The Worst Song on Prince's 'The Hits' 1 & 2

cream or pope

"Thieves In The Temple" doesn't do anything for me at all. Particularly as I think it's supposed to be an allusion to his disagreements with Warner Brothers.

So obviously "Pope"

yeah, Thieves in the Temple or Pope, or maybe even 7, which is just obnoxious.

Everything else mentioned so far has at least one awesome thing in it ("Thieves": the guitar solo; "Cream": the totally suave delivery; "7": the vocal harmonies). "Pope" is just generic nu-Prince with no distinguishing characteristics; he did the song much better as "Pheremone" off the Come album.

dude, I looove "Cream." Best song to strut down the street to ever, pretty much.

"Thieves" is kinda fun but not astounding.

So yeah, a cross between "7" and "Pope" and I voted "7" because the melody is utterly forgettable and it's probably the only song on that list that I don't know all the words to.

you know what? I don't fuck with "Alphabet St."

you mad

7 has a great melody!!

(also Cream is a tight little pop ditty wtf people)

If you hate "Alphabet St", you are maybe a millimeter away from lurching down a dark street groaning "BRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAINS...."

The original version of "Nothing Compares 2 U."

I'm also not too fond of "Pop Life." Like its parent album, it's too tentative.

I could call Around The World In A Day many things but "tentative" is not one of them.

Sounds like a dress rehearsal for the brilliance of Parade, but we're not going to rehash this argument.

Maybe it sounds like that if you heard Parade first or are legally deaf. But yeah, let's not rehash this argument.

by the way, if you're out of reasons to hate Elvis Costello, let me direct you to his cover of "Pop Life."

"Sexy MF," easy

I don't really mind "Pope" at all. Especially the part where he talks about loops.

"Pop Life" is the only song by Prince I prefer the Dump version of on that tribute disc, but I still enjoy the track. "Nothing Compares 2U" is the one I'm most likely to skip, it's not the "original version" but a live duet between him and Rosie Gaines on some NPG tour, and it really doesn't work for me.

I voted "7" because the melody is utterly forgettable

this is madness

All in all I REALLY prefer Hits 2 to hits 1.

I have never heard the "original" version of Nothing Compares 2 U, was that ever released...? The live version is totally boring.

It's on The Family's sole album, which I've never heard anyone talk about ever outside of a Prince biography.

The original version of "Nothing Compares 2 U."

That's on the Family album -- this one's live. And pretty good.

I'd say it's one of the hitherto unreleased cuts -- "Pope," "Peach," etc. I honestly don't even remember them.

Now, if you want to talk hits, we could say "Diamonds and Pearls" which is pretty overblown -- and not in a good way, exactly.

x-post, obv. Some weird glitch w/ ILM, since I tried to post that a half hour ago.

"Diamonds and Pearls," maybe; depends how I'm feeling about that guitar solo and Rosie Gaines' subsequent bit.

I heard "Pink Cashmere" a few weeks ago -- I used to own the cassingle! -- and it sounded great.

I went straight for "Nothing Compares 2 U," which I now realize was a stupid protest vote. (though I've never cared much for it--not especially compelling.) obviously the real answer is "D&P," about which I feel approxmiately the way Chuck does about "Sexy MF" or Dan does about "Domino Dancing"

awww I think "Diamonds And Pearls" is kinda sweet (or at least funny) every ten years when I hear it.

If "America" had made the cut I might have voted for it.

oh come on that song is funny - riff is great too

Prince talking politics = laffs

I'm also not too fond of "Pop Life." Like its parent album, it's too tentative.

-- Alfred, Lord Sotosyn

this is crazy

you are a horrible man

oh come on that song is funny - riff is great too

VH-1 used to play a GRATE long, live version of "America."

Ronnie Talk to Russia before it's too late!!

"Diamonds and Pearls" ugh.

at that point I thought it could not possibly get worse for him than "D to the I to the A to the M/O to the N to the D to the pearls of love."

Voted "Peach" and I'm surprised nobody else did. Completely pointless attempt at "rocking out".

I kinda group "Alphabet St" and "Diamonds & Pearls" together in my head. They both have overblown production, dumb cheesy lyrics, and prominent femme vox that I'm not sure really belong. But I love them both a lot.

also, Peach is grand.

"Pope" is the only song listed that I have no immediate memory of - but the only song I actively dislike is "Thieves In The Temple".

at that point I thought it could not possibly get worse for him than "D to the I to the A to the M/O to the N to the D to the pearls of love."

Oh, is THAT what she says...

I kinda group "Alphabet St" and "Diamonds & Pearls" together in my head. They both have overblown production

How can "Alphabet St" be accused of "overblown production"? It's pretty lean!

it's an electric guitar and some handclaps and a drum machine and singing.

Worthy of Phil Spector.

I can't remember what the new songs that weren't otherwise already famous (i.e. not "Nothing Compares 2 U") sound like, but I doubt any of them are more pointedly tepid than "Diamonds & Pearls".

People nomming "7" and "Alphabet St." are completely fucking batshit, btw.

"Alphabet St." just sounds to me like a harbinger of the tinny beats and ill-conceived nods to hip hop that would follow a few years later.

"Pop Life" is one of the my top 5 Prince singles.

There is a bass line to "Alphabet St." Perhaps some of you should listen to it.

It's between "Diamonds and Pearls" and "Pope" for me. The latter wins for being absolutely pointless.

Voting for "Pope" or one of the other new non-hits tacked onto the collection at the time of release seems kinda pointless to me, it's more fun to argue about what the worst singles are.

I was really happy that noone was bringing up "My Name Is Prince" until I realized it's not on this comp.

DID YO MAMA TELL YOU LIFE WAS TOO GOOD TO WASTE?!?

66 (67!)

these are to only ones I'm not so hot for:

Pink Cashmere
Thieves in the Temple
Diamonds and Pearls
Peach
Sexy MF
Gett Off
Cream
Pope
Purple Rain

okay, maybe "overblown" wasn't a suitable word choice. Maybe definitely not at all, and I'm actually not sure why I used it. I mostly meant that both of the songs have strange, arguably ill-advised, cornball shit going on that most of my favorite Prince songs don't have (the perhaps-unneeded femme vox, Alphabet's hip-hop breakdown and "put your love down there when u wanna get shot," Diamond's D-to-the-I, etc).

I kind of like those elements in these particular songs, though I can see why they'd irritate someone. When Prince tries similar tricks on, say, "Jughead," I want to puke down my shirt several times. However, "Alphabet St" and "Diamonds & Pearls" manage to hold it all in check enough to hint at the Horrible to follow, but still be pretty awesome songs in and of themselves.

also, "Pink Cashmere" is one of my favorite Prince songs. I mean, along with 5847895 others, but still.

put your love down there when u wanna get shot,"

This part is great.

"Pink Cashmere" and "Alphabet Street" would both figure in my All Time Prince Top Five...

nothing compares 2 u or pope.

"Nothing Compares 2 U” is so very unnecessary.

I love that version of "Nothing" just for the hilarious interplay of Rosie vamping "I WENT TO THE DOCTOR AND GUESS WHAT HE TOLD ME, GUESS WHAT HE TOLD ME" while Prince nonchalantly interjects "what'd he tell you?" and "I'm listening," etc.

that stuff is right behind Lou Reed's incessant scatting on the Velvets live reunion album in the "hey master songwriter stfu" dept for me.

The video for "7" is fucking incredible. The lyrics are fucking immortal too.

Fuck :D

"Diamonds And Pearls" for me. Tripe. And I don't care how cool your Typhoon (TM) hairdo was, Prince.

This is pretty hard. I like most of those songs a lot.

Worst:

1. Peach
2. Thieves in the Temple
3. U Got The Look
4. Do Me Baby
5. Pope
6. Gett Off
7. Nothing Compares 2 U

U Got The Look

rong!

We all have our irrational hatreds, so I guess that's one of mine, but I hate that song.

I did the same thing as Matos. Lunged toward his own version of "Nothing" then realized "d to the.." etc. and went "AAAAAAAAAAAAUGH!"

4. Do Me Baby

INSANITY. If the comp has the edited version, I understand, maybe.

xpost - "his" being Prince's. I'm sure Matos's version of "Nothing Compares 2 U" is gorgeous and stunning.

(Matos, do you have spare time, a dark room, candles, and an eye dropper I can borrow? I have the videocam.)

I can understand the hatred for "Diamonds and Pearls" and "Cream" and other songs of that era, but I love them in the same way that I love Elizabeth Taylor or Mae West. They're corny and amazing.

Maybe if you're nice he'll show you a taped version of his "Thieves in the Temple."

(xpost)

INSANITY. If the comp has the edited version, I understand, maybe.

Actually, you're right. I was thinking of a different song.

xpost - I already have his "When Doves Cry" rendition on DVD. That's all I need.

I'd rather listen to Pope than Purple Rain.

Peach is kinda shitty though.

I'd rather listen to Pope than Purple Rain.

???????

<i>"Diamonds and Pearls" and "Cream"... corny and amazing.</i>

OTM

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

""Alphabet St." just sounds to me like a harbinger of the tinny beats and ill-conceived nods to hip hop that would follow a few years later."

so so wrong!

People who don't like Alphabet St. should, I dunno, kill themselves now because they ain't ever gonna be happy.

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

Purple Rain 1 ????????????

Yeah, I expected more votes for it myself.

Madness.

wtf you lone "Adore" hater, whoever you are

hahaha Alex beat me to it, wtf "Adore" is the pinnacle you fool

I'm the purple rain hater; who the fuck hates When Doves Cry? Did someone not love you as a child?

perhaps their mother; she's never satisfied.

"delirious" is pretty lame.

I guess I find that in the context of The Hits having "Nothing Compares" through "Pink Cashmire" is too much of the antithesis of the robo-funk stuff I like best in a row, and "Adore" is right in the middle. On Sign of the Times it works better as a sort of release from everything else. So it may not be the worst track and I may indeed be a fool, but this is why I voted as I did.

"U Got The Look" got two votes.

Alright, get a rope. And another one.

Yep, "Adore" is the best song that got a vote. "Pink Cashmere" and "Uptown" are probably tied for the worst that didn't get any votes.

Purple Rain 1
When Doves Cry 1
Alphabet St. 1

^^ no explanation for these votes, except

http://www.addictionca.com/images/crack-user.gif

"U Got the Look" is probably one of the best five songs Prince ever recorded.

D&P shouldnt have gotten that many votes.

a poll like this that didn't include any of the then-new songs, the live "Nothing Compares," or anything from 1990 onward would've had much more interesting results (and a lot more of these entertaining "HOW DARE YOU!?" reactions).

"delirious" is pretty lame.

-- J.D., Saturday, December 15, 2007 7:35 PM (Saturday, December 15, 2007 7:35 PM) Bookmark Link

This is a FAIL, y/y?

I actually do think I'd pick "Adore" in a poll like Al mentions.

I refused to vote in this poll.

picking Adore is a sign of mental illness regardless