More about: Prince

It’s been five years since we lost Prince: undeniably one of the most talented artists the world has ever seen. While tracks like 'Purple Rain' and 'Kiss' are known and beloved by just about everyone, the sheer scale of his back-catalogue has caused some incredible tracks to slip through the cracks and not get the hype they deserve.

To honour his memory, we’ve looking back through his discography to share some underrated gems to add to your playlist immediately. 

'Gett Off'

What better place to begin than with a screaming intro? Along with being packed full of enough innuendos to leave you blushing, 'Gett Off' has a beat that drags you along with it, leaving you hip-swinging and chorus-singing. Sexy tracks are a dime a dozen in Prince’s discography, but 'Gett Off' feels like the culmination of his own brand of coquettishness that had been developing since his debut. Managing to be outrageous without becoming too explicit, the classic beat and soul references scattered with humorous quips perfectly show Prince’s tongue-in-cheek approach to his sexual persona. 

'For You' 

Prince’s first offering to the world has become magic in retrospect. Despite going on to be beloved for his big productions, 'For You' is fully acapella and sits at only a minute long. An oddly simple introduction to such an eclectic performer, it’s almost as if Prince knew exactly what awaited him. Opening up his career with an offering; ‘With love, sincerity and deepest care / My life with U I share’, he then closed off his final ever album track 'Big City' with a simple ‘that’s it’. 'For You' sounds almost godly and knowing now. 

'17 Days – Piano & A Microphone'

A criminally underrated recording, every track on the 2018 release of this 1983 session is golden. Sounding so effortless, the recordings sound like they’ve caught Prince off-the-cuff as he flits between his own tracks and covers like Joni Mitchell’s 'Case Of You'. But this stripped-back version of '17 Days' is a real stand out. Always remembered clutching a guitar, tracks like this show Prince couldn’t just play a bit of piano: he could command the piano. Infusing it with attitude and soul, creating a beat from his tapping foot, this version of '17 Days' brings a whole different life to the track and seems to hold in it a beautiful display of Prince’s pure love of playing music on any instrument.

'We Can Fuck'

All the unreleased tracks from Purple Rain are amazing, carrying all the confidence and polish of the main album. But 'We Can Fuck' is a stand-out with its hot and heavy beat and sensual vocals. Going on to clean it up and repackage it as 'We Can Funk' on Graffiti Bridge, the original is perfect in its filth. With the same synth used throughout 'Purple Rain' but with the attitude of his earlier stuff like 'I Wanna Be Your Lover', his moaning vocal is perfectly nested in a cinematic and developing instrumental custom made for the Purple Rain movie. If the title is anything to go by, I imagine the scene it was written for was a bit too explicit, but the song remains a must-listen.

'Guitar'

If '17 Days' proves he can really play piano, 'Guitar' is Prince proving he can really, really play guitar. Swapping out his technical riffs for sheer volume, 'Guitar' is a whole different type of performance for Prince. I think the only way to describe this track is that it has swagger, moving from the heavy chorus into a grooving verse. A big track that’s too often overlooked, Guitar is more of a head-banger than a hip-shaker, offering a different side to the icon that demands to be played loud. 

'Venus De Milo'

Something totally different, 'Venus De Milo' should be in your dinner party playlist. While we all love a Prince song, never enough attention is paid to the fact that he does it all, able to compose an instrumental piece like this with gentle horns and more classical piano. While all his songs display his passion and attitude, this piece is a beautiful display of his technical know-how as a composer. 

'PRETZELBODYLOGIC'

Remember when Prince formed a girl band? Built of three musicians with a wealth of impressive experience between them, 3RDEYEGIRL carried Prince’s brand of perfectly-crafted groovy rock and this track is a stellar example with big guitars and funky cowbells. Who knows what pretzel body logic means, but it sure is catchy when Prince sings it in the chorus.

'Damn U'

On 'Damn U', Prince transformed into a crooner for a second. A softer side to his discography, this track feels like silk as his voice glides through vocal runs infused with a jazz flavour. Offering something easy listening and tender, this is a pure and simple great love song, as he strips back his usual bells and whistles to place the focus on his voice.

'Baltimore'

Harking back to Nina Simone’s iconic protest song of the same name, Prince tackles the issue of race and police brutality. No stranger to socio-political issues, writing on all kinds of topics from the AIDs crisis to nuclear threats, Baltimore is a far more personal and humanistic approach to a protest song. Made in the memory of Freddie Gray who died in 2015 from injuries after being arrested, the more organic sound and the gentle chanting of "If there ain't no justice then there ain't no peace" offers a more tender protest song.

'Computer Blue'

'Computer Blue' deserves a place amongst Prince’s best. From the ominous start to the screaming end, 'Computer Blue' is like five songs in one. Slowly derailing from a steady beat into a chaos of guitar scales and relentless synths, this track shows Prince’s ability to do absolutely loads without it ever becoming too much, packing this song with so many different sections without it ever tipping over into confusing or hard to listen to. While other songs on Purple Rain have become immortal anthems, it’s a crime that 'Computer Blue' has been left on the side-lines and the performance in the Purple Rain film is Prince’s showmanship at his best as he spins around the stage still playing perfect guitar.

'Musicology'

Taking on a more organic, live sound, 'Musicology' takes influence from Prince’s early inspirations like James Brown and Earth, Wind & Fire. With more of a '70s funk vibe, the track seems to be an homage to Prince’s love of hearing and playing live music, reminiscing back on his early days and honouring the talent of his live band. Something about this track is so cheerful and wholesome in a way that’s rare in Prince’s racy discography.

More about: Prince