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PrintableTheBigBang said: "Adore" is still the most beautiful love song ever written.
mmm, not quite... | |
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I dig the songs, and the fantastic concept and vibe it brings to mind, but it honestly isnt my all time album to listen to, but that doesnt mean it isnt a masterpiece by any means..I would say some of the tracks on it can rank some of his best. | |
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If you don't like SOTT, then you probably like Prince for some really strange reason. It's a masterwork, the most essential Prince album; made when Prince was still an artist, not just a funky Jehovah's Witness. Personally . I think we are all Boring with No Lives cause all we do is talk about Prince,Criticize and Gossip. I need a Horny Man is what I Need and probably so do most of yas. We are Sexually Frustrated what we R... Amen..!!! - zelaire | |
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SOTT is a good album, no question about it.
It's also the first album without progress, it's no challanging music. It's the first album that didn't surprise me ... still, it's a good one. There's also the first Prince-song on it I really don't like: Slow Love. Surely ... "Do u Lie" is a drag, but it fits the album-concept. So Sott ... the falling-down is appearing ... Prince's first revision exercise. But if you only discovered Prince 5 years ago, that shouldn't bother you ... And if you really go backwards in time: you started at level zero, and it only gets better! | |
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As most people here SOTT ranks at the top of my all time favs! I can not, in any way, understand that someone would choose that slimy piece of crap (emancipation) over this???!! I had so many expectations for emancipation (he was going to be free, heard tons of kick-ass live stuff), and then you get three discs of overly produced sugary sounds, placing him in between the flat nonsense that makes out the bulk of current R&B acts. There are some nice bits in there, but maybe he should have cut it to a 2cd disc like SOTT and used the leftovers as "b-sides".
I actually cracked the case and threw it in a corner. It's making a career as a local dustcollector in my closet. "la la la I loath you..." The HQ-er formerly known as krokostimpy. | |
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I Can't Believe you think this way. It's a Truly Great album. I LOVE IT ALOT and I Think It's one of His Best. Are you Sure you are a PRINCE FAN? | |
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I AGREE and have said somewhere that it DID NOT AGE GRACEFULLY, compared to 1999 or Parade for instance.
To me one reason is that too many tracks have PRETTY WEAK AND REPETITIVE DRUM WORK (It, I could never take the place, strange relationship...), which went unnoticed in 1987 but is now shocking given the variety and complexity of the beats guys like Timbaland or the Neptunes are putting out... Plus there are songs which I loved in 1987 but now think are just nice little pop numbers at best: play in the sunshine, I could never take the place..., strange relationship, even the cross | |
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Almost all those who believe SOTT is his best album listened to it in 1987, when it came out. I was among those and was also blown away. But for someone getting into prince today, it is no surprise that it is not viewed as his best or even one of his best, for some of the reasons I have mentioned above (Actually a friend of mine aged 25 discovered -well, more precisely, really went into-Prince through my collection last year, and simply did not like Sign. He thought 1999, Purple Rain, TRC, Lovesexy, parade were better. Same thing for my brother, aged 22)
Times have changed, sone albums have aged fantastically (1999, which is at the root of modern house music), other remain amazing (Purple Rain, Parade), while others sound progressively out-dated (and to me Sign really falls into that catagory, although a little half of the songs on it remain fantastic) | |
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I love Sign O The Times, its one of my favourites, BUT I can see where you're coming from. It suffers from what all hyped albums suffer from, and thats inability to live up to the hype.
One thing that I think kills the album for the first time listener, is how poor the qulity of the mix is. It sounds flat and flimsy. I know a lot of the songs are of a sparse nature anyway, but the mix just highlights this in a bad way. I also think a lot of the drum programming sounds dated, particularly on It and Hot Thing (the two cuts I always felt brought the album down). I also felt Slow Love really detracted from the albums potential, as it is too...well...slow. When I get friends to listen to the album I encourage them to listen to CD two first as this is by far superior to CD one (with the exception of the title track of course). I think you have to view the album within Prince's body of work as a whole, see what albums he made leading up to this, hear the recordings that didnt make the final cut, to truly appreciate its brilliance. Also it has many timeless prince classics SOTT Housequake Forever In My Life If I Was Your Girlfriend I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man The Cross Adore these rank among some of the best he's ever recorded, and look at the diversity of the tracks, thats what makes it such a special album. | |
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DrD said: Almost all those who believe SOTT is his best album listened to it in 1987, when it came out. I was among those and was also blown away. But for someone getting into prince today, it is no surprise that it is not viewed as his best or even one of his best, for some of the reasons I have mentioned above (Actually a friend of mine aged 25 discovered -well, more precisely, really went into-Prince through my collection last year, and simply did not like Sign. He thought 1999, Purple Rain, TRC, Lovesexy, parade were better. Same thing for my brother, aged 22)
Times have changed, sone albums have aged fantastically (1999, which is at the root of modern house music), other remain amazing (Purple Rain, Parade), while others sound progressively out-dated (and to me Sign really falls into that catagory, although a little half of the songs on it remain fantastic) I partially agree cause even in my field (graphic design) you notice that a personal taste is developed at a certain age, and many things derived from that era is lickely to attract. In that sense more outspoken albums will get more respect from people who have no personal feel with those times. Many of us witnessed the evolution from an obsure multitalented genius, giving us strong single albums and continuous improving live-performances, to this peak in '87. A double album with various types of songs but still a strong cohesion, together with a stunning live-show followed with what then was considered, THE live-tourfilm ever. New fans listen without that historical luggage and will make other choices. Fair enough, cause his body of work is large and varied enough to convey the essential talent he has. The HQ-er formerly known as krokostimpy. | |
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Much better than people say! To be honest, I can't imagine what it would be like to hear SOTT for the first time now. I still remember the first time I heard it though (when it came out), the whole day, the weather etc. is engraved on my brain because the album made such a huge impression. I suppose the sound has aged, but even back then it sounded pretty different. I'm listening to Play in the Sunshine right now, and it's making me SO happy! I just hope you'll be able to hear what we hear one day and feel the same. Give it a few more spins and see what happens... | |
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mksprior said: I've been gradually working my way through Prince's back catalogue for about 5 years now. I started with the Gold Experience and worked backwards. I've always heard people say that sign o' the times was "probably his greatest work" but I bought it alongside Parade this weekend and I really can't see what all the fuss is about. I appreciate that "...girlfriend" and the title track are great songs but other than that the album strikes me as being one of the worst out of the whole lot. Even "Come" is better and that was pretty awful.
Am I the only one who feels this way? Come is better?  Something a newbie would say!  | |
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CrozzaUK said: I love Sign O The Times, its one of my favourites, BUT I can see where you're coming from. It suffers from what all hyped albums suffer from, and thats inability to live up to the hype.
One thing that I think kills the album for the first time listener, is how poor the qulity of the mix is. It sounds flat and flimsy. I know a lot of the songs are of a sparse nature anyway, but the mix just highlights this in a bad way. I also think a lot of the drum programming sounds dated, particularly on It and Hot Thing (the two cuts I always felt brought the album down). I also felt Slow Love really detracted from the albums potential, as it is too...well...slow. When I get friends to listen to the album I encourage them to listen to CD two first as this is by far superior to CD one (with the exception of the title track of course). I think you have to view the album within Prince's body of work as a whole, see what albums he made leading up to this, hear the recordings that didnt make the final cut, to truly appreciate its brilliance. Also it has many timeless prince classics SOTT Housequake Forever In My Life If I Was Your Girlfriend I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man The Cross Adore these rank among some of the best he's ever recorded, and look at the diversity of the tracks, thats what makes it such a special album. And I still say to this day that "Joy In Repetition" should have been on this album!  | |
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mksprior said: I've been gradually working my way through Prince's back catalogue for about 5 years now. I started with the Gold Experience and worked backwards. I've always heard people say that sign o' the times was "probably his greatest work" but I bought it alongside Parade this weekend and I really can't see what all the fuss is about. I appreciate that "...girlfriend" and the title track are great songs but other than that the album strikes me as being one of the worst out of the whole lot. Even "Come" is better and that was pretty awful.
Am I the only one who feels this way? Since this is your first post you're probably just stirring up shit. And if you're not stirring up shit, you're one of those who think TRC is a masterpiece and will consequently never know what the really great Prince was all about. And if u'r not that either, well, ..., you're the exeption that confirms all the above rules. But u like parade, so there's hope. Now tell me how funky Forever In My Life is. "It's better 2 B hated 4 what U R than 2 B loved 4 what U R not."
My IQ is 139, what's yours? | |
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SpcMs... i think TRC is a masterpiece.
it is. Come isnt a better album than SOTT. what the sham eis they both suffered from being chopped & changed. Come was meant 2 have lots of tracks from TGE. TRC was meant 2 b a 3cd 'Dream Factory'. SOTT is killer. i know hwat will change this person's mind: seeing & hearing SOTT: THE FILM! thats where i first heard the majority of the album. when i got the album i didnt think HotThing or SLowlOve were as good as the film versions... but its a classic example of an Rtist who is kickass live & can bring it every nite. watch the film & u will have more appreciation 4 this classic album. 
ps: someone saying Come is a better album than SOTT sounds like someone who is afraid 2 say they like old music unless it is the most popular,like PurpleRain. ask die-hard MJ fans what their fave album is & they will say Thriller or HIStory.while others with much broader taste in music will say OffTheWall. www.riotcitywrestling.com
*************************************************************************************** * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * "Prince,Flava Flav,Seal, 3 hour aftershow party,nuff said!" (13/5/12 - Sydney Austra | |
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It's not easy being a newbie to Prince - and, especially, saying so here.
However, one strength of Prince's repertoire is that it is kaleidescopic - no matter your age, gender, musical and other background, your present mood, etc., there are many songs that should speak to you. I, for one, love the romantic, sexy, nasty stuff (and can't take the "holy roller" music), while my 13 year old daughter is convinced that When Doves Cry and Starfish and Coffee are songs that characterize her life to a T. Having said that, SOTT should have stuff that grabs you today, and stuff that needs to grow on you. Take it from a post-80's "newcomer" to P: it is all that people say it is. (My copy of it however, is mixed so low that I really have to blast it to fully appreciate it; you may need to do the same.) I like your idea of working through the catalog, and I've thought of doing it myself (especially after Moonbeam took me to the cleaners regarding 1999), but I lack the discipline to do it right. (Forcing oneself to listen to only one Prince CD for 2-4 weeks and to go chronologically would seem the way to remotely mimic the anticipation of the releases, the joy in listening and the evolution that must have been felt in the 80's.) *****************************************
"Yes - bold steps must be taken, 2 bump a nation, their scrutiny is what I'm facin' " - "Jughead" W. Bush | |
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SOTT is in my top 5 favourites. The album kicks ass and has some great songs on it. | |
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i would put sott in my prince top 5 albums but it doesnt stand out as much as the people in here say. i still say 1999 was his best work. Positivity YES
Have U had your + 2day? | |
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TheBigBang said: I remember buying the record when it first came out, back when I was in my senior year of high school. On first listen, I didn't like it at all. By the end of the month, it was the best thing I had ever heard.
I rank Sign o' the Times at the top of the list as the best album Prince ever put out. "Adore" is still the most beautiful love song ever written. my feeling exactly. 
only one thing missing, it NEEDS remastering. |
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It took me a while to get into this album, too. Like so much of Prince music, it grows on you like a fungus. It gets into your blood, and before you know it, you're infected with the funk.
When I first bought it, I liked "If I Was Your Girlfriend," "Adore" (just listen to those lyrics!) and "I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man" (Oh my God, that fucking breakdown, that fucking guitar solo! Please go back and play this track at full volume, now!) Then gradually I got absolutely addicted to "Strange Relationship," "Housequake" and "The Cross." The rest took even longer to grow on me, but eventually I was under the spell. This album still has the power to render me breathless. Have you seen the movie? I had to watch that a few times too, but now I'm like a junkie. I could still watch it every day and not get sick of it. Just check out the performance of "Forever In My Life" seguing into "It." If you can sit through that and say it didn't kick your ass, then maybe you just thought you liked Prince. The Normal Whores Club | |
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mksprior said: Even "Come" is better and that was pretty awful.
Am I the only one who feels this way? Come? Pretty awful?  Have you listened to the title track? I mean, all the way through?
I'm starting to feel 2freaky's first post... The Normal Whores Club | |
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hectim said: I'm listening to Play in the Sunshine right now, and it's making me SO happy!
Yes!  That track is better than Prozac. It's made me literally smile through tears.
We're gonna kick it like we used to Sign up on the dotted line We gonna dance every dance Like it's gonna be the last time! If that doesn't make you want to live life to the fullest...  The Normal Whores Club | |
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Ehm.. I'm a fan since Purple Rain. You still have so much to eplore from the work of Prince. I envy you!
I think SOTT is overestimated too. I think it's one of his most poppy albums. The song Come beats all the individual songs of SOTT imo. (but as an album, SOTT is much better) I loved adore, even recorded it on tape and gave it to my girlfriend i then had. But if i listen to it now... It doesn't grow in time. The Cross, SOTT, The place, Hot thing and The look have that too. Sorry ppl. There's one song i still like very much: Dorothy Parker. I don't know why.. I didn't like it much back in the days. Back in the days? I'm getting old!  | |
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I'd hardly call Come a classic album. There are some great
songs on it, but even Prince himself classes it as 'contract filler', along with Chaos & Disorder and The Vault...Old Friends 4 Sale. Sign O' The Times was also 'not the album Prince intended'. The released double album was cut down from the original triple Crystal Ball album (which incidentally DID include Joy In Repetition). Where the Sign O' The Times tracks really came alive was 'live', like in the SOTT movie. Many of the versions of the tracks that evolved through playing them live wipe the floor with the album versions. In retrospect, it would have been great if Prince had re-recorded a few of the tracks once he'd assembled the new band. | |
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Although I think "Adore" is the GREATEST song ever written, SOTT as a whole project didn't "Wow" me. When we are speaking of entire projects, Purple Rain, 1999, Controversy (although short), and Parade, are my favorites. To me SOTT is a good album with a few GREAT songs.The concert movie however, Squeezed my Charmin!! I am convinced Beyonce's career would not be where it is, if she had dark skin. | |
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DrD said: Almost all those who believe SOTT is his best album listened to it in 1987, when it came out. I was among those and was also blown away. But for someone getting into prince today, it is no surprise that it is not viewed as his best or even one of his best, for some of the reasons I have mentioned above (Actually a friend of mine aged 25 discovered -well, more precisely, really went into-Prince through my collection last year, and simply did not like Sign. He thought 1999, Purple Rain, TRC, Lovesexy, parade were better. Same thing for my brother, aged 22)
I agree with that. Times have changed, sone albums have aged fantastically (1999, which is at the root of modern house music), other remain amazing (Purple Rain, Parade), while others sound progressively out-dated (and to me Sign really falls into that catagory, although a little half of the songs on it remain fantastic)
Okay, Side 1 Disc 1 is flawless. Side 2 Disc 1 drags at points, but is great. Disc 2 is nearly perfect. Sure, it may sound dated at points, but track for track, with the possible exception of "It," you have at a minimum, very good songs and at best, classics. Current evaluations of the album have only increased its stature. Most publications note SOTT as one of if not THE essential Prince LP. Absolute co-sign on 1999 and house music. "All The Critics Love U In New York" would be great in a DJ's rotation. [This message was edited Thu Aug 28 11:48:54 PDT 2003 by namepeace] Good night, sweet Prince | 7 June 1958 - 21 April 2016
Props will be withheld until the showing and proving has commenced. -- Aaron McGruder | |
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*
* * EVERYONE SING IT "I want to do it to you all the time, ..." * * * | |
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Jem said: *
* * EVERYONE SING IT "I want to do it to you all the time, ..." * * * All right! The Normal Whores Club | |
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FunkMistress said: Jem said: *
* * EVERYONE SING IT "I want to do it to you all the time, ..." * * * All right! # cause when we do it girl it is so devine... woohoo! | |
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Listen to it again a few years from now. You'll probably have a different appreciation for it then. A lot of Prince's music hits me that way. The first time I hear it, I might think it's garbage or even OK. Then I can pull out an old album or tape 10 YEARS later and listen to the same song and wonder "why in the hell didn't I dig this the first time?  I must have been crazy!". Then I'll play it over and over again like it's something new. | |
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