Poll "O" The Times

It has to be "If I Was Your Girlfriend". Even if the title track, "The Cross" and "I Could Never Take The Place..." are all ace as well.

No offense to everything else, but I've gotta go with "Adore".

prince album polls cause me mental anguish.

Adore

geir otm!

title song. or the cross. or, um, any other song on the album.

so many possibilities. i think i'm gonna go with "strange relationship" just because it is maybe underexposed relative to all the other great songs on the album.

I'm giving my novelty vote to Starfish and Coffee, the first Prince song I ever learned to play

I don't understand this "Adore" thing. For me, this double album ends with "The Cross".

coulda gone for one of the hits but went with the underrated "Slow Love."

THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE

Voted for "I Could Never Take the Place..." over "Strange Relationship" for its guitar and how Prince's voice curls sympathetically around the line "He left her with a baby and another one on the way," as if also suggesting that he could have been that guy.

Can't do it

I don't understand this "Adore" thing. For me, this double album ends with "The Cross".

it's because you're fucking tarded.

nah, he just doesn't have feelings, it's cool.

Fuck, I voted "Strange Relationship" but it's pretty much a six-way tie or something...

I take "Forever in My Life" and regret it in two minutes.

Ballad of Dorothy Parker

I'm alone with Starfish & Coffee, right?

totally.

no I feel you, "Starfish & Coffee" is probably in my top 5

well, maybe not the ride

I went w/ Dorothy. But, yes, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO CHOOSE JUST ONE!!

"It" would've been choice #2 because no one ever mentions "It" and "It"'s incredible.

Didn't we do this?

Title track.

horseshoe otm

It. Alright.

I don't understand this "Adore" thing.

-- Geir Hongro

big surprise

fuckin' "play in the sunshine." happiest song ever.

we kinda sorta did this before, but it was pre-poll thread era: rank the songs on Sign O' The Times

Shut up, already!

Damn.

I'm alone with Starfish & Coffee, right?

I voted for it upthread

The brutal, abrasive guitar sound of "U Got the Look" seals the deal for me, even if it's one of the more obvious tracks. I didn't hear anything like that again until the first Medicine album.

Very close, but Dorothy Parker.

2 see u naked I would dance a ballet

"Strange Relationship" was the track left after the singles were picked, that could have been.

Went for "The Cross" anyway, it's funny in that it seemed a medley of two unreleased (at the time) Velvet Underground songs: "It's alright, the way that you live" and "I can't stand it"

I voted for "It." I love the sound of "It."

After the title track plays, I love hearing "Play in the Sunshine" next. This album is so awesome. I should put this thing in my car.

great thread title on this one, Geir.

gonna have to go with strange relationship ship ship ship

"I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man". Side 3 has always been my favourite, and this is the climax. Plus I've always loved Rockin' Prince, and wish that he'd come out to play more often.

These Price polls are impossible. Didn't vote in the Purple Rain one cause I couldn't pick just one. Can see the same thing happening here but I'll keep playin' and thinkin'.

Watched the SOTT DVD last week for the first time in an age and was blown away (again). Highlight for me has got to be the extended Forever In My Life / It jam they do. Man when Prince starts screaming the lyrics to It it just sends shivers down my spine... Fuck!

this is too difficult!

adore is overrated though. slow love is better. adores production is a bit cluttered for my liking. and theres no need for the drums to kick in at the end.

At the end of what? You mean after "Til the end of time I'll be there for you..." around 4:14?

Anyhoo, "Adore" gets the prize. Apart from many, many, many DeBarge masterpieces, it's the great ballad ever.

Went for "The Cross" anyway, it's funny in that it seemed a medley of two unreleased (at the time) Velvet Underground songs: "It's alright, the way that you live" and "I can't stand it"

"I can't stand it" was released on VU in 1985.

I don't love any of these songs like I love songs on some of Prince's earlier albums. (Well, his second, third, and fourth albums, anyway.) I'll go with "I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man," I guess.

starfish & coffee for me too

DeBarge >>>>>>> Adore

I went for the title track.

Ballad of Dorothy Parker. Glad that almost everything has a vote so far. No love for U Got The Look?

"U Got The Look" got a couple votes on the poll for all his singles, which was even more competitive than this poll, so it should do alright here.

Ah, but them people might like an album track more!

U Got the Look is a bit too rock for me.

u got the look for me (still)

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

I'm glad every song got a vote, but, man, "Housequake" deserved more.

wow, i never would've guessed that 'i could never take the place of your man' would come out on top. it's got some good hooks, sure, although that breakdown section is a little overlong. did it get the rock vote?

Normally it's the kind of thing I would have gone for, as it's relatively melodic. And surely among my faves on the album.

But "If I Was Your Girlfriend" is just too amazing not to vote for. Ever since the first time I heard it, it sounded like it was from some other solar system. Completely unlike anything before it. And yet a great song.

Btw. This is another Prince poll:
Polling Parade

:)

But "If I Was Your Girlfriend" is just too amazing not to vote for. Ever since the first time I heard it, it sounded like it was from some other solar system. Completely unlike anything before it. And yet a great song.

Very OTM. I kinda wish I'd voted for this instead of "Strange Relationship," so it would have been firmly in second place. I don't know if I'm more surprised about the winner or about the fact that "Housequake" only got one vote. I bet "Housequake" would win the "what's your second favorite track on SOTT" poll.

I'm glad every song got a vote...

-- Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Thursday, January 24, 2008 4:02 PM (18 minutes ago) Bookmark Link

Yes, this is very nice.

"If I Was Your Girlfriend" is definitely my second favourite tune from that album. I'm surprised about "I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man" winning too; it's a nice basic Prince rocker, but I don't think there's anything that memorable about it.

Surprise and delight! I fully expected to be the only weirdo contrarian voting for ICNTTPOYM, but clearly I Am Not Alone.

omg the aforementioned poll-winner is like if prince covered the cure except better than that sounds

this album rooooolz

I can't actually listen to this closing monologue in "If I Was Your Girlfriend" without imagining Eric Cartman reading it

― a. cole, u thic (acoleuthic), Wednesday, 2 December 2009 20:17 (3 hours ago) Bookmark

DA CRU-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-S-S-S-S

Wipes the floor with the album version:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VP3tA0lY-k

Only just found out Bonnie Boyer is no longer with us :(
When did that happen?

so glad every song got a vote

There's a really awesome DMC house remix of "Sign 'O' the Times", but unfortunately so far I've only managed to find a not-so-good-quality vinyl rip online. If anyone happens to own a better copy of it (I think it's called simply "Sign 'O' the Times (DMC Mix)" or something like that), please let me now.

I think it was released on this comp, though I might be wrong. Don't know who's the remixer, but it has this really memorable piano riff going on throughout the song.

would have voted for strange relationship, btw.

U Got the Look is a bit too rock for me.

― Tuomas, Thursday, 24 January 2008 15:08 (2 years ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

dude

i have that remix btw tuomas

Cool! How's the sound quality on it?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CM57gILdf_U

Sorry but how could "I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man" have won this? It's obviously "The Cross" but even if it wasn't the title track was and remains a cultural totem. I don't even care about "I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man" and i'm surprised anyone else does. It's fine, I suppose. The album would be just as good without it.

DA CRU-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-S-S-S-S

― look at it, pwn3d, made u look at my peen/vadge (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, November 18, 2010 10:37 PM

otm

yeah that song winning this poll was always a head-scratcher for me too.

my prince fandom has kind of curdled since being inundated with Who Prince Was since his death. i only really like a couple of songs on this album tbh. 'ballad of dorothy parker' is my #1, easy.

I approve of the top three, but would put If I was Your Girlfriend first.

I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man, Strange Relationship and I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man are just okay. I can't remember if I voted but it isn't The Cross that's the best, is it? It's obviously Forever in My Life. The only song I've heard where the backing vocal *precedes* the main vocal rather than echoing it afterwards. Such an incredibly beautiful trick that enhances an amazing song and makes it truly unique.

I don't care about I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man so much that I just included it twice in my list :)

Have always loved The Wizard of Oz reference in It's Gonna Be a Beautiful Night.

ICNTTPOYM is awesome and I live for “oh honey baby that’s okay, you know and I know that we wouldn’t be satisfied.” His delivery on that song is so damn perfect.

I like The Cross but it’s never been a favorite. Too plodding on its own but within the context of the album it’s just right. So glad we got this and not Dream Factory or the Crystal Ball. One of the all-time best double albums, wouldn’t change a thing.

That crunchy thwackety percussion sound on "Strange Relationship" is worth the price of admission, and I can hear how it inspired Dijon.

"ICNTTPOYM is awesome and I live for “oh honey baby that’s okay, you know and I know that we wouldn’t be satisfied.” His delivery on that song is so damn perfect."

I'm going to listen to it again because of this. I was turned on to the cross after hearing it on a big soundsystem. That kick drum.

"the cross" is epic! definitely a slow burn deep cut highlight.

i always liked strange relationship ship ship. prince in new wave pop mode a la "i could never take the place..." is hit or miss for me. for instance i dislike "delirious".

I can hear how it inspired Dijon.

― hungover beet poo (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, August 20, 2025 3:00 AM (ten minutes ago) bookmarkflaglink

oh joy, i already know ilm eoy polls are going to make me listen to the fucking bieber trend everyone is going apeshit for.

if i can't cast unreasonable shade on that stuff in the prince thread, where can i???

i know that was a rhetorical question, and i don’t object to your doing so wherever you want tbh, but there is a safe space for dissing hyped releases somewhere

the new dijon album is way better than the surprisingly good bieber album that dijon worked on and anyone who likes sign o the times really should hear it

My theory is that "I Could Never..." won because of the lyrics. Come on — it's a song about rebuffing the advances of a pregnant woman in a bar. That rules (and I'm surprised there's never been a country cover).

It might also have won b/c of its guitar solo.

Yeah the solo and reprise are thrilling. Not on a par with the title track or “Dorothy”, which is my all time P #1.

my first thought was how shockingly low the voter turnout was on this poll. just 16 votes for the #1?!

Times.

I don't like "I could never..." maybe because on my mind, it melts too much with "Monkey wrench" – the Foo Fighters song (same opening melody lines)

Oof, that's too bad. (That you know what a Foo Fighters song sounds like.)

“Dorothy”, which is my all time P #1.

― assert (matttkkkk), Wednesday, August 20, 2025 4:46 AM (six hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

mine too

Off to see this next week. Gonna hafta wear 'something peach or black' as per the original gig tickets.

https://images.ctfassets.net/c4ucztjx9pmu/4PEEqiuO9uiMcz5a0LLiDG/24213d1a89316459fa1eb5efdaef8113/PM1298_US_EA_Exhib_AddtnlSzs_1920x800px_D_R_V1_R1.jpg