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?

Maybe you are insane, or do not actually like Prince as much as you think. Most critics and fans agree that SOTT is a masterpiece of the highest order; my pick for the greatest album ever. A few more listens, and you will be hooked. If not, then consult a shrink.

I don't know ANY Prince fan who dislikes SOTT.
Come I'm sorry COME is a better album!!!
WTF!!!

It's his best album.

This has to be a joke. If not, and I sincerely mean it,

"This has to be the most inane post ever made on Prince.org, or any Prince related site in history!"

SOTT

it's pretty tasty.

Tasty like you Deja.

Better than Dirty Mind too, right?

Okay let's compare it to Parade for example. What is it that makes S0TT so much better than Parade? I think Parade is vastly superior - it somehow manages to be hugely imaginative AND concise. And the songs are just... better! I listened to Strange Relationship on S0TT a minute ago and I ended up turning it off cos it was so weak!

It could have been even better, not enough songs imo on the second record

mksprior said:

Now I agree with you here. I've alwas liked Parade better than SOTT, but to say SOTT isn't good and Come is a better album is kinda out there.

Strange Relationship weak?

Listen to the greatness of that synth line; to the amazing chorus, and wonderful lyrics. That is in my top 5. Blasphemy I say.

Parade has brilliant moments, but it is not the tour de force SOTT is.

Oh, I thought you were talking about the movie, which is as great as the album. In fact, it's one of the greatest concert movies ever made.

O.K. that's my last post for today 8/27/03

Now, I'm gonna go and try and sneak my way into tonight's Duran Duran concert.

Here is Robert Christgau's (Dean of rock critics) review of SOTT:

"Sign o' the Times [Paisley Park, 1987]
No formal breakthrough, and despite the title/lead/debut single, no social relevance move either, which given the message of "The Cross" (guess, just guess) suits me fine. Merely the most gifted pop musician of his generation proving what a motherfucker he is for two discs start to finish. With helpmate turns from Camille, Susannah, Sheila E., Sheena Easton, he's back to his one-man-band tricks, so collective creation fans should be grateful that at least the second-hottest groove here, after the galvanic "U Got the Look," is Revolution live. Elsewhere Prince-the-rhythm section works on his r&b so Prince-the-harmony-group can show off vocal chops that make Stevie Wonder sound like a struggling ventriloquist. Yet the voices put over real emotions--studio solitude hasn't reactivated his solipsism. The objects of his desire are also objects of interest, affection, and respect. Some of them he may not even fuck. "

A+

Robert Christgau.

I'm sorry but this is just the way I feel.

*Bursts into tears and runs away.

It's just I think of albums like the Gold Experience, Purple Rain, Emancipation, The Rainbow Children or Symbol, and to be honest Sign O' the Times just pales in comparison to all of them. It sounds so... hollow... and it's kind of tedious to listen to.

*prepares self for imminent crucifixion

I'm not a huge fan of 'Sign', either.

I wouldn't say it's a bad album by any means - nowhere near, in fact. Name me one other artist who could come up with an album so eclectic.

But it doesn't do an awful lot for me, I'm afraid. My personal view of this album (and remember I said the word 'personal') is that Prince was so pissed off with not being allowed to release a triple album that he kept the good tracks to himself and released the (comparatively) mediocre ones!


There, I've said it.

I can't imagine not being impressed with SOTT...of course, I have been diggin it since the day it came out back in 87. I will say I like Parade as much (Parade & SOTTs will always be my #1 & #2 top P Albums)...But you think Come is better? . Give SOTTs a bit more of a chance...over time I almost guarantee that you'll change your opinion.

mksprior said:

Sign O The Times is probably my favorite Prince album!

Actually, not liking it on first listen seems to be quite common
for newer fans. Personally I think it's got more to do with
the really poor CD mastering on that album (it really is the
quietest and flatest CD transfer out of all his albums by a
long shot). It's the only album that I regularly still play on
vinyl cuz the CD is so bad!

I mean this is the album with...
Sign O The Times
If I Was Your Girlfriend
U Got The Look
Housequake
Adore
I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man

SOTT is the result of the depression P was going through the year before. To be honest, he could have chosen dozens of other songs from his vast 1986 catalogue for inclusion and the album would STILL be his best!!

Picture the SOTT album with "Joy in Repitition", "Dream Factory","We can Funk", and other "goodies" written and recorded that same year.

I also love the "Parade" album and I consider it one of his best, and "Lovesexy" will always be my favorite. I'll be so happy when (well, if) SOTT comes out on DVD.

sign O the times ..hell peeps this is one sure masterpiece...got me hooked ,line and sunk... Parade for me still rocks..but OMG SOTT just head and shoulders above... for me Lovesexy is the weak link..although it grew on me in the end...my 2p ..

no, IMHO.

Sure, it's a great album, but I don't feel it's the "holy grail" that people make it out to be.
I'd take AWTWIAD, parade, 1999, or, yes, purple rain over it.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not knocking it, but I don't think it's his best.

...there I said it, so I guess I'm insane, sue me

Taurus said:

I like Sign O' the Times, but he is certainly welcome to his opinion of it...


-SWANGpromotesfreedomofspizeech

Perhaps your taste is just a bit different from everybody else's. I happen to really love SOTT and I think that it is infinitely better than Come. I would say that maybe you need to let the album grow on you but if your not into it, then I guess you're not into it. No biggie.

Well for me it has alot to do with how songs age. Whether or not it's his best album is debatable. The only songs I'll skip over are Slow Love, U Got the Look, Beautiful Night (just don't feel it) & Hot Thing. Hot Thing isn't bad but I can't repeatedly listen to it.

Otherwise it ages great. Sign is a masterpiece, Dorothy Parker is a trip, It is just raw as a muthafucker. ICNTTPOYM is tight as hell...I love playing the ending for people who have never listened to it!!!

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.

mksprior said:

Well, that explains a lot. You came along late in the game.



Well, you have a different perspective, and Parade is Prince's underappreciated masterpiece. And beauty is in the eye of the beholder.



Okay, I'm tired of trying to be understanding. And please realize that I have nothing but love for you when I say that you're crazy.

You are indeed the only one who feels this way. Al Sharpton is only slightly more realistic in believing that he is a serious candidate for President. "Come" couldn't touch the hem of "SOTT"'s garment.

SOTT is quite simply one of the greatest albums of the last 2 decades. It is Prince's definitive statement. It is his "Love Supreme" or "Kind of Blue" or "Mingus Ah Um."

TheBigBang said:

Co-sign.

`
[This message was edited Wed Aug 27 21:28:00 PDT 2003 by Supernova]

mksprior said:

I certainly don't think it's awful by any means, but at the same time I don't rank it as his best album like most here do. It's a top tier album in his catalog, there just aren't many people who will deny that. Some music just doesn't have an immediate impact on you, a lot of Prince's material is like that. Maybe it's like that for you too. But after 16 years I still find myself skipping some of the songs.