What do you think is his VERY BEST song, and why? just a paragraph will do. I'm not asking which does HE like best (they're all his children), and I'm not asking which one stated at number ONE the longest. Just curious, what do YOU think is his best song, and why.

JUST ONE! No list of 87 tunes.

For me, it's Let's Go Crazy, 12" version. It has everything. Guitar solos, killer stomp beat, wacked out breakdown in the middle, awesome solo at the ending, twisted crazy lyrics... it's got it all.

Just one??? Well, here goes...

AUTOMATIC

It's so hypnotic - it's like a drug that I get hooked on! It's complex and simple at the same time. Everything is perfect about this song.
[This message was edited Sun Dec 7 8:41:29 PST 2003 by toejam]

Ask me tomorrow and I'd probably give a different answer
Today it's
Another Lonely Christmas

it's VERY hard to answer this, because his songs are sooo different, i could answer an uptempo, a ballad, and an exprimental song.

So

i'm yours, 3 chains o gold and crystal ball

For me on most days it's 17 Days. I think that song is pure perfection, it still sounds as amazing today as it did the first time I flipped over When Doves Cry. I only wish he would have done a video for the song with the Revolution, but with Prince who knows, maybe he did.

but you said one, so i choose cristal ball.

i wish u heaven

I hate to just choose one, but I'll say "1999", but it may be because it's the first Prince song that I ever got into.

No can do. An impossible task.

Cloudbuster said:

not even wonderful ass? .
.
.
[This message was edited Sun Dec 7 9:27:23 PST 2003 by Christopher]

Christopher said:

Was that written about you?

Cloudbuster said:

/

no...but still :asslesspants:

Christopher said:

Sorry, I'm going to have to go WAY back for this one, the one that originally made me notice him.

Controversy

I just can't believe all the things people say -- Controversy
Am I black or white? Am I straight or gay? -- Controversy
Do I believe in God? Do I believe in me? -- Controversy
Controversy Controversy
I can't understand human curiosity -- Controversy
Was it good for you? Was I what you wanted me to be? -- Controversy
Do you get high? Does your daddy cry? -- Controversy
Controversy Controversy

Do I believe in God? Do I believe in me?
Some people wanna die so they can be free
(I said) Life is just a game, we're all just the same...do you wanna play?
Controversy Controversy Controversy
Controversy Controversy Controversy

Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name
Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven
Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses
As we forgive those who trespass against us
Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil
For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever
Controversy Controversy Controversy Controversy
Love Him, Love Him baby
Controversy Controversy Controversy
Controversy Controversy Controversy

Listen
People call me rude, I wish we were all nude
I wish there was no black and white, I wish there were no rules
(repeat 3 times)
Controversy Controversy

Do I believe in God? Do I believe in me? Let me tell ya...
Some people wanna die so they can be free
(I said) Life is just a game, we're all just the same...don't ya wanna play?
Controversy Controversy Controversy Controversy

So deep. Words to live by.

Cloudbuster said:

Christopher said:

CRYSTAL BALL


Dear Jesus, save us from temptation
Dear Jesus, save us from hell
Save us from the madness that threatens us all
Can U hear us? It's hard to tell -
In Your name we Pray!

Xpert Lover, my babe
have U ever had a crystal Ball
Undercover, no mabe
all 4 fun and fun 4 all...oh ho uh oh

Cloudbuster said:

Christopher said:

Cloudbuster said:

Christopher said:

/

I'm sorry , but I think Wonderful Ass sucks ass, one of his lamer attempts. Controversy is a good tune that defines Prince and the confusion over his persona over the years. 1999 is a great call as well. But I think I have to go with Purple Rain, such a definative statement, real emotions, amazing guitar and anthemic for my generation. Its the Stairway to Heaven or the Smells Like Teen Spirit of the 80s. I wish I came up with an answer less cliched, kudos to the Holy River, I Wanna be Your Lover, Uptown and Raspberry Beret, but PR it is (in my books). I think he could surpass if he were to do a cover of John Sebastien's Welcome Back Kotter. Tony M could be one mean sweathog. Don't you just love the Kotter theme really?

Moonbeam levels

lonelyxmas1 said:

I love hearing him sing "you've got a wonderful ass" I think he is talking to every woman out there with a bootylicious butt. Anyway, "The Beautiful Ones"

Off the top of my head -

Musically - 'Crystal Ball' - drunk on genius

Lyrically - maybe 'Purple Rain', or even 'The Love We Make', for the words themselves and the soul he sings into them. While at times a great lyricist, I think Prince is better and more consistent with his music than his often pleasingly obscure lyrics.

(Straight of the bat) I'd say hate u but 'Prince's BEST song'? This is a difficult call OTAN. And will no doubt send my reply into contortions.

I love U cuz U're all that's ever on my mind
I hate U because I love U

It's a passionate song revealing all those confusions we can all relate to. Telling the story of hot love and then bitter rejection then going completely over the top with the 'court scene', like, who wouldn't feel like this? After 5 minutes saying hate u then flipping into love you it rips into the guitar solo.

There are so many songs to choose from and I'm still working my way through the catalogue. I haven't got or heard the self titled 2nd album or New Soul Generation for a while, but got all the others and a few of the singles. Gonna checkout the 12" of Let's Go Crazy.

It's not like Prince just writes good songs either, there's experimentation with other artists & other forms going on too, e.g. Madhouse, Kamasutra, N.E.W.S. and these inform the song writing.

Thought it might help to think about other artists' BEST songs, then apply the same criteria to Prince. It's the songs which make the strongest emotional connection that come up for me, so that's a particular type of song right? So do we apply that word 'craft'? is the BEST song the one that is best crafted? Sheez.

Personally I look for development within a song (parts not just sitting on a lick or a riff but movements, additions, variations, changes, personal touches, interaction with other parts), how the music & lyrics sit together, the feeling of the song, the directness it has, i.e. how well it connects with universal things, and therefore connects people.

I'm coming round to thinking The Rainbow Children is the best album for it's consistency, Wedding Feast is a joke right? But that's another thread I guess.

Gonna give this more thought, find this kind of question really difficult, there's so many good songs right? In my iTunes Most Played Prince smartlist there's 136 songs that have been played over 35 times, hate u is No.31 ! No.1 is Dreamin' About U and No.2 is Sign Of The Times

OTAN: In your Profile you say your favorite songs are: Billy Jack Bitch, Get It Up, Forever In My Life, Adore, Witness for the Prosecution but that's a different statement from the BEST, ok, but I reckon you posted a tough one.

otan said:

Sexuality

If I Was Your Girlfriend.

This decision for me is near impossible,

But if I had to pick one single song...



...i'd pick The Beautiful Ones.


Damn u otan for making me do this.

DMSR will keep'em bumpin' till 2099.

That's not my favorite though...