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Prince: Purple Rain Vs Sign O Times? |
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#1 |
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Prince: Purple Rain Vs Sign O Times?
I think most people would agree that Purple Rain and Sign O the Times, are two of Prince's definitive albums.
But for me Sign O the Times, just pips Purple Rain as being his best album because it is slightly more artistic than Purple Rain, which while being very good, is too pop in comparison. There is not a bad song on either album, and they all feel right in terms on placement on the album. So which wins out for you? P.s. His new album Hit and Run is out. |
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#2 |
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Sign O The Times is his crowning achievement. His best album and he has never reached such heights again. It's blooming brilliant from start to finish.
And on Purple Rain I would have dropped 'Take Me With You' or 'Computer Blue' for 'Erotic City'. |
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#3 |
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Prefer Sign O the Times....only usually skip one track on that album which is "It" possibly "Slow Love" as well....Purple Rain I generally skip three which are "Take Me With U", "I Would Die 4 U" and "Purple Rain".
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#4 |
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Quote:
Prefer Sign O the Times....only usually skip one track on that album which is "It" possibly "Slow Love" as well....Purple Rain I generally skip three which are "Take Me With U", "I Would Die 4 U" and "Purple Rain".
![]() I've heard 'Hit and Run' now and can heartily recommend it. I thought 'Fallinlove2nite' was a great song when I heard it on 'New Girl' but it is even better on the album. |
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#5 |
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Skipping songs? That's sacrilege.
![]() I've heard 'Hit and Run' now and can heartily recommend it. I thought 'Fallinlove2nite' was a great song when I heard it on 'New Girl' but it is even better on the album. Possibly Lovesexy as well, but then again I have the one track CD so can't skip any songs
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#6 |
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Quote:
Only if it's Parade
Possibly Lovesexy as well, but then again I have the one track CD so can't skip any songs ![]() Most of the albums up to that seem incomplete without listening to the whole album. |
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#7 |
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For me his album quality became a bit hit n miss after Batman, though I do love Come which is in my top 3 just behind Parade and ATWIAD...also love Exodus if that can be classed as a Prince Album.
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#8 |
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Quote:
For me his album quality became a bit hit n miss after Batman, though I do love Come which is in my top 3 just behind Parade and ATWIAD...also love Exodus if that can be classed as a Prince Album.
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#9 |
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you are comparing two excellent but quite different albums really. SOTT has the benefit of being a double album, so you get a lot more music to listen to, so if i had to pick one i'd pick that. if 1999 was in the mix, i'd pick that over purple rain for the same reasons
the downside to SOTT however is it's made from the leftovers of an even better and longer and more perfect project, or projects. after parade he did a lot of recording and the dream factory was the initial project, which underwent a number of running orders from a single to double album, but all were shelved, and then there was the crystal ball album which ultimately was going to become a triple album, and in between amongst a number of other projects was the camile album. the original crystal ball triple album final version was considerably better than SOTT mainly because it had most of the SOTT tracks plus a lot more great tracks. warners didn't want to release a triple album so things got cut back to a double album, a lot of tracks removed, most of which have subsequently been released in one form or another as b sides etc, and a few new tracks added, and that is SOTT. so from the bat the album is flawed by being cut back. but it's only cut back in respect of getting a half pound box of the best chocolates in the world instead of a full pound box the black album came later, it wasn't a part of SOTT purple rain is shorter but it's a very well rounded and perfect album, and very appealing and commercial sounding. the main drawback of PR is most of the tracks were cut down and shortened from the original versions, with many extra lyrics and guitar solos removed. the full let's go crazy opens the movie and is on the 12", but there are a number of long versions of computer blue that are around the 14 minute mark that just take the guitars and runs with it. purple rain was also around the 12 minute mark before being edited down to fit a single disc. other tracks like take me with you and the beautiful ones were shortened a bit unfortunately still no sign of a remastered purple rain with bonus tracks, but hopefully one day the longer version of those tracks are out in perfect quality for everyone to hear properly, plus electric intercourse and wednesday, as opposed to a bonus disc compiling b sides and 12"s that most fans have already but with whatever he has with tidal going on, who knows what phase 2 might bring. maybe we will find out on monday
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#10 |
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Sign for me is the one to beat, its such a great album varied, eclectic and just an amazing ride, plus the singles are all fully top draw, the incredible title track, the benign beauty of the post feminist blues that is If I was your Girlfriend. the 3 minute perfect heaven that is U got the Look, and the bridesmaid but by no means least, I could never take the place of your man. Purple Rain is still superb, but for me Signs in the purple patch .
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#11 |
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Two brilliant albums and the only two Prince albums I actually bought at time of releasel
If it was based on which is the most listened it would have to be 'Purple Rain' but 'Sign o' the times' is so innovative, it is just about the better album. |
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#12 |
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Quote:
Sign for me is the one to beat, its such a great album varied, eclectic and just an amazing ride, plus the singles are all fully top draw, the incredible title track, the benign beauty of the post feminist blues that is If I was your Girlfriend. the 3 minute perfect heaven that is U got the Look, and the bridesmaid but by no means least, I could never take the place of your man. Purple Rain is still superb, but for me Signs in the purple patch .
Have to say I prefer When Doves Cry to Purple Rain - just my opinion |
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#13 |
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Definitely sign o the times for me too. Some great tracks including You Got the Look and Arms of Orion both with Sheena Easton. I can't remember if Diamond and Pearls was featured on this also.
Have to say I prefer When Doves Cry to Purple Rain - just my opinion |
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#14 |
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Up to and including Lovesexy was pretty great, and the run from Controversy to SOTT was virtually flawless. My favourite is probably Parade though.
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#15 |
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Up to and including Lovesexy was pretty great, and the run from Controversy to SOTT was virtually flawless. My favourite is probably Parade though.
They sound even better as 24bit FLAC albums. I think Diamonds and Pearls was the last great album Prince did. The Symbol Album wasn't bad though. |
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#16 |
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Definitely sign o the times for me too. Some great tracks including You Got the Look and Arms of Orion both with Sheena Easton. I can't remember if Diamond and Pearls was featured on this also.
Have to say I prefer When Doves Cry to Purple Rain - just my opinion My favourite Prince album is actually '1999', for me it has a couple of duff tracks on it, ('International Lover', 'Something In The Water'), but is excellent besides. Between Purple Rain and Sign Of The Times? Tricky, I'd kind of rate them equally, both are excellent. I also really like 'Around The World...' but I might be in the minority there. |
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#17 |
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I think WDC is his best song by a country mile. Innovative, perfect pop. Although SOTT, (the title track) is obviously a masterpiece too.
My favourite Prince album is actually '1999', for me it has a couple of duff tracks on it, ('International Lover', 'Something In The Water'), but is excellent besides. Between Purple Rain and Sign Of The Times? Tricky, I'd kind of rate them equally, both are excellent. I also really like 'Around The World...' but I might be in the minority there. I liked 'Something In the Water' and 'International Lover'. The whole of 1999 is great IMO. Can't go wrong with 'Lady Cab Driver'. |
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#18 |
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'Around the World in a Day' is great. Bit of a culture shock after 'Purple Rain' but it did sort the boys out from the men in terms of being a Prince fan.
I liked 'Something In the Water' and 'International Lover'. The whole of 1999 is great IMO. Can't go wrong with 'Lady Cab Driver'. Totally agree. The first time I heard that album I thought, "ooh, those who bought Purple Rain probably aren't going to 'get' this", but I thought it was a brave, challenging move forward by him. And again, upon hearing it, "innovative", for me was a word that sprang to mind. I thought that really was an adventurous leap forward for him. Doing something really quite different instead of just repeating the formula. 'Lady Cab Driver ' is great.... "this, that's for me, that's who that's one for!". Personal favourite track off '1999' - 'Let's Pretend We're Married'. |
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#19 |
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I love the story of Prince and the Revolution turning up at Warner Brothers in ATWIAD get up, sitting around the piano to play execs the album for the first time, and them being gutted it wasn't just Purple Rain 2.
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#20 |
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ATWIAD was my first Prince album, and is right up there with Parade for me...though very hard to fault any of his output from Dirty Mind to Batman, thats 9 albums in 9 years all of which is very high quality...include the Black Album and that is 10 albums.
For later releases it would be Come & an album I didn't like at first but really grew on me was Chaos & Disorder. |
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#21 |
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My favourite Prince album is actually '1999', for me it has a couple of duff tracks on it, ('International Lover', 'Something In The Water'), but is excellent besides. 'International Lover' is awesome, especially for a drunken late night singalong. |
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#22 |
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something in the water is one of the best tracks on 1999. the various live versions he's done over the years have been incredible
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