You know what Prince's problem was? Too darn talented. When did he
sleep? Between writing, jamming, touring and recording, most of his life
must have seemed a blur. There was just so much Prince music over the
years that consumers got lost in the steady flow.
Famously
Prince gave away lots of his best music in the '80's, and here we get
his original versions of songs that were hits for others during that
decade. Some were demos, and some were full productions used by the
lucky pals who got to place their voices on his mini-masterpieces. He
made minor celebrities out of proteges such as Appolonia, The Time and
Vanity 6, and when he had an established talent such as Sheila E., he
really dug in. Her version of "The Glamorous Life" plus three other
numbers here showed Prince had the power to turn someone into a star
when he put his chops behind them. That was no cast-off cut either; and
this version shows it would have made a fine Purple Rain-era cut, his
sparse take having all the needed magic.
The
same goes for "Manic Monday" as well, a made-to-order hit for The
Bangles that truly ranks with his greatest, here sounding like a
breezier sister to "Raspberry Beret". The biggest surprise is one that
most fans ignored at first, "You're My Love," released by none other
than Kenny Rogers back in 1986. Prince's original was certainly a slight
pop track, but it sure sounds like another hit had it gone to some
hipper newcomer than Kenny. Of course, the biggest Prince cover ever was
Nothing Compares 2 U, although it was first recorded by The Family, not
Sinead, and Prince's version almost beats hers.
The good news is that this is the tip of the iceberg of vault material, all pre-1991. Expect lots more in the years to come.
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