In Five Tracks: Prince (Rogers Nelson)
There are some artists who, through their inimitable genius, charisma and creative output, have shaped the world of pop music in their own image. The Beatles, Nina Simone, Joni, Bowie, Prince, Stevie… “In Five Tracks” is a series dedicated to those who have inspired today’s sounds. The best song wasn’t the single — we’ll be digging a little deeper than their biggest hits to get the full picture.
We’re starting with Prince Rogers Nelson (1958 — 2016), who dominated the 80s with albums like Dirty Mind, 1999, Purple Rain and Parade. Prince loved Sly Stone, Funkadelic, JB, but also artists like Joni Mitchell, Todd Rundgren, and the Rolling Stones. Synthesising genres left and right to create his own brand of experimental pop, Prince did it all — he was a singer, songwriter, producer, multi-instrumentalist (famously playing every instrument on his albums), and a brilliant live performer.
Prince is a musical hero for countless artists: Beyonce, Bruno Mars, JT (“He’s somewhere within every song I’ve ever written”), Janelle Monae (“a genius and never allowed his mystery to get in the way of his mentorship… a free motherf*cker”), Frank Ocean (“A vanguard and genius by every metric I know of”), Kimbra (“Prince entirely changed the way I make, listen, think and feel about music”).
Here’s Prince, in five tracks:
1. Sometimes it Snows in April (Parade, 1986)
Hauntingly simple ballad that really highlights the power, range and emotion in Prince’s vocals. Builds up patiently to a gorgeous chorus, featuring a classic Prince twist (the hip chord/melody on “sometimes I wish”). Wendy & Lisa accompany Prince on acoustic guitar and piano. First heard this song from D’Angelo’s cover tribute in 2016 and loved how quiet and understated it was.
2. When You Were Mine (Dirty Mind, 1980)
I love Frank Ocean’s description: “[Prince] wrote my favorite song of all time, ‘when you were mine’. it’s a simple song with a simple melody that makes you wish you thought of it first, even though you never would have — a flirtatious brand of genius that feels approachable.”
3. Reflection (Musicology, 2004)
I didn’t listen to Prince until I was 19 because I found his music too loud and jarring. Eventually, I realized his genius lay partly in the way he wielded dynamics.
As Kimbra writes, “he could be aggressive and explosive in ways that felt completely unhinged and sometimes on the brink of madness, then hold the most gentle, sensual and elegant posture in the next breath… there was a constant sense of unease and wildness, as if he might jump OUT of the stereo at any moment.”
Here’s Prince at his most gentle, but I still love the swagger that he sings with. I mean, no one does a better moan (first few seconds of “Kiss”), and I love the way he enunciates the word “that” at 1:29. So satisfying.
4. Money Don’t Matter 2 Night (Diamonds and Pearls, 1991)
Hip and jazzy like only Prince can. The background vocal layerings here are just crazy. One of the first to record harmonies like a funk choir. You can see how his inflections and vocal arrangements influenced Beyonce, MJ, D’Angelo.
5. I Feel For You (Prince, 1979)
Catchy, joyous, smooth. Prince was only 20 when he released this bop. A glorious wall of sound that is somehow also dance-able. The synth outro is so fun!
Timbaland, who produced many of the 90s/00s’ biggest hits, says of this album: “ To this day, I don’t really know how he created this unique sound, and that’s why it’s so dope. He’s in his own world and nobody else can get there, although I’ve tried”.
Honourable Mentions (besides the hits): You’re My Love, How Come U Don’t Call Me Anymore, Diamonds and Pearls, I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man, Nothing Compares 2 U, Pop Life, Private Joy, Gotta Broken Heart Again, BREAKDOWN, 1000 Light Years From Here, One Day We Will All B Free
Articles/links for more:
Prince’s influences: https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/prince-influences/pl.f49dd233f31d42fbba1c181de5b1b000
Kimbra’s Top 10 and reflections: https://coolaccidents.tumblr.com/post/99621389931/keep-the-funk-alive
https://kimbramusic.tumblr.com/post/143251121609/reflections-on-prince-the-beautiful-one
Frank Ocean’s note: https://www.nme.com/news/music/prince-95-1205140
D’Angelo’s cover: https://www.facebook.com/FallonTonight/videos/dangelo-ft-princess-sometimes-it-snows-in-april/10154175011513896/
Janelle Monae on Prince’s advice: https://www.nme.com/en_asia/news/music/janelle-monae-on-the-advice-they-learned-from-prince-3453971
Inspired by Prince: https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/inspired-by-prince/pl.b9707b27a4db4aaab87067cf4ce03e42
