If Tracks Are Good, Let's Get 2 Pollin - PRINCE TRACKS POLL RESULTS

http://img811.imageshack.us/img811/4522/56040024.jpg

Okay i'm off on holiday next wednesday so for revealing the top 50 i'm going to do 10 today, 10 tomorrow, 10 friday, 10 monday and finishing up with the top 10 next tuesday.

We had 40 ballots in total, with 164 different tracks chosen. Thanks to everyone that took part!

I'm mega mega happy that the following track scraped in...

50. Uptown (from Dirty Mind, 1980) - 103 points, 4 votes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxRRt8HJdro

daaaamn the bit where everything drops out for some synthy action before launching back in is ace

Yes!

My #19 - put it in near the end while doing frazzled lower-table chopping and changing - think it finally nicked ahead of Head and Dirty Mind for me while I was listening on bus to work the other morning. Felt tragically inappropriate, mocking even, for sleepy grey bus trip to a London office, but the more vivid for it.

Now I am in same office & I am feeling quite perky since I have the riff for this going through my head.

those fills at the end of a bar to an open high hat on the one, such a sweet feel

our clothes, our hair, we don't care

song makes me think of comic book funky prince utopia and i want to go to there

need startrekman for synth ids

49. Hot Thing (from Sign O' The Times, 1987) - 108 points, 5 votes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwkEbKQRrLM

sorry for quiet video!

Quite shocked this wasn't higher...Prince at his most 'fluid' and funky...love it...

Sorry talking bout 'Uptown'...

Didn't have room left to vote for either of these, but quite happy to see them here. Good work, ILM.

I am reasonably certain every song on this list will be bad-ass

Uptown was my #15; great to DJ back to back with any "Downtown" song. Apparently there's some great edit/remix of it on a Warp offshoot label (Arcola?), but I've never been able to track it down.

i was sure i picked either "uptown" or "partyup" for my ballot, but apparently not. gotta hear it whenever i drive around minneapolis at night.

48. 7 (from Love Symbol, 1992) - 108 points, 6 votes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZ2cAlRNR-o

47. Let's Pretend We're Married (from 1999, 1993) - 113 points, 5 votes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUqEYSaNFZo

oh my god "Let's Pretend We're Married" is a massive, shocking omission from my ballot

All the hippies sing!

excellent image btw

I am reasonably certain every song on this list will be bad-ass

yeah he easily has over 50 great songs so I'm not really expecting anything bad to show up

unless anything from my ballot squeaks in

46. Cream (from Diamonds And Pearls, 1991) - 113 points, 6 votes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VzXO9GQZBc

http://img62.imageshack.us/img62/4596/28535470.jpg

45. The Cross (from Sign O' The Times, 1987) - 123 points, 6 votes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwPwBfBmcmY

unexpected

Damn forgot to vote in this.... well consider this a write in vote for strawberry beret at #1.

Raspberry Fields Forever at #2 (also forgot to vote, would have gone DMSR for the top spot)

always makes me sad to see people saying "oh gee, I forgot about this"

going out for a while, last four to follow when i return later

I thought The Cross would be higher.

xxp Makes me sad to say it! Honestly mistook the deadline for this weekend, somehow. Still, got pumped listening to 5 or 6 lps over the last few days.

7 probably the weakest thing on here so far...? the vocal harmonies are nice but this is one where the nonsensical lyrics really grate. and the finger cymbals. it has a pseudo-mysticism vibe that just doesn't work.

I elevated Uptown all the way to #3, just as well I did. 7 is awful.

meta: I presume noone minds me kicking off voting for the U2 poll while this one counts down? I doubt there's much overlap between the two.

Kick it off.

7 has a pretty massive hook, i feel like it's the forgotten big single (wiki says it peaked at...#7)

Love 7. It just barely missed out on my ballot, as did Uptown.

I fell out of love with "7" a few years ago, dunno why. Probably just became less generally enamored of decent vocal harmonies and more interested in on-the-one dance beats. Prince's early funk stuff is still weirdly underrated, IMO - that includes stuff like What Time Is It?, too.

oh my god "Let's Pretend We're Married" is a massive, shocking omission from my ballot
― PAJAMARALLS? PAJAMALWAYS! (DJP), Wednesday, July 27, 2011 10:07 AM (3 hours ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

Don't worry. I got it.

I haven't figured out why I still like "Cream" (which made my ballot); I'm still stuck on the fact that it sounded nothing like 1991 chartpop.

(which is no reason to vote for it, I know)

Yeah, 1991 chartpop was pretty awesome sounding, so deviating from it wouldn't be an auto plus.

I think Prince sort of lost his grip on the zeitgeist not too long after 1991 anyway - he made some not-half-bad New Jack Swing, but some of his other attempts to stay current between, say, 1991 and 1996 just sort of got it wrong. Or they ended up underselling his songs - overreliance on chugging jeep-beat drum loops is one of the things that makes a record like Emancipation a lot less dynamite than it ought to be.

K, I just listened to Emancipation again and it's significantly more rhythmically diverse than I'd remembered. For a better example of jeep-beat fatigue, see Digital Underground, The Body-Hat Syndrome, which does work quite nicely in limited doses.

I do think Emanciaption suffers heavily from not being what people assumed it would be; I think a good amount of the material stands on its own but I can see why someone looking for Sign O' The Times (3 disc edition) would be disappointed.

yeah I referenced this on the voting thread but the biggest problem is he lost his way sonically. a lot of the 90s stuff just straight up doesn't SOUND good, the combinations of instruments + production gear come across as haphazard and lazy.

oddly I think he's largely rectified this in recent years. 2131 and Musicology in particular are both much more pleasing to the ear than a lot of his 90s stuff. (the problem now is that his songwriting has gotten lazier and his lyrics mostly insufferable since he's not interested in sex anymore)

see Digital Underground, The Body-Hat Syndrome,

aw. there is great stuff on this record! but it is way too long and overstuffed.

To be fair, I had no idea what to expect when I bought it for $6.99 in 2002. At the time it sounded quite dated. But era-specific production excesses/gimmicks don't irritate me the way they did 10 years ago, probably because my tastes are a fuck of a lot broader nowadays.

^^xp to DJP

I think Prince has the opposite problem nowadays, actually - lesser songs that might actually benefit from a little production gimmickry. It's easy enough to hear through "dated" production and get to the strong songs underneath with prolongued exposure. It's crazy, but I didn't even like Purple Rain much when I first bought it heading off to college in 2001 - all I heard was bad reverb on the drums.

aw cmon who doesn't love a little gated reverb with their Linndrums!

Funny thing is, the drums sound exactly the same in concert recordings from '84 - did they use electronic pads or what? Records still shouldn't sound as if you're listening from the back row at the LA Coliseum. I guess they thought differently 25 years ago. But I guess people figured, hey, it worked for Phil Collins.

hoping Bob George makes this list btw

'84... was he even using a live drummer at that point? I'd guess they used the actual Linn Drum tracks, with whatever drummer he had playing fills/percussion on top? I dunno though

http://img832.imageshack.us/img832/838/32450726.jpg

44. Black Sweat (from 3121, 2006) - 128 points, 7 votes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K05K17JzAoE&feature=related

43. Money Don't Matter 2 Night (from Diamonds And Pearls, 1992) - 130 points, 7 votes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mtjvnctg8eE

^^^^^^^ one of mine

think Prince has the opposite problem nowadays, actually - lesser songs that might actually benefit from a little production gimmickry.

Exactly my problem with Musicology and 3121. They sound -- too dry? crumbly? Luckily he's still singing like an MF.

He rectified this on Planet Earth, on which "Chelsea Rodgers" and "Lion of Judea" gave me exactly what I wanted from latter-day Prince. Too bad the rest of the album sucked.

lol amazing Sign O' The Times pic up there

42. The Most Beautiful Girl In The World (from The Gold Experience, 1995) - 133 points, 7
votes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8noCrJvvvA

Last one for today

41. Gett Off (from Diamonds And Pearls, 1992) - 138 points, 7 votes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6msW7wNh85E

42. The Most Beautiful Girl In The World

guess I was wrong about no shitty songs showing up

:P

I'm one of its seven votes.

what is there to like about this song? idgi

It's just light and sweet with a solid melody.

It's totally classic.

OMG how can you hate The Most Beautiful Girl in the World? that melody...as one critic once quoted, it's like a smoother 90's Al Green. plus I love him doing that little riff in his low voice at the end.

this was the first track I voted to place!

Three of mine in that first ten: Black Sweat, Money Don't Matter 2 Night, The Most Beautiful Girl In The World. Cream and Hot Thing were in my 40, so I'm happy.

It's pretty music. Don't get the hate.

That said, man we're squeezing in a lot of '90s Prince up in here.

OMG how can you hate The Most Beautiful Girl in the World

really easily...? I find the melody repetitive and the production cloying and goopy, the lyrics stupid beyond belief. "you're the reason god created a girl?" wtf does that even mean.

There really are 23 positions in a one-night stand. I counted.

One of my friends quipped that Prince wrote TMBFITW about himself, and I've never been able to get that interpretation quite out of the back of my mind.

Uptown and especially Let's Pretend We're Married are way too low...LPWM is like top 3 for me...

I do hate the keyboards on TMBGITW.

Eric, I had the same thought.

I mostly stuck 80s Prince towards the top of my list,w/ a few exceptions

the Cross at 45 wtf

Someone stick on the SOTT vid when Sheila comes in on that tune, jesus

i forgot to vote in this, but i hope pop life places well

Yeah - I hope this poll doesn't end up chock full o' 90's stuff. Not his finest decade IMHO.

I love that SOTT band photo upthread. New desktop!

His best band as far as I'm concerned (see "For Those Of U On Valium..." concert boot).

I can't believe I missed this poll. I'll be happy if the magisterial "Life Can Be So Nice" cracks the top 20.

voted for "The Cross" and "Uptown" (my only Dirty Mind vote, never been big on that album), glad to see i helped them make the cut.

there's not way this will be 'chock full' of '90s stuff since we've already seen virtually all of the big obvious later hits. my 4 votes for lesser known post-'80s jams were for naught, i guess.

xpost I voted for it!

i've never really had a high opinion of "Money Don't Matter 2 Night" but i was listening to it the other day and it felt especially true and profound to me in that moment

Calling it now: "Every Day Is A Winding Road" at #1

and "Insensitive" at #2.

i'm serious you guys, i want to do a funniest and/or worst prince song poll thread after this thing runs its course

also possibly a "most WTF song written after 1980 that Prince has covered" poll

That poll would be a nonstarter because the obvious winner would be his football song

yeah i kept thinking of that as a standout

oh i didn't even see 'black sweat' in there. that's one of mine.

"Black Sweat" is really good but it feels a little on the nose as an '00s pick, i went with "Call My Name" because i love gloopy slow jam Prince sometimes

I came really close to voting for "Beginning Endlessly" from 20 Ten, but didn't love it enough to squeeze it in. It's definitely one of his finest post WB songs, though.

"Call My Name" was my only '00s track given consideration. Then I looked at all the '80s stuff I'd have had to leave off and said screw that.

"The Cross" is the only pick thus far that I just - don't - get.

haha that video for 'black sweat' is AWESOME

lol 'the cross' is my fav of the ones to appear so far

rtc otm

Black Sweat was my only post-80s choice - the beat is phenomenal. I like the 90s hits mentioned so far but never loved them.

Someone help me out here - which 80s alt-rock band does the guitar on The Cross remind me of?

no idea -- i always thought Soundgarden should cover it, though

It actually sounds like a Soundgarden cover already. That early grunge/psych sound. Maybe I was thinking of the Meat Puppets too.

You're not going to like this, but it's kind of a precursor to 'Govinda'

I always thought Eric Weisbard's remark about "The Cross" (it "rocks like eighties Lou Reed") was OTM as hell.

Listening to it again, it's not that dissimilar to 'All Apologies'.

Soundgarden + Meat Puppets + 80s Lou Reed + Nirvana + Kula Shaker = The Cross. Solved.

would have thought Uptown would place higher, glad i had it at 5 on my ballot to help it squeeze into the top 50

okay a few of these were hard to find videos for, we'll have to put up with a cover for this first one

40. Condition Of The Heart (from Around The World In A Day, 1985) - 141 points, 5 votes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TzdXNlRfJ2Q

39. Nothing Compares 2 U (Sinead O Connor, 1990) - 142 points, 6 votes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUiTQvT0W_0

Def prefer Sinead's version to any others.

would listen to Susanna cover pretty much anything tbf

Ooh, Condition Of The Heart was my #2 and Nothing Compares was my first reserve...

Prince doing NC2U live a few years ago was great but I kept hearing Sinead's phrasing in my head - she owns it.

Can't believe 'Condition Of The Heart' was so low...definitely thought top 20 at least...well this is gonna be interesting...

38. Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad? (from Prince, 1979) - 146 points, 5 votes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIp0QV5B5R4

:D

I've always loved Condition Of The Heart's spaciness. Like an attempt at recording a prolonged swoon. The synth sounds are some of my favorite of any Prince song, too.

37. Starfish And Coffee (from Sign O' The Times, 1987) - 147 points, 7 votes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUGz8wmAwVg&feature=related

36. The Glamorous Life (Shiela E, 1984) - 154 points, 7 votes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XeJLZi0uyJw

was watching some old Prince bootlegs I have last night and man... has anybody else seen the MTV footage of the Under the Cherry Moon premiere party? holy shit. he doesn't do any songs from the album lol (except for Mutiny) but the band is phenomenal. horn-driven arrangements of Controversy, Raspberry Beret, something called Mutiny (?). I can't find it on youtube, of course.

fucked that up, Mutiny is not from Under the Cherry Moon, I dunno where it's from

the Bounty?

Glamorous Life TOO LOW

(also, makes me think A Love Bizarre now has no shot)

Love Starfish and Coffee. Attains a rare sweetness.

ah here it is

^^^highly recommended

35. How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore (B-Side to 1999, 1982) - 155 points, 6 votes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDknGIXx_AE

34. Sexy MF (from Love Symbol, 1992) - 158 points, 7 votes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4hf7sfEwr0

I'm with xhuxk about "Sexy MF" – one of the unsexiest songs ever.

Pretty Man is a better James Brown homage

xpost no joke, Tony M. sounds like Rodney Dangerfield delivering that refrain

Also, sort of shocked at the low placement of "How Come" here? Guess it's gonna be "Sometimes it Snows" that ranks highest among sleeper ballads.

Fuck, these days "Musicology" is a better James Brown homage despite the old-fart lyrics. Used to love "Sexy MF," still like it. Never thought it was particularly sexy. But I love the way Levi Seacer or whomever sings the title - "you sexy muthafeckerr". Over and over and over again.

33. She's Always In My Hair (B-side to Paisley Park, 1985) - 170 points, 7 votes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIHLVMfC2rI

I really like Sexy MF but I always thought it should be about 2 minutes shorter, the album version is over 5 minutes and starts to drag near the end.

Really enjoying the list so far, not a bad song in sight. I'm Especially happy to see Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad make it, that was in my top 5.

Surprised to see The Glamorous Life so high, I've always liked it but for me that album was all about The Belle Of St Mark.

RE "She's Always In My Hair" - Seems about right, placement wise. I thought about including this or "17 Days" on my ballot b/c I didn't have any other b-sides, but when I listened to them I decided I just didn't like them enough.

BTW, did anybody else who voted for "The Most Beautiful Girl" specify the album version? Crucial distinction, I think. When I bought The Gold Experience and the song came on I wondered why I liked it so much - it never particularly stuck out to me before, except as one of the first Prince songs I ever heard. A few years ago I heard the original single version and understood - it's pretty thin and unremarkable, at least compared to most of his great ballads. The fuller arrangement on Gold Experience made a huge difference.

also Kitchen Person OTM about Glamorous Life/Belle of St. Mark

Never noticed about the difference in The Most Beautiful versions, I also don't remember liking it when it came out but then I bought the album a few years after and loved it when it came on. I just put that down to my tastes changing, I'll check out the single version as I just listened to The Gold Experience a few days ago.

Voted for She's Always In my Hair, my favourite B-side by a long way.

32. Head (from Dirty Mind, 1980) - 175 points, 7 votes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Chtr72kVLsg

last for today

31. Strange Relationship (from Sign O' The Times, 1987) - 184 points, 8 votes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4JS78hv5dU

^^^ Still don't like the album version of that one at all.

33. She's Always In My Hair

ah i totally forgot to vote but i was just coming here to say i hoped that placed.

38. Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad? (from Prince, 1979) - 146 points, 5 votes
http://www.youtube.com/v/AIp0QV5B5R4&fs=1&hl=en

― I'm A Genius, Too! (Jamie_ATP), Thursday, July 28, 2011 9:30 AM (6 hours ago) Bookmark

i guess you're not noting when songs were someone's #1 -- this was mine

he might have better b-sides than "She's Always In My Hair" but none i find it harder to believe or understand it not being an a-side

ah shit yes I forgot to include that. Okay here's the summary of #1's so far:

1 for Condition Of The Heart
1 for Why U Wanna Treat Me So Bad
1 for How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore
1 for Head
1 for Strange Relationship

kinda shocked 'head' didn't place higher.

Not that shocked personally, but slightly disappointed. "Head" was my #2. Dirty Mind is weirdly underrated these days, at least in comparison to Purple Rain or 1999.

I think maybe because DM and Controversy are relatively shorter in duration they maybe get less rockist attention

Dirty Mind is still totally (over)rated above 1999 and a lot of (better) albums

I have always liked Controversy more than Dirty Mind

and 'head' is maybe the quintessential example of early, raw, dirty prince funk.

fwiw dirty mind and purple rain are the only records i can listen through from start to finish

Dirty Mind might be in my top 3.

Parade will always be my favorite, followed by Sign O' The Times and 1999

I have always liked Controversy more than Dirty Mind

Two weeks ago I would have looked at you as if I were the Morris Day photo on the What Time is It? sleeve. Now I agree.

fwiw dirty mind and purple rain are the only records i can listen through from start to finish

― hardcore oatmeal (Jordan), Thursday, July 28, 2011 4:49 PM (2 minutes ago) Bookmark

by Prince or in general?

Purple Rain is probably my favorite album by any artist.

the fact that we haven't seen a single PR track so far makes me wonder if anything from it won't place. maybe just one or two songs?

Controversy title track has been an earworm in my head on and off for a week now.

oh just in terms of prince records.

xp

basically <3 this thread to death fr reminding me to get back up on my prince shit

Don't love the album version of Strange Relationship, but the version prepared for Dream Factory with sitar and tabla is A++ wonderful

30. 17 Days (the rain will come down, then U will have 2 choose. If U believe, look 2 the dawn and U shall never lose.) (B-side to When Doves Cry. 1984) - 185 points, 8 votes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RtXrVyMbf1A&feature=related

29. I Feel For You (Chaka Khan, 1984) - 194 points, 8 votes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ObjLb6ElTvs

28. Purple Rain (from Purple Rain, 1984) - 201 points, 8 votes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtrQK8Zqj-g

27. Lady Cab Driver (from 1999, 1982) - 217 points, 10 votes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJ9xHHWAyos

Wau @ Purple Rain placing that low.

YAY "Lady Cab Driver"!

Knew "Purple Rain" would have to be on the list. Thrilled it landed so low.

Yes! "Lady cab Driver" made it!

26. Take Me With U (from Purple Rain, 1984) - 231 points, 10 votes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1ZWYMlzZR0

25. Adore (from Sign O' The Times, 1987) - 237 points, 9 votes, 2 first place

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVkw3p2xRgI

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS "Adore" beat "Take Me With U"

although "Adore" is too low

haha if "Take Me With U" placed, then every song from Purple Rain is gonna place.

(which is righteous btw)

some ppl are completely in love with "Take Me With U"; IMO it's the one verging-on-terrible song on Purple Rain

agreed

I voted for it and love it despite its not-even-verging-on-terrible-it's-just terrible Appollonia vocal.

srsly though, I know Appollonia is bangin' and all but how do you go from Vanity to... her

"Take Me With U" gets everything right that both Around the World in a Day and Parade predominately got wrong.

what, being plodding, predictable and terrible?

^^^ what I've been saying about ATWIAD for years.

there are "take me with u" haters?

jesus christ this world

24. Something In The Water (Does Not Computer) (from 1999, 1982) - 251 points, 10 votes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDl9C3ikfvo

23. Uptown (from Dirty Mind, 1980) - 260 points, 12 votes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxRRt8HJdro

purple rain track that may not make this list: baby i'm a star

calling it

it was in my top ten!

uptown is great and all but two placings might be stretching it

^

OH SHIT KIDS. okay so number 50 was actually the UBER TASTY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BNqbphjPUs

(sorry don't know how that happened)

hahaha

Mistrial! Start over!

don't worry abt it too much

btw does reconciling the two "Uptown" entries affect its placement or are there overlaps in the point totals that keep it at 23?

basically all that happened was I saw it was a track from Dirty Mind at 50 and thought 'oh damn yeah what a great album it's also got Private Joy for example, really love that one and especially the 'If anybody asks - YOU BELONG TO PRINCE' bit, yeah' and fingers started typing the wrong thing.

so there was no duplicate Uptown action. I just typed the wrong words.

that is awesome

there are "take me with u" haters?

this is news to me too

there are no bad songs on Purple Rain, 1999, Dirty Mind, or Sign o' the Times imho (almost threw in Controversy too but I can't make up my mind whether or not Annie Christian is bad or just inscrutable)

Nice!--glad to see "Uptown" place higher. I'm giving a lot of songs a second chance after this poll, and it's fun to find out there are Prince fans who hate some of his most beloved songs--maybe more crossover with the U2 poll than anticipated?

this is news to me too

seriously

prince on his motorcycle driving through the countryside while this song plays otm

So happy to see Lady Cab Driver and Something In The Water so high, they are my two favourite songs on 1999.

Surprised some people really don't like Take Me With U it's one of the highlights of Purple Rain for me. I know a lot of people really rate it but Darling Nikki has always been my least favourite song on the album.

okay last 2 for this week. eye will continue with 20-11 on Monday and then the top ten on Tuesday

22. Mountains (from Parade, 1986) - 274 point, 12 votes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2CKCstA8nQ

21. Let's Go Crazy (from Purple Rain, 1984) - 274 points, 13 votes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ij-jM8CcQIQ

So glad "Private Joy" made the cut!

Shit, I thought "Adore" was gonna be top 10 for sure. My #1. As for ballads, I guess "Do Me, Baby" will probably be top 10, but tbh the song has never totally connected for me. I get that it's great, but for the most part I don't get off on Prince's ballads (pun intended) the same way I do on his funk stuff - except when they're as lush as "The Most Beautiful Girl" or "One Kiss At a Time." The way "Adore" escalates almost breathlessly at the end - what he'll put up with for her ("well, maybe not the ride") is something else. "The Beautiful Ones," on the other hand, is batshit crazy. I can get off on that.

Also RE Eric H. - very nearly voted for "Private Joy", and v glad to see it here. Not high enough, though.

Gunning for "Beautiful Ones" at #1. We'll see.

basically all that happened was I saw it was a track from Dirty Mind at 50 and thought 'oh damn yeah what a great album it's also got Private Joy for example, really love that one and especially the 'If anybody asks - YOU BELONG TO PRINCE' bit, yeah' and fingers started typing the wrong thing.

ha, but 'private joy' is from controversy!

You just can't trust me to run a poll basically

"Private Joy" and "Mountains" both on my lists.

I never connected with "Adore."

Gunning for "Beautiful Ones" at #1. We'll see.

yeah, this is my prediction.

no way.

btw this thread is very helpful for planning my prince tribute band's next set.

I wish "Mountains" was higher, I love that song so much.

Glad to see "Adore" made it! I'm with Shakey Mo re: no bad songs on SOTT. My complete blanking wrt to voting for "If I Was Your Girlfriend" is unforgiveable.

I voted for "Mountains". In fact, I was surprised that 3 songs out of my 20 came from Parade (kinda not expecting "Anotherloverholenyohead" to place at this point, tho).

i assumed "mountains" would be your #1, dan

(extended mix)

Ha, "Mountains" was my #7!

a lot of the time i think If I Was Your Girlfriend might be his best ever track. every note, sound, lyric is perfect.

so i'm always curious with these polls; any non fans/Prince-curious people out there discovered any tracks they really love so far?

Really glad to see 'Something In The Water' finishing so high...to me it's quintessential Prince...also glad to see that the 'Uptown' mix-up sees it finishing in a higher place and let's 'Private Joy' in...an underated Prince Jam...

some personal quirks of Prince's that come up in his lyrics that I've been thinking about:

- his sexuality. There are a few coy nods to him being something other than just a hetero-horndog (Controversy's "Am I straight/am I gay"?, Diamonds and Pearl's "would you be a happy boy or girl") but ... well frankly I have a hard time thinking of Prince as actually being bi, was this just some Bowie-style subterfuge or did people really think he was some kind of polymorphous ambisexual? I'm asking more for how he was received/perceived at the time, how this stuff was interpreted.
- his drug use. drug references in his music are both clumsy and odd. did anyone really think he was on smack prior to Lovesexy? there's the coke reference in Pop Life, and given Prince's position in the 80s, the prominence of the drug, and his own behavior it seems like a natural conclusion to think he must have gotten into it... on the other hand he really does seem like a milquetoast that drinks banana daquiris til he's blind. I find a lot of his stuff genuinely psychedelic, and he has some sort of interest in hippies, but it seems like a drug-free psychedelia. he seems too uptight to be into acid or weed. Then later on there's ecstasy, which seems like a more natural fit for his personality (and I recall people theorizing at the time that "squirrel meat" was a reference to E, but um... waht?)

Obviously he's on the straight and narrow now, but his public persona was much more interesting/provocative when there was some ambiguity about these things.

i think he just wanted to give the impression of being an all around freak/freakier than you.

persona games within persona games etc.

"Mountains" was my #4.

My Prince knowledge is basically the 80s hits plus Parade. I haven't really found anything in the 90s/00s albums yet that grabbed me by the short hairs.

I look for queer subtext in everything and everyone and never believed Prince's winks were anything but sensationalism (never believed Bowie either tbh).

i still find it hard to imagine prince even having human sex tbh.

I think he just takes a lot of baths

like i can imagine him sharing his apricot essence through a princely mindmeld or something.

Shit, I thought "Adore" was gonna be top 10 for sure.

yeah seriously, what the fuck

gonna be sitting here with my arms folded going "that's not better than Adore" for almost every song from here on out

http://www.emotty.com/images/emoticons/1043.png

am happy at how high my ballot helped "Mountains" and "Something In The Water" and "Uptown" get, and that "17 Days" did just fine after i cut it

seriously though, i feel like i'm gonna get drunk and listen to "Adore," blubbering to the song "yo adore what they do that for, why they do you like that, what's wrong with them"

from that wendy & lisa interview in out:

That must’ve been a shock after what you’d experienced in the Revolution. How conscious was Prince of assembling for the Revolution that racial and sexuality rainbow you described?
Wendy: He was incredibly conscious of it. Look at the way he looked during Dirty Mind and Controversy and 1999. He was so androgynous. He didn’t care if you were [paraphrasing Prince’s “Uptown” lyric] “black, white, straight, gay, Puerto Rican, just a freakin’.” That guy wanted fans. So anyway he could get them -- and a more interesting way he could do it -- appealed to him. The Sly and the Family Stone mentality, that whole black/white/freaky thing on stage appealed to him.
Lisa: I’ll give you an example. We had a photo shoot for the Purple Rain poster. We were all in our different positions and he at one point walked over to me and Wendy and lifted my arm up and put my hand around Wendy’s waist and said, “There.” And that is the poster. That’s how precise he was about how he wanted the image of the band to be. He wanted it to be way more obvious. We weren’t just the two girls in the band.
Wendy: We were the couple.
Lisa: We were the gay girls in the band. It was very calculated.

...

Did you first think Prince was gay?
Lisa: He was little and kinda prissy and everything. But he’s so not gay.
Wendy: He’s a girl, for sure, but he’s not gay. He looked at me like a gay woman would look at another woman.
Lisa: Totally. He’s like a fancy lesbian.
Wendy: I remember being at that “Sexuality” video shoot and him on stage with that little black jacket and that tie thing around his neck and his black pants with white buttons on the side. And we looked at each other for the first time and I thought, “Oh, I could so fall in love with that girl easy.” It doesn’t matter what sexuality, gender you are. You’re in the room with him and he gives you that look and you’re like, “Okay, I’m done. It’s over.” He’s Casanova. He’s Valentino.

I feel like there are only 2 correct answers to what is the best prince song: doves cry and erotic city with a love bizarre and u got the look in hot pursuit

I am kicking myself for forgetting glamorous life

yeah I've read that before. "Fancy lesbian" thing is lol

xp

- his drug use. drug references in his music are both clumsy and odd. did anyone really think he was on smack prior to Lovesexy? there's the coke reference in Pop Life, and given Prince's position in the 80s, the prominence of the drug, and his own behavior it seems like a natural conclusion to think he must have gotten into it... on the other hand he really does seem like a milquetoast that drinks banana daquiris til he's blind. I find a lot of his stuff genuinely psychedelic, and he has some sort of interest in hippies, but it seems like a drug-free psychedelia. he seems too uptight to be into acid or weed. Then later on there's ecstasy, which seems like a more natural fit for his personality (and I recall people theorizing at the time that "squirrel meat" was a reference to E, but um... waht?)

i remember reading that the line in "pop life" was supposedly a pointed reference/diss of some ex-bandmate of mpls musician who had a coke problem at the time. also there's a lot of rumors/mythology about a bad experience with ecstasy inspiring him to scrap the black album and make lovesexy.

doves cry and erotic city

agreed

with a love bizarre and u got the look in hot pursuit

wtf

Glad "17 Days" placed - the 13-minute extended version is one of my all-time favourite extended mixes, an awe-inspiring twinkling epic with (IIRC) Laurie Anderson/Kate Bush/Lindstrom/Metro Area vibes.

doves cry and erotic city

agreed

Agreed.

i know it was probably a fluke but "I Would Die 4 U" narrowly edged out "When Doves Cry" in this poll and i'd love if it happened again: Pollple Rain (search terms prince purple rain impossible)

i trust there will be a spotify playlist once this poll concludes

do you Prince people know this?

http://youtu.be/pkKGW_Ir2X8

i kind of threw my list together on sunday thinking sunday night was the deadline and now i barely believe a word of it. hearing '17 days' for the first time just now would change everything alone.

I'm a little confused about all the love for Adore. It's a good song, but in the kingdom of SOTT sexy ballads, Slow Love remains king.

i like "Slow Love" more than most and almost voted for it but surely you realize what a minority opinion that is. "Adore" is Prince's #1 quiet storm radio staple.

i didn't really get into "17 Days" until i heard the 13-minute extended 12" version

adore is fucking massive. i would have expected a top ten placing for sure but oooooh you ilxors you.

yeah i'm still just aghast at that.

I'm distinctly in the Adore-is-just-good camp and proud of it, especially when I've got "Lady Cabdriver," "Strange Relationship," "Do Me, Baby," and "The Beautiful Ones," among countless others, on my side.

my favorie "adore" related story is someone -- matos, i think -- telling me about a ne-yo concert they saw circa 2006/2007. he covered "adore" as an encore. he apparently got to the climax, built and built to the final vocal/high-note freakout, and then cut everything dead. "nah, not even gonna try that." and then picked up immediately, brought it home.

It has to do with programming. Since I'm one of those who owned SOTT, I stopped playing the second disc after "I Could Never Take The Place of Your Man."

*who owned SOTT on CD

"Adore" is so far above and beyond "Slow Love" it isn't even funny

like, I sort of feel like if you don't rate "Adore", yo haven't actually LISTENED to it

Prince is such a genius that he's topped himself several times. I can overlook "Adore" with a polite nod.

i think it is one of the greatest and most perfect album-closers of all time, in addition to its titanic stature as a stand-alone song. and also alfred is a savage.

well yeah

Reading Matos' book in 2004 was my first awareness that "Adore" was so highly considered.

Took me a LOT of listens before I came around on "Adore." The production felt so wrong before it felt so right.

side two/the second half of disc one is the draggy part of sott for me.

U Got The Look-Strange Relationship-I Could Never Take The Place-The Cross is an awe-inspiring sequence whose momentum is killed off by "It's Gonna Be a Beautiful Night," a good groove that isn't really a good song. I lose interest a quarter of the way through, which is why "Adore" remains an afterthought.

Alfred otm

and I even forgot "If I Was Your Girlfriend"! Seriously -- greatest album side ever.

"Adore" hooked me with the hilarious "maybe not the ride" quip and then seduced me with the melody and the emotion that compelled me to put it on my wedding playlist

I wouldn't at all mind slow dancing to "Adore" at a wedding. I guess it'd be more appropriate than "Sometimes It Snows in April."

it's a good wedding song because it means more once you've found someone you want to be with until the end of time

Every wedding I've been to in the last three or four years inevitably ends up playing BEPs. Gonna be a lot of divorces in the next decade.

my wedding was pre-"I Gotta Feeling" (so we played "My Humps," of course)

OK, I was traveling and didn't submit my entry, but here's what it would have been. Note that I haven't really followed Prince closely since about 1996—I got off the bus with Emancipation, really. I should give those recent discs a few more spins. I excluded stuff written but not produced by Prince, otherwise "Manic Monday" would certainly be in my top five.

Top 20:
1. Little Red Corvette (Dance Mix)
2. Adore
3. When You Were Mine
4. I Would Die 4 U
5. Let's Pretend We're Married
6. When Doves Cry
7. Erotic City
8. Vanity 6 - Nasty Girl
9. Pop Life (Extended Version)
10. Uptown
11. Kiss (Extended Version)
12. I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man
13. P Control
14. The Family - The Screams of Passion
15. Sheena Easton - Sugar Walls
16. New Position
17. When We're Dancing Close and Slow
18. Dirty Mind
19. Sheila E. - The Glamorous Life
20. Mazarati - 100 MPH

20 runners-up:
The Time - Get It Up
Head
Delirious
Raspberry Beret
Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad?
André Cymone - The Dance Electric
Housequake
Sheila E. - Koo Koo
17 Days
Irresistable Bitch
Let's Work
She's Always in My Hair
Gotta Stop (Messin' About)
Sexuality
Vanity 6 - If a Girl Answers (Don't Hang Up)
The Future
Sister
Papa
Scarlet Pussy
The Morning Paper

(BTW those runners-up aren't really in any particular order -- just the ones that nearly made it onto my list but didn't in the end)

U Got The Look-Strange Relationship-I Could Never Take The Place-The Cross is an awe-inspiring sequence whose momentum is killed off by "It's Gonna Be a Beautiful Night," a good groove that isn't really a good song. I lose interest a quarter of the way through, which is why "Adore" remains an afterthought.

I'm with this. "Adore" has always been a great ballad, but never been on endless rotation for me. I get being totally whacked out on those first four songs, but "It's Gonna Be a Beautiful Night" is a total "you had to be there" cut.

yes baby

20. Sometimes It Snows In April (from Parade, 1986) - 288 points, 12 votes, 2 first place

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBJ0lxBhGDs

19. Sign O' The Times (from Sign O' The Times, 1987) - 292 points, 12 points, 2 first place

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zNTiaAUEcI

What some where saying about "Adore" upthread applies to me and "Sometimes it Snows." It's pretty and all, but I can't sink into it.

Who's my other "Sign" first place vote? *hi-five!*

April is too low. Perfect end to my favourite Prince album. I like that his other great ballad, The Beautiful Ones, is so wracked and raging and this is vulnerable yet stoic. This poll reminds me how incredible his range was at his peak.

Great start to the list today. I think April is his best vocal.

Sign deserves to be this high, I think because that album is so great and there's so many other amazing tracks later on I sometimes forget just how good it is as an opening track.

Who's my other "Sign" first place vote? *hi-five!*

*hi-fives back* We're on the same page quite a lot, I'm noticing.

Sign O The Times deserves a lot better imo - the faithful don't seem to rate it much, but it's all-time for me.

A great sound, great vocal, great guitar fills. A good opener. It's nowhere near my top twenty though.

It was between "Sign" and "Pop Life" for me, but I ended up dropping "Pop Life" further down my ballot assuming it was sure to place and giving a boost to other songs which may not have made it w/o my help. Hope that decision doesn't backfire on me.

xpost Kinda dud lyrics, tho.

Yeah, the lyrics are pretty dire but the sound blew me away at the time. If I was voting aged 13 this would be top 5.

Then again, my #1 boasts the couplet: "The beautiful ones always smash the picture / Always, every time."

Ha, mine too. The Sign O' the Times drug lyric really reminds me of when Marvel comics like Daredevil started doing anti-drug message storylines where some kid would have one reefer and then do PCP and jump off a building because he thought he could fly and Daredevil, after taking out the dealer, would sadly shake his head and make some speech about the youth of America.

I think "Sign O' The Times" has a great lyric, even the drug part. The AIDS reference meant a lot to me at the time for personal reasons.

My big regret in my ballot is not voting for "Sometimes It Snows In April", but as I said above, Parade has never really stuck with me until now.

The SOTT lyric was an arresting and apt bulletin for its time, but I don't think it was composed with posterity in mind. What persists, though, is the sound of the track; I marked down a lot of the big hits when voting as they still felt played out, but SOTT very nearly made my 20.

so 'erotic city' is definitely going to be top 5, right?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bRKangkiuo

18. Dirty Mind (from Dirty Mind, 1980) - 299 points, 13 votes, 1 first place

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNa1YgdbMZk

17. If I Was Your Girlfriend (from Sign O' The Times, 1987) - 309 points, 13 votes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4C9qR9wJVw

How many ballots came in total, btw?

now that all the really classic shit is coming up i guess with each one we can say "too low!" but what else are you gonna do with an artist like this?

Wow I thought Girlfriend would be top five.

I did too, but I am starting to think pretty much all of Purple Rain will be occupying most of the top slots.

16. I Would Die 4 U (from Purple Rain, 1984) - 317 points, 12 votes, 1 first place

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_EEvpiNzO8

15. 1999 (from 1999, 1982) - 321 points, 15 votes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjivDeA7Qu0

40 ballots came in in total

That better not include "Darling Nikki". Tipper Gore infamy notwithstanding, it's just a half-decent filler. "When Doves Cry" probably belongs in the top 5, "Let's Go Crazy" probably doesn't. Would really like to see "The Beautiful Ones" and "U Got the Look" up real close to the top.

^xp Eric H

14. The Ballad Of Dorothy Parker (from Sign O' The Times, 1987) - 324 points, 14 votes, 1 first place

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6sXqGKJzfd4

13. Alphabet St. (from Lovesexy, 1988) - 327 points, 14 votes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8pK6mgIvtg&feature=related

wow

I love "Alphabet St" but I had no idea it would get that much support

It's a stone cold classic, was my favourite for a long long time 'til I heard Sign with new ears

Just barely missed my ballot - glad to see it here

I think it was my #1

Yeah, I would've never pegged "Alphabet St." landing above "If I Was Your Girlfriend."

Or "I Would Die 4 U" (!!)

But it is the most fun!

A whole lot of my picks showing up! Go fans! "Dorothy Parker" made it in (hi 5)

last two for today, top ten coming tomorrow

12. Pop Life (from Around The World In A Day, 1985) - 354 points, 15 votes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROg_9rPpPQo&feature=related

11. U Got The Look (from Sign O' The Times, 1987) - 360 points, 14 votes, 1 first place

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vp7z0jADNpM&feature=related

rundown so far:

50. Uptown (from Dirty Mind, 1980) - 103 points, 4 votes
49. Hot Thing (from Sign O' The Times, 1987) - 108 points, 5 votes
48. 7 (from Love Symbol, 1992) - 108 points, 6 votes
47. Let's Pretend We're Married (from 1999, 1993) - 113 points, 5 votes
46. Cream (from Diamonds And Pearls, 1991) - 113 points, 6 votes
45. The Cross (from Sign O' The Times, 1987) - 123 points, 6 votes
44. Black Sweat (from 3121, 2006) - 128 points, 7 votes
43. Money Don't Matter 2 Night (from Diamonds And Pearls, 1992) - 130 points, 7 votes
42. The Most Beautiful Girl In The World (from The Gold Experience, 1995) - 133 points, 7
votes
41. Gett Off (from Diamonds And Pearls, 1992) - 138 points, 7 votes
40. Condition Of The Heart (from Around The World In A Day, 1985) - 141 points, 5 votes
39. Nothing Compares 2 U (Sinead O Connor, 1990) - 142 points, 6 votes
38. Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad? (from Prince, 1979) - 146 points, 5 votes
37. Starfish And Coffee (from Sign O' The Times, 1987) - 147 points, 7 votes
36. The Glamorous Life (Shiela E, 1984) - 154 points, 7 votes
35. How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore (B-Side to 1999, 1982) - 155 points, 6 votes
34. Sexy MF (from Love Symbol, 1992) - 158 points, 7 votes
33. She's Always In My Hair (B-side to Paisley Park, 1985) - 170 points, 7 votes
32. Head (from Dirty Mind, 1980) - 175 points, 7 votes
31. Strange Relationship (from Sign O' The Times, 1987) - 184 points, 8 votes
30. 17 Days (the rain will come down, then U will have 2 choose. If U believe, look 2 the dawn and U shall never lose.) (B-side to When Doves Cry. 1984) - 185 points, 8 votes
29. I Feel For You (Chaka Khan, 1984) - 194 points, 8 votes
28. Purple Rain (from Purple Rain, 1984) - 201 points, 8 votes
27. Lady Cab Driver (from 1999, 1982) - 217 points, 10 votes
26. Take Me With U (from Purple Rain, 1984) - 231 points, 10 votes
25. Adore (from Sign O' The Times, 1987) - 237 points, 9 votes, 2 first place
24. Something In The Water (Does Not Computer) (from 1999, 1982) - 251 points, 10 votes
23. Uptown (from Dirty Mind, 1980) - 260 points, 12 votes
22. Mountains (from Parade, 1986) - 274 point, 12 votes
21. Let's Go Crazy (from Purple Rain, 1984) - 274 points, 13 votes
20. Sometimes It Snows In April (from Parade, 1986) - 288 points, 12 votes, 2 first place
19. Sign O' The Times (from Sign O' The Times, 1987) - 292 points, 12 points, 2 first place
18. Dirty Mind (from Dirty Mind, 1980) - 299 points, 13 votes, 1 first place
17. If I Was Your Girlfriend (from Sign O' The Times, 1987) - 309 points, 13 votes
16. I Would Die 4 U (from Purple Rain, 1984) - 317 points, 12 votes, 1 first place
15. 1999 (from 1999, 1982) - 321 points, 15 votes
14. The Ballad Of Dorothy Parker (from Sign O' The Times, 1987) - 324 points, 14 votes, 1 first place
13. Alphabet St. (from Lovesexy, 1988) - 327 points, 14 votes
12. Pop Life (from Around The World In A Day, 1985) - 354 points, 15 votes
11. U Got The Look (from Sign O' The Times, 1987) - 360 points, 14 votes, 1 first place

never really rated U Got the Look, Pop Life also seems a bit high imho

Glad "Pop Life" is as high as it is. Feel it's, if anything, underrated by Prince fans.

When You Were Mine better be in the top ten, you freaks

V happy to see the Dorothy Parker love. My #1.

never really rated U Got the Look

O_o

man dont you give me any more shit for my dabney coleman revelation now

i think the 12-inch mix of "raspberry beret" would have been my no. 1 if i'd remembered to vote

I know this is self-evident, but looking at this and the Beatles poll as they relate to my own ballots, they reinforce for me the idea that the more you love an artist's work, the less you'll be in line with everyone else's perception of that work. I love the Beatles, and my ballot wasn't even close to the final results; I'm a casual Prince fan, and my ballot is very much in line with the final results.

I'm not crazy about "Alphabet Street" but it's never exactly set radio programmers on fire, which means it's basically an underrated Prince single.

I remember taping the Alphabet St video so that I could freeze frame it for hidden messages

"I'm sorry about the Black Album" iirc

lol strongo U Got the Look is fine, I don't think it's bad I just don't think it's better than, say, Let's Go Crazy or 1999 or Uptown or pretty much half the things that beat it out, really

hoping at least one Tony M cut makes the top ten

the other 5 songs from purple rain + ...

Prediction: #4 will be "The Greatest Romance Ever Sold."

man if "diamonds and pearls" shows up here i'm gonna plotz

"Alphabet St." is his worst '80s single, it makes me wanna spit to think of the songs it placed above

over the weekend i tried to draw up my prediction of the top 20 -- got everything so far except "Dorothy Parker," but now i only feel really confident about 8 of the top 10 and really am not sure at all what the other 2 will be

if "purple rain" isn't #1 can we just pretend like the poll didn't happen

uh

28. Purple Rain (from Purple Rain, 1984) - 201 points, 8 votes

"Purple Rain" is never anybody's #1

damn

"do me, baby" has to be in the top ten right

right

I've decided that you can pinpoint Prince's decline by the changes in his facial hair - once he got rid of the mustach/goatee combo, things started to go downhill. clean-shaven Prince is a terrible look imho

it's not like the 5 o'clock shadow era in the early '90s was better than the era with less facial hair that preceded it

I want you all to play very close attention to his costume and hair on Rave U2 the Fantastic's cover. "Fatigues" is right.

10. Kiss (from Mario Paint, 1992) - 355 points, 16 votes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAOyvqwRy-4

so there's like no chance of "sexy dancer" making the top 10 is there

i prob should've voted

::folds arms with silent disappointed stare::

my number 1 'u got the look' vote wasn't wasted then i suppose, nearly top 10 though. then again, i've heard '17 days' now.

so i'm always curious with these polls; any non fans/Prince-curious people out there discovered any tracks they really love so far?

― I'm A Genius, Too! (Jamie_ATP), Friday, July 29, 2011 8:26 PM (3 days ago)

loving the whole thing. Learning a lot. Thanks!

so i'm always curious with these polls; any non fans/Prince-curious people out there discovered any tracks they really love so far?

― I'm A Genius, Too! (Jamie_ATP)

yeah, been a fan for years but never really went deep into his/their catalog before and this has made me begin with that and i've been LOVING every damn minute. u got the look & lady cab driver are the only ones i voted for that made the list so far. guess i can rule out "sister" (my no. 1 or 2 iirc) placing since "when you were mine" hasn't surfaced yet, eh

y'know what? i concede that i simply don't get Dirty Mind as an album like other people do, but i really really don't think "Dirty Mind" is a great song, really not top 20 material. my only consolation is that "Controversy" is destined for the top 10.

I enjoy it as an album track: that slow, steady synth throb.

it's got a couple of my favorite songs he ever wrote. it's also got some filler vamps. but even the filler's got an energy to it that i love.

plus it's fucking filthy.

Dirty Mind was my #2. There is nothing I don't love about that song.

there's nothing I love about that song that I don't love about "Controversy" more

I think loving one and not the other is a little odd. Sometimes I want to hear one more than other, but I agree with Soto that "Dirty Mind" has a pretty great, warm, throbbing pulse.

"Controversy" is so present and so hooky, "Dirty Mind" is a little slip of a song by comparison

"Dirty Mind" is a little more "Minneapolis sound" too, I think, so I'm biased.

I also admire how Matt Fink plays with the speed at which he plays the synth hook.

Dirty Mind was one of my top votes. that throbbing beat plus those synths, and the bridge....all make that classic. great tune.

the chord progressions are awesome too

"controversy" > "dirty mind"

dirty mind > controversy

controversy is one of the best songs

controversy was in my top 20. Dirty Mind was actually my #1, on re-checking...

"controversy" is way way better than "dirty mind" -- "dirty mind" is hella minor imo

in my daddy's car....it's YOU I really wanna drive!

not minor! very major!

Brainwasher otm

in my daddy's car....it's YOU I really wanna drive!

not minor! very major!

― Rasta held after sex assault on goat (The Brainwasher), Monday, August 1, 2011 10:50 PM (54 seconds ago) Bookmark

if that line is what makes it major, it became minor after "Little Red Corvette"

"controversy" is so good that it can even overcome "people call me rude / i wish we all were nude"

it's so perfect. i feel really terrible about cutting it from my ballot but consoled that it's a lock for top 10.

i mean I do agree that "controversy" > "dirty mind" but not by much

the 12'' version of Controversy when he recites John 3:16 is like so next level

can a mod change the title to "If Tracks R Good" etc.?

"controversy" the song is very definitely > "dirty mind" the song

but dm the album is like two sweet wistful larks and then six tracks of manic fuck music, i.e. amazing

the chorus of "Controversy" >>>>>>>>>> all of "Dirty Mind"

the chorus of "Controversy" >>>>>>>>>> all of Dirty Mind

ok you went too far

the synth coda on "controversy" >>>>>> most of recorded music

that got out of control fast

like most of Dirty Mind's sex talk does

the synth line on "Controversy" is closer to Bernie Worrell's playing; is that why Eric Weisbard claims that it's Prince first "wholly successful" funk foray?

"controversy", though amazing, is not even the best song on 'controversy', also it would not be the best song on 'dirty mind'

he just wants to perform oral sex on you until you have a coronary, i don't understand what's so over the top about that

i'm just not into demos-turned-album, i guess -- i get annoyed with people who say Nebraska is Springsteen's best too

maybe i would know what was so filthy and great about Dirty Mind if the lyrics were remotely as audible as they are on pretty much every other Prince album

basically he deflowers a girl in her father's car, has an unsatisfying threesome, performs oral on a recently wed nubile, and fucks his imaginary sister

standard prince stuff, really

then he has a party!

And gets asked if he's gay somewhere along Lagoon Avenue.

And contemplates changing the sheets.

any non fans/Prince-curious people out there discovered any tracks they really love so far?

I didn't have the B-sides disc from Hits until this poll so 17 Days, She's Always in My Hair and Erotic City are the big revelations from this poll.

10. The Beautiful Ones (from Purple Rain, 1984) - 390 points, 14 votes, 4 first place

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vE3Iw4ZLtIM

aw man

was really hoping this would be #1 given how the votes had played out

Sorry but wasn't 'Kiss' number 10?...

the Mario Paint version of "Kiss" was not #10, no

...which is a travesty to say the least

Ha ha see what you did there...

Damn U all.

Hate the idea of something easy like "When Doves Cry" ending up at #1.

well... it's gonna happen so

Never realized that slow zoom into Appolonia was lifted from Nashville.

xpost Hate to break it to you Prince, but bass lines are important.

not in that song, tho

My #1 crashing out early there.

xpost Nothing in that song's important.

OK, I'm exaggerating. I'm just angry "Beautiful Ones" couldn't even crack the top 5. You bastards.

don't yell at me, I voted for it!

of course I also voted for "When Doves Cry", but it was below "The Beautiful Ones"

Pretty sure I only voted for the Purple Rain tracks that are destined to now place below the Purple Rain tracks I didn't vote for.

9. Controversy (from Controversy, 1981) - 443 points, 20 votes, 1 first place

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISZacjyerqc

Well, my plan to grousingly call the songs placing #1-#9 overrated is now foiled.

haha

#8. 3 Chains O' Gold

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cyceQGf1As

LOL

Ridiculous. Also seems like we need an "Unreleased Prince" poll...

that is not a nice thing you just did, Alfred

Haha! Didn't notice Alfred posted that.

Joke #8s are the new joke #1s.

"The Beautiful Ones" was my #1 too.

My top 3 have all shown up now.

I rather liked "3 Chains 'O' Gold" in '92!

8. Erotic City (b-side to Let's Go Crazy, 1984) - 484 points, 18 votes, 3 first place

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QkUabz15fc

7. Raspberry Beret (from Around The World In A Day, 1985) - 485 points, 21 votes, 1 first place

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87k4QLn_q-Y

wau 1 point!

"Erotic City" clearly scores higher on the "passion index," in every sense.

6. I Wanna Be Your Lover (from Prince, 1979) - 493 points, 20 votes, 3 first place

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20FQYU6lrII

Three first places and higher than Raspberry Beret? Huh.

From wedding-DJ experiences I can vouch that Raspberry Beret is the only failsafe Prince tune. Even Kiss loses a few people. And Erotic City… well let's just say I won't be invited to the anniversary party.

Didn't vote for Raspberry Beret. I know it's the kind of song I should like, but I didn't even care for it when it was new.

DID vote for I Wanna Be Your Lover, so...YAY!

"Pop Life" > "Raspberry Beret"

Very much so!

I mean, I like "Beret" fine, but I'm not feeling it as a top 10'er.

that's most of mine taken care of, i doubt 'a love bizarre' 'computer blue' 'all the critics love u in new york' 'forever in my life' or 'manic monday' will make it now. guessing 'when doves cry' 'little red corvette' 'do me, baby' 'when you were mine' and, um, 'diamonds and pearls'? am i missing something?

I'm guessing "Kiss" for real.

Yeah, there's no way Kiss isn't on this poll. The fact it's in the top 5 really isn't surprising.

Julia Roberts ruined that song for me.

xp. oh yeah, i'm an idiot.

5. Kiss (from Parade, 1986) - 520 points, 23 votes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76RhkQSjj_k

ha. sorry i'll stop guessing and ruining the build up now.

maybe i would know what was so filthy and great about Dirty Mind if the lyrics were remotely as audible as they are on pretty much every other Prince album

part of the appeal imo

From wedding-DJ experiences I can vouch that Raspberry Beret is the only failsafe Prince tune

i really think i've heard 'i wanna be your lover' at more weddings than 'raspberry beret', with 'kiss' close behind

If "Do Me Baby" is really in the top 4, I'm a bit floored.

would just like to interject that while Prince didn't have anything to do with them, the first two Andre Cymone solo albums are really good

now this will surprise and for a while it looked like it would win it

4. I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man (from Sign O' The Times, 1987) - 527 points, 22 votes, 2 first place

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twA4_cUKfgg

xp These are British weddings if that makes any difference. No Prince single charted in the UK before 1999 (the song not the year) so I Wanna Be Your Lover doesn't have much traction here, great though it is.

Surprised that Girls & Boys (unless it's coming up instead of Do Me, Baby) and Anotherlover… did so badly.

I was on holiday and didn't vote, but can I just say this is great. I would have had Ballad of Dorothy Parker at 1. Erotic City 2. Lady Cab Driver 3. All the Critics Love U in New York should have made it!

I've never really got into Prince ballads.

Trufact from one of the criminally out of touch -- when I first started listening to Prince back catalogue stuff for this ballot, I played "I Wanna Be Your Lover" and my first thought was "wait, this is Prince?! I remember this from high school." I thought I'd never heard anything by him from before Controversy.

3. Little Red Corvette (from 1999, 1982) - 537 points, 20 votes, 2 first place

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MS70tCPP-_4

xpost Yeah, def a shock on that one.

wd rather "When You Were Mine" wins over "Doves" tbh.

(Despite always thinking that song was kinda overrated.)

kinda surprised at the Never Take the Place of Your Man placing... I like the song and it's one of his best hooks but man, the middle really drags

One of the LRC #1 votes was me.

^^^ without Prince's solos the song goes nowhere. I hear the song as a gesture of irony. He could never take the place of her man? No? Even with these singing and guitar skills?

xpost to Shakes.

2. Wedding Feast (from The Rainbow Children, 2005) - 1999 points, 17 votes, 7 first place

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAhduV5Weck

One of the LRC #1 votes was me.

I was the other one.

okay then here we go

2. When Doves Cry (from Purple Rain, 1984) - 567 points, 22 votes, 2 first place

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09alPYUmxxM

1. When U Were Mine (from Dirty Mind, 1980) - 597 points, 23 votes, 2 first place

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vndmVlx9pI0

full rundown

50. Private Joy (from Controversy, 1981) - 103 points, 4 votes
49. Hot Thing (from Sign O' The Times, 1987) - 108 points, 5 votes
48. 7 (from Love Symbol, 1992) - 108 points, 6 votes
47. Let's Pretend We're Married (from 1999, 1993) - 113 points, 5 votes
46. Cream (from Diamonds And Pearls, 1991) - 113 points, 6 votes
45. The Cross (from Sign O' The Times, 1987) - 123 points, 6 votes
44. Black Sweat (from 3121, 2006) - 128 points, 7 votes
43. Money Don't Matter 2 Night (from Diamonds And Pearls, 1992) - 130 points, 7 votes
42. The Most Beautiful Girl In The World (from The Gold Experience, 1995) - 133 points, 7 votes
41. Gett Off (from Diamonds And Pearls, 1992) - 138 points, 7 votes
40. Condition Of The Heart (from Around The World In A Day, 1985) - 141 points, 5 votes
39. Nothing Compares 2 U (Sinead O Connor, 1990) - 142 points, 6 votes
38. Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad? (from Prince, 1979) - 146 points, 5 votes
37. Starfish And Coffee (from Sign O' The Times, 1987) - 147 points, 7 votes
36. The Glamorous Life (Shiela E, 1984) - 154 points, 7 votes
35. How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore (B-Side to 1999, 1982) - 155 points, 6 votes
34. Sexy MF (from Love Symbol, 1992) - 158 points, 7 votes
33. She's Always In My Hair (B-side to Paisley Park, 1985) - 170 points, 7 votes
32. Head (from Dirty Mind, 1980) - 175 points, 7 votes
31. Strange Relationship (from Sign O' The Times, 1987) - 184 points, 8 votes
30. 17 Days (the rain will come down, then U will have 2 choose. If U believe, look 2 the dawn and U shall never lose.) (B-side to When Doves Cry. 1984) - 185 points, 8 votes
29. I Feel For You (Chaka Khan, 1984) - 194 points, 8 votes
28. Purple Rain (from Purple Rain, 1984) - 201 points, 8 votes
27. Lady Cab Driver (from 1999, 1982) - 217 points, 10 votes
26. Take Me With U (from Purple Rain, 1984) - 231 points, 10 votes
25. Adore (from Sign O' The Times, 1987) - 237 points, 9 votes, 2 first place
24. Something In The Water (Does Not Computer) (from 1999, 1982) - 251 points, 10 votes
23. Uptown (from Dirty Mind, 1980) - 260 points, 12 votes
22. Mountains (from Parade, 1986) - 274 point, 12 votes
21. Let's Go Crazy (from Purple Rain, 1984) - 274 points, 13 votes
20. Sometimes It Snows In April (from Parade, 1986) - 288 points, 12 votes, 2 first place
19. Sign O' The Times (from Sign O' The Times, 1987) - 292 points, 12 points, 2 first place
18. Dirty Mind (from Dirty Mind, 1980) - 299 points, 13 votes, 1 first place
17. If I Was Your Girlfriend (from Sign O' The Times, 1987) - 309 points, 13 votes
16. I Would Die 4 U (from Purple Rain, 1984) - 317 points, 12 votes, 1 first place
15. 1999 (from 1999, 1982) - 321 points, 15 votes
14. The Ballad Of Dorothy Parker (from Sign O' The Times, 1987) - 324 points, 14 votes, 1 first place
13. Alphabet St. (from Lovesexy, 1988) - 327 points, 14 votes
12. Pop Life (from Around The World In A Day, 1985) - 354 points, 15 votes
11. U Got The Look (from Sign O' The Times, 1987) - 360 points, 14 votes, 1 first place
10. The Beautiful Ones (from Purple Rain, 1984) - 390 points, 14 votes, 4 first place
9. Controversy (from Controversy, 1981) - 443 points, 20 votes, 1 first place
8. Erotic City (b-side to Let's Go Crazy, 1984) - 484 points, 18 votes, 3 first place
7. Raspberry Beret (from Around The World In A Day, 1985) - 485 points, 21 votes, 1 first place
6. I Wanna Be Your Lover (from Prince, 1979) - 493 points, 20 votes, 3 first place
5. Kiss (from Parade, 1986) - 520 points, 23 votes
4. I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man (from Sign O' The Times, 1987) - 527 points, 22 votes, 2 first place
3. Little Red Corvette (from 1999, 1982) - 537 points, 20 votes, 2 first place
2. When Doves Cry (from Purple Rain, 1984) - 567 points, 22 votes, 2 first place
1. When U Were Mine (from Dirty Mind, 1980) - 597 points, 23 votes, 2 first place

wow!

i had no idea so many people loved 'when u were mine' that much (i do, but i think it was in the middle of my ballot).

'when doves cry' may be overplayed, but it's got everything. also, maybe there isn't a proper tonal bassline, but there IS bass on that tune - that descending eighth note lick that sounds like it came from a drum machine.

Great finish!!!

Darling Nikki didn't place!

Nor did "Computer Blue"!

man none of my picks made it :(

1. Jughead
2. Billy Jack Bitch
3. Pope
4. 2045: Radical Man
5. Emale
6. Family Name
7. Cybersingle
8. East
9. Cloreen Bacon Skin
10. 18 & Over
11. Illusion, Coma, Pimp & Circumstance
12. Return Of The Bump Squad
13. Digital Garden
14. Dolphin
15. Future Baby Mama
16. Hypnoparadise
17. Hallucination Rain
18. Gangster Glam
19. Poompoom
20. Acknowledge Me

so pissed I left off that Vikings song

Shakey, that's half a great least, yuks aside.

that is a.... weird choice for #1.

highest of yours was Billy Jack Bitch at 79 (with one other vote)

I count 2, maybe 3 not horrible songs.

these ones just missed out:

51. Sister
52. Bob George
53. Another Lonely Christmas
54. Delirious
55. Tambourine
56. I Wish U Heaven
57. Pink Cashmere
58. Nasty Girl (Vanity 6)
59. Bambi
60. Anotherloveholenyohead

58. Nasty Girl (Vanity 6)

You dropped the ball on this one, ILM.

We need anotherpollapollapollapollinyohead

was i the only one honest enough to vote for 'let's go crazy'?

oh nevermind, didn't see it at #21 there

Normally I hate it when something unknown to me wins but not here, well done you lot.

When You Were Mine is unknown to you? O_O

58. Nasty Girl (Vanity 6)
60. Anotherloveholenyohead

I did my part to get these in the top 50, but alas it was not meant to be.

Here was my list--not real sexy, because I hadn't played some of these albums in a while and didn't get to revisit them all...

1-Dirty Mind
2-I Wish U Heaven
3-When Doves Cry
4-Beautiful Ones
5-Purple Rain
6-Sometimes It Snows in April
7-The Most Beautiful Girl in the World
8-Little Red Corvette
9-I Wanna Be Your Lover
10-I Would Die 4 U
11-Condition of the Heart
12-I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man
13-Lady Cab Driver
14-Annie Christian
15-Controversy
16-Under the Cherry Moon
17-The Morning Papers
18-When U Were Mine
19-Lolita
20-Emale

most of 51-60 would have been on my list had i voted

ah well

Uh xp - not much of a fan compared to u heads I guess.

I'm the most predictable part-time Prince fan alive:

1. "I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man" (shorter 45 version)
2. "Mountains"
3. "Nothing Compares 2 U" (Sinead O'Connor)
4. "Raspberry Beret"
5. "Erotic City"
6. "When You Were Mine" (Prince)
7. "The Glamorous Life" (Sheila E)
8. "U Got the Look"
9. "When You Were Mine" (Cyndi Lauper)
10. "Alphabet St."

I'd also completely forgotten about Chaka Khan's "I Feel for You," otherwise I would have dropped the duplicate "When You Were Mine" and been 10 for 10.

Here's my hastily put together list. Wish more (any?) unreleased stuff made it in:

Wonderful Ass
In All My dreams
Lady cab driver
Condition Of the Heart
The Beautiful Ones
Adore
When Doves Cry
Anna stesia
Soul Sanctuary
Come
Cool
Ballad Of Dorothy Parker
I Wish U heaven
Purple Music
Heaven
Dirty Mind
Controversy
Life can Be So Nice
Sometimes It Snows In april

My ballot

Sign O the Times
A Love Bizarre (Sheila E)
Anotherloverholenyohead
U Got the Look
Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad?
Pop Life
Kiss
When You Were Mine
Nasty Girl (Vanity 6)
Mountains
La, La, La, He, He, Hee
When 2 R in Love
The Glamorous Life (Sheila E)
The Most Beautiful Girl in the World
I Wanna Be Your Lover
The Ballad of Dorothy Parker
When Doves Cry
Girl
Alphabet St.
Controversy

My List:
1. How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore?
2. Little Red Corvette (Dance Mix)
3. I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man
4. Kiss (Single Version)
5. U Got The Look (Long Look)
6. Baby I'm A Star
7. Let's Pretend We're Married
8. Train (Unreleased/Dream Factory Prince Version)
9. International Lover
10. Head
11. Cool (The Time)
12. Strange Relationship (Dream Factory Sitar Version)
13. I Wanna Be Your Lover
14. 17 Days (the rain will come down, then U will have 2 choose. If U believe, look 2 the dawn and U shall never lose.)
15. Gotta Broken Heart Again
16. Bambi
17. The Glamorous Life (Sheila E)
18. Nothing Compares 2 U (The Family)
19. Peach
20. Jack U Off

Sister, Erotic City and Nasty Girl were all cut last minute, and I stupidly forgot about Another Lonely Christmas. Feel particularly bad about Nasty Girl.

Woah didn't see that one coming but great choice...Jamie any chance you can post everyone's top 20's??...please...

My ballot:
01. Erotic City
02. Controversy
03. 17 Days (Extended Version)
04. When You Were Mine
05. Lady Cab Driver
06. Housequake
07. Little Red Corvette
08. Raspberry Beret
09. I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man
10. Just My Imagination (Live at the Small Club 1988)
11. Sign O' The Times
12. Pop Life
13. I Wanna Be Your Lover (Live, Dimitri From Paris Re-Edit)
14. Kiss
15. Uptown
16. She's Always In My Hair
17. La, La, La, He, He, Hee (Extended Version)
18. P Control
19. Bob George
20. Temptation

Biggest omissions in hindsight were "Let's Pretend We're Married", "Shockadelica" & the Time's "777-9311"; surprised "Housequake" didn't make the top 60!

fine, here's mine -

1) When Doves Cry
2) Erotic City
3) Head
4) Let's Go Crazy
5) I Love U in Me
6) I Wanna Be Your Lover
7) D.M.S.R.
8) Baby I'm a Star
9) She's Always in My Hair
10) Lady Cab Driver
11) Black Sweat
12) When U Were Mine
13) 777-9311
14) Adore
15) Controversy
16) Cool
17) Dirty Mind
18) Automatic
19) Kiss
20) Darling Nikki

sorry dude a bit too busy to do that - off on holiday in the morning. thanks to everyone for voting, has been fun!

01. The Beautiful Ones
02. I Feel For You [Chaka Khan version]
03. If I Was Your Girlfriend
04. Erotic City
05. Something In The Water (Does Not Compute)
06. 4 The Tears In Your Eyes ["We Are The World" LP version]
07. I Would Die 4 U
08. Pop Life
09. Adore
10. The Question of U
11. U [Paula Abdul]
12. 1999
13. Nasty Girl [Vanity 6]
14. Sexuality
15. How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore?
16. Private Joy
17. Joy in Repetition
18. Do Me, Baby
19. Purple Music
20. The Line

Probably should've made room for "The Bird" on my ballot.

1. Delirious
Sinead O'Connor - Nothing Compares 2 U #39
Sister
D.M.S.R.
Little Red Corvette #3
Raspberry Beret #7
Let's Go Crazy #21
Pop Life #12
Sexy M.F. #34
Alphabet St. #13
Baby I'm a Star
Take Me with U #24
1999 #15
Erotic City #8
Sheila E - The Glamorous Life #36
I Wanna Be Your Lover #6
Let's Pretend We're Married #47
Play in the Sunshine
It
20. When Doves Cry #2

i like how Sister, Bambi, Nasty Girl and Bob George were all just outside the Top 50. ILX is filthy.

Kinda wish "Sister" was 8 minutes long sometimes.

1. Little Red Corvette
2. I Feel For You
3. Pop Life
4. Mountains
5. Raspberry Beret
6. Kiss
7. Let's Go Crazy
8. 1999
9. Delirious
10. When Doves Cry
11. I Wanna Be Your Lover
12. When You Were Mine
13. Alphaet St.
14. Purple Rain
15. Controversy
16. U Got the Look
17. Manic Monday
18. Girls & Boys
19. Sexy M.F.
20. Come

In retrospect I wish I'd put "Sometimes It Snows" in "Manic Monday"'s place.

surprise upset! not that i'm complaining.

"Bambi" made my ballot!

this is like some proto-chillwave shit
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PIfq-haO0E&feature=related

my ballot:

Sometimes It Snows In April
If I Was Your Girlfriend
The Beautiful Ones
Erotic City
When Doves Cry
Something In The Water (Does Not Compute)
Mountains
Housequake
Adore
Letitgo
Controversy
Alphabet St
P Control
Do Me, Baby
Strange Relationship
Kiss
The Most Beautiful Girl In The World
The Human Body
Tambourine
Black Sweat

I wish I had put on "Let's Pretend We're Married"

Thanks to you people, I downloaded Come.

1. The Beautiful Ones
2. Private Joy
3. Mountains
4. 17 Days
5. The Morning Papers
6. Strange Relationship
7. I Could Never Take The Place of Ur Man
8. When U Were Mine
9. How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore
10. Something in the Water (Does Not Compute)
11. Tambourine
12. Joy In Repetition
13. The Cross
14. The Holy River
15. Chelsea Rodgers
16. Endorphinmachine
17. 7
18. Cream
19. Bambi
20. Erotic City

Let's pretend our ballots are Alfred married.

I didn't think about it a 'tall – I just thought of twenty Prince tracks I liked.

That's where the "pretend" part comes in.

Mine:

1 The Ballad Of Dorothy Parker
2 Alphabet St.
3 Manic Monday (The Bangles)
4 When You Were Mine
5 Strange Relationship
6 Controversy
7 I Wanna Be Your Lover
8 The Belle of St Mark (Sheila E)
9 When Doves Cry
10 U Got The Look
11 Raspberry Beret
12 1999
13 Lady Cab Driver
14 Bob George
15 Take Me With U
16 Paisley Park
17 New Position
18 Eye Know
19 Uptown
20 I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man

Dorothy Parker is a funny song... it doesn't have anything to do with the actual Dorothy Parker, did he just like the sound of her name or something?

I guess so - it's full of peculiar, slightly puzzling details like that - lyric's such a good fit for the wobbly, dreamy sound.

1. Head
2. I Wonder U
3. Kiss
4. 1999
5. When Doves Cry
6. Erotic City
7. Mountains
8. Let’s Pretend We’re Married
9. Raspberry Beret
10. Adore
11. Sign O The Times
12. I Wanna Be Your Lover
13. D.M.S.R.
14. Darling Nikki
15. Alphabet St.
16. Pop Life
17. Play In the Sunshine
18. “7”
19. Anotherloverholenyohead
20. Lady Cab Driver

Mine:
Pink Cashmere
Condition Of The Heart
How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore?
Alphabet St.
Little Red Corvette
Raspberry Beret
The Morning Papers
Pop Life
Take Me With U
The Ballad Of Dorothy Parker
Sexy M.F.
Joy In Repetition
Money Don't Matter 2 Night
Black Sweat
Chelsea Rodgers
The Most Beautiful Girl In The World
Adore
The Holy River
I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man
I Feel For You

1. Little Red Corvette
2. Dirty Mind
3. When You Were Mine
4. U Got The Look
5. When Doves Cry
6. Raspberry Beret
7. It
8. Forever In My Life
9. Sign O The Times
10. I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man
11. The Beautiful Ones
12. Slow Love
13. Money Don’t Matter 2 Night
14. Kiss
15. Uptown
16. Do Me Baby
17. 1999
18. Mountains
19. Let’s Go Crazy
20. Starfish and Coffee

My top 20

Erotic city
Dirty mind
Something in the water (does not compute)
Do it all night
Automatic
Let's pretend we're married
Let's go crazy
U got the look
Electric chair
The future
My name is prince
Another lonely Christmas
Pope
Controversy
Sister
I could never take the place of your man
Head
Jack u off
When you were mine
Gett off

Erotic City
When Doves Cry
U Got the Look
Ballad of Dorothy Parker
Joy In Repetition
Black Sweat
A Love Bizarre
She's Always In My Hair
Another Lonely Christmas
Hot Thing
Come
Billy Jack Bitch
Money Don't Matter 2Night
Thieves in the Temple (Remix)
Strange Relationship
17 Days
Kiss
Bob George
Alphabet Street (Lovesexy Extended Version)
Something In the Water Does Not Compute

i was the other billy jack bitch fan apparently
almost interchangable with Pope for me in some ways

and y'all are missing out on Joy in Repetition.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDiRUM_7T1I

Voted for it.

Glad "Pink Cashmere" got some love.

if i were to do my poll again now it would be unrecognisable from the one i submitted. the perils of rushing one through.

there's a disturbing lack of "sexy dancer" itt

my ballot:

Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad?
Little Red Corvette
I Would Die 4 U
Adore
She's Always In My Hair
Another Lonely Christmas
I Could Never Take The Place of Your Man
Tambourine
Darling Nikki
Endorphinmachine
If I Was Your Girlfriend
Call My Name
1999
Mountains
Pop Life
Something In The Water (Does Not Compute)
The Cross
The Morning Papers
Uptown
Come

here's how the albums shake out in terms of points for songs that placed in the top 50:

1. Sign O The Times: 2611 points for 10 songs
2. Purple Rain: 1980 points for 6 songs
3. 1999: 1439 points for 5 songs
4. Dirty Mind: 1331 points for 4 songs
5. Parade: 1082 points for 3 songs
6. Around The World In A Day: 980 points for 3 songs
7. Prince: 833 points for 3 songs (including "I Feel For You")
8. Controversy: 546 points for 2 songs
9. Diamonds And Pearls: 381 points for 3 songs
10. Love Symbol: 258 points for 2 songs

also:
994 points for 4 b-sides
490 points for 3 songs that were hits for other artists (including "I Feel For You")

actually no the last should be:

10. Lovesexy: 327 points for 1 song

ok i just heard 'mountains' 4 the first time :-O

Omg how can that be

"Mountains" is legit

I KNOW! NOW!

YAY!! I didn't vote but When You Were Mine is my favorite Prince song so WELL DONE FOLKS!

<3

Glad to see I was not the only one who voted for anna stesia, here is my quickly thrown together ballot, and oh yeah nasty girl shoulda been in the top 50

Biggest oh shit afterwards was something in the water does not compute

Also surprised by al the love for alphabet street which is great but did not expectto see that high

Adore
Anna Stesia
Pink Cashmere
When you were mine
Uptown
Erotic City
Starfish & coffee
If I was your girlfriend
The ballad of Dorothy parker
Little Red Corvette
Nasty girl (Vanity 6)
Mountains
I Could Never Take the Place of your Man
Computer blue
How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore?
I feel for you (Chaka Khan version)
I wanna be your lover
Sometimes it snows in april
Kiss
Housequake

(and oh wow, must be fun hearing mountains for the first time)

Here's mine

20. Crazy You
I know it goes against percieved wisdom but I adore the first album...pure anadulterated Prince...the sound of someone being let loose in the candy store...this is just lovely
19. Leaving For New York
Only discovered this fairly recently...a home demo from '76...Prince on the piano playing his little heart out...again it has essence of Prince all over it
18. Future Baby Mama
The only track I chose post 1987...think cos it contains that quirky major/minor Prince sequence and cos it sounds like something from 87!!
17. In Love
First proper track on first album...a bit corny I know but still brill
16. Tambourine
Weird funk groove...great drumming...off the hook vocals...Prince in a nutshell
15. Bambi
Prince goes metal and decides to turn a lesbian straight...now that's the kinda therapy I'm talkin about!!
14. Private Joy
Pure Minneapolis pop/funk...impossible not to shake your booty to this
13. Soft And Wet
First single I believe...love the story about Prince telling Warners that Maurice White would not be producing his album...He would!!
12. 17 Days
Prince's b-sides trumped most other artists entire catalogues...this is just extraordinary...
11. When You Were Mine
One of Prince's purist pop moments...but with so much soul
10 .Raspberry Beret
Wonder what the Warner execs thought when they heard ATWIAD...they must of been a lot of relief in the room when they this
9. Little Red Corvette
Sexy,sly and funky this track never gets tired...a track everyone can agree is genius
8. When Doves Cry
Heard this on the radio recently for the first time in ages and it slayed me like the first time I heard it...immense
7. I Wanna Be Your Lover
Michael had Don't Stop...Prince had this...Real men sing in Falsetto...if you don't dance to this you don't dance...
6. 1999
I remember hearing this for the first time as an 11 year old kid...Probably the most seminal musical moment of
my life...things would never be the same again
5.Kiss
Can't think of many greater 3 minutes in pop than this...pure perfection
4. Uptown
Black,White,Puerto Rican everyone just a-freakin...this is tight as fuck
3. Something In The Water(Does Not Compute)
Dark and Weird as you like...Prince as Norman Bates...They Don't make em like this no more
2. The Ballad Of Dorothy Parker
Can't think of another artist that could produce something as fucked up as this...thank god for Prince..
1. Condition Of The Heart
The track that defines the word Fey...there are'nt the words to describe my love for this...the most gorgeous sublime track ever recorded...

Great list, I'm delighted with the result.

My list

1. When You Were Mine
2. Controvesy
3. I Would Die 4 U
4. She's Always In My Hair
5. Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad?
6. Pop Life
7. Take Me With You
8. Sometimes It Snows In April
9. If I Was Ur Girlfriend
10. Lady Cab Driver
11. Bambi
12. The Cross
13. Something In The Water (Does Not Compute)
14. Anotherloverholenyohead
15. Sign 'O' The Times
16. Starfish & Coffee
17. Dirty Mind
18. 17 Days
19. Gold
20. Jack U Off

1. I could never take the place of your man
2. Little red corvette
3. She's always in my hair
4. Another lonely christmas
5. When doves cry
6. If I was your girlfriend
7. How come u don't call me anymore
8. 'Nothing Compares 2 U' (Sinéad O'Connor)
9. Kiss
10. When u were mine
11. Take me with U
12. sexy MF
13. 7
14. Darling Nikki
15. Extra loveable
16. I wanna be your lover
17. The ballad of dorothy parker
18. Lady cab driver
19. Sign o' the times
20. Sometimes it snows in April

Sonnyboy, you give good comment...I enjoyed that

Guess I'm not that hardcore of a Prince freak - my ballot was mostly hits or well-known album tracks. I do have almost all of his albums, but I probably listen to The Hits/The B-Sides more than any of them 'cept maybe Dirty Mind. I think it does more to establish his genius and listens better than any of his regular studio albums. Even after about a decade as a fan, I'm still getting my head around Sign of the Times though several of its tracks made my ballot. That might actually have something to do with the fact that's it's one of the worst-mastered CDs I've ever heard. Should probably just spring for the vinyl, but I need to get a record player first.

My picks:

1) Adore
2) Head
3) 1999
4) The Beautiful Ones
5) U Got the Look
6) 777-9311 (The Time)
7) The Most Beautiful Girl In The World (Album version)
8) Controversy
9) When U Were Mine
10) Dirty Mind
11) Kiss
12) I Wanna Be Your Lover
13) New Position
14) When Doves Cry
15) Let's Go Crazy
16) Pop Life
17) Little Red Corvette
18) The Ballad of Dorothy Parker
19) It
20) Uptown

Probably would have swapped "Starfish & Coffee" for "Ballad of Dorothy Parker" on second thought, and was going back and forth about "DMSR". Might not have even voted for "When You Were Mine" at all if I coulda known it would top our poll - I mean it's great, but it's not that great. Oh well - such surprises are what these polls are for.

Derf, Sign 'O' the Times, I fucking knew that.

xpost There's some Japanese reissues of his catalog that sound like more than just plain ol' reissues to my ears. The SOTT one particularly sounds like a very good remastering. They're floating around...

interesting excerpt from a new book about Prince: http://blog.discmakers.com/2011/06/prince-before-the-revolution/

anyone read it? i've already ready Dance Music Sex Romance, which is great and fairly comprehensive, but i don't know if there's anything stopping me from reading 2 books about Prince.

Oh wonderful, the most indie-credible Prince song won. Well done, all of you.

is that true?

also where is dat spotify playlist

brits woulda had one up 6 hours ago

I knew even before voting began that When You Were Mine and When Doves Cry were going to be battling it out for #1 and #2. Thought Kiss might be #3, but I was off by two places.

Anyone who had anything other than "Scarlet Pussy" as their #1 is a disgusting savage.

Okay, not really.

Oh wonderful, the most indie-credible Prince song won. Well done, all of you.

― dutty whiney (The Reverend), Wednesday, August 3, 2011 1:20 AM (13 minutes ago) Bookmark

^^^^

can someone explain that to me? no fauxnaifo

1. Paisley Park
2. Starfish & Coffee
3. Purple Rain
4. When You Were Mine
5. I Wanna Be Your Lover
6. Sometimes It Snows In April
7. Take Me With U
8. Dirty Mind
9. Let's Pretend We're Married
10. I Would Die 4 U
11. I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man
12. Computer Blue
13. Temptation
14. Let's Go Crazy
15. Bambi
16. Play in the Sunshine
17. When Doves Cry
18. Head
19. Raspberry Berret
20. Pussy Control

sorta surprised "paisley park" didn't make the cut. that chorus is so effortlessly pretty.

top 10 hits that didn't place: "Batdance" (#1), "Diamonds And Pearls" (#3), "Thieves In The Temple" (#6), "Delirious" (#8)

other songs i was surprised didn't place: "Darling Nikki," "Do Me, Baby," "Nasty Girl"

yeah im w/ jordan, can someone pls explain? didnt really know that when you were mine was indie-credible in any way

Knee-jerking in the laziest and least interesting way possible from what I can see. Prince is pretty much back-to-front indie credible from what I can see.

Parade got stiffed. Love every song on that record.

When You Were Mine is great and all but it feels more like a cool new-wave one-off than essence-of-Prince. An odd number one. Fun poll though.

Spotify list here

This thread is reminding me of why I hate myself for not being a bigger Prince fan. I literally didn't give a monkeys about him until I impulse-bought a best-of a few years back, but I know if I delved in a bit more I'd be a huge fan.

Do it. This poll has already made me a bigger fan.

UK hits which didn't make the 50:

2 Batdance
7 Thieves In The Temple
7 My Name Is Prince
10 Gold
11 Girls And Boys
11 Betcha By Golly Wow
14 Partyman
14 Peach
18 Paisley Park (although the B-side made it)
19 The Holy River
20 Eye Hate U
24 I Wish U Heaven
25 Diamonds & Pearls
26 New Power Generation
27 The Arms Of Orion
28 Thunder
29 Glam Slam
30 Letitgo
36 Anotherloverholenyohead
36 Dinner With Delores

Many thanks for that Spotify link DL! About 3 hours in and so far I realise I haven't listen to 'conroversy' anything like enough in my life, also had never heard 'sometime in snows in april' which is excellent

Yeah, Controversy gets better every time I hear it.

i'll say it again...cos he hasn't released a truly decent album in nearly 25 years he really is in danger of being forgotten as possibly the greatest musician of the last fifty years...that 78-88 period is unbelevable...as well as all the singles,albums and b sides there's all the stuff that was unrealeased and given away to other artists...I still cant get my head round how he did it and toured excessively at the same time and made films and slept ate and...well maybe he didnt do a poo for 15 years...thats maybe why he got a little kranky...

^^^^
this

except of course for the truly decent or better albums he's released in the past 25 years, which would include:

Sign O' The Times
Lovesexy
Diamonds and Pearls
Love Symbol
Come
Chaos and Disorder
Emancipation
Crystal Ball
The Rainbow Children
Musicology
3121
Planet Earth

"truly decent" is not a particularly high bar to get over!

he really is in danger of being forgotten as possibly the greatest musician of the last fifty years.

no offense but no one has forgotten.

4 of his last 5 albums were top 5 debuts, one of which (3121, which also went gold) was #1 (Musicology peaked at #3 but went double-platinum in the US)

or, what Alfred said

Prince is one of the few musicians of the last thirty years whose catalogue is vast enough that my students can name at least four songs they love.

I do believe that a lot of the kinderlach seem to know Diamonds And Pearls period on wards and forget about the pre purple rain stuff...Ok let's say almost 25 years then but no matter your protestations and I know there are great things post 88 but you can't tell me 'Chaos And Disorder' is very good...I'll listen to it tonight just to make sure...

I don't expect classic Prince albums anymore, I guess...? It's not a big deal. No one could continue his rate of excellence. "Very good" is enough.

no one is forgetting prince anytime soon, you can rest easy

he murdered the super bowl halftime show to universal acclaim like three years ago or something

I think I always knew, but wasn't conscious of until just now, when someone called "When You Were Mine" an "indie" choice, that the chords and guitar riff were lifted for the Replacements' "Kiss Me on the Bus."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDH6W-bU8wo

I don't like Chaos and Disorder all that much either, but I wouldn't say it was worse than "actually decent"

wow i sure would

and yay i am an idiot and totally missed voting in this

tbf i would have just been stupidly voting for gold album and first NPG album shit that had no chance of placing so

I like "Dinner With Dolores" and "Dig U Better Dead" too much to write off the album entirely.

actually shit i always forget that dig u better dead is on there! that song is ok!

i think i was just so awash w/ prince new stuff at the time and knew the whole supposed ok you want another album here is all the crap i dont give a shit about rumors that it might have tainted my opinions

my #1 would have probably been "count the days"/"return of the bump squad"/"horny toad". or "billie jack bitch" maybe.

when u were mine is fucking indestructible. the cyndi lauper cover is (of course) quite beautiful as well, maybe even more beautiful.

IIRC

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbzxA-5OfWc

i thought chaos and disorder actually WAS a "leftovers" album while come was actually a "real" album that prince advertised as a "leftovers" album to spite warner bros.

or maybe i'm thinking of old friends 4 sale (=worst prince album?)

i thought chaos and disorder actually WAS a "leftovers" album while come was actually a "real" album that prince advertised as a "leftovers" album to spite warner bros.

correct! chaos is the record that completed his contract with warner bros. and is basically stuff from the vault

prince made come and gold experience at the same time (they contain basically every song in glam slam ulysses between the two of them) and wanted them released simultaneously but warner bros. wasn't having that

damn i fuck with that lauper cover heavy

cannot parse that sentence

see what the song is doing to him?

you can hardly blame warners, really -- i think there sense that a glut of prince albums would bring his stock down was basically correct.

prince in not having best commercial instincts shocker.

there = their