TrivialPursuit said:

bozojones said:

I would have put "Moonbeam Levels" on 1999 in place of "Free", personally. It's a much more interesting track, a much better ballad, and just fits the overall vibe of the album waaay better than that corny patriotic mush

I don't know why y'all busting on "Free" so much. Staaahhhp!

I'm sorry, I just don't get what people see or hear in it. That song sounds like Prince doing a proto version of "God Bless The USA", maybe marginally less preachy and patriotic but still very much in the same vein. It's the musical equivalent of a wet napkin and it doesn't come anywhere close to the brilliance of stuff like "How Come You Don't Call Me Anymore?" or "Moonbeam Levels"

Speaking of which, I'd also swap "International Lover" out for "How Come You Don't Call Me Anymore?"

[Edited 8/10/23 12:35pm]

[Edited 8/10/23 12:35pm]

funkbabyandthebabysitters said:

funkbabyandthebabysitters said:

baby im a star is just... inseparable from all-conquering prince for me. that track as a b-side would be odd lol. the only way that should not be on PR is if it was the 60s, and artists in the 80s on majors could release stand alone singles without needing to include them on albums (if this was the case, then it would have been possible for kiss to be a huge hit single on its own, without being on parade where it doesnt really fit).

erotic city is obv a total masterpiece (and better than 17 days), BUT, it wouldnt fit on PR, as it was too funky and synth-led, and PR wasnt about that kind of thing. also he wasnt doing that hard explicit sex angle stuff on PR like he was on 1999 either. erotic city was a sort of bridge between those two periods so it makes sense that it ended up as a b-side. it is one of his all time best grooves though.

JorisE73 said:

RJOrion said:

Im one of the most loyal and appreciative Prince fans of all time, but i just dont get the hype... "Moonbeam Levels" is very hard on the ears...not a good song at all....even Mr. Nelson himself didnt want anyone to hear that mess

He said in a interview in the 90s or 00s that it was his favorite unreleased song and he tried to put it on every album he made after he recorded it.

Yes....and Susan Rogers has confirmed that.

"1999" was about nuclear warfare and so is "Moonbeam" -- and you really don't want two same-theme songs on the same album, unless they are love songs.

I have introdued "Moonbeam" to many people and all loved it as much as I do and wonder why they'd never heard it before.

bozojones said:

Fenwick said:

I am in total and complete agreement with you here regarding Free..... Unlistenable dreck IMO… I’m a dude and those two tracks give me menstrual cramps.

You realize your phone is going to ring in the next 24 hours, right?

agreed with free and i think i'd put 1999 in my top 10 albums ever but free is just not special or great

i almost can't believe that he didn't see how cheesy and overwrought the song is. it's almost the antithesis of what makes 1999 so funky fresh.

paraded said:

funkbabyandthebabysitters said:

but then ive never been that sure how temptation fit the ATWIAD brief tbh....

It fits the ATWIAD brief maybe the most because most people usually say they hate it and they always skip it.

bozojones said:

TrivialPursuit said:

I don't know why y'all busting on "Free" so much. Staaahhhp!

I'm sorry, I just don't get what people see or hear in it. That song sounds like Prince doing a proto version of "God Bless The USA", maybe marginally less preachy and patriotic but still very much in the same vein. It's the musical equivalent of a wet napkin and it doesn't come anywhere close to the brilliance of stuff like "How Come You Don't Call Me Anymore?" or "Moonbeam Levels"

Speaking of which, I'd also swap "International Lover" out for "How Come You Don't Call Me Anymore?"

CO-sign.

People try to flip the script on us like "oh come on, it's a nice simple Prince piano ballad," uh, no. You just named a nice simple piano ballad, "Free" is pure cornball with a drizzle of xtra cheese.

The way people like to bust "The Arms of Orion"'s chops is the way I feel about "Free" x50. It's so contrived. His most contrived piano ballad of all time.

Also who said it was "universally relatable"? Xenophobic Warrior Princess much?

SoulAlive said:

“Free” is a great song.I love the message and that melody….wow! will we all fight together the most important cause I honestly don’t understand why some of you dislike it so much.To me,it’s kinda like a precursor to what came next (Purple Rain)

Yeah I quite like the song personally, that said it clicked with me when I heard it on the Birthday Show 1984 bootleg. It has a nice melody and vibe to it

i just had a look and honestly the only 2 songs out of the whole 80's that i could do without, meaning songs on prince albums from dirty mind -> batman, are ronnie talk to russia and free

i don't even dislike the way ronnie sounds or is written, it's just so inconsequential and lightweight in the context of the album and drags it down. it's so topical, too. it sounds like a novelty track. should've put something i like about being ur fool or make u mine or something on there instead. probably.

unpopular opinion, but i gotta say that take me with u has never been a favorite and probably should've stayed with apollonia 6. it's fine, a nice tune, but it's just a little fluffy compared to the rest of PR - i really don't think the album needs a song like that, even if it's supposed to be a more lightweight counter to the heavier mood of everything else.

Baby, I'm A Star is perfection though I will give it that. what i wouldn't give for a better quality copy of the 81 version.

Prince fans are biased against other vocalists over Prince songs so "Take Me with U" catches some shrapnel quite a bit.

It's honestly evolved into my favorite track on PR. So summery/breezy, always loved the cool acoustic guitar dun-da-dun-dun-dunn nuances on the recording. Bob Dylan could be dueting on this with Billy Corgan of The Smashing Pumpkins and it would still be top tier songwriting.

Also "Free" fans are just suckers for the ole syrupy super positive "where did you put your plus sign" Pollyana sentiment. They probably are big Lovesexy fans for similar reasons, and don't see the Batman OST particularly lacking in any necessary vibe...

[Edited 8/10/23 23:40pm]

PR is perfect. No swaps necessary on that one!!

Poplife88 said:

SoulAlive said:

RJOrion said:

There was a thread here started by someone named bluefish, titled - "Moonbeam Levels...i dont get it", started on june 19, 2008, and everyone here back then, was bashing the song (rightfully so)...fast forward to 2023, and certain people somehow have elevated this song to greatness...strange development.

It's a good song and people bashing it 15 years ago doesn't negate that. These forums aren't a hivemind.

lurker316 said:

RJOrion said:

Im one of the most loyal and appreciative Prince fans of all time, but i just dont get the hype... "Moonbeam Levels" is very hard on the ears...not a good song at all....even Mr. Nelson himself didnt want anyone to hear that mess

GOOD GOD I could not agree more!!! I just don't get it at all. It's on the 3 or 4 song list of P's entire career I hope I never hear again. It's cool that different folks like different things but I just can't see it with this mewling crapfest.