Purple Power: The Definitive 101 Greatest Prince Songs
So, Prince has officially blessed us with a new single ("Clouds") and news of not one, but two albums on the way (Art Official Age and PLECTRUMELECTRUM, both dropping Sept. 30). In celebration of this much welcomed announcement, VIBE has put together a list of His Royal Badness' 101 greatest songs.
Going through this painstaking process was nearly as impossible as walking on the waters of Minnesota's Lake Minnetonka in the summer. After all, we're talking about a prolific music icon who has released nearly 30 studio albums during his groundbreaking three-decade-plus career. To make our lives easier we excluded all bootlegs. That means no storied underground fan favorites such as "Purple Music," "Wonderful Ass," and "All My Dreams." Besides, Prince's now mythical musical vault is rumored to contain hundreds of unreleased works. We like our sleep.
Also, no protege songs or outside productions (The Time, Sheila E, and Bangles, we are looking at you!). Nope... this is pure Prince from every manic scream and hybrid funk-rock chord to every synth-fueled, decadent explosion. To find out where such classics as "Soft And Wet," "Kiss," and "When Doves Cry" ranked as well as B-Sides ("Erotic City" anyone?) and some pretty deep album cuts, dive headfirst into the purple abyss...if you dare. —Keith Murphy (@murphdogg29)
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101. "Cream" (Diamonds & Pearls, 1991)
As pop songs go, this one keeps it straight and to the point. There's a bit of swaggering blues phrasing on the axe, a sly nod to glam rock O.G.'s T. Rex (1971's "Get It On"), and some blushing double entendres. One of the crown jewels of Diamonds & Pearls.
100. "Dance 4 Me" (MPLSound, 2009)
99. "When We're Dancing Close And Slow" (Prince, 1978)
98. "Sticky Like Glue" (20TEN, 2010)
97. "The Word" (3121, 2006)
96. "A Million Days" (Musicology, 2004)
95. "The Breakdown" (2014)
One of the Purple One's most recent tracks has become a favorite among the hardcore faithful, and for good reason. When Prince somberly admits, "This could be the saddest story ever been told," you actually believe the man.
94. "The Question of U" (Graffiti Bridge, 1990)
93. "Electric Chair" (Batman, 1989)
92. "Billy Jack Bitch" (The Gold Experience, 1995)
91. "The Everlasting Now" (The Rainbow Children, 2001)
90. "My Love Is Forever" (Prince, 1978)
89. "Delirious" (1999, 1982)
One of three top 20 singles from Prince's commercial breakthrough album 1999 showcases his cheeky experimentation with '50s rockabilly. Elvis was never this cool.
88. "Vicki Waiting" (Batman, 1989)
87. "Avalanche" (One Nite Alone..., 2002)
86. "3121" (3121, 2006)
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85. "Don't Play Me" (The Truth, 1998)
84. "Shockadelica" (B-Side, 1987)
83. "What Do U Want Me 2 Do" (Musicology, 2004)
This deep album track from the 2004 double platinum comeback project Musicology has all the classic hallmarks of vintage Prince, including his signature Linn drum machine and some effortlessly coy lyricism ("I see you picked me out from the crowd/Could it be the way I play guitar?"). Cocky, huh?
82. "New Position" (Parade, 1986)
81. "Dinner With Delores" (Chaos & Disorder, 1996)
80. "I Like It There" (Chaos & Disorder, 1996)
79. "Annie Christian" (Controversy, 1981)
78. "Take Me With You" (Purple Rain, 1984)
77 "Bob George" (The Black Album, 1994)
Originally set to hit stores in December of 1987, the Black Album was scrapped at the last minute by Prince after he had misgivings over releasing this sex-fueled, profanity-laced, and at times violent funk-immersed statement. One listen to the over-the-top "Bob George"--a cut on which Mr. Nelson plays the role of a rapping disgruntled boyfriend who pulls a gun out on his significant other after he discovers she's been stepping out with a rock manager--it's understandable how this now mythical project, officially released years later, would become one of the '80s most bootlegged pop records.
76. "Sexual Suicide" (Crystal Ball, 1998)
75. "7" (The Symbol Album, 1992)
74. "Pink Cashmere" (The Hits/B-Sides, 1993)
73. "America" (Around The World In A Day, 1985)
72. "International Lover" (1999, 1982)
71. "I'm Yours" (Prince, 1978)
Alongside the classic cock rock of "Bambi," the criminally underrated "I'm Yours" offers an early glimpse of Prince's future guitar God bona fides.
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70. "Girl" (B-Side, 1985)
69. "Diamonds and Pearls" (Diamonds and Pearls, 1991)
68. "Scandalous" (Batman, 1989)
67. "In This Bed I Scream" (Emancipation, 1996)
66. "Money Don't Matter 2 Night" (Diamonds and Pearls, 1991)
65. "My Computer" (Emancipation, 1996)
"My Computer" doesn't just shine as one of the Artist's most striking works following his very public divorce from Warner Bros. Records. It's also the closest Prince has ever come to taking melodic notes from fellow card-carrying musical genius Stevie Wonder.
64. "Alexa De Paris" (B-Side, 1986)
63. "Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad" (Prince, 1979)
62. "Let's Pretend We're Married" (1999, 1982)
61. "Paisley Park" (Around The World In A Day, 1985)
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60. "U Got The Look" feat. Sheena Easton (Sign o' The Times, 1987)
59. "Hello" (B-Side, 1985)
After receiving negative press for declining to take part in the all-star "We Are The World" record to aid in the fight against famine in Africa, Prince, backed by his on-fire band the Revolution, answered his critics with an emboldened, funked-up response. "We're against hungry children/Our record stands tall/But there's just as much hunger here at home," he explained. Any more questions?
58. "I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man" (Sign o' The Times, 1987)
57. "Irresistible Bitch" (B-Side, 1983)
56. "Automatic" (1999, 1982)
55. "Girls & Boys" (Parade, 1986)
54. "Sexuality" (Controversy, 1981)
53. "Soft and Wet" (Prince, 1978)
Prince's debut single flaunted an eyebrow-raising title and some pretty infectious, wet-behind-the-ears soul from the 17-year-old teenage prodigy. It's a perfect introduction to the musical neophyte who in the next decade would rule as the most prolific talent of his generation.
52. "Anna Stesia" (Lovesexy, 1988)
51. "Starfish and Coffee" (Sign o' The Times, 1987)
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50. "Another Lonely Christmas" (B-Side, 1984)
49. "Mountains" (Parade, 1986)
48. "Sexy Dancer" (Prince, 1979)
47. "Lady Cab Driver" (1999, 1982)
Clocking in at a robust 8 minutes and 19 seconds, "Lady Cab Driver" dispenses with the pleasant formalities and gets down to horny business as our brazen high heeled hero propositions a female cabbie to get busy in the back-seat. There's a lot of orgasmic screaming, a blistering guitar attack, some first-rate live drumming by you know who, and something about banging it out for "tourists in Disneyland." In other words, it's Prince.
46. "Rockhard in a Funky Place" (The Black Album, 1994)
45. "17 Days" (B-Side, 1984)
44. "Dream Factory" (Crystal Ball, 1998)
43. "Anotherloverholenyohead" (Parade, 1986)
42. "Alphabet Street" (Lovesexy, 1988)
41. "Movie Star" (Crystal Ball, 1998)
Questlove of the Roots has frequently name checked this hilarious (and ridiculously funky) number as one of his favorite Prince tunes. Originally written for the Time, "Movie Star" has enough laugh-inducing one-liners ("Next time I won't wear so much Paco Rabinni or whatever that stuff...") to keep pace with a Katt Williams stand-up routine.
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40. "Crystal Ball" (Crystal Ball, 1998)
39. "Joy In Repetition" (Graffiti Bridge, 1990)
38. "I Would Die 4 U" (Purple Rain, 1984)
37. "Sister" (Dirty Mind, 1980)
36. "Condition of the Heart" (Around The World In A Day, 1985)
35. "Private Joy" (Controversy, 1981)
This is the sound of the future. Prince gives his listeners the first taste of his LM-1 Linn drum-fueled sound. Is he talking about a girl or his junk? Who knows. All that matters is that this groove-heavy romp kicks much ass.
34. "Christopher Tracy's Parade" (Parade, 1986)
33. "How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore" (B-Side, 1982)
32. "Do It All Night" (Dirty Mind, 1980)
31. Head" (Dirty Mind, 1980)
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30. "D.M.S.R." (1999, 1982)
29. "Pop Life" (Around The World In A Day, 1985)
Prince turns his back on the global superstardom of Purple Rain and jumps into a more psychedelic, and at times, introspective rock & soul mix. "Pop Life" personifies Around The World In A Day's artistic left turn. Over a melancholy piano melody, Prince breaks down the pitfalls of fame in an at times witty, sarcastic tone. Listen out for the great Sheila E. on the skins.
28. "Housequake" (Sign o' The Times, 1987)
27. "Bambi" (Prince, 1979)
26. "Computer Blue" (Purple Rain, 1984)
25. "Sometimes It Snows In April" (Parade, 1986)
24. "Power Fantastic" (The Hits/B-Sides, 1993)
23. "Do Me Baby" (Controversy, 1981)
The first great slow jam from Prince pours on the sensual bedroom theatrics thick. If you can't get laid to this joint we don't know what to tell you.
22. "Raspberry Beret" (Around The World In A Day, 1985)
21. "Darling Nikki" (Purple Rain, 1984)
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20. "Let's Work" (Controversy, 1981)
19. "Sign o' The Times" (Sign o' The Times, 1987)
18. "Something In The Water (Does Not Compute)" (1999, 1982)
17. "The Beautiful Ones" (Purple Rain, 1984)
Revolution keyboardist Doctor Fink has testified to the intricate musicianship on display throughout the gorgeous "The Beautiful Ones." "When I first heard "The Beautiful Ones" my first thought was, "How the hell am I going to pull that off?" he told VIBE for a run-through on the making of Purple Rain. The otherworldly, dream-like sounds you hear comes courtesy of the Oberheim synthesizer and some pretty complex portamento slides. But it's Prince's highly gut-wrenching vox that is the true star of the show.
16. "When You Were Mine" (Dirty Mind, 1980)
15. "Adore" (Sign o' The Times, 1987)
14. "If I Was Your Girlfriend" (Sign o' The Times, 1987)
13. "Erotic City" (B-Side, 1984)
12. "Dirty Mind" (Dirty Mind, 1980)
From the album that changed everything for the Minneapolis, Minnesota born one-man-band. Dirty Mind's innovative title track flips rock's early 80's new wave obsessions and turns it into something beautifully filthy and rebellious. "Prince" had finally arrived in all his bikini drawers, rude boy, music genre-blurring glory.
11. "I Wanna Be Your Lover" (Prince, 1979)
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10. "Let's Go Crazy" (Purple Rain, 1984)
As crowd-igniting, wilding-out, best-time-of-my-life anthems go, "Let's Go Crazy" pushes all the right buttons. Prince caps it off with his now iconic preacher's shtick ("Dearly beloved, we have gathered here today/To get through this thing called life!"). Indeed, there's a reason why Prince and the Revolution opens up Purple Rain with this durable rocker that still remains a concert favorite to this day with his all female trio 3RDEYEGIRL. Just try sitting down while listening to this air-guitar staple.
9. "She's Always In My Hair" (B-Side, 1985)
Prince's greatest B-Side sounds like Jimi Hendrix having a jam session with flower power soul architect Sly Stone, and blues icon Buddy Guy. Arguably the man's most throat-grabbing guitar riff, "She's Always In My Hair" is all muscle and no bullshit.
8. "Uptown" (Dirty Mind, 1981)
If there was ever a Prince mantra this is it. In Mr Nelson's world, "Uptown" is a multi-ethnic, stereotype-defying, orgy popping utopia where "whites, blacks, Puerto Rican, everybody's just a freaking." Clothes are optional.
7. "1999" (1999, 1982)
The world is ending as nuclear war threatens humanity's total existence. And how does Prince responds? By throwing a party of course. "1999" is a great study in the singer's crossover appeal and is even more impressive when you factor in the song's frightening narrative. "Daddy why does everyone have a bomb?" While you ponder that just dance.
6. "Kiss" (Parade, 1986)
Prince originally wrote one of his biggest records for his off-shoot band Mazarati, but promptly took it back when he heard the finished arrangement by in-house Paisley Park producer David Z. What started out as an acoustic guitar demo turned into a weirdly constructed groove. Prince took out the bottom, added some James Brown-ish licks, and sang the lead in his trademark falsetto. The results is the singer's third chart-topping hit.
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5. "The Ballad Of Dorothy Parker" (Sign o' The Times, 1987)
Serious beat heads point to "The Ballad Of Dorothy Parker" as Prince's crowning drum machine achievement. But beyond its intricate percussive pop, the layered jazzy masterpiece also boasts some of the singer-songwriter's best lyrical work. Prince turns the well-worn story of boy-meets-girl into a surreal dreamscape where the waitresses are tall, fine and dishwater blonds, fruit cocktail is always on the menu, and protected sex means keeping your pants on in a bubble bath. Greatness.
4. "Little Red Corvette" (1999, 1982)
The record that broke Prince to the MTV Nation. "Little Red Corvette" triumphs because it fully embraces its storied rock & roll lineage. Fast cars and even faster girls has been tried and true material ever since Chuck Berry proclaimed, "you can't catch me" in 1956. But Prince being Prince, his car song treads darker territory. "Believe it or not, I started to worry/I wondered if I had enough class," he admits of his own self doubts of measuring up to his lover's past conquests. Even rock stars are human.
3. "Controversy" (Controversy, 1981)
"Am I black or white/Am I straight or gay?" Yes, Prince enjoyed playing mind games with the public. But there's nothing tongue-and-cheek about "Controversy's" very nasty groove fueled by some serious rhythm guitar. For many longtime Prince fans this remains his unfiltered masterpiece; a track unburdened by post-Purple Rain hysteria complete with a reciting of the Lord's Prayer (!!!). The balls on this guy.
2. "Purple Rain" (Purple Rain, 1984)
So you want to make the ultimate sing-along? Just follow the blueprint of "Purple Rain," a number so majestic in its epic glory that it can either propel or destroy a career with crushing expectations. Prince more than passed the challenge aided by the Revolution, who recorded the landmark track live during a 1983 benefit show at Minneapolis' famed First Avenue. If the man's out-of-body guitar solo doesn't break you down his soaring vocals will.
1. "When Doves Cry" (Purple Rain, 1984)
The story goes that when Prince first played this monstrous single for his longtime drummer Bobby Z and keyboardist Matt Fink they thought they were listening to an unfinished track. Yes, much has been written on the fact that "When Doves Cry" features no bassline. But it's easy to forget just how weird Purple Rain's groundbreaking opus sounded on the radio during the spring and summer of '84. Is it R&B? Is it rock? Is it funk? Is it electronic dance music? Or is it all four? Painful lyrics of alienation, bitterness and family dysfunction usually doesn't fit the profile of a world-beating pop hit.
And yet "When Doves Cry" broke all the rules and still managed to top the charts for five weeks. How could you just leave me standing/Alone in a world that's so cold?" the lad begs of his estranged significant other. Poor Princey. The classical synth runs are majestic; the drums sound like they were recorded on Mars; and the six strings are played with controlled anger. This is the sound of genius.
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