Prince has written so many amazing songs, it’s hard to narrow his catalog down to just 10. But I’ll give it a shot.
Here’s a very personal, very subjective list of my top 10 songs from the late, great and truly unforgettable Prince:
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“When Doves Cry”: You could pick almost any song on “Purple Rain,” including the soaring title ballad and the super-raunchy “Darling Nikki.” But this is where Prince really showed what he could do: A spare, almost spooky tune with no bassline, a killer guitar intro and looped vocals. The first time I heard it, I stopped everything I was doing and just listened. It sounds like nothing else, before or since.
“If I Was Your Girlfriend”: Prince’s male and female sides duet, literally, thanks to speeded up vocals and lots of awesome weirdness. Prince was one freaky dude.
“International Lover”: You have to have at least one extended sex song on this list, and I nominate this one. It’s a 6-minute, 37-second sex metaphor involving air travel with Prince as your flight/sex captain. “In the event there is over-excitement, your seat cushion may be used as a flotation device.”
“Purple Rain”: All of it. The entire album.
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“1999”: The party anthem of the century. And how lucky was I that I got to actually hear the song “1999” on New Year’s Eve in 1999?
“Black Sweat”: Prince showed he could still bring the funk on this late-career gem.
“Kiss”: A timeless song with a minimalist sound but maximum impact.
“Temptation”: This sprawling, 8-minute closer on “Around the World in a Day” took Prince’s good and evil sides and made them battle it out on record. He wasn’t talking about any ordinary temptation. He was talking about SEXUAL temptation. And The Devil even makes an appearance.
“Batdance”: Tim Burton’s “Batman” movie hasn’t aged well, but it’s still lots of fun. And one of the reasons is this silly, frothy party song that’s still a blast to hear.
“Sexy M.F.”: Prince flirted with rap on his infamous “Symbol” album, and this super-funky, super-sexy song is the best thing on there. “Gett Off” is nearly as good.
You’ve heard my favorites. Now what are yours? Post your answers in the comments.
Connect with this reporter: Charles Runnells (News-Press) (Facebook) or @charlesrunnells (Twitter)
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