Good post. It's easy to say stuff like D&P was commercial it's another to actually point out how a certain song is "commecial". If anything the songs are only commercial in a sense that they are less intricate than some of his other work. They however are still more involved than the standard radio fare.

while i never hated D & P, i remember at the time thinking that this is the first time prince made an album for everyone else. it didn't hit me on a personal level like his previous records did. i figured there were too many songs that sounded conventional, like strollin, diamonds and pearls, willing and able, money don't matter, walk don't walk. i missed the jagged horns, scratchy geetar, thumping bass, and bumping-off-the-wall vocals of lovesexy! the title song didn't move me at all, but radio sure seemed to like it.
but i stuck with it. today i like and respect diamonds and pearls. i didn't "get" stuff like money don't matter" at the time, and really didn't want to either. kinda sounded to me like steely dan or the doobie bros. what?? we want prince!!! , ya know?
overall, D & P is a very solid collection of songs, and i see it as prince showing off a more conventional, radio-friendly side of himself, which he surely deserves to do from time to time. he wanted to show off his versitility -think of how the first seven cuts run the gamut from theatrical rock to sly-stone funk to stately pop ballad to garage rock to jazz to township jive to dirty jazz. it's the one of albums -along with emancipation- that i play for the uninitiated: "see, prince ain't always that weird!"

correction: i meant "dirty house" not "jazz" (gett off).

Although there are songs on that album that I love, D & P is my least favorite Prince album. I wouldn't say it was because he was copying anyone, but the album overall just has a cheesy vibe to me. Especially w/ songs like Daddy Pop and Jughead.

I'm sorry...I forgot about N.E.W.S. -- that's my least favorite...but this one's a close second.

I thought that D&P was a very good album because it had something for everyone. Funk, Jazzy,pop and sensuallity.The only song that I don't like on that CD was cream. It was a great commercial song but I just can't get into that song. But songs like Getoff, strollin,money don't matter tonight.jughead, insatiable and yal know the rest. Fantastic CD.His versitility shines through.

HotThang said:

Funny - both albums got him Grammy nominations
[This message was edited Thu Feb 26 13:21:33 2004 by NPGLOVER]

I remember when it came out...I picked it up and liked it. Thunder and Gett off were my favorites. This is also when we get to hear the NPG (the title of which was hinted at on Lovesexy). Definitely a new sound was heard. Rappers and back-up singers. I do have to agree that the singles were more traditional fare aimed at a bigger audience..Cream, D&P, fit this vain. Missing as posted, definitley, the guitars, drum machines, wierd vocal efx, basically all the weird stuff...imo. But considering the albums he had just done...they were drenched in this...purple funk and he moved on. I may get hated for saying this, but I certainly think the sound was more R&B sounding than his recent efforts at the time. He also did the nude tour around this time and I think he was going for more a more live instrument sounding sound.

jackflash said:

1)"Gett Off" sounded awfully bare bones and uncreative I thought the first time I heard it . Then when I flipped over the single, I thought "Horny Pony" was way more entertaining. A sign of questionable decisions to come?

2) the "Gett Off" videocasette. "Hey, "Violet the Organ Grinder" is cooler than "Gett Off" ! And boy, why are the other videos on the tape so cheap looking ?

3) the "Cream" maxi-single: "boy Prince's extended versions are usually so cool. This is filler!

4) First listen to D&P: "No Horns?" "Who is this sloppy rapper taking over every song at the end ?" "Strollin" is pretty fruity !" "Isn't that beat from "Jughead" from "Housequake"? " Why is Tony M. lecturing me about managers,and am I suppose to care?" " Two bad title tracks in a row?" "Walk Don't Walk is kind of childish ! Honk! Honk! Beep! It sounds like a Sesame Street version of "Rebirth of the Flesh" if you listen closely. And how can Prince really sing about the experience of a fighter pilot with that last song-it rings so hollow.

First impressions are hard to change and I get the same thoughts today listening to that cd as I did on that dark day in 1991.

NPGLOVER said:

What's your point? Britney Spears was nominated for Oops I Did it Again...that doesn't make it good, right or ok.

I'll take Insatiable. Y'all can have the rest.

I think the main thing was that it was the first time Prince let a rapper take over several tracks, and it appeared he was desperately trying to play catch up to hip-hop, instead of doing his own thing like he had in years past. I still argue that D&P is a good album, but not a great one. It would be much better, IMHO, without 90% of Tony M's raps.

JediMaster said:

Uh oh two Star Wars geeks on the same thread.

When this album came out, eye was about 4 yrs old. My mother never got the full album (even though all of my aunts, who r also big prince fans, had it). But eye do like these tracks the best:

Cream
Strollin'
Willing and Able
Gett Off (not as much)
Jughead
Money Don't Matter 2night (great. learned this on piano when eye was 8)
Insatiable

Though some of U will disagree, my favorite track on the album is the title track. At this point, eye was very young, and did not completely understand the full extent of music (even though eye've been a musician and a huge fan of prince all of my life). But D&P was the first song of P's to reveal 2 me the sheer musical brilliance that P possesses. With it's catchy melody, great lyrics, Rosie's vocals, and Michael B.'s drumming , this song further pulled me in2 the world of Prince.

whodknee said:

warning2all said:

Thanks. Your points all ring true. Had I been as aware of his repertoire in 1991 as I am now, I'm likely to have felt the same as you.