But was Prince held up as this amazing artist after his first Album in 1978? That’s what I mean. Sure, by Prince’s third album he was recognized as a giant talent, but that’s still not his first album (which is all Gaga’s really got-- I mean, technically they are two, but it’s basically one album).
Actually, looking at Prince’s discography, it looks like his first album wasn’t much of a success, the next three did very well, but it was his 5th album (1999) that shot him into super stardom (general population wise ).
As a guitar player, he has few peers, IMO. Hendrix, Duane Allman, Clapton, maybe Santana & Zappa are the only guitar players who are his equals or superiors. He is tremendously influential on all the musical trends that have happened since the 1980’s.
I’ve never seen him live, but I have seen him play on television, including the 2006 Super Bowl, and he delivers superior performances.
Finally, John Lennon once remarked he wanted the Beatles do a song as good as Jerry Lee Lewis’ “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On.” Prince accomplished this with “Little Red Corvette,” the greatest rock song of all time.
In a profile of Todd in Mojo, one of Todd’s ex-girlfriends told of a young Prince Rogers Nelson, pre-Dirty Mind, making his way back stage at a Todd concert. He told the woman (Karen Darvin, I think) that “I record myself and play all the instruments just like Todd!”
Here’s the quick summary, just the bullet points:
[ul]
[li]Produced one of the biggest selling albums of all time - “Bat Out of Hell”[/li][li]Has songs so recognizable that they are usedin commercials[/li][li]Produced a few dozen other bands from Bad Brains to the New York Dolls to Patti Smith to XTC to Badfinger all the way back to Janis Joplin and The Band.[/li][li]Has been recording and touring since he was 16 and he’s 62 now and still doing it[/li][li]Has had songs recorded by dozens of artists all over the world[/li][li]And, like Prince, is known mostly for a couple of songs by the vast majority, but has a huge and deep catalog know to the fans.[/li][/ul]
Yeah, I was going to say that Dirty Mind and Controversy really made his reputation, 1999 and Purple Rain made him famous. But he changed music way back in the early 80s with those two albums.
I am! I bridled when I read the title of this thread but thankfully others (word - WORDMAN) have more eloquence than I in expressing their appreciation of Prince - but I’d love to hear someone’s top 20 Prince songs. Hell any fans top 20 of anyone they know and love. I’ll exchange my top 20 XTC songs if anyone’s interested.
For another thread maybe? Are you an uberfan who’d like to give a brother a heads up? Someone help me with Zappa!
Maybe I should start one.
His style. Sexuality, attitude, ego, androgyny- I dunno. But whatever it is, he oozes it. Seriously, everything in my room is all sticky now. Can’t nobody else do that. He’s the distilled essence of 500 Elvises, except with androgyny infusion.
Er, “maybe” Santana and Zappa? Zappa could play him under the table. (And Hendrix is overrated, and Clapton is a hack. Methinks horizons need to be broadened …)
Okay, I have compiled my favourite Prince songlist. I could only get it down to 23 songs; sorry.
Ripopgodazippa / Crystal Ball (Disk 1)
Da Bang / Crystal Ball (Disk 2)
Don’t Play Me / Crystal Ball (Disk 4)
Fascination / Crystal Ball (Disk 4)
Thunder / Diamonds and Pearls
Joy In Repetition / Graffiti Bridge
Thieves in the Temple / Graffiti Bridge
Colonized Mind / LOtUSFLOW3R
Anna Stesia / Lovesexy
Mountains / Parade - Under the Cherry Moon
Planet Earth / Planet Earth
Chelsea Rodgers / Planet Earth
The Greatest Romance Ever Sold / Rave Un2 The Joy Fantastic
She Spoke 2 Me / The Vault: Old Friend 4 Sale
When the Lights Go Down / The Vault: Old Friends 4 Sale
There Is Lonely / The Vault: Old Friends 4 Sale
Something In The Water (Does Not Compute) / 1999
Te Amo Corazon / 3121
Incense and Candles / 3121
The Dance / 3121
I Wanna Melt With U / O(+>
Damn U / O(+>
And God Created Woman / O(+>
Since MJ’s untimely passing a year ago, this is the third multi-page thread I’ve seen lauding the talents of Prince. (I know because I started the first one).
Except she is regarded as a real find - not by many on this forum, of course, but this forum in general doesn’t exactly have it’s finger on the pulse when it comes to music - and self-promotion is a huge part of it.
Lady Gaga is one of the biggest stars in music and it only took her two years to get there because she did what Prince did - she acted as if she was a superstar and so people started treating her like one. Some pop fans act like she’s the second coming of Jesus Christ and a big part of it is because of her music/live performance/how good she looks in comparison to some of the half-assed artists she shares the charts with, but an even bigger part is the way that she projects her image, just like a huge part of the Prince manifesto is the way he projected his.
I suppose the distinction I’m trying to draw is between an artist who is popular with the public vs. an artist who is well-regarded by other musicians.
Most acts fall into one camp or the other, and it’s not often you find an artist who is both hugely popular and highly respected by musos. This is what sets Prince apart from other high-profile acts. He’s in a rarefied space with artists like Lennon and McCartney, in that regard.
I’ve been a Prince fan by default since I was a little kid, dancing around the living room to “Kiss.” I love him.
What I’ve experienced in talking to people who don’t like Prince is that they usually still appreciate him as an awesome something. People who think a lot of his music (and R&B in general) is lame still think he’s a great guitar player. People who don’t like his singing still think he’s a great songwriter. People who think he’s a weirdo/arrogant jerk still admit he can bust a serious move. That sort of thing. He’s got so much going for him that while all aspects may not please everyone, he tends to hit a positive note somewhere with most people.
It is hard to stress how weird, different and revolutionary Dirty Mind was when it came out. Early 80’s music was pretty silo’d - corporate rock vs. new wave vs. rap vs. r&b. Prince had been solidly pigeon-holed as R&B with his first 2 albums - and its easy to see why with I Wanna Be Your Lover. (youtube link)
But Dirty Mind is different in so many ways:
It puts the synths way up front - with a thick tone that treats them like a guitar. Kinda new wavey, like Gary Numan’s Cars, but far more funk
It strips the rhythm back - very thin drums, super-thin guitar sounds and no disco - really holds on to a small rock combo feel
The heavily sexual feel - overtly provocative
But expert song-craft - listen to Do it All Night- what a perfect, engaging little story song
Pop gold, Jerry.
No one knew what to do with Prince at the time. I remember coming to Dirty Mind a few years later - right around Purple Rain maybe - and wearing the grooves out of it. I didn’t get it until the pop world had started moving in Prince’s direction.
I would put Dirty Mind as an influence up there with the Ramones first album or The Velvet Underground and Nico - we are still feeling the ripples of it.
I don’t really “get” Prince either, but he’s a hell of an accomplished musician as a player, a prolific songwriter and he exudes charisma. But his music does nothing to move me.
I love that Dirty Mind is so short - I like to think Prince knew that what he had done was so revolutionary and perfect that there was no reason to add anything that wasn’t already there to bring it to the length of a normal album. It was perfect as it was, and nobody has time to complain that it only lasts for half an hour because that half hour is so brilliant.
Overall I rate Purple Rain and Parade just above it but Dirty Mind is surely the most important Prince album, both within his career and just in the general narrative of pop music.
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