On this day in 1997, Prince released the CD single "The Truth" b/w "Don't Play Me" through 1800NewFunk.com.

It's mother album, The Truth, would be released March 3, 1998 in retail, but the pre-order from 1800NewFunk arrived around January 29, 1998.

So - looking toward the album, how do you think The Truth has aged? Is it still something you return to at times? Do you have favorites on it? Has it fallen by the wayside for you?

When you first heard it, knowing it was the much sought after acoustic guitar record, was it a let down, what you expect, or even better? Did you view it was a throwaway disk tacked into Crystal Ball (much like many said about Kamasutra, also released on cassette in 1997 on this day), or was it its own proper album?

[Edited 2/15/23 12:58pm]

The Truth

What if half the things ever said turned out 2 be a lie
How will U know the truth?
If U were given all the answers when U stopped 2 wonder why
But how will U know the truth?

Everybody's got a right 2 love
Everybody's got a right 2 lie
But the choice U make, it ain't no piece of cake
It ain't no motherfuckin' piece of pie

What if time's only reason was 2 give us all somethin' 2 fear
And if so, y'all, the end of the journey's so clear

Questionnaire – "What did U stand 4?"
Questionnaire – "Who did U save?"
When it gets right down 2 it
Wait a minute
When it gets right down 2 the nitty of the gritty
When it gets right down 2 it
Did U take more than U gave?

Everybody's got a right 2 love
Everybody's got a right 2 lie
But the choice U make, it ain't no piece of cake
It ain't no motherfuckin', motherfuckin' piece of pie!

Mm, well
Gotta tell the truth, y'all, gotta tell the truth! {x3}

If there was just one day when everybody told the truth
We'd all trade bank accounts and move 2 Neptune

Don't Play Me

Don't play me
I'm over 30 and I don't smoke weed
I put my ass away and the music I play
Ain't the type of stereo U're tryin' 2 feed
Don't play me

Don't play me
I use proper English and I'm straight
I'm in the news again 4 payin' dues my friend
I'm not the ganda U prop in my way
Don't play me

Cuz I've been 2 the mountain top and it ain't what U say
Don't play me

Don't play me
I'm the wrong color and I play guitar
My only competition is… well, me in the past
And time and time, if time existed, movin' ever so fast
Don't play me

U couldn't play enough of me now 2 make me feel like a star
Don't play me, I already do in my car
Don't play me

Don't be mad at me, the curtain puller in the game
Maybe all, how U call us, niggas ain't the same
It's all good when U know the only fame
Is the light that comes from God and the joy U get 2 say His name
Don't play me (Don't play me)

I've seen the mountain top and it ain't what U say
Don't play me

I already got laid

The Truth

Don't Play Me

Circle of Amour

3rd

Dionne

Man In A Uniform

Animal Kingdom

The Other Side of the Pillow

Fascination

One Of Your Tears

Comeback

Welcome 2 The Dawn (Acoustic Version)

I like

Dionne

Don't play me

Third eye

Comeback

Circle of Amour

Both his "acoustic" and "piano" album in the NPG records era are a lot better if treated like "just another Prince album" vs. his "acoustic" and "piano" albums.

I fell in love with it hard, on the very first listen. Spent the entire day with it, of which I remember so many details even now, simply because that music was so good to me, my brain was probably pumpin
out a lot of extra serotonin or something.

Never got too hung up on it's 'not really acoustic' status. I like it for what it is, and find it charming.

Eventhough I love his 90s output and there are better songs on other albums, somehow The Truth,
as an album, is my favorite album of the 90s.

It's an album I listen to from start to finish, although I do often play the
first 2 songs a few times over before I let the rest of the album play.

princevault also states:

The album was recorded during a set of sessions, the first of which took place on 1 December 1996 at Paisley Park Studios, Chanhassen, MN, USA, when he recorded The Truth and Don’t Play Me back to back. Comeback was the third song recorded also in December 1996, with the rest following throughout the winter.The album was originally planned for release by EMI Records in 1997, following the release of Emancipation, but the release was canceled with the record label’s demise.

In May 1997, Love4oneanother.com announced that the album would receive an independent limited edition cassette release, but this release was canceled also. Following its release as part of the Crystal Ball package, Love4oneanother.com announced in 1998 that The Truth would be re-released as a widespread retail release in 2000. Steve Parke was quoted remembering to have been working on the artwork for this seperate release but it was canceled for unknown reasons.

so that should settle this 'debate' by some that it was just a throw away album that he stuck in
there with CB and wasn't anything special.

it was obviously special to him since he kept playing with the idea of releasing it in stores even
after the initial release fell through, the cassette didn't happen and he included it in Crystal Ball.
even after all that he still had at least some plans of getting it into stores on it's own.

I also went a little bit kookoo when he performed "don't play me" live at the webby awards.

dodger07 said:

Shame it was tucked away on CB and never got a stand alone release. It wouldn’t have been a big seller but I think it would’ve got a bit of critical acclaim.

Just for technical-sake, it did get a proper stand-alone LP release in 2021 as part of the Sony Legacy releases, for Record Store Day. But I get what you're saying.

TrivialPursuit said:

It was the following year "1998" when the Album came out

TrivialPursuit said:

On this day in 1997, Prince released the CD single "The Truth" b/w "Don't Play Me" through 1800NewFunk.com.

It's mother album, The Truth, would be released March 3 of the same year.

So - looking toward the album, how do you think The Truth has aged? Is it still something you return to at times? Do you have favorites on it? Has it fallen by the wayside for you?

When you first heard it, knowing it was the much sought after acoustic guitar record, was it a let down, what you expect, or even better? Did you view it was a throwaway disk tacked into Crystal Ball (much like many said about Kamasutra, also released on cassette in 1997 on this day), or was it its own proper album?

The Truth is mostly or generally accoustic, so I have no problem calling it accoustic. Take out Circle of Amour and Fascination and the remainder is pretty gosh darm accoustic.

Fans rarely object to Lotusflow3r being characterized as a rock album. Is that characterization wrong because of $ and FB, FG, FW?

Also, the Truth may have been marketed or refered to in shorthand as accousitc, but nowhere on the actual album does it claim to be 100% accoustic, so I can't fault it for laying a few electronic instruments in a few songs.

I have more of an objection to One Nite Alone because it specially calls itself "Solo Piano and Voice". Its title is a lie.

[Edited 2/15/23 8:30am]

As for my opinion of the album, I've always liked it, but grown to like it more. Third Eye, Don't Play Me, and Circle of Amour are my favorite songs on it. I use to dismiss Fascination because it wasn't accoustic, but after I let go of that objection I learned to really like the song.

BIGJAYRAFFAS said:

It was the following year "1998" when the Album came out

CORRECT!

i bought this single directly upon release.

It was the first new Prince vinyl i bought since 'the black album' in 1994.

so, yeah, i like it

So in fairness, I just went back to listen to this. It's been a long time since I've even approached it at all.

I have to say, it ranks better than I remembered it. The songs are strong. I don't care if it's not 100% acoustic. It's Prince, enjoy the ride.

It's a really solid album. I'll be rotating it more now that I've heard it again.

One of my favorite Prince album. It put another stake in the Prince's music sand beach expanding his musical space. To be honest, I think it worked very well in 5 cd + tape version of Crystal Ball, along the 3cd of "old" Prince music and The War and Kamasutra experiment. It was a great music lab.

The title track is more on point now than it has ever been.

Love this album. Anybody else seeing Fascination as an hommage to Contusion by Stevie?

leadline said:

The title track is more on point now than it has ever been.

For reals! Like--what is "the truth"?