When looking at Prince‘s best and most important work, it’s hard not to turn straight to the ’80s and early ’90s. To be sure, Prince did some brilliant stuff in those decades, but it would be wrong to ignore his late-period work, which is much stronger than it often gets credit for. He made several albums in the 21st century that are certainly worth your time. With that in mind, let’s look at some of the best songs from the ladder era of Prince’s storied career.
“Cinnamon Girl” – from Musicology (2004)
Musicology was the album that brought Prince back to the forefront after years spent in relative obscurity as The Artist, where a lot of his albums didn’t get much attention. This was likely the best song from the album. Despite its title, it’s not a cover of the Neil Young tune, but it rocks out quite well in its own right. Between the killer guitar tone, and the memorable chorus, this track served notice that Prince was back to his old self. While this track didn’t get a ton of attention upon its initial release, perhaps in the wake of Prince’s death, it will get some much-needed re-consideration.
“Black Sweat” – from 3121 (2006)
“I don’t wanna take my clothes off/but I do” is the first line from this one. Classic Prince if there ever was, but what makes this one an overlooked classic is the incredibly slinky, futuristic beat. This album was released six months before Justin Timberlake’s FutureSex/LoveSounds, and it can’t help but feel like a bit of a prototype for the sound on that record, which more or less dictated what contemporary pop and R&B sounded like for the next five years. For some reason, this track never became a hit, which is a shame, because it’s a Prince jam for the ages.
“Fury” – from 3121 (2006)
This might be the best-known track from the underrated 3121 album, mostly due to a blistering performance that Prince gave on Saturday Night Live. The studio version of this one is pretty awesome, too, with some brilliant guitar playing that more than lives up to the title. Prince reminds us of the old adage “hell hath no fury like a woman scored,” and gives justice to that phrase with some thoroughly ferocious licks.
“Crimson and Clover” – From Lotusflow3r (2009)
Lotusflow3r is one of Prince’s more raw records, and it didn’t get a ton of attention when it was released, but it had some really strong moments, including this cover of the classic Tommy James tune. Prince cleverly inserts the chorus from “Wild Thing” into the middle of it, while also adding some killer guitar work. While Prince frequently covered songs in his live shows, he rarely did it on his records. This was the exception to the rule, and the result was an innovative work that re-invented a great song.
“Breakfast Can Wait” – from Art Official Age
The title alone lets you know what this song is going to be about. Sure enough, Prince goes through a list of his favorite breakfast foods while explaining he has more important things that he’d like to do. This one has one of Prince’s more memorable choruses in his later years, and it will probably stick in your head for hours. Had it been released earlier in Prince’s career, it probably would have been a massive hit.
“This Could Be Us” – from Art Official Age (2014)
Leave it to Prince to turn an internet meme into a surprisingly touching ballad. In early 2014, the #ThisCouldBeUsButUPlayin hashtag was all over Twitter, as people posted the post ridiculous pictures they could to go along with it. Prince, however, saw an opportunity for some romance. The five-minute track is surprisingly effective considering its origins. Even when Prince’s inspiration was one of the sillier aspects of the internet, he was still undeniably smooth.
“Baltimore” – from HitNRun Phase 2 (2015)
The final album Prince released in his lifetime (there will be plenty of posthumous ones) included this gorgeous protest song, which was written shortly after the death of Freddie Gray, who was killed in an incident with the Baltimore police, which sparked protests from the Black Lives Matter movement. Prince also makes mention of Michael Brown, and wonders if “they can hear us,” which seemed to be asking if white people felt the same anger and would join in the protests. Right up until his death, Prince was interested in social causes, and this track resonates as much as anything on Sign O’ the Times.
tidal.com/playlist/b87bf213-e3e3-4e86-953d-c4838451ac75
