THE PRINCE SONGBOOK - SYMBOLISM

This is an unusual release. First of all, it doesn't distinguish between songs some of these artists were given by Prince versus songs they covered by Prince. For the record... Tracks 03, 04, 07, 09, 10, and 11 are covers. 08 isn't considered a cover even though Prince has released his own version of the song because Joe Cocker released his version first. The other tracks are all music either written specifically for the artist or songs donated to the artist for their own releases.

One thing this disc does is save consumers a huge ton of money. My biggest complaint back in the day was buying an entire CD of music for one song. Often Prince would donate a single track to a band and you'd be out $15. just to get the one song. If you wanted it. Collections like this allow you to get all the tracks without coming out of pocket almost $200. Although it would present better value if it included more of those one-off songs versus covers. Usually, the cover versions aren't nearly as good as the original Prince versions. Stephanie Mills and Tina Turner both deliver enjoyable performances, but the originals are still superior in many ways. Other covers like the Mel'isa Morgan, Living Colour and Cyndi Lauper versions are completely throw away junk not worth the time or effort. 

 I also question the inclusion of the Elisa Fiorillo track simply because Prince produced and wrote the bulk of that album. There's not value in including that track. More one off songs would have been a much nicer collection.

I think the Tina Turner cover was released as a b-side to a single and was only available on vinyl. That being the case, it's certainly worth inclusion. But that's neither here nor there.

Of course with modern technology, you can simply download individual tracks and create your own playlist or burn your own CDs. In that light, this release becomes even less valuable or necessary. My final word: AMBITIOUS. Someone had a good idea and was on the right track. Sadly, it's just outdated now. Still, it's nice to have.


PRINCE SONGBOOK - SYMBOLISM
01. Mica Paris - If I Love U 2 Nite
02. Elisa Fiorillo - On The Way Up
03. Tina Turner - Let's Pretend We're Married
04. Living Colour - 17 Days
05. Sheena Easton - Sugar Walls
06. Patti LaBelle - I Hear Your Voice
07. Mel'isa Morgan - Do Me, Baby
08. Joe Cocker - Five Women
09. Stephanie Mills - How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore?
10. M.X.M. - Nothing Compares 2 U
11. Cyndi Lauper - When You Were Mine
12. Kid Creole - The Sex Of It
13. Nona Hendryx - Baby Go-Go
14. Martika - Love...Thy Will Be Done
15. Bangles - Manic Monday

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