I love great debating. Especially when I debate with a certain someone who really thinks he is providing solid factual evidence on why I may or may not be clinically crazy.
About a year ago, Chance and I randomly debated the vocal stylings of Michael Jackson. It was messy to say the least, and resulted in my very first website retraction. See here and here.
But the other night, I was in a particularly good mood and decided to call my old friend up to tackle another great debate:
What are the top five Prince songs of all time?
Fortunately, Chance was able to pull himself away from legal briefs in order to discuss this important matter with a clear and open mind. Since we had “issues” with the Jackson debate, I decided we start off by simply listing all the Prince songs we could think of in five minutes. Afterwards, we would both narrow down until we had reached a top five of our own.
- Little Red Corvette
- Raspberry Beret
- When Doves Cry
- Purple Rain
- Kiss
- Let’s Go Crazy
- 1999
- Diamonds and Pearls
- 7
- U Got the Look
- Cream
- The Most Beautiful Girl
- Darling Nicki
- Take Me With You
Then Chance suggests something completely out of left field. That brings us to the first sound bite of the night:
Chance: “Beautiful Ones.” That’s a good song.
Lincee: What the heck is “Beautiful Ones?” I’ve never heard that in my life.
Chance: Whatever.
Lincee: I’m serious. I’ve never heard that song. Sing it.
Chance (humming something unrecognizable): It’s hard to recreate.
Lincee: Clearly
Chance: It’s just Prince being beautiful. Don’t write that down.
Lincee: Too late. You said it. It’s on the record.
A few minutes later, we learn that “Little Red Corvette” and “Purple Rain” have both made it to the top five in each of our lists. I’m not sure the thought process behind Chance’s selection, but I personally chose the two stellar songs because they reminded me of the time the seniors danced a Prince medley at our Bobcat Belle Spring Show. Listening closely to the lyrics of “Little Red Corvette” later in life, I’m quite shocked that our director let us bust out a few jazz hands to that song.
It reminds me of the conversation I had with my Mom about the song “Grease Lightening” and how she used to let me and my sister sing it to the top of our lungs. In front of people. On numerous occasions. If you recall, it was full of innuendos and a few dirty words that you can’t even miss!
Mother stands firm with the old stand by of: “You didn’t know what you were saying back then. It’s fine.”
Cut to Hallsville High School auditorium circa 1994 and me executing a perfect jeté to the verse that talks about the singer having a pocketful of Trojans.
Nice.
Let’s get back on track.
To recap, Chance has without a doubt solidified his top three in the form of “Little Red Corvette,” “Purple Rain,” and “Beautiful Ones.” (I know…right?) It’s down to the final two.
Chance: “Let’s Go Crazy” is looking like a solid contender.”
Lincee: You have GOT to be kidding me Chance. Are you serious?
Chance: But I have moves to that song. The part about picking up the phone…
Lincee: There are a ton of songs better than “Let’s Go Crazy.” What about “7,” or “Diamonds and Pearls?” “Raspberry Beret for sure!”
Chance: Ooohhhh…. “Raspberry Beret” is good. But I’m gay if that is in my top five.
Lincee: You already admitted that fact with this “Beautiful Ones” nonsense.
It all comes down to the lists (in no particular order):
Chance:
When Doves Cry
Purple Rain
Little Red Corvette
Beautiful Ones
Let’s Go Crazy
Lincee:
Purple Rain
Little Red Corvette
7
Kiss
U Got the Look
It’s up to you guys to decide. Who has the better list? Who knows the true meaning of what Prince represented before he was the Artist Formerly Known As? Would any of you put “Beautiful Ones” in your top five? Sound off in the comments below.
I am dying over here…I was in drill team too and my director loved Prince. These 2 lines made me spit my water all over my computer- I constantly wonder the same thing…
“they reminded me of the time the seniors danced a Prince medley at our Bobcat Belle Spring Show. Listening closely to the lyrics of “Little Red Corvette” later in life, I’m quite shocked that our director let us bust out a few jazz hands to that song.
Cut to Hallsville High School auditorium circa 1994 and me executing a perfect jeté to the verse that talks about the singer having a pocketful of Trojans. ”
Best lines ever
Anyone who does not include KISS in their top 5 concerns me. SERIOUSLY.
I’m going to have to come to Chase’s defense and agree with him. “The Beautiful Ones” is a great song, although I strongly suspect the draw is almost as sentimental as it is a response to the music itself. That being said, I think overall I’m going to have to vote for Chase’s list, which is comprised of some other pretty awesome songs as well.
I think I have to go with Chance’s list, but replace his “Beautiful Ones” with “Kiss”!!
Unfortunately one of the best loved songs in my college circle was Pussy Control. I know, terrible right? I don’t even think you can find it on his CDs anymore after his reincarnation, but it was the best thing ever at the end of the night dancing at the bars in Manhattan, KS.
Now we are talking. Prince is the BEST!!! I am always playing songs from the 80′s for my 13 year old daughter. Everytime I ask her “do you know who sings this” she answers, “it’s either got to be Madonna or Prince”. Yes, I do have a lot of Madonna and Prince on my playlist and ironically their voices can sound similar sometimes. Then my beloved daughter sends a dagger through my heart by asking, “Are either one of them still alive”. SACRILEGE!!!
Ok, so CLEARLY Purple Rain is the best Price song of all time and I loved the movie, I may be the only one but I loved it. I have to put Kiss in there because it reminds me of Julia Roberts in the bathtub in another great movie. 1999 reminds me of many a high school night of dancing, partying and what-not. Now it gets a little harder… Little Red Corvette, of course… Raspberry Beret, sure… When Doves Cry, can’t leave it out… And who could forget I Would Die 4 You, I finally got the hand signs down… Cream, ok maybe not… Darling Nikki, very kinky… Computer Blue, “Wendy, yes Lisa, is the water warm enough, yes Lisa, shall we begin, yes Lisa.
And for the record, my drill team instructor wouldn’t let us dance to ANY Prince songs but she did allow us to do a prop routine to It’s Raining Men where we wore rain boots and carried an umbrella, go figure.
I don’t think I have ever heard Beautiful Ones.
I love his Purpleness!!!
I still remember all the stellar choreography my 8th grade cheerleading squad came up with to perform “Let’s Go Crazy” at a pep rally. Not that I’ve done the dance recently or anything. It’s been at least two weeks.
I have to go with your list, Lincee. But I’d have to add “I Would Die 4 You”.
I couldn’t possibly come up with a Top 5. The man is a genious. His songs (and him actually) are all so nasty good. He’s like one of those men you would love to have a one night stand with and not tell ANYONE!!! ROFLMAO! But seriously, I love all his music….too many good ones to narrow it down to five.
Sorry Lincee-must side with Chase on this one. Great list ,but I would have to add I would Die 4 U in there somewhere.
I am going with Lincee! Although I would have to swap 7 and Purple Rain for I Would Die 4 You and Rasberry Beret. I know P Rain is good but as top 5 gotta go with the ones you can dance to. I believe Little Red Corvette was my first record, a 45! Lincee I have had similar conversations with my Mom about the same music, except she didn’t know what she was listening to or singing either! Oh and you should check out Beautiful Ones it is a good one.
Chance has the list this time. I’d have to have Erotic City, I Wanna Be Your Lover, and I Would Die 4 U
okay i just re-looked up the lyrics to greased lightning, and i’m laughing pretty hard.
Tough call here on who wins. Neither of you had I Would Die 4 U or Raspberry Beret! I do like Beautiful Ones, although it wouldn’t be in my top 5. But I have a strong dislike for the song Kiss… for some reason, I just can’t stand it! Sooooo… might have to go with Chance for this one. Sorry Lincee!
Prince’s live version of “The Beautiful Ones” from One Night Alone is my ringback tone. Enough said. Chance wins that one. Unfortunately, I can’t vote for either of you. Prince’s top 5 are: The Beautiful Ones, Little Red Corvette, Adore, Do Me Baby & Purple Rain.
Both your lists are pretty good and I love that you have You’ve Got the Look on your top 5… big fan, always makes me want to dance. But I have to say that The Beautiful Ones trumps all. That song is an all-time fav for me. In fact, I can clearly remember my daydream in the 6th grade of wanting a certain boy to sing that to me… screaming at the end about me!!! And if I was allowed to listen to only one Prince song for the rest of my life it would be that one, so Chance, you’ve got my vote.
lunch conversation with friends two days ago – all about the song Greased Lightning/Grease soundtrack and what kind of parent lets a child sing every word of that song! Seriously, mom, what were you thinking?? The boys at the table had no clue what the lyrics were….they were kind of surprised with the raciness of them.
I was with Chance on the Michael Jackson debate, but I gotta say, Lincee’s Prince list has my vote — although I would personally replace Little Red Corvette with Gett Off. Little Red Corvette always went on just a tad too long for me. As the my song choice’s title indicates, the lyrics are beyond suggestive, but very clever and funny. “Let a woman be a woman, and a man be a man . . . .” Classic.
I second Aggiefan’s one night stand line. That is great. I have a secret crush on Prince that has lasted 25 years…
My top 5:
Little Red Corvette
Let’s Go Crazy
Kiss
I Would Die 4 U
Baby I’m a Star
Best CD: Purple Rain
Did anyone remember Prince’s silhouette larger than life at the superbowl halftime show?! His geetar made him look like he had a mega devil’s wong…
KC and pineapplegirl!!!! You two were so reading my mind with some of your choices. KC agree with you – and was too excited to see someone mention Erotic City! Pineapplegirl I LOVE Adore! I’d have to add Pink Cashmere. The Beautiful Ones is a great song as well. It’s hard to narrow down a list for Prince. I can’t just go with dance versus romance because…well dude is a genius! In person…even better!
I can’t help but bust a move to Kiss though!
What about If I Was Your Girlfriend? Just me? OK! lol
17 days is a good one too!
Speaking of being young and seeing things you probably shouldn’t, amazingly seeing my sister’s poster of Prince in a yellow speedo when I was about 6 or so didn’t turn me off from loving his music! Whew!
Oh duh…I didn’t vote…but really both lists are good, but I have to go with Chance – Beautiful Ones is a good call! I’d replace Let’s Go Crazy though w/ Kiss or Adore or Pink Cashmere. See, I can’t even narrow that down! lol
Your post of the conversation had me cracking up!!! Thanks always for the rocking laughs!
OK – #11 – I am glad somebody mentioned Erotic City. My college roommate and I listened to the Erotic City Dance Mix album over and over and over. The guy down the hall threatened to throw our record player out the window if he heard it one more time.
OK, this struck a cord. I am a die hard Prince fan and just watched The Ellen show from Thursday when he performed. The man is a musical genius. Saw him in concert in KC few years back and he played Little Red Corvette acoustically. Best musical performance I’ve ever seen. Initially, I’d go with Lincee’s top 5 over Chance’s. But, I would for sure have Get Off on my list, and probably The Pope. Something about that song. Purple Rain is all time classic and has to be on there. I Would Die 4 U is a must as well. There is no WAY i can narrow Prince to a top 5. Raspberry Beret, 7, so many songs, so little time. Even a few off of his Musicology cd were amazing. Erotic City and Pussy Control were classics from the bars in college. I think Julia Roberts said it best in the tub when busted by Richard Gere – “Gotta LOVE Prince”.
Chance wins. I would prefer a top 8…but given only those two choices, I vote Chance….:)
KCJodee…the acoustic version of Little Red Corvette blew my mind. I saw him perform it here in L.A. on opening night of his Musicology tour. It was awesome! HE is awesome. Ellen said it best….”You’re brrrrrrillliant! You.are.brilliant!”
I’m not the biggest Prince fan…he’s just so bizarre, especially to this little Texas girl! However, I do like several of his songs. Little Red Corvette, Rasberry Beret and Darling Nikki (probably b/c of my name) are some of my faves, but no has mentioned Pop Life and that was the first one that came to my mind. That is definitely a song that will get stuck in your head for the rest of the day!
Hah! I love Prince… or at least I did in college. I had a poster of him in gold chains and a black bikini (nothing else) hanging in the bathroom of my college apartment. My Dad came to visit, saw the poster, and said….”Is that Duran Duran?” I nearly stroked out. Between wondering what the he!! I was thinking in not having pulled the poster down before Dad’s visit, and wondering what the he!! he was thinking in calling “The Glorious One” Duran Duran!
My BFF and I were listening to his 1970s albums (yes, 30 years ago) and our favorites were Delirious and Controversy. Can’t say they should make it to the top five list, but definitely ones to mention and salute. I do think 1999 should be on the lists (instead of Beautiful One and 7).
By the time Purple Rain came out we rued the fact that he’d gone “commercial” but were still huge fans and bought every album (vinyl, of course) and watched the movie repeatedly fantasizing that were were Applonia and riding on the back of his motorcycle. We were even into his “spin off” bands: Vanity Six, Morris Day and the Time, Sheila E…
My ten minutes of fame was when I got on stage with him at an early 1980s concert in Austin, got to sit next to him on his piano bench while he “serenaded” me, then did the bunny hop (???) with him and his band members durning the final song. That’s it. My life went down hill from there.
What???? Too many votes for Chance. #2 Jen the newlywed nailed it. You’ve gotta have KISS. Lincee wins.
oooh this is a good debate. i LOVE prince. my top 5 would be (in alphabetical order):
2. erotic city
3. gett off
4. kiss
5. let’s go crazy
1. when doves cry
little red corvette and 7 are right up there, though! i do like purple rain & the beautiful ones, but i prefer his up-tempo songs. i think erotic city is possibly #1, though, with gett off close behind. i can’t tell you how many times i’ve listened to those two (at full volume)!
oh, and i love delirious too!
Am I the only one with this problem? I’ve tried to subscribe to your blog with blogreader, but it just won’t pick up the RSS – and it’s been that way for like six months. Every time I come here and click on the “subscribe” link, nothing happens. It doesn’t take me anywhere.
I can’t believe that Raspberry Beret didn’t make it to either of your top 5s.
And yeah – You can NOT have a Prince Top 5 list without “Kiss,” so Lincee wins.
Lincee wins just on the song “Kiss!”
Beautiful Ones — for sure…
Erotic City
Controversy
Pop Life
I Would Die 4 U
And call me silly, I’d rather Tom Jones do his version of Kiss. But I’m a Brit.
Okay, I skimmed through this really quick and no one even mentioned “Nothing Compares 2 U”! Yes, I know Sinead O’Connor sang it, but it was written by Prince and if you EVER hear him sing it, it’s incredible. I had the pleasure of hearing him perform it at a concert a few years back and I still get chills just thinking about it!
Okay, as a long-time Prince fan, I think both of your lists are lame.
But Lincee wins because she actually listed songs released after 1985. Here is my top 7 list of Prince songs:
1) Joy in Repetition (Graffiti Bridge)
2) D.M.S.R. (1999)
3) Adore (Sign o’ the Times)
4) 5 Women (The Vault)
5) Horny Pony (Cream & Gett Off singles B side)
6) If I Was Your Girlfriend (Sign o’ the Times)
7) Girls & Boys (Parade)
And here’s my top 7 from his hits:
1) Kiss (Parade)
2) When Doves Cry (Purple Rain)
3) 7 (Symbol album)
4) U Got the Look (Sign o’ the Times)
5) Pop Life (Paisley Park)
6) Batdance (Batman)
7) The Most Beautiful Girl in the World (The Gold Experience)
You guys are funny,
1. Little Red Corvette
2. I Would Die For You
3. Let’s Go Crazy
4. Kiss
5. Raspberry Beret and Purple Rain (tie)
Did anyone catch the Tavis Smiley (PBS) interview with Prince last night? Apparenty “Little Red Corvette” should really be “Pay the Rent Collect.” LOL
Chance is totally right. Beautiful Ones is one of his royal badness’ best songs.
Kathrina.
I have pondered this for awhile before adding my two cents…I kept reading the comments waiting for SOMEONE to mention “Sexy Motherfucker!” That’s a good one too. I think the two-volume greatest hits that I bought in the 90s are two of my most favorite CDs. My vote is for Lincee because you just can’t leave out “Kiss”
Kiss, Sexy Motherfucker, When Doves Cry, Purple Rain, Little Red Corvette
I agree about “Nothing Compares 2 U”. If you haven’t heard Prince’s version, you HAVE to download it and listen. It’s the best. My fav’s are Do Me Baby, D.M.S.R., Purple Rain, Little Red Corvette, When Doves Cry, Controversy, The Beautiful Ones, I Wanna Be Your Lover, etc. It seems like there’s a division between what I would call the true Prince lovers, and the ones who like his more popular, commercial songs. Sorry guys, I love those songs too, but I wouldn’t call you true Prince fans. Or maybe you’re just too young. I was listening to Prince since junior high (that makes me kinda old). And I had a giant cardboard cutout of Prince on his purple motorcycle in my bedroom that I got from a movie theatre when I was in high school.
I’m going to have to side with my brother again on song choices, except I would have to replace “Beautiful Ones” with “1999″. That said, I must agree with Lincee on the point of “Beautiful Ones”…. I don’t believe I’ve ever heard that song in my life.
Cut to Hallsville High School auditorium circa 1994 and me executing a perfect jeté to the verse that talks about the singer having a pocketful of Trojans.
LOL!!!
Speaking of the Grease Lightening story, I wonder what my Mom must’ve thought when my sister and I used to belt out “Buffalo Stance” (remember that Neneh Cherry song from 1989? Love it still!) I was 6 years old, my sister was 13 years old. Mom must’ve cringed at her 6 year old and 13 year old daughters singing “hey yo man, whaddya expect, the guy’s a gigolo, maaaaaaaaannnn?????” ….. “no money man could win my lov-ve…” ….. “don’t get fresh with me!!” ….along with all the other interesting lyrics…. LOL
I like to bug my now 33 year old sister that I am going to teach my niece that song the minute she turns 6 years old!! tee hee
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