Jio's HoF :NOW:WEEKLY PICKS (6/6/2023)

[ShayLaB]

90.EYE HATE U - nice but without being a favourite.

89.SHE LOVES ME 4 ME - A-ha...finally I know who bought the other copy of The Rainbow Children. Like this a lot.

88.WE CAN FUNK - Really disappointed with this album and I don't think this is an outstanding track.

87.7 Interesting but not engaging...like a lot of jazz.

86.BOOM. Like this one a lot also.

[Blondini]

Moon? (otherwise I agree completely)

Works as a concept but most of the tracks are far too short and unsatisfying. But it's still a great album.

[jio]

Yes but which album is Moon? Parade?

[Blondini]

Yes but which album is Moon? Parade?

Oh, yes. Sorry - was thinking of the film - which i also liked (and i'm not ashamed!).

[jio]

Yes but which album is Moon? Parade?

Oh, yes. Sorry - was thinking of the film - which i also liked (and i'm not ashamed!).

I liked it too don't worry lol. But your original statement was confusing because u said that Parade is more cohesive than Moon lol

[Blondini]

Yes but which album is Moon? Parade?

Oh, yes. Sorry - was thinking of the film - which i also liked (and i'm not ashamed!).

I liked it too don't worry lol. But your original statement was confusing because u said that Parade is more cohesive than Moon lol

Actually i confused myself! I thought you were talkig about Around The World In A Day. (Which really should be called Parade - given the lyrics of the album.

Er, oops! So - yes - i can see why he doesn't rate it - a lot of the tracks are more like demos than finished songs.

[jio]

Yes but which album is Moon? Parade?

Oh, yes. Sorry - was thinking of the film - which i also liked (and i'm not ashamed!).

I liked it too don't worry lol. But your original statement was confusing because u said that Parade is more cohesive than Moon lol

Actually i confused myself! I thought you were talkig about Around The World In A Day. (Which really should be called Parade - given the lyrics of the album.

Er, oops! So - yes - i can see why he doesn't rate it - a lot of the tracks are more like demos than finished songs.

I think that's the charm of it. Around the World is good but it's just not fun enough. I guess it is easily my least favourite Prince album until the Black Album (excluding the debut).

[jio]

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85.ON THE WAY UP (performed by Elisa Fiorillo) (1990)
album "I AM"



..."All the suckers scream and shout
They don't know what it's all about
This is my world
And I'm sorry, this table is reserved"...

The truth is that I was for years under the impression that Paula Abdul sings this one. But no, it is Elisa Fiorillo, an artist who had a minor chart career (in fact she only ever had two hits). This one was the lead single of her second album and made it to #27 on the BB Hot 100 and to a miserable #31 on the Dance Chart and #83 on the UK Singles Chart. Despite that, I think it is a lovely piece of early '90s fluff. Elisa Fiorillo's career later on reached the heights of becoming a backing vocalist for Savage Garden and Billie Myers among others
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84.1999 (1982)
album "1999"



..."I was dreaming when I wrote this so sue me if I go too fast
But life is just a party and parties weren't meant to last
War is all around us, my mind says prepare to fight
So if I gotta die I'm gonna listen to my body tonight"...

And here is a song that needs no introduction at all. The first single from Prince's international breakthrough album of the same title, "1999" originally failed to make it into the top 40 of either the US or the UK. It was re-released sfter the success of the following single "Little Red Corvette", this time making it to #12 on the BB Hot 100, #4 on R&B, #1 on Dance/Club Play and #25 on the UK Singles Chart. In 1985, taking advantage of the success of the "Purple Rain" project, "1999" gets yet another release in the UK (this time as a double a-side single with "Little Red Corvette") and shoots as high as #2. Of course the single couldn't be missing from the charts during the year 1999 itself when it was re-released (yes, again) and made it to #10 on the UK Singles Chart and #40 on the BB Hot 100. And if that wasn't enough it re-charted in the UK a year later (yes for the fourth time) making it to #40. This party anthem is rather unusual in its delivery as it features Prince, Wendy & Lisa alternating lines throughout the song. The catchiness of the record has made it one of the biggest 80s classics, covered live by such diverse artists as Limp Bizkit, LaToya Jackson, Pearl Jam and Kids In Glass Houses. So why do I have it that low? Well, if there is one Prince song which is overplayed, it is definitely this one
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83.SPACE (1994)
album "COME"



..."I've had dreams of us cuddling on the planet Mars
Then when I wake up, I'm all covered in sex
With eyes that fall somewhere between rubies and stars
Don't look at me baby or I'll flex"...

This is one of my favourite Prince songs ever. It was the second (and final) single taken from Prince's 1994 album "Come" and didn't do great on the charts, just managing a peak of #71 on R&B. Still though it is a gem in Prince's catalogue. The single version is basically a remix with altered lyrics and a rap towards the end but the album version remains by far my favourite
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82.SEXY DANCER (1979)
album "PRINCE"



..."Sexy dancer, you got my body screamin'
Sexy dancer, you got me just a creamin'
Sexy dancer, when you rub my body
Sexy dancer, it gets me so hot"...

This disco workout tune was never a single in the States. It was released internationally though, albeit without much chart success. Still, it is all the way a party anthem and it wouldn't sound out of place next to any other '70s disco anthem.
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81.MONEY DON'T MATTER 2NIGHT (with New Power Generation) (1992)
album "DIAMONDS AND PEARLS"



..."Hey now, maybe we can find a good reason
to send a child off to war
so what if we're controllin' all the oil
Is it worth a child dying for"...

And here is the big socially-conscious ballad from the "Diamonds And Pearls" album. This was Prince's response to the first Iraq war (and "Cinnamon Girl" to the 2003 one). It was released as the fifth single from the album peaking at #23 on the Hot 100, #14 on R&B and #19 on the UK Singles Chart, positions which do not reflect the brilliance of this tune. The original video of the song (directed by Spike Lee) was rarely shown on MTV since it showed images of child poverty and starvation, so Prince had to shoot a second video of him and the New Power Generation performing it. None of the two videos are available on youtube.
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(you can click on the song titles to listen to the songs or see the videos)

[Tiger]

84.1999 (1982)

Anthem!

[NothingFails]

Nice list so far

100.SHOCKADELICA (1987)
easily my fave SOTT era b-side

98.LION OF JUDAH (2007)
not a bad track but like most of Planet Earth (besides Guitar, The 1 U Wanna C and the title track) didn't really do much for me either way

97.HOW COME U DON'T CALL ME ANYMORE (1982)
fantastic. He did this when I saw him in 2007

95.NASTY GIRL (performed by Vanity 6) (1982)
Classic! I got the 45 of this just last week at a flea market

94.UNDISPUTED (feat. Chuck D.) (1999)
it's okay, but there are other "Rave" tracks I would've put instead

93.KISS (with The Revolution) (1986)
Classic for sure, but like you, burnt out on it from its overexposure. Sad that people view Parade as "that album with Kiss" when it's more like Kiss is that hit off Parade.

92.STROLLIN' (with the New Power Generation) (1991)
Nice smooth little gem

90.EYE HATE U (1995)
Like the song, but #90 is about fitting. He's had better, he's had worse. Too bad it was his last real US hit.

88.WE CAN FUNK (1990)
Not bad, but you'd think Prince + Clinton would be a better song

86.BOOM (2009)
Pleasant but not a fave

84.1999 (1982)
This and "Little Red Corvette" were the first songs I remember from Prince thanks to my older sister who had the cassette of 1999 in 1983. Certainly overplayed but still a classic.

83.SPACE (1994)
Good track, have the maxi

82.SEXY DANCER (1979)
Funky little disco tune

81.MONEY DON'T MATTER 2NIGHT (with New Power Generation) (1992)
Decent single but not a standout in any way

[Blondini]

VERY low for 1999.
Sexy Dancer is great.

[jio]

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80.GIRLS & BOYS (with the Revolution) (1986)
album "PARADE"



..."He gave her all the love that anyone can
But she was promised to another man
He tried so hard not to go insane
Birds do fly, looks like rain"...

This was the second single taken from Prince's 1986 soundtrack to the movie "Under The Cherry Moon". Actually, it is one of only two songs to be included in its entirety in the film (which is why the video of the song is black & white as it is a straight cut from the movie). The song, like the Nice-filmed movie itself, is clearly influenced by French music. It also marks the debut of Eric Leeds as Prince's saxophonist. The song peaked at #11 on the UK Singles Chart but was never released in the States. As an extremely funky track however, it is a much better and more representative of the album song than its predecessor, "Kiss".
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79.INCENSE AND CANDLES (2006)
album "3121" (album track)



..."Once U try 2 seduce me it grows and grows
Ur mind will never deny what Ur body knows
Eye know U want 2 take off all your clothes
But please don't do it"...

Definitely the most seductive song in the 2006 Billboard chart-topping album "3121", Prince provides a sexy 90s throwback R&B gem with ease on this one. This is what I would call a song made for f*cking, even though the lyrics don't go quite that far
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78.DARK (1994)
album "COME" (album track)



..."U took my sex and my money
Took all my self esteem, yes u did
U had the nerve 2 think it was funny
I never knew a b*tch so mean"...

Prince attempted to do a reggae-influenced track on his 1992 album "Symbol" but the result ("Blue Light") leaves a lot to be desired. However he did get it right on this jam from his massively underrated 1994 album "Come". Like most of that album, "Dark" was recorded at the same sessions as most of the songs in "The Gold Experience" album and was intended to be used in the aborted musical "Glam Slam Ulysses"
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77.THE DANCE ELECTRIC (performed by Andre Cymone) (1985)
album "AC"



..."Look-U're living in Babylon
Makin', but not feelin' love at all
When your youth is gone, when it comes 2 dawn
A light of truth will shine and U will fall"...

Andre Cymone is the guy who can be seen jamming, as a bass guitarist, with Prince on most of his early videos. In fact the friendship between the two goes way back in their childhood in Minneapolis when Prince found refuge in Andre's family home when he run away from his own home. Later on, Andre, Prince & Morris Day (of The Time) among others would form an early band called Champagne. The two however fell out in 1981 and Andre left Prince over a solo career. Prince composed this funky track after the two finally made up, but unfortunately it didn't manage to turn Cymone into a music star. The video does exist in youtube albeit in really bad quality, but if you wanna watch it here it is
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76.WHY YOU WANNA TREAT ME SO BAD (1979)
album "PRINCE"



..."I gave you all of my love
I even gave you my body
Tell me, baby, ain't that enough?
What more do you want me to do"...

This was Prince's first ever experimentation with more rock oriented sounds, although the R&B influences remain clear. It was the follow-up to his first US hit "I Wanna Be Your Lover" but it was not commercial enough to become a hit itself. Still, it made #13 on R&B and it's a wonderful song all the same
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(you can click on the song titles to listen to the songs or see the videos)

[NothingFails]

80.GIRLS & BOYS (with the Revolution) (1986)
album "PARADE"
Fun track, one of the standout scenes in the UTCM film

79.INCENSE AND CANDLES (2006)
album "3121" (album track)
One of his sexiest latter day tracks

78.DARK (1994)
album "COME" (album track)
Good tune

76.WHY YOU WANNA TREAT ME SO BAD (1979)
album "PRINCE"
Even though it wasn't much of a hit, I always loved it from the first time I heard the "Prince" album.

[jio]

Why you avoid the protege songs?

[Bn2pac]

How come I don't have BOOM in my Lotus Flower's album?
Is there another version of that album?

Anyway I really like this countdown, I'll be watching, I like prince so much I can't describe . But I have to admit that i don't know nor own all his songs.

[jio]

I think the digital version substitutes "Crimson & Clover" with another song but I am not aware of any version without "Boom". Do you have the single-cd edition (which basically is only "MPLSound"?

[NothingFails]

Why you avoid the protege songs?

Some of them like Sheila, Vanity 6, Jill Jones, The Time I like, but some of them I never invested any time in getting into. Like with Madhouse, I'm not a fan of jazz (I listened to NEWS just once) so I doubt I'd be into it.

[jio]

Why you avoid the protege songs?

Some of them like Sheila, Vanity 6, Jill Jones, The Time I like, but some of them I never invested any time in getting into. Like with Madhouse, I'm not a fan of jazz (I listened to NEWS just once) so I doubt I'd be into it.

Other than Madhouse there is no other instrumental protege song. And the Andre Cymone song exists in bootleg by Prince, Prince performed it numerous times in concert and it's very Prince/Time-like. You ought to listen to it if you don't know it.

[ShayLaB]

Girls and Boys is a fantastic track. This is the kind of thing that makes me like him so much as an artist...deeply funky and unlike anything else that would pop up on the radio. Fabtastic.

[Blondini]

Cymone was co-writer/producer of Jody Watley's Looking For A New Love - fantastic track!

His track here is pretty good - rather weak voice.

Love Girls and Boys and Why You Wanna...
And the 3121 track is a highlight of the album.

[NothingFails]

Cymone was co-writer/producer of Jody Watley's Looking For A New Love - fantastic track!

He was married to Jody for a number of years also.

[jio]

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75.MY NAME IS PRINCE (with the New Power Generation) (1992)
album "SYMBOL"



..."In the beginning God made the sea
But on the 7th day he made me
He was tryin' to rest y'all
When he heard the sound
Sound like guitar, cold gettin' down"...

This was the song which finally persuaded me to buy my first ever Prince album. Looking back at it now it may not be quite the masterpiece I thought it was then, but it is still full of energy and I consider it Prince's most hip-hop-influenced single ever. Released as the second single from his 1992 "Symbol" album, it peaked at #36 on the BB Hot 100, #25 on R&B and #7 on the UK Singles Chart giving Prince his first back-to-back Top 10 hits in the UK since his "Purple Rain" peak way back in 1984/1985. The video of the song (which fortunately exists on youtube) is notorious for Prince hiding his face throughout, a trick he pulled on the previous video ("Sexy MF") as well and is part of the video-album/musical "3 Chains O' Gold".
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74.COME ON (with/credited to New Power Generation) (1998)
album "NEWPOWER SOUL"



..."20 days in London and U ain't gimme no love
could it be another brotha man that u're thinking of
or could it be your girlfriend
who never ever been straight"...

This was the only single taken from New Power Generation's third (and final) album to be credited solely to them. "Newpower Soul" however is effectively a Prince album, he sings the lead (or only) vocals on all songs and he is featured all by himself on the cover. The album did poorly on the charts peaking at a mere #22 UK and #38 US and remains one of the most disliked Prince albums among fans. It's true, the album does include some of Prince's worst songs ever but it includes a number of good songs as well, including this one which I rate as one of Prince's finest '90s R&B tracks. Just notice the bass on this song. It charted at #65 on the UK Singles Chart.
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73.THE WORD (2006)
album "3121" (album track)



..."How am I gonna sleep with this feeling
rushing all through my veins
Get up, come on let's do something
Don't you wanna get saved?"...

Another one of the highlights of Prince's 2006 album "3121", this one is more pop than R&B. Most Prince albums include at least one message-sending song and this is the one from "3121". It was definitely more single-worthy than the album's first single "Te Amo Corazon", but perhaps its religious undertones played some role in keeping it as just an album track.
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72.WILD AND LOOSE (performed by The Time) (1982)
album "WHAT TIME IS IT?" (album track)



..."Universal freak delight, where'd you get those thighs?
Where did you get the nerve to wear that miniskirt so high?
Don't worry, baby, I can keep a secret for as long as snow is white
Hey Jesse? Yeah, come here man, guess what I did last night?"...

The Time (Morris Day, Jellybean Johnson, Jerome Berton, and the famous from their later work on Janet Jackson among others duo of Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis), were the most successful Prince protege act. In fact, they were so good that Prince himself said that he would be scared to perform against them. Prince composed their three first albums and donated several songs for the fourth. They were also featured in both "Purple Rain" and its horrid sequel "Graffiti Bridge". This funky album track is just the first of plenty of their songs in the countdown
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71.LITTLE RED CORVETTE (1983)
album "1999"



..."A body like yours oughta be in jail
'Cause it's on the verge of bein' obscene
Move over, baby, gimme the keys
I'm gonna try to tame your little red love machine"...

This song was a turning point in Prince's career as it became both his first US Top 10 hit (by making it to #6) and his first single to fair better on pop rather than on R&B chart (where it charted at #15). It also made it to #2 on the UK Singles Chart as a double a-side single with "1999". The subject matter is a bit controversial as it talks about an one-night stand and goes as far as comparing sex with a limousine ride. That didn't stop the song becoming a classic though, a status proven by cover versions by Sandra Bernhard among others and the role it played at prompting Stevie Nicks (of Fleetwood Mac) to work with Prince.
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(you can click on the song titles to listen to the songs or see the videos)

[NothingFails]

75.MY NAME IS PRINCE (with the New Power Generation) (1992)
album "SYMBOL"

Good opening track to O+>. I always thought some of the lines about being a Prince before being a King were thinly veiled jabs at MJ because it was right after he started calling himself the "King of Pop".

74.COME ON (with/credited to New Power Generation) (1998)
album "NEWPOWER SOUL" (album track)

Not bad. "The One" was also a US airplay/video single for that album.

73.THE WORD (2006)
album "3121" (album track)

Even though I don't share Prince's Jehovah's Witness beliefs, which was a big reason I'm not a big fan of The Rainbow Children, this is a good song and I think the message can be taken for any religion or walk of life

72.WILD AND LOOSE (performed by The Time) (1982)
album "WHAT TIME IS IT?" (album track)

Good track. What Time Is It? is my fave of their albums even though Ice Cream Castles was the one that had all the hits.

71.LITTLE RED CORVETTE (1983)
album "1999"

Certainly an all-time classic, albeit overplayed. I think this was the track that really took him beyond being a critic darling cult artist and made him a bonafide star in the US (since "I Wanna Be Your Lover" had been his only US top 40 prior to this four years earlier). I prefer the Extended version.

[Blondini]

73.THE WORD (2006)
album "3121" (album track)

Even though I don't share Prince's Jehovah's Witness beliefs, which was a big reason I'm not a big fan of The Rainbow Children, this is a good song and I think the message can be taken for any religion or walk of life

This. MNIP is mad but good.

Corvette is another astonishingly low song.

[jio]

"Purple Rain" hasn't even charted. So "Little Red Corvette" hasn't done bad lol