'Never have a number 1'....that's funny because six months ago most people thought he would never be able to record a listenable album again (myself included), but he proved me wrong bigtime.....Most people thought he would never do a inspiring concert again, but Alan Leeds seemed pretty excited after seeing the new concerts.
So, 'never have a number 1 again'?....I wouldn't like to say. The music industry owned radio stations and media are not going to promote anything by Prince at the moment, but in a few years time it could be a different story.

When I heard "Open Book" by Prince I thought WOW!!
Why did he give it away when it could have been a potential top 10 hit???

it's a nice little song, but by no standards a hit. have you kind of noticed that the public doesn't want mushy singles from prince in general? plus, your basic fan could say the same about almost any unreleased song. you know, "all my dreams would have been #1!"?

no.

I agree with you,Joey.When I first heard "Open Book",I was actually pissed at Prince for giving it away,instead of releasing it as his OWN single! I think the song was recorded in 1990,so it could have easily fit on the 'D & P' album.

TheMax said:

I don't think so. Remember TMBGITW. It was in some countries a number one. And it was his first single without WB.

It's song and nothing but the song!!!!

Open Book is a very nice song, every bit as strong as Nothing Compares or Purple Rain, in my opinion.

The lyrics are killer (You said my heart was like an open book, but there are lines you never seen. You said that you could tell in a single look, but you never looked inbetween), and altho they're written for a woman, I think the line about the protagonist giving her name away/back would work pretty well for Prince. Has a kind of a Warner/Slave/We Can Work It Out-thing going for it. "I'll give back your name if you give back my fame."

Anyway, every fan of Prince should be able to hear it. Feel free to write me at sj@fu.no and I'll ship it your way.

d.

Someone mentioned Prince never realised that NC2U was a hit waiting to happen. But if you read the credits on The Family album, even though we now know Prince wrote the majority of it, he only took credit for NC2U and it's the only song ©Controversy music. So that kinda shows to me that was the only song he thought might make it off the album.

The chorus just drives me crazy!!

"You said you'd take me to another world
I said you were only posing
You'll never be able to read this girl
So,the Open Book is closing,closing,closing
Closing..."

I'm tellin' you guys,if Prince had released this song as his own single in the early 90s',it would have been a NUMBER ONE HIT.Just imagine Prince in a stunning video,sitting at a piano singing those lyrics!!

prince will not have another number one or significant hit unless he uses outside producers. yes prince is amazing..a one of a kind a genius everything. however he doesnt have the sound to connect to the record buying audience. there are so many new groups and solo acts that are very good. they cater to that audience. why would the bother listening to prince? he is not on the radio and not on a video show, he doesnt perform at any major awards shows, he does not exist to the record buying audience. if he were to bring in some outside force he could be number one. someone suggested a colloboration with dr dre on another thread yesterday. so i ran with it and talked to friends of mine who are not prince fans. i told them that prince and dr dre were in the studio together finishing a couple songs that dre is producing. all of them wanted to know when it would be out, if it is on the radio..etc etc. now when i told these same people rainbow children was coming out, their response was like, oh really thats good..ya wanna go get a beer??

You know,I gotta admit,the idea of Dre producing a few Prince tracks is exciting.If nothing else,Dre will get Prince's music played in the clubs again.He has a knack for producing songs that make you wanna get up and DANCE!! Eve's "Let Me Blow Yo Mind" and Mary J.Blige's "Family Affair" were both produced bt Dre,and those songs kick ass.

BOTTOM LINE:
Prince cant have a hit without promotion.

He got lucky with TMBGITW

Bob

loolam said:

Please tell me that's not true. Her version sucks so bad...


...well in my opinion anyway...

I thought he already gave this song to Martika.

Allong with:

Martika's Kitchen
Spirit
Love... Thy Will Be Done
Don't Say You Love Me


I thought I heard a version where she sang it.

I have always thought that this was one of his greatest ballads. There must be some sort of song writing 'issue'here because it's so good yet he gives it no attention.


The song 'safe in the arms' on Martika's album from 1991 has very very very similar lyrics. I kjnow she had a hand in writing open book.

Imagine him doing that song out of the blue at one of these shows. One Nite Only encore 'Open book'.

OPEN BOOK is one beautiful song.

NPGMC if you're listening ... RELEASE IT!

Alicia Keys version of HCUDCMA is exactally the same as Princes except it has a back beat. She even immitates his exact vocal inflections.
That song should have been a hit when Prince did it, my guess is it didn't fit properly on 1999. HCUDCMA is a BRILLIANT song. By anyone. I like "Open Book" but it wouldn't sell. Not unless Celion Dion did it.
"Acknowledge Me" on the other hand should've been a single. I think that would've gone ever really well.

don't know this song....

TheMax said:[quote]Doesn't the concept of a "number one" hit have everything to do with major label promotion and radio play? Haven't we repeatedly covered these choices that Prince has made?


Like i said "beatiful girl" did it wth an indie. Craig David is with an indie which probably explaind why he din't win a Brit. That dreadful Dj otzi hey baby hit number one...without any radio support because major radio refused to playlist it

Open Book is great...it would be a hit if promoted properly.
Prince has many tricks still up his sleeve.

DavidEye said:

I had a bad exprience with a girl and those lines were so true.This would have been a massive hit because so many people could relate to the lyrics.

joshmos said:

That's a creative take on it you have with the comma between "read this" and "girl." I had never thought of that possibility. I had thought before about whether he could be "giving" her back her maiden name, except that it really doesn't make sense because a man doesn't really "take" a woman's maiden name (she simply "drops" it or makes it her middle name). It seems to make a lot more sense if it is a woman saying "I will give back your name (i.e., the name that I "took" from you when we got married).

Anyways, wasn't this song written for and released by Javetta Steele (sp?)? Most of the songs from these sessions were for his proteges back when he was trying to start the Paisley Park label.

kellyannemcclure said:

prince could have the number one song any day If he wanted to. He is just not that shallow and doesn't want to right plain music for the masses.....as does the processed pop boys and girls like Brittney and Pink and N' sync.

So many songs on so many disks --- I had to go look through the old boots to find this one. For those looking, it is on both "Yellow" and "Deposition". Maybe on others too. I just popped it in so I could refresh my memory. I always liked it, and think it could have been fairly successful, but I don't see it being a huge hit.

I agree with theP/ Prince "saw the top, and there was nothing there." The man had his no 1's and realised they meant nothing. What he is doing now is much rewarding. He's close to the fans, Literally!!
If he was still popular in the charts do you think we'd have the NPGMC or chances to go to the Celebrations etc..etc..??I think not.
Prince, u are the real deal, my brother. Keep doin' what your doin, cuz no one does it like you.

PeAcE and Nuff Sed.

Michael.

It would be nice if Prince would releasee a cd of his versions of all the songs he gave away.

I think Open Book is lovely. I often listen 2 his discs & "re-discover" favorites. I NEVER wish 4 him 2 be "OVER-PLAYED on the radio" as he was with so-called hits. Public radio,..maybe. But in between advertisements for hairloss remedies?!! Good God, NO! Radio is for tasteless wastes like Brittney Spears. Prince is an American artist, who I think, played the early fame-game (and got a little too well-remembered for his assless pants type publicity) and it bit him in ass. I believe his music rises above all that. I am certain he would entertain an audience if he simply sat and played one instrument at a time, singing one song at a time. I often wonder if he paints.

kellyannemcclure said:

he will if he decides he wants 2. havent u noticed that topping the billboards is not a concern of his? i mean, how long has it been since he has relied on conventional standards of the music industry?

2 me, everything the man does is a #1. i dont need a chart or someone else 2 tell me what good music is. 2 loosely quote the man, "music is a success upon creation. it's after creation that others get ahold of it, apply it to themselves and put their own inturpretation on it and tell u if it's "good" or not." now sit back and marinate on that for a minute...

so in ur case, either u r listening to what others tell u is "good" or he just really isnt good in ur eyes anymore.

~~heavy rotation...neva made my world go 'round...commercialization..of the music, huh, is what brought it down~~

Prince writes number one songs daily. If he had the same promotion as others, his current songs would be on the charts. As long as I get new music, I am happy.

KellyAnne "Prince will never again write, sing, produce or have a number one single. Letitgo."

Your response is BullSHIT!
I feel the same way as many do about Prince having another #1 eventually!
This is in the infant stages as far as the independence of his NPGMC Efforts, which seem to be working just fine! Since The Entire Tour is a Sell Out Event and very Much as E! Entertainment puts it..."AN UPSCALE SHOW"
Prince will have more hits to come, at this time, he's getting back to the Music and Pushing Buttons, being very Controversial in an Unconventional Sense...and 2 many have lost interest and trust in his work- this is why ppl like yourself state these nasty comments, because you want him to do what you want, Well I don't... he's the same artist who wrote and produced tons of hits for himself and many others...Times are chaning and no one can ever recapture the TOP of their Success if they continue to work... may get another hit, but it ain't another Purple Rain, Sign O'Times, 1999, Diamonds and Pearls or even Emancipation, Its still Prince thou and we need to respect that!

One day Prince will be back on the radio and he will have his records go number #! AGAIN, I Can feel it, judging from the ONE NITE ALONE CONCERTS.... Prince is well on his way to reclaim that so called thrown the naysayers have attempted to take away so many times! Belive that!

"Prince will never again write, sing, produce or have a number one single. Letitgo." - BullSHIT!