Prince: 1999 -vs- Purple Rain?

[L.Kizzle]

Just like the MJ album challenge (http://insidehoops.com/forum/showthread.php?t=51064) I did a couple of weeks ago: Prince’s most popular albums (and possibly his best also).



1999 was released in February of 1982. Before then, he was really big in the R&B or black community but only somewhat noticeable in the white/pop community. This LP changed all of that. Some people say Michael Jackson was the first R&B/black artist played on MTV but Prince may have him by a couple of months. 1999 included 4 hit singles and a lot other stellar tracks that could be hits for many artist. 1999 sold over 4 million copies in the US.

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000002KY8.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg


1. 1999 [#12]
2. Little Red Corvette [#6]
3. Delirious [#8]
4. Let's Pretend We're Married [top 50 hit]
5. D.M.S.R.
6. Automatic
7. Something in the Water (Does Not Compute)
8. Free
9. Lady Cab Driver
10. All the Critics Love U in New York
11. International Lover


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How do you top 1999, release a Film/Album project titled Purple Rain. Purple Rain hit movie theatres and record stores in June 1984 and it stayed number 1 on the charts for 24 straight weeks. This album included Prince’s first 2 pop number 1 hits (he had a couple number 1 hits on the R&B charts prior). It sold 14 million in the US alone. This album made him the number 2 star of the 80’s behind MJ.

http://www.oldies.com/i/boxart/large/51/075992511025.jpg


1. Let's Go Crazy [#1]
2. Take Me with U
3. The Beautiful Ones [#25]
4. Computer Blue
5. Darling Nikki
6. When Doves Cry [#1]
7. I Would Die 4 U [#8]
8. Baby I'm a Star
9. Purple Rain [#2]


-----

So which album is better?

[HollaBolla]

Is Prince Faag still alive?:confusedshrug:

[Fuhqueue]

Seeing him live next week. :D

Purple Rain is my pick. Love 1999 as well though, DMSR is the sh*t.

[White Chocolate]

I like them both. This guy is very underrated.

[blazerfan22]

I like them both. This guy is very underrated.

He wasn't underrated back in the day.

[White Chocolate]

He wasn't underrated back in the day.


I wasn't around in the mid 80s, so I wouldn't know. Taking into consideration 1)Jacko's popularity and 2)Today's trash we call singers, he is definitely underrated.

[Rasheed1]

Purple was a great album and the movie added even more hype to it..


but 1999 was like Mjs 'off the wall' album in that it was straight up funky and it was Prince's true pinnacle as a creative artist..

little Red Corvette
DSMR
Lady Cab Driver
international lover

Prince is what is called a musical genius

[det2orl]

Now, you got me in my wheelhouse. Prince rogers Nelson is a musical genius like only a few that have walked this earth. He's made 30 yrs of amazing music and along with about 20+ albums of his own, has written hits for many others, Chaka Khan, The Bangles, Sheena Easton, Sheila E, Vanity/Appolonia 6, The Time, Sinead O'Connor, Tevin Campbell and many more. He even released 2 jazz//fusion albums with a couple members of the Revolution under the name Madhouse. Still he has a huge catalog of unreleased material that is only even approached by Tupac in its volume and quality.

I love 1999 but for this challenge I gotta go with Purple Rain. Especially if you consider the B-sides for all of those singles could've stood alone as good songs but weren't good enough to make the album. Erotic City, 17 Days, Another Lonely Christmas and God were all amazing.

He's miles better than MJ IMO for two reasons. 1) He is capable of playing every single instrument (and has done so on a few of his albums) 2) The sheer volume of incredible material.



Oh yeah, and to the dude that called him a f--. He's had a tighter stable of women than anyone other than Hugh Hefner himself.

[Rasheed1]

thats true... Another lonely christmas was one of the best holiday songs Ive ever heard...

since your a prince fan, what did you think about the album Controversy? Me personally I loved it

Controversy
Lets Work
Annie Christian
Private Joy


that was a hot album... I still cringe a little at what he was wearing back then, but his music was soo damn funky you couldnt help but like it

[Tarik One]

Purple Rain

*First, you'll have to purify yourself in the waters of Lake Minnetonka*

One of the last classic R&B soundtracks in which the soundtrack itself actually went along with the flow of the movie. Nowadays, whenever a movie comes out, particularly one with an urban theme, the soundtrack consists of a bunch of R&B and hip hip songs that have absolutely nothing to do with the movie plot. Soundtracks today are nothing more than a marketing devices for artists who are between albums.

[det2orl]

thats true... Another lonely christmas was one of the best holiday songs Ive ever heard...

since your a prince fan, what did you think about the album Controversy? Me personally I loved it

Controversy
Lets Work
Annie Christian
Private Joy


that was a hot album... I still cringe a little at what he was wearing back then, but his music was soo damn funky you couldnt help but like it

Yeah, his style of dress can't be explained and gave many the impression that he was gay or at least bi. I was still struggling to not think he was weird but the music was undeniable.

Loved the Controversy album.

The extended versions of Controversy and Let's Work are masterpieces. Honestly, there isn't a song on that I don't like.

I even liked Ronnie talk to Russia. :D


What's funny is at this time everyone thought he was some perv/freak and that MJ was the normal one. :eek:

[det2orl]

Purple Rain

*First, you'll have to purify yourself in the waters of Lake Minnetonka*

One of the last classic R&B soundtracks in which the soundtrack itself actually went along with the flow of the movie. Nowadays, whenever a movie comes out, particularly one with an urban theme, the soundtrack consists of a bunch of R&B and hip hip songs that have absolutely nothing to do with the movie plot. Soundtracks today are nothing more than a marketing devices for artists who are between albums.


The only recent one was Dreamgirls of course it was based on the play that was written around the same time as PR.

[L.Kizzle]

1999 I'd go with also. Way more funky the Purple Rain. I like Prince's work the most from 78 to 82. For You, Prince, Dirty Mind, Controversy and 1999 are freakin jams.


Also not only the women but just the stable of musicians from his camp around thet period is crazy. You got Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis (no explination needed) Morris Day & Jerome, Jesse Johnson, Monte Moir (wrote/produced Janet's Pleasure Principle), Jellybean (wrote/produced Janet's Black Cat) abd that's just the Time. Andre Cymone (solo and Jody Watley producer), Wendy & Lisa, BrownMark, I could go on.


Also about Mike Jackson, dude can play just as many instruments as Prince (although not as good of course)

[det2orl]

1999 I'd go with also. Way more funky the Purple Rain. I like Prince's work the most from 78 to 82. For You, Prince, Dirty Mind, Controversy and 1999 are freakin jams.


Also not only the women but just the stable of musicians from his camp around thet period is crazy. You got Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis (no explination needed) Morris Day & Jerome, Monte Moir (wrote/produced Janet's Pleasure Principle), Jellybean (wrote/produced Janet's Black Cat) abd that's just the Time. Andre Cymone (solo and Jody Watley producer), Wendy & Lisa, BrownMark, I could go on.


Also about Mike Jackson, dude can play just as many instruments as Prince (although not as good of course)


Are you sure? I've never seen or even heard of him play anything but the piano. :confusedshrug:

[L.Kizzle]

Are you sure? I've never seen or even heard of him play anything but the piano. :confusedshrug:
Trust me he plays them all.

-In the Jackson 5, he started out as their percussionist playing the congas, (his first year as part of the group he didn't even sing, Jermaine was the lead singer).
http://www.mjsite.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/talent.jpg
Mike is on the bongo's way in the right hand corner.



He plays drums, piano, synthesizers, guitar and bass. Just check out some of the album credits.

http://img217.exs.cx/img217/3894/mjdrums3vu.jpg

http://img231.imageshack.us/img231/300/music11lq.jpg

http://img510.imageshack.us/img510/6671/photo61ag.jpg

http://img510.imageshack.us/img510/9751/jetmarch311977usa0bz.jpg

[Rasheed1]

look at Mj back in the day on the jet cover :oldlol: I love it

[det2orl]

Ok, I stand corrected. MJ can play some instruments. I don't think he could ever play enough of them or well enough to create an entire album by himself.

[L.Kizzle]

Ok, I stand corrected. MJ can play some instruments. I don't think he could ever play enough of them or well enough to create an entire album by himself.
I think Mike could do a solo on his own. Hell, if Marlon and Randy can do solo LP's by therie lonesome's, then I see no problem with MJ doing one on his own.


Back to the purple one, 1999, Controversy and Dirty Mind are probally my 3 favorite Prince joints.

[RainierBeachPoet]

eventhough purple rain had more hits (in great part because of the movie)

i liked 1999 a bit better and i played it more alot more than i did pr when they came out

the tunes were fresher and more cutting and there were just more dance tunes

[Dasher]

Sign of the Times is greater than both.

[Manute for Ever!]

I give it to 'Purple Rain' almost soley for 'The Beautiful Ones'. Only Prince song that comes close is 'Thieves in the Temple' IMO. 1999 had some good tracks, but nothing close to 'The Beautiful Ones'.

[L.Kizzle]

https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/newscasticassets/images/9fefc4fd-c7bd-4410-868c-62aeb2e9f1e6.gif

[eliteballer]

https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/newscasticassets/images/9fefc4fd-c7bd-4410-868c-62aeb2e9f1e6.gif

Prince's spirit lives on:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VcSlTt4Zmg8

[Overdrive]

Prince's spirit lives on:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VcSlTt4Zmg8

The spirit, maybe, but nothing much else.

OT: 1999, Dirty Mind are my favs then Purple Rain.

German 1999 doesn't have DMSR on it. So I never heard the song. It's damn weird imo. Hope I get my hands on an uncensored LP someday.

[BoutPractice]

Purple Pain is more consistent, 1999 is darker, funkier, and possibly more interesting. Sign o'the Times might have more good songs in total.

Dirty Mind isn't far behind this lot... I also find Parade fascinating in spite of a few embarrassing moments.

I must admit I don't really know the rest of his stuff, other than some hits and the occasional B-sides (doesn't help that you can't just check it out on the Internet). Any recommendations?

[L.Kizzle]

Purple Pain is more consistent, 1999 is darker, funkier, and possibly more interesting. Sign o'the Times might have more good songs in total.

Dirty Mind isn't far behind this lot... I also find Parade fascinating in spite of a few embarrassing moments.

I must admit I don't really know the rest of his stuff, other than some hits and the occasional B-sides (doesn't help that you can't just check it out on the Internet). Any recommendations?
Those are usually his four highest rated records. Depends on what you're looking for. If you want more Purple Rainish, go for the follow up Around the World in a Day. It contains the hit Raspberry Barret. There's really nothing like 1999, but I guess Controversy would be your best best. The closest to Dirty Mind is probably the Time's debut record.

Depending on where your head is at, Parade and Lovesexy are excellent.