Thieves In The Temple is amazing, and 7 is pretty fab too. Gett Off I liked the hard funking mood, but the lyrics put me off a bit - though he was certainly ahead of his time there, it's pretty much required reading for some wannabee rappers who get their inspiration from online porn.

15th

 

Gold

 

Points 106 - dandy* (29) JulianT (27) Chartjack2 (23) Jimwatts (16) HausofKubrick (8) Popchartfreak (2) King Rollo (1)

 

Artist - Prince

 

Released - 1995

 

Album – The Gold Experience

 

UK Chart Peak - #10

 

 

According to Prince this was the new Purple Rain, in other words a stadium anthem that would be a highlight of his later live shows. The reality was a little different. The song flopped big time in the US limping in at #88 and remaining in the Billboard Hot 100 for a glorious two weeks.

 

In the UK though it went Top 10 and was given glowing reviews. Not for it's creativity or any sense of breaking new ground, but because it was recognised as a very well crafted 7 minute Pop song that builds to a rousing crescendo, and for its optimism and hopeful mood.

The song would be Prince's last UK Top 10 single.

 

Here it scores well in genreal but gains a big boost through three high scores, particularly those from dandy* and JulianT

14th

 

I Would Die 4 U

 

Points 108 - HausofKubrick (28) Bjork (24) Jimwatts (15) dandy* (14) Popchartfreak (11) King Rollo (9) JulianT (7)

 

Artist - Prince and the Revolution

 

Released - 1984

 

Album – Purple Rain

 

UK Chart Peak - #58

 

 

AKA the single from Purple Rain that no-one bought. Possibly its November 1984 release date didn't help as it got lost in a stacked Christmas market or perhaps as the fourth single from an album everyone owned by now, though that didn't harm the follow up single Take Me With U.

 

One of the six tracks on the album to feature the full band, it was recorded at a live show in Minneapolis in August 1983, with overdubs added in the studio later. Normally coupled with Baby I'm a Star, the single version does seem somewhat brief and ends rather abruptly.

 

For me this is definitely one track that has performed better than I expected.

13th

 

Alphabet Street

 

Points 109 - Bjork (19) Jimwatts (21) Popchartfreak (27) Severin (18) King Rollo (11) Chartjack2 (13)

 

Artist - Prince

 

Released - 1987

 

Album – Lovesexy

 

UK Chart Peak - #9

 

 

The sound of 1987 writ large. Alphabet Street was the lead off single from Lovesexy and the first official release after the infamous Black Album debacle. Prince had decided the album was cursed by 'Spooky Electric', yet another persona he had created but apparently this one was a negative and 'evil' presence. The album was scrapped and instead we got Lovesexy, a much more positive and uplifting record.

The Black Album itself wasn't actually all that great so this was probably the right move.

There are several subliminal messages throughout the song's video, which was produced at short notice and for a very low budget. The first message states 'Don't buy the Black Album, I'm sorry; and appears 27 seconds in to the promo clip.

The album version is much longer an features a rap from percussionist Cat before evolving into an extended Funk workkout

Edited December 22, 2024Dec 22 by Severin

12th

 

The Most Beautiful Girl in the World

 

Points 110 - HausofKubrick (29) Bjork (25) Jimwatts (17) Chartjack2 (14) Popchartfreak (13) King Rollo (7) dandy* (5)

 

Artist - Prince

 

Released - 1994

 

Album – The Gold Experience

 

UK Chart Peak - #1

 

 

In 1994 Prince released this expertly crafted slice of Soul Pop on his NPG label - granted permission by Warner's to do so on the condition it was a one off whilst he was under contract. The song is a straightforward declaration of admiration to future wife Mayte and would be slightly remixed before its inclusion on the parent album.

It became his only UK #1 and an international smash hit, in large part to a very strong marketing campaign, premiering at Miss World USA and with a large printed and visual media blitz.

It remains one of his most enduringly popular songs on radio and a perennial favourite around Valentine's Day.

 

It scored big marks here, taking points from 7 of 9 voters, with HausofKubrick giving it almost full marks, proving that it remains one of his most popular songs.

 

Naturally, I hate it.

 

 

11th

 

Diamond and Pearls

 

Points 119 - HausofKubrick (22) dandy* (22) Chartjack2 (15) JulianT (15) Bjork (14) Popchartfreak (13) King Rollo (13) Jimwatts (3)

 

Artist - Prince and the New Power Generation

 

Released - 1991

 

Album – Diamonds and Pearls

 

UK Chart Peak - #25

 

 

This, the title track from his 1991 album received marks from all but one voter (Me, sorry) and is probably one of his most well known of his '90s output. The female vocals are shared with Rosie Gaines arguably steal the show, some what slightly sidelining Prince - no mean feat. Structurally it is an uplifting Soul Pop ballad that build to a Rock ending.

The main lyric hints back to a track from his 1983 album 1999 - International Lover - where Prince states 'I'll buy you diamonds and pearls only if you're good girl'

 

 

I think the scores for 'Alphabet Street' are for the song before - I gave it 21 points and it's my favourite of the five just posted.

lot of classics in there

pretty shocked The Most Beautiful Girl is not in the top 10, thought it would even be a top 5 contender or even higher

 

I would Die 4 U, this one I knew first cos of a dance cover by Space Cowboy. Thought it was gonna be massive but it flopped.

I think the scores for 'Alphabet Street' are for the song before - I gave it 21 points and it's my favourite of the five just posted.

Well spotted. I have corrected this now.

Two of my top 3 out in that last group :cry:

 

I Would Die 4 U and The Most Beautiful Girl In The World are two of his best. Both incredible love songs with totally different energies and testaments to Prince's range and diversity as an artist. Both deserved to be top 10 at the very least!

Alphabet Street is the essential one of this batch for me, though the others are good enough too. I bought Lovesexy instead of the singles and was immediately annoyed as I liked to cherry pick to my fave tracks to groove to when I was listening to new stuff I'd bought - a dance/mood playlist - and Prince had decided on my behalf that you couldnt pick tracks you had to listen to the whole album or spend 5 minutes fast forwarding the CD randomly till I got to I Wish U Heaven. I still havent forgiven him for that. Should have had a warning label on the front and I wouldnt have bought it!

Prince had decided on my behalf that you couldnt pick tracks you had to listen to the whole album or spend 5 minutes fast forwarding the CD randomly till I got to I Wish U Heaven. I still havent forgiven him for that. Should have had a warning label on the front and I wouldnt have bought it!

Yeah that was particularly annoying. I bought the vinyl as well to make life easier

so the CD was 1 track and you couldn't jump directly between songs?

but Pop, you were already buying CDs in 88? took me a few yers myself to move from vinyls to CDs, I was convinced (as a kid) CDs were too small and wouldn't last :D

Gold

 

Prince's best 90s single for me, it's a fantastic pop track that doesn't feel anywhere near as long as it is. It's head and shoulders above anything else he released post the love symbol album.

Yeah that was particularly annoying. I bought the vinyl as well to make life easier

 

Yes i would have gone vinyl too but the hype of the time was that vinyl was soon to be dead and cds indestructible and blissful sound quality when neither was true for 80s cds - a large number of cds (especially Sony) reacted with inks in the packaging and went discoloured and unplayable. Vinyl sound on older albums were better than cd transfers of archive stuff but they did get worn out by crappy needles.

so the CD was 1 track and you couldn't jump directly between songs?

but Pop, you were already buying CDs in 88? took me a few yers myself to move from vinyls to CDs, I was convinced (as a kid) CDs were too small and wouldn't last :D

 

Yes i started buying cds in 1988 and the lovesexy album was just one track you couldnt skip or go to tracks. It was all about "the art darling it was created as a whole to be listened to in order in one go" which of course is nonsense if you release singles to promote it :D

I have never been able to get Alphabet Street, I think it's just kinda boring?!!

Yes i would have gone vinyl too but the hype of the time was that vinyl was soon to be dead and cds indestructible

I quickly learnt that to be untrue. In fact I still have my CD of Darklands by The Jesus & Mary Chain that I bought in '87. It quckly began to start skipping during Cherry Came Too and still does to this day (or at least the last time I tried it)

 

I maintained a dual policy for years because not everything came out on CD back then, especially all the Indie chart stuff I was buying, so a second copy of Lovesexy (and it was a second hand shop favourite for a while) was an easy option.

Anasthasia was my skip to track though.

10th

 

U Got the Look

 

Points 128 - Severin (30) Bjork (29) Popchartfreak (23) Chartjack2 (22) Jimwatts (20) King Rollo (2) dandy* (2)

 

Artist - Prince

 

Released - 1987

 

Album – Sign o' the Times

 

UK Chart Peak - #11

 

 

Into the top 10 now but still yet to receive votes from everyone. Here we have te second single from Sign o' the Times - an uncredited Sheena Easton provides the female vocals as her and Prince (this time as Camille) face off over the 'world series of love'.

The song reached #2 in the US and just only just missed the UK top 10, so it goes one better here!

 

This is my personal favourite Prince track, the first single of his I bought when it came out and one I will never tire of hearing. Therefore, it is the second song to be revealed that received top marks from anyone.

 

I'm glad it made the top 10 even if I hoped it would land a few places higher.

9th

 

Take Me With U

 

Points 133 - King Rollo (25) Popchartfreak (24) Chartjack2 (24) HausofKubrick (18) Severin (17) Jimwatts (12) JulianT (13)

 

Artist - Prince and the Revolution

 

Released - 1985

 

Album – Purple Rain

 

UK Chart Peak - #7

 

 

The final single from Purple Rain took Prince back into the UK Top 10 after Baby I'm a Star had stalled outside even the Top 40. The sing is a duet between Prince and Apollonia Kotero, although it was originally intended to be sung by Vanity. However, she left the project after being signed by Motown and ending her relationship with Prince. After this is was marked for inclusion on thr Apollonia 6 album but subsequently switched over tho the Purple Rain soundtrack.

 

I was a little surprised to find this in the Top 10 but it appears to have broad appeal and score decent marks from 7/9 voters. Only dandy* and Bjork left this one out of their scores.