There are so many levels to both of these albums, the funk is deep, layered and sexy. Ironically, I don't find the funk as 'black' on The Black Album, as I do on Camille. Actually, I don't think there is a Prince album as funky as Camille. Maybe, that's why we miss him. Anyway, which do you think assembles as the most cohesive funk album by Prince?

Camille certainly wins on the funk stakes for consistancy.
Even the only 'slow song' (If I Was Your Girlfriend) has
a funkiness about it that other albums slow tracks don't.

Anji said:

Rebirth Of The Flesh

When you say "Camille" are you talking about Sign Of The Times? I like Sign better but The Black Album has a couple solid tunes on it. For some reason "Black" gave me this Euro club vibe, like they were tunes more geared towards clubbin' and that sorta thing. I'm not sure why but that was my initial response 2 it. I also think that "I'll slap you into the middle o' next week!" thing on "Bob George" is hilarious!

Black

EXODUS is real FoNkY!!!
BlaCk 2 FoNkY!!!
We luv FoNkY!!!

I got the funkiest version of hair live u ever did hear!!!

I love that line, 'Bob, if you're out there, let me see you dance. You said you was funky.' Anyway, why was Prince upset with Bob? I know George said something about Prince losing that funk with Sign but Bob, what happened?

Anji said:

I neva looked at the song as a diss 2 George. I must be missing something tho!

guitarslinger44 said:

No, both albums had 8 tracks and both ended with Rock Hard In A Funky Place. I mean, what kind of fuck ending is that?! The horns!!

What's the tracklist for 'Camille' again?

Xpertlover said:

01 Rebirth of the Flesh 4:48
02 Housequake 4:39
03 Strange Relationship 4:00
04 Feel U Up 6:29
05 Shockadelica 6:10
06 Good Love 5:10
07 If I Was Your Girlfriend 4:59
08 Rockhard in a Funky Place 4:30

(Timings courtesy of Boris).

Who were Bob and George then???
I have orgnoted Anji but she told me to ask on the thread???

So helpfull! (smiles)

I love both the Black Album and the various Camille material

Thems sure are groovy tunes and groovy times

Much love Pochacco

"Camille was the leader of a rock 'n' roll band
No one could mess with him, I mean no one could hang
Camille could listen to your thang, then he'd play it triple time
Camille's got changes that could scramble your mind
Just like an egg, scramble your mind, just like an egg"

Anji said:

Had Camille been released it surely would have ruled the roost! Look at that damn line up. You can't come any fiercer than that.

Sign would have been better as Dream Factory but glad that at least all these tracks made it out of the vault, even if Rebirth was butchered during NPGMC year 1.

"Time upon a once there was a boy named Camille.
Now this boy named Camille didn't know how 2 feel.
Sometimes he was lonely, sometimes he was sad,
but most times he just took 4 granted all the nice things that he had."

Ted said:

It's he, bitch.

Anji said:

Ive seen that before,wasnt it inside the Lovesexy tour book?

Much love Pochacco

Pochacco said:

It sounds like it would be. I'm not sure where the origina of that passage come from, it's in the liner notes to my Camille album. Boris knows, hopefully he'll clear it up.

Anji said:

anji,whassup my friend? man why do you ask all these
difficult questions? (ha ha!)

hmmm...i'll go with CAMILLE.
not a weak cut on the cd.

i like the black album but a few tracks don't hit me much
(cindy c & superca and when 2 are in love-seems out of place
on there).

peace charles youngca

oh yeah b 4 i forget i have heard BOB george was a veiled
slap at his one of his managers at the time...i can't
recall if it was CAVALLO or the other 2 guys...

Two totally different kinds of funk in these two albums.

I see the black album as a heavier, more hardcore funk sound, and Camille is more a cartoony late period Funkadelic funk sound. In some ways, the black album is actually slightly funkier. That said, I'd have to give the edge to the Camille album. Just flawless.

Honorable mentions to Dirty Mind and Exodus.

youngca said:

Charles, hey. How can you not dig Superfunkycalifragisexy? That is a groove on that funk, uh?! I agree though, When 2 R In Love is misplaced on The Black Album. The song feels spooky to me, and Prince sings it in an eeire whisper, but it just doesn't work in between Dead On It and Bob George. The segue from Lovesexy, however, is magnificent.

jtgillia said:

All very different kinds of funk, or at least they leave with you different feelings. Isten's usually very astute at describing these kinds of feelings for some reason. Hopefully, he'll join in, especially given that this appears to be his favourite era too.

To me, The Black Album doesn't sound nasty compared to Camille. Maybe, that's because it got released. It no longer feels underground, and the opening two tracks almost almost feel white - Le Grind (apart from the deep spoken intro) and Cindy C.

Anji said:

anji its not that superfunkycali is bad. to these old funk
ears..its basic paint by the numbers FUnk...meaning p
tossed this baby off...real easy!

funny thing is-i like it when he did it during the LOVESEXY
tour! maybe it was what he DID when he sang it that made me
appreciate it more LIVE.

i like it better than CINDY C.

my faves on the album are:legrind,rock hard,dead on it
(hilarious) and 2 nigs

The Black Album has a jazz fusion feel to it, which makes sense as Lovesexy continued on that vibe. Gotta love 2 Nigs United 4 West Compton. I can't seem to remember what the title was about though.

Man, Xpectation is making me want to listen to The Black Album. Sure sounds funky afterwards!

Anji said:

Camille Album

Anji, did this album come as close as a catalog number to being released by Prince? I don't recall actually hearing about the Camille album back in the day... I just know that I began hearing about the "Camille" character after the release of SOTT. I posted the above pix for reference.

funky edit
[This message was edited Mon Jun 30 11:49:18 PDT 2003 by kmc]

That's quite a toughie since I love the Black album, probably my 2nd favourite album of all time after Parade.

But I'm gonna have to go with Camille just because it is more consistent and a stronger album over all.

There is some fluff on TBA (When 2 R In Love, Dead On It), where as Camille is a killer single LP from start to end.

By the way, in one of the books it states that Bob George was directed at his mangaer Bob Cavallo? and music critic Nelson George for saying Prince had lost it.