I don't know why I'm responding to this, but Babyface is a joke. His last album, the one where he tried to sound like Prince, flopped on such a major level, that his former partner L.A. couldn't even get radio to play it. Besides his songs always sounding the same, he hasn't had a hit in a long time, for anyone, much less a album debut in the top 3 recently. Prince ripped that solo on the R & R Hall of Fame. Ask George Harrison's son. Let us know when Babyface is going to have an album spend 6 monthes at number 1(Purple Rain), win an Oscar, and sell out arenas 20 years later.

thechronic2 said:

Dude where do I start? If you like Babyfaces sound alike songs that is one thing cause to each their own. But if you think that Babyface is even in the same galaxy as Prince as a guitarist then you are going to have to listen again. For starters most of those tasty licks on "Change the world" were played by Clapton not Babyface. Babyface strummed chords but did not do any ground breaking work on the guitar. He even admitted this saying that the first thing he realized when he played guitar with Clapton was that he did not know how to play. Secondly when you play the guitar left handed you can purchase guitars that look like they are upside down. Please believe me the fingering and strings are not. This may look like he grabbed a regular guitar and turned it over but he did not.

Let's look at Babyfaces body of work. Mainly R&B he was a production superstar for about five years and the songs you mention are nice. Prince on the other hand grew and changed from album to album produced many different genre's of music and did not repeat himself musically until recently. Babyface's music is tired and worn now. I think this is mainly because he produced everyone and their granma in the early 90's in his heyday. Still I would take Adore over I'll make love to you any day. Or I would take Let's Go Crazy over Don't be Cruel. Hell Erotic City over Mary Mack or Roni or really anything Baby has written.
That is not to take away from him but if you are going to call him the true genius of our time with Prince second don't you think he would at least be producing a different genre from time to time? Shoop a good song but do you think that compares to Insatiable? Also there was never any adventure in Babyfaces music. Straight to the point 'like me' pop R&B which could be amusing at times but not terribly interesting. Still there is no accounting for taste if you think BF is better then that is what you think. I just disagree.
Peace

thechronic2 said:

Look here cuz, Give it up. The question was answered before it ever left your finger tips.

#1 This is the PRINCE forum
#2 Prince is much more articulate in his song imagery and musicmanship.
#3 All of Babyfaces songs have sounded the same since "Two Occassions" and they may just be the same songs written over and over again.
#4 He is not even remotely a 5 to Princes 10 on any instrument
#5 I will admit that "What Do U Want Me 2 Do" has a very similar if not same beat as "Dorothy Parker" and "Musicology" sounds like "Prettyman" but that's it
#6 Someone please put a lock on this thread before others turn to Crack for salvation.

Just messing with U on the last one
[This message was edited Thu Apr 29 20:01:24 2004 by lmas]

lezenith said:

Babyface's popular radio hits are indeed forgettable, bland, and lacking in emotion. The sound of Prince's toilet flushing inspires me more.

Do you think Babyface could've written something as great as Lady Cab Driver? Diamonds & Pearls? Dolphin? I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man? Uptown?????

I rest my case.

Well, as far as Babyface's songs sounding alike, most likely it's because he can only play in certain keys. The keyboard player in the band I was in was the same way - he could only play in certain keys (maybe three at the most). After a while, all the songs he wrote sounded alike. One time, we did some of them back to back and it sounded like one LONG song in the key of F. Babyface himself admitted to Keyboard Player magazine that he doesn't really consider himself a keyboard player. Listen to some of his keyboard "solos" on songs he wrote for Tony Braxton, the Boys and the Whispers. They all sound kind of similar. It's all good though, and he's written some catchy stuff. I just wish the powers-that-be would stop trying to make him into this contemporary "hip" guy as far as his image is concerned. Seems rather forced.

Just a little trivia: Irving Berlin could only play in the key of F#, so he had a specially built piano that enabled him to transpose his songs to different keys...

thechronic2 said:

Was this a serious question? Babyface could NEVER write "If I Was Your Girlfriend". He has neither the talent nor the brains.

thechronic2 said:

I find it interesting that you picked these two songs, which almost sound exactly alike. Perhaps you are making an obvious statement yourself?

Man the day Babyface will come up with such diverse tunes like When doves Cry, Condition of the Heart, HCUDCMA, Another Lonely Christmas, Joy In Repitition, Adore, Controversy...And I could carry on and on...Then gimme a ring I will start paying more attention to his music.

babyface is talenetd. he is OK to write radio friendly song everybody will have forgotten about in 30 years time.

Regarding his guitar skills, well...I guess you have never seen Prince playing the guitar 1 yard away from you in a club because you would NEVER dare to write what you did write. Prince on rythm guitar is unbelievable. He is a better rythm guitar player than soloist actually.

Prince is the better songwriter.But I do love many Babyface songs.

Who the fuck is Babyface ?

AsylumUtopia said:

OMG where have you been????

morningsong said:

Evidently under a rock somewhere.
If this thread is anything to go by, he's fairly well known - but not by me.
So who is he ?

AsylumUtopia said:

babyface is the greatest musician of the 20th century

thechronic2 said:

Well, given that I never heard of him before, that has to be horseshit. I think I'd have heard of him if he was that good.

So, anybody else - who the fuck is babyface ?

thechronic2 said:

OK now we all know you were joking. I though how come he could write such bullshits about Babyface. I really thought you were dumb for a while.

thechronic2 said:

did you write that to get a rise or did you really mean it as real question?
go listen to the records or songs of both artists - that will give you the answer

Prince > Babyface

If I was on a deserted island I would use my Babyface CDs to shield my Prince CDs from the elements. As far as the guitar goes, I saw P play an acoustic guitar set last night and Babyface couldn't touch him with a ten foot pole.

Oh, lawd. There ain't no comparison. I love Babyface too, but Prince wins hands down. No contest at all!

JesseDezz said:

Babyface's sound is lamented by the fact he can only play in certain keys. Babyface is not really a musician, he is a producer and sometimes the two get confused. As far as songwriting, Babyface can't hold a candle to Prince. Prince is more than prolific when it comes to songwriting, he can write sappy ballads, party anthems, radical chants, thought provoking, rock and roll celebrating, stripped down abstract acoustic, simple ditties, anything you want! And don't forget how he can BRING THE FUNK!

adorable2 said:

but not as funky as face.... REMEMBER
It's no crime? nothing funkier than that tune....and baby.....SO DO I..... DUH DUH

thechronic2 said:

It's official. Judging by the above post, Chronic was kidding the whole time.
I'm not surprised by this thread, being started by a University of Michigan grad.
I got two words for you bro.....
GO BUCKS!!!

BABYFACE EASIER TO SWALLOW

BUT PRINCE WIN!

POOK EDIT CAUSE THERE TWO W IN SWALLOW!

POOK FORGOT TO TYPE SECOND ONE

THAT INTERESTING HUH

[This message was edited Fri Apr 30 7:39:28 2004 by POOK]

thechronic is the twin brother of evilwhitemale. But one is black and the other one is white.

babyface never wrote anything cool like "The Ball" "Joy in Repitition""kiss""DMSR""Come" or many others...Prince just wins as a songwriter...

Babyface was the first musician that I had to hear everything he did before I got into Prince. that being said, Babyface never grew as an artist and all his albums began to sound the same. Tender Lover and for the Cool in You are still fucking great. But The Day, while it had a lot of cool tracks, was boring an repetitive. I never picked up his last album. for all the criticism of Prince, at least he is always venturing new musical grounds.

Whip Appeal is one of the greatest ballads ever written not named Adore. My Kinda Girl can almost hold a candle to TMBGITW. but at the end of the day, no matter what song Babyface has written and no matter how great it is, Prince has one in a similar vein that tops it.

thechronic2 said:

Okay, "A Million Days" - I dare you to come up with another Prince tune that sounds like it.

Where is Babyface?

A Million Days sounds like most other Prince ballads.