PRINCE - THE HITS/THE B-SIDES

This particular version of the compilation contains the added bonus of 'The B-Sides' disc. This item collects many of Prince's single b-sides (many of which for the first time on cd), together. The first two discs are identical to their single disc counterparts so I'm not gonna go into them or list them. Instead, I'll focus on the material on the bonus disc.

Sometimes I wonder what Prince is thinking when you hear some of his b-sides. Not because they're bad, but exactly the opposite. Many of them are stronger than songs that actually make it on the albums and some of them are strong enough to stand as singles on their own. 'Erotic City' seems to be one of the most obvious of these. The song is absolutely brilliant and even as a b-side got excellent radio airplay. Many of these tracks have also garnered attention on their own. 'How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore?' has been covered by different artists. Both Stephanie Mills and Alicia Keyes have released versions of the song. 'She's Always In My Hair' was another track covered by D'Angelo in the film "Scream 2".

I could literally spend hours discussing this amazing material but suffice it to say, it's well worth the investment. Prince's b-sides have always complimented the music they've accompanied. It's like listening to your favorite disc and then getting just a little bit more. Very satisfying.

I can't close this out without pointing out what an awesome track 'Power Fantastic' is. It's history is rather controversial as Prince borrowed the music from a song Lisa & Wendy wrote called, 'Carousel'... The fact I've had this song for a few years before it saw it's release on this disc is also somewhat scandalous. But don't be fooled, nothing can compare to an official version. The sound quality alone makes it worth it. What a lovely tune. A must for Revolution fans as this track was recorded with the Revolution before they disbanded. My final word: AWAITED.

PRINCE - THE HITS/THE B-SIDES
01. Hello
02. 200 Balloons
03. Escape
04. Gotta Stop (Messin' About)
05. Horny Toad
06. Feel U Up
07. Girl
08. I Love U In Me
09. Erotic City
10. Shockadelica
11. Irresistible Bitch
12. Scarlet Pussy
13. La, La, La, He, He, Hee
14. She's Always In My Hair
15. 17 Days
16. How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore?
17. Another Lonely Christmas
18. God
19. 4 The Tears In Your Eyes
20. Power Fantastic