Prince - Sign O the Times
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Free Music Notes for Sign O the Times
Free Music Review: The Return Of The One-Man Band
Hit: 5 Stars
After "Parade", Prince decided he needed to be by himself again and so he said "Peace" to the Revolution. Originally he wanted to release a 3 LP album called "Crystal Ball". Warner Brothers were definitely not down with that so Prince had to trim it down to two LP's. The end result was "Sign O' The Times." Released in 1987 this album was hailed almost immediately as a landmark record. This is the way a double-album is supposed to be made and in my opinion it is the last great double album of original material to be released in music. (Yes, I know about "All Eyez On Me and "Life After Death" but there is just one problem with Hip-Hop double records....there is no change in the music. Not that they aren't good records). Within a "Rock" context an artist can play different musical styles. That to me is why Hip-Hop double albums don't work. "Sign O' The Times" works and brilliantly so.
This record is the cousin of "The Beatles" (white album), "Electric Ladyland", "Exile on Main Street, "Physical Graffiti", "Songs in the Key of Life" and "London Calling". These records are all great because the reach exceeds the grasp....They go over and beyond and Prince did the same thing amazingly well.
This man in case you did not know can write a song. Sometimes it seems too easy for him. To me, this is Prince's version of "What's Going On" or "There's A Riot Going On". (Marvin Gaye and Sly and The Family Stone respectively). In the title track Prince covers AIDS, Heroine, Crack, gangs, Hurricanes, The Challenger Explosion, people dying....He could of wrote 7 songs on those topics alone!! But it makes you think about the world we live in. (At least in 1987)
But for as bleak as the song is the amazing thing about a double-record is that a mood can change in a blink of an eye and that's what Prince did with "Play in the Sunshine". Upbeat, fun, this is Prince showing there is a light at the end of the tunnel. (To use an overblown expression). The middle breakdown of this song is just sick.....Prince is on drums, guitar, keys, bass and xylophone and has a Frank Zappa esque breakdown before the second solo. (while talking to himself!!) He's just showing you why he's the man on this track. And that's just the second song!!
Needless to say the man covers a ton of ground throughout the two discs...there's ballads "The Ballad of Dorothy Parker", "Slow Love", and "Adore." "Adore" is a simply beautiful song sang in his wonderful falsetto and is to me his greatest R&B ballad. (Purple Rain of course being his greatest Rock ballad) Of course Funk- "It", "It's Gonna Be a Beautiful Night" (A live Revolution track), "Housequake" and "If I Was Your Girlfriend" The latter being one of his strangest songs but it works somehow with a great bassline. Rock- "The Cross", "U Got The Look", "I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man". R&B-"Forever In My Life", "Strange Relationship". Pop- "Starfish and Coffee", "Play in the Sunshine". The singles were the title track, "If I Was Your Girlfriend, "U Got the Look" and "I Could Never Take The Place of Your Man."
Yes, I know this review is messy but that's the nature of the record....Prince held nothing back and showed all his cards. To me, this is his greatest album. Even more so than "Purple Rain", only because of the sheer diversity in the music. "Purple Rain" changed popular music and is more culturally significant but artistically speaking Prince never got better than this album. With his Linn drum machine in hand you hear the rhythm section, the vocal group, the rock band all come out in this album. One critic said this album is the sound of the late 80's and I completely agree. "Sign O' The Times"- One of the defining albums in pop music history.
Free Music Review: ...MY FAVORITE ALBUM OF ALL-TIME...
Hit: 5 Stars
I made a pledge to myself that my 100th review on Amazon would have to be Prince's "Sign 'O' The Times" since it's the album that is defintely my favorite album ever.It's an album that fits any occasion,any mood,any time.This is one album that just stands by itself.It's a milestone.And unfortunaly,it didn't get the respect it truly deserved...The year was 1987.
"The Cosby Show" was #1 on the Neilsons ratings,the economy was deflating,and Prince was rebounding from the commerical and critical flop that was his 1986 film,"Under The Cherry Moon".
Instead of trying to rekindle the phenomanal success that was
"Purple Rain",Prince did something that any other pop megastar of his stature would consider a kiss of death:he released albums annualy and they all were VERY different.Listening to the two post-"Purple Rain" LPs,1985's pyschedelic "Around The World In A Day" and 1986's deliciously arty(and underrated) "Parade",it was very evident that Prince wasn't trying to stagnant his creativity
and safely release more repelicas of "Purple Rain" but rather exploring his deep,artistic wonderment whether or not,his huge auidence got it or not.
That explains this masterpiece,"Sign 'O' The Times",a two-album set that explores different moods,settings,and of course,styles.
Opening with the sparse,funky starkly-arranged "Sign 'O' The Times"-a social lament on the not-so-pretty societal effects of Reagonomics and the effect of drugs- and sliding into the playful and pure fun that is "Play In The Sunshine".This song is just pure joy.The melody,Prince's guitar solo,the call-and-responses of he and lover at the time,Susannah,you can not love this song!
The James Brown funk of "Housequake" should've easily been released as a single(but never was) and the beautiful,moody
"Ballad of Dorothy Parker" close out side one of this masterpiece-which at this point hasn't even peaked yet.
Side 2 opens with the stomping funk of "It",a meditation on sexual obession,then moves into "Starfish & Coffee"-a melodic and playful number.But then,there's "Slow Love".Whew! This is a pure old-school styled R&B slow jam.So lush and excellently sung."Slow Love" proves that the Purple One can rank up there high with the best of the best of the soulful lover men at the time.
Following that is the taut,kicky groove of "Hot Thing".A funky and steamy jam that only Prince can master.The sincere ode to romantic fufillment,"Forever In My Life" cloes out an already satisfying album,but hold up,that's not hardly the end!
Side 1 of album number two begins with "You Got The Look",a duet with Sheena Easton(whose Prince-penned smash "Sugar Walls" reivented her from a squeaky clean pop tart to a sexy pop-R&B dame) that was a #2 hit and the time with good reason with it's kicky rhymes and Prince's high vocals(creditied to "Camille"-Prince's good side).But then we get into,a real tresure,
a pyschedelic oddessey by the name of "If You Were My Girlfriend".
This song was based by Prince's obbesion with the closeness with his lover at the time,Susannah,and her twin sister Wendy(of Wendy & Lisa).Beginning as a sensitive,new-man anthem and then morphing into a paranoid lover trip."Girlfriend" was covered by TLC on their "CrazySexyCool" album and in a rare example,the same
Free Music Review: Simply the Best
Hit: 5 Stars
This is quite frankly the best Prince album ever (and my personal favorite album by any artist of all time). I was 9-years-old when it came out, and after all these years, I still listen to it at least weekly. Prince is really at his best as he showcases so many different genres of music on this double CD. The instrumentation is innovative. The musical arrangements are bananas. It is difficult to name a favorite because I love each song on the album for different reasons. Here they are:
Disc 1
1. "SOTT," the title track, is simply a slap-u-in-the-face awareness song that delivers a much needed message without being preachy.
2. "Play in the Sunshine" is a pick-me-up song about loving one another and enjoying life through the freedom of love.
3. "Housequake" is a party where Prince is the host and the DJ.
4. "The Ballad of Dorothy Parker" is so interestingly written, and is probably is my lyrical favorite on the album.
5. "It" is a great scream song (u know how Prince loves to scream).
6. "Starfish & Coffee" is another lyrical display of genius with a sweet meaning of appreciating one another's differences.
7. "Slow Love" is soothing/grooving R&B, which Prince does quite well.
8. On "Hot Thing" Prince is back at the party pursuing a young party-goer. I love the mix of the horns, guitar and drums on this one.
9. "Forever in My Life" is probably my absolute favorite because everything about this track is honest. The lyrics are heart-exposing on top of a stripped bare beat--almost as if he doesn't want to confuse the lady he's singing to with the usual complexity of his music. He just wants the message to be simple and clear.
Disc 2
1. "U Got the Look" is just a fun duet w/ Sheena Easton. Great guitar in this one.
2. "If I Was Your Girlfriend" is so funky! I love his wit and mischievous charm on this track.
3. "Strange Relationship" is a song that describes a relationship that I've experienced (as I'm sure so many others have as well). Another funky beat, but with more of a pop undertone than the preceding.
4. "I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man" was a song that had to grow on me, but it is now one of my favorite tracks because of the lyrics--I can really believe this story.
5. "The Cross" is a great find-comfort-in-Jesus song over a rock arrangement.
6. "It's Gonna Be a Beautiful Night" is a feel-good concert jam that I would love to see in person.
7. "Adore" is my other favorite on this CD and probably my favorite Prince song to date. The lyrics and musical arrangement are complex, meaningful and urgent, sung with overwhelming emotion. When you hear it, you just want to be in a love like that.
What makes this album truly great is that every song is so different, but all of the songs belong together. And despite the variety of musical genres presented, every song is quintessential Prince. I highly recommend this one. It's a classic.
Free Music Review: Sign O' The Times
Hit: 5 Stars
Prince-Sign O' The Times ****1/2
To be perfectly honest, Sign O' The Times is not a masterpiece, it is very close, but it is not one of Princes five star albums. Now given a five star album for Prince means something different then a five star album from say Aerosmith, or Bullets & Octane, or Marvin Gaye, they are all different artists so they must be graded accordingly. What I am getting at is with as good as this album is you can't compare it to Purple Rain, Dirty Mind, and say Rave Un2 The Joy Fantastic.
While Prince did cover many genres with this truly eclectic album, and did do most of them well, their are a few slight filler tracks here. 'Hot Thing' and 'Housequake' being the most obvious in my mind. While they had the potential to be great funk numbers they fall short. 'Hot Thing' really reminds me of a bad James Brown parody. On disc two the only song that could be concidered filler is maybe 'Its A Beautiful Night' that just comes of as somehow stupid from Prince, but at the same time is fun an enjoyable every once in a while so all is not bad.
As for the rest of the album it is pretty stellar! on disc one we have the albums title track, 'Sign O The Times' which is easily one of the artists all time top five tracks. Lyrics are fantastic and the opening pearl drop synth lick is timeless where the rest of the synth on the album is not. 'Play In The Sunshine' in someone elses hands would have failed but not in the purple one's hands. The same can be said of 'Dorothy Parker.' 'It' speaks for itself. 'Starfish And Coffee' is true Prince having fun. The lyrics are out there but the music is great and it just feels fun, so forget all the naysayers. 'Slow Love' is classic, old school Prince. 'Forever In My Life' is tender and actually one of the better ballads of his career. Disc two, just completely owns. it could have been it's own album. 'U Got The Look' is my least favorite hit single off the album but still is fun upon each listen. 'If I Was Your Man' is timeless and one of his very best songs. The bouncy rhythm and extended jam on this album version show of some of Prince's best guitar work of the decade. 'Strange Relationship' follows suit as classic Prince and one that would have easily been yet another hit single off the album. 'The Cross' is one of Princes very first overly religious songs, and one of his best. As well all know he is deeply involved in his faith now, and this was a sign of things to come. 'Adore' closes the album and does so perfectly. The lovely ballad is recorded live and is probably the best song on the album.
So while Sign O The Times is not the best Prince creme de la creme, and there are better albums in his career, it is still essential. Yes it is true that some of the tracks sound dated and very 1987, it still makes for an enjoyable listen every time around. Highly, highly recommended.
Free Music Review: This Is Prince's Artistic Peak!!!! A Late 80's Masterpiece
Hit: 5 Stars
Sign 'O' The Times is Prince's visionary masterpiece. It's a sprawling, 2-disc opus that has Prince doing a wide range of styles like neo-psychedelia, R&B, jazz, electro-funk, rock, and even blues. This was the first album Prince recorded without the group, The Revolution since his 1982 album, 1999. The group does appear on the funky, in-concert tune, "It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Night". Many of these songs are left over from the aborted triple album, Crystal Ball and Camille project. The opening, "Sign 'O' The Times" is a thought-provoking and soulful tune with Prince talking about AIDS, drugs, sex, and even bombs. It also has him playing the synthesizers, electronic drums, and guitars. "Play In The Sunshine" is a playful, but sexy 60's pop tune. Then, there's the hard-funk, party classic, "Housequake". "The Ballad Of Dorothy Parker" is a trippy, yet slowed down and gauzy jam about a "dishwasher blonde waitress on the promenade" with an arrangement that sounds exotic, sex-inspired, and sweaty. "It" is a up-tempo, dance tune with a sparse, drum and bass arrangement layered over with vocals like some rewed-up version of his 1986 hit, "Kiss". Next, there's the neo-psychedelia soul of "Starfish & Coffee". It's about a girl named Cynthia Rose, that has a lunchbox full of starfish and coffee, maple syrup and jam, butterscotch clouds, tangerine and a side order of ham. "Slow Love" is a R&B song full of lust and love. "Hot Thing" is like the continuation of "It". It's another dance jam that has a dark atmosphere in the song. "Forever In My Life" is a bouncy, but beautiful tune with sparkling drums beats and a low-key guitar. The second disc opens with "U Got The The Look", which has an edge of naughtiness in the song. It has an arrangement of muted drums and rocking guitars. It's a straight-guitar rock tune. "If I Was Your Girlfriend" is a sexual, but weird track with Prince's voice sped-up, that begins with an odd sound bite of a wedding ceremony. It's not only one of the best songs on this album, but it's one of my favorites on this album. "Strange Relationship" is a up-tempo, funky psychedelia tune. Then there's the over-the-top R&B ballad, "Adore". The organ, synth-bell patches, and Eric Leed's saxophone make this ballad fall within a league of all it's own, even by Prince's standards. "The Cross" is a spritual, straight rock tune that is very enlightening. All in all, Sign "O" The Times is a diverse, occasionally dark, and masterful piece of art. It's also chaotic, ecelectic, and messy. It's double album that let Prince experiment with a variety of styles and sounds. Sign "O" The Times is the sound of the late-80's. This was where Prince was at the peak of his career. He was once again a one-man band. It marked the end of the whole Revolution-era, from 1984 through 1987. It's a 5-star classic. A+