really do like this album. A lot. Probably even more than Musicology. But I can't help but feel that I am drawn to this album so much because I am so familiar with it. But anyway, as I said, this was the first time I actually listened to it by choice and in the context of what has come before. I really like the weird, alien voice on the title track. Lolita is a great song that is perhaps a little questionable, lyrics-wise. But I guess it's Prince so you'd forgive him the odd transgression. Black Sweat and Fury are brilliant songs. Incense And Candles is my favourite song on the album but this version of The Dance comes very close. All in all, a very good album. After the more jazzy Rainbow Children and Musicology it was kind of refreshing to hear a more, for lack of a better word, "modern" sound from Prince. Even though this album is now 16 years old

For many, 3121 is a step up from Musicology. It's a bit more slick. If you want to be comprehensive in your listening, the release of this album was supposed to be paired with Beautiful, Loved & Blessed (the 3121 CD even came with a small card advert for it) by Ta'mar, who you can hear on several 3121 tracks. It was later renamed Milk & Honey but never released - but it is well worth checking out. There are some fantastic songs on there. Not sure how hard it is to find.

It was also at this time that Prince was pushing her career (she had been in a very early line-up of Destiny's Child, I believe), and did something unique in his career - he went on the road with Ta'mar ostensibly as her guitiarist. All her material (although Prince wrote most/all of the album) and covers. They played clubs with the gigs starting very late.

And check out his performance of Fury on Saturday Night Live (along with a duet with Ta'mar of BL&B) - it is one of his great TV performances. The album version of the song was something of a letdown after this electric performance.

leecaldon said:

WhisperingDandelions said:

Rosie, eh. I take more umbridge with including Mariah in your list. Mariah can belt it out with the best, but as the 90s went on she how to smooth it out and do a nice whispery R&B lowkey build before the bombast. Her early stuff was too much, but she got better. She's definitely not in the Beyonce/Christina/Rosie category where it's all nonstop screaming even on the sultry, moody, slow ballads.

that nonstop screaming is unbeareable

ShellyMcG said:

leecaldon said:

For many, 3121 is a step up from Musicology. It's a bit more slick. If you want to be comprehensive in your listening, the release of this album was supposed to be paired with Beautiful, Loved & Blessed (the 3121 CD even came with a small card advert for it) by Ta'mar, who you can hear on several 3121 tracks. It was later renamed Milk & Honey but never released - but it is well worth checking out. There are some fantastic songs on there. Not sure how hard it is to find.

It was also at this time that Prince was pushing her career (she had been in a very early line-up of Destiny's Child, I believe), and did something unique in his career - he went on the road with Ta'mar ostensibly as her guitiarist. All her material (although Prince wrote most/all of the album) and covers. They played clubs with the gigs starting very late.

And check out his performance of Fury on Saturday Night Live (along with a duet with Ta'mar of BL&B) - it is one of his great TV performances. The album version of the song was something of a letdown after this electric performance.

Thanks for the Tamar recommendation. I've been listening to Milk & Honey since I got home from work. Very good album all round. Really strange decision not to follow through with its official release. I think this could have been a decent hit back in the day. Kept Woman has "hit single" written all over it. Redhead Stepchild might have been better with Prince on vocals but this version is really good too. Really good album overall though.

Kept Woman might be my favourite on the album (Sunday in the Park is the other contender), but you will be hearing Kept Woman again in a different form later in your musical journey...

(I hope that's got you intrigued).

How to begin? Mmmmm

I think I would focus on the 80's: from "Controversy" till "Sign O' The Times" knowing that "Parade" is one of my favorite album. So much work done!!! Thank U so much Prince, U deserve to rest in peace.

No matter what happens in my life, his music will always be listened.