Last week, there were some posts about this album being his best of the '90s. With change from v.1, this discussion never got going, but I'd like to give an opportunity of those who wrote this to explain.

Personally, I think Tony M's involvement takes away substantially from the album. Also, the interludes do not make sense and the album (unlike TRC) has no coherent story to it. (It was supposed to be a rock opera about Mayte, remember?)

I've heard that there are circulating outtakes of other interludes that help fill in the gaps. Perhaps if those outtakes were included and Tony M's raps were deleted, I'd see what some of you are talking about.

Out of all of P's albums I can always say that this is my favorite album he's ever put out. I just love the album from top to bottom. I remember reading a review and it said it sounded just like the stuff on D & P. No fucking way! Threes just not a bad song on the album. 3 Chains O Gold is just awesome, great guitar work and vocal work. I think the Max is the funkiest song on there. His vocal delivery in My Name is Prince is awesome. I could just go on and on about this album. And I'll probably get a lot of shit for this, but I always liked Tony M, so he doesn't bother me on it.

Personally i really liked this album, True some of the rap could have been left out but Blue light, Morning paper, When god created....& the heart rendering Sweet baby, all in all 1 of my favs. Funky, soulful & humourous. Prince all the way

The Gold Experience ranks higher in my eyes that Symbol, though I love both...Hell, The Truth ranks up there, too...but TGE is the best of his 90's, I think...there's only one song on TGE that I skip and that's "We March"...that song is weak...lol...but on Symbol, I skip 4-5 songs with regularity...but the ones I don't skip are unbelievable...

WeIIbeyond said:

But WB, didn't you pump "We March" in the bus when you were traveling to the Million Man March? lol.

I see how the Symbol Album has some great moments and some very funky tracks, but the inclusion of Tony M and the cutting of the interludes are obvious flaws to me.

The only album of the 90s that doesn't have at least one major flaw is TGE. That's why I think it has to be considered the best of the decade.

If it had been released in its "test-pressing" form with Poem/Interactive/Endorphinmachine(orig.), I think Come could actually have been a contender as well. (Although Strays of the World is a joke IMHO--and the electro version of "Come" should have been included somehow.)

i really like but like TGE even more. i dunno why-mayb cause it's the only live prince show i've ever seen and there was no tony.m in sight
tony.m was such a crap rapper, his rhymes were pointless and never added anything 2 the songs.

At least Tony had less involvement on than he did on D&P. I've always thought it was a killer album, but still not as good as TGE.

BTW, Wellbeyond- I totally agree with you about "We March". The only song on TGE I just don't like. Especially true when you consider the tracks that got left off (Ripopgodazippa, Days of Wild, Interactive, Acknowledge Me, Hide The Bone, etc).

Peace Y'all
The poster formerly known as "Valeris"

Yes, it's a good album but Grafitti Bridge was better-at least the prince songs on that album. If you could take out all the guest appearances, the album probably would have been much more popular amoung prince fans! I love it!!! Question of U is amazing! So is Joy in Repitition!

have to agree with wellbeyond-gold experience is much better than symbol!

The Symbol doesn't give full explanations...what opera?..who left who?....victor?...the gaps u have to fill yourself. Anyone who is attracted to the Mystic side of Prince will find this album amazing and highly underrated. Rolling Stones said it was a good album till the second part of the album. Ofcourse that's where the real good stuff begins. "and God created woman".....maybe the most beautifull song he is ever written. Ohter favorites: "2 the 9s", name: arabia. age: jailbat. (if Mayte is jailbait then who is the white jailbait of TRC?, anyone?)."Damn You"..so fine. The rap of tony m on SMF is actually good. Does it make the Symbol album my fav album? I think I would rate it second behind Emancipation..but it is the album I listened most in the 90ties, thats for sure.

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[This message was edited Fri May 3 15:58:33 PDT 2002 by micorison]

Not a huge fan of the Symbol album to be honest.Too much rappin on it. Some great tracks though Sexy M.F,(spoken lyrics, not really a rap) Sacrifice etc. Unfortunately the rap part in Love to the 9s ruined what could have been his most brilliant moment ever in imho.

Prince's falsetto on "Love 2 the 9's" is near perfection...especially towards the end...and how his multi-layered voice chimes in right before it all ends is heavenly....damn that bastard Tony M and his goofy raps...lol (or should I be damning Prince for actually wanting them on that great song...)
[This message was edited Mon Feb 18 13:28:00 PST 2002 by WeIIbeyond]

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[This message was edited Fri May 3 15:58:25 PDT 2002 by micorison]

I was one of the folks that stated that The Symbol Album was one of those albums that people will come back to in a few years and say....WOW!!!!! This is not the same as saying it is a classic recording. I think that "The Gold Experience" is underrated too. But I don't that album is as slept on as The Symbol Album.

I think the musicality on The Symbol Album is nothing short of spectacular with a "virgin" tight NPG band providing the backdrop. The first 4 songs alone is worth the price of admission. We all know about My Name Is Prince and Sexy MF. However, "Love 2 The 9's" and "Morning Papers" have worn quite well over nearly 10 years. "Morning Papers" is a stunning P performance. Great guitar interjections/solos. LIL MAN really sounds inspired on this piece and he delivers great lyrics as well. Morning Papers should have gotten a better response on the charts.

Part 2 on tomorrow!!!!!

CR3 aka Brother 9/15

Perhaps it's not the best of the 90's, but it would probably feature in my top 5 of all Prince albums. The Gold Experience is probably my fav Prince album of all.

Nah ... It has GOT to be Emancipation for me I'm afraid .... followed closely by Exodus ...

Ian

Yeah I'm with The Kiigster, Emancipation is his best 90s album. Followed by The Gold Experience.

Essence said:

Also followed by Exodus (This album and TGE represent an almost interlinked concept), Kiigan's not far wrong. It's not the best album ever called "Exodus" though.

The Symbol Album is great, IMO. It's really "Prince". For me the most stunning moments are the intro to My Name is Prince, Sexy MF, Love 2 the 9s, Morning Papers, Damn U, Blue Light, And God Created Woman, the guitar work of 3 Chains of Gold.

Most of the rap parts I don't like, I think Tony M sounded good on Goldnigga, but not on this one.

The lyrics to "Love 2 the 9s" are awesome. I remember reading them in the paper before the album came out. I couldn't wait to hear the cd. Overall, it was a great cd.

Personally I can't get through any of Prince's 90's albums without skipping. But if I had to choose the best album it would be the Symbol album or TGE. I think most of the hardcore Prince fans agree on that.

The one album I really don't dig is Emancipation, I find it hard to name even one song on it that I like. Maybe it's not the quality of the songs themselves, but the production is just awfull! I can't listen to it...

My fave is The Truth album

The Symbol album is my favorite of the 90's.

Tied in second place is TGE and Emancipation. Very close in third place is The Truth.

If alternate versions are included, the version of Come that was first submitted to WB may have been the best album of the decade:

Poem
Interactive
Endorphinmachine (original take without saturated keyboard/organ)
Space
Pheromone
Loose!
Papa
Race
Dark
Solo
Strays of the World (the weakest link here)

b-sides: Come original electronic version; Letitgo

it was good..but i don't know about best

of the 90s...


"the gold experience" is definetly number 1...

the symbol album would have tied for first place, had it not been for tony m's shitty ass rapping....

"emancipation" could have tied for first place if michael b was playing the drums on all of the tracks... in otherwords, had he recorded this cd with the npg from "tge"

"the truth" would have been tied for number 1 if it would have truly been all acoustic... i think the little keyboards in some of the songs sound out of place... still a classic...

I think The Gold experiance is the BEST Produce/Mixed Albun..

But I agree I LOVE The Symbol: Album!!

I thought the Symbol album was incredible -- certainly one of his better 90's projects. I also loved Exodus and Come.

Even though Lovesymbol had it's moments, it does not have what TGE has; SHY. That highheeled intro, them guitars that sound like they're having an orgasm towards the end.....
greatly overlooked that song.