Sign 'O' the Times

When writing songs for this album, Prince was going through both good and bad times with Susannah Melvoin, a woman with whom he appeared to be truly in love. This relationship directly influenced two of the album's strongest, songs; "Forever In My Life" and "If I was Your Girlfriend." "Forever In My Life" finds Prince coming to terms with the idea of settling down and sharing his life with Susannah. "If I was Your Girlfriend" finds Prince admitting to feeling jealous of the close relationship Susannah shared with her sister. Lyrically "Girlfriend" is probably Prince's crowning acheivement.

The title track is a wonderfully simple and understated funk/rock number in which Prince addresses topical issues such as drugs, AIDS and the "Star Wars" program. In "The Cross" he continues to reflect upon the state of the world and shares his beleif that there is light at the end of the tunnel if one can "bear the cross." Other highlights include the dancefloor classic, "Housequake," the bluesy "Strange Relationship" and the poptastic "I Could Never Take The Place of Your Man" - which features one of the man's most outstanding guitar solo's.

It has been said many times that Sign O' The Times would have made a fantastic single album but those that take the time to truly listen will discover a truly fantastic double album. Every track has a unique charm and even the less obvious ones are growers. To take anything away would be a mistake and by today's standards it's really not that long an album (16 tracks in all). My advice is ignore the naysayers, forget the quantity and enjoy the depth.

So he went back into the studio and recorded this, including the title-track which was written and recorded in one day. As a double-album, it may not have met with the commercial success of some of his previous or subsequent albums, but it received the sort of critical praise that is reserved for only the truly great pieces of modern musical work.

He leaps from genre to genre with ease, from the prototype rap of 'Housequake' to the classic ballad 'Slow Love' and the sumptuous, gender-bending 'If I Was You Girlfriend' or the classic rock of 'The Cross' - whatever you want, it's here.

Some of the music may sound a tad dated, but the quality shines through from beginning to end. If you were looking for proof of this man's musical genius, look no further - if God made music, this is what he would make.

Sign O' The Times. The first song and title track of the album. Instantly the baseline cathes your attention as it is played. Musically it is a song that you find yourself singing as you walk down the street. Truly great funk/pop from a funk legend. Lyrically it is even better in my opinion. The lyrics poetically describe all the current problems in the world today from drug taking, to unprotected sex, and etc. Prince is not only trying to make a record from this. He is making a point on how to live life. If the night falls and a bomb falls who will C the dawn? Truly magnificent. So true to the problems we face nowadays.
It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Night. I find this a good relaxing song. May not have the samwe content as the rest of the songs on the album but stiull a good song you can tap along with and clap your hands.
Housequake. Tied best song on the first CD with Sign O' The Times. A incomprehensably clever dance track. The quake should be played in any jam. This song allways lifts me up whenever or wherever.
The Ballad Of Dorothy Parker. Initially I didn't really like this track but it has seriously grown on me. It would grow on anyone else. Prince has allways made good ballads but isn't really recognised for that. That's a great shame. Except for power ballads like Purple Rain and The Most Beautidful Girl in the World of course. But this song is quite good. "It" was one of the most sexual songs of this CD. He seemed quite sexually frustrated through this song wanting to do "it" all the time. But he may be talking about other things than sex in this song. "It" can really mean a lot of things. But sex is really the subject he is really singing about. Starfish & Coffee is a great pop song to follow. I have noticed he allways seems to pick on the shy girls and the daring and expressive girls in most of his songs. I never knew you could eat starfish. Slow Love, Hot Thing, and Forever in My Life. A decent way to finish off the first CD of the album. Well orchestrated and fun to listen to.

The second CD is defiantely the most superb CD of the two and better than all the sogns on the first CD except for Sign O' The Times and Housequake. I love U Got The Look. Great song. Great to dance to. Sheena Easton provides good accompanying. Prince welcomes you to the worlds series of love in this song. Marvellous.
If I Was Your Girlfriend. I love this song as well. My friends all raise thier eyebrows when hearing this song but it really isn't that ambiguous as it sounds from the title. Yes, he may be showing something most men do not really show but he explains that if he was her best friend like wone of the girls than why should it matter what he does. Allthough this makes big assumptions of women that most women would initially disagree with in public, I think it is pretty true to most situations. But musically, great song. The tune floats excellantly and his high voice really is well in tune on this song.
Strange Relationship. Maybe drawing from personnal experience? A beautiful song. One of his favourites I gather from this album but with good reason. He played this again with the NPG in recent concerts. Wonderful song.
I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man. Again drawing back to him preaching value that you should stick with your partner and not just go off with someone new whilst still with your current partner. A top class song and a wonderful up-beat song.
The Cross. Bringing religion into play. His quasi-religious nature that he exhibits in most albums seems quite orthodox here. Obviously trying to get people to see his point of view that there is another life and that we all should remember the cross. Whether you're religious or athiest shouldn't matter to much. The guitars at the very end are really powerful with the song and absolutely brilliant.
Bringing the album to a close, Gonna Be a Beautiful Night and Adore. Adore being the best out of those two I think. But these two are a even better way to finish off an album. Great songs.

Overall, Sign O' The Times is probably tied with Purple Rain to be the best Prince album ever. Seen then as a concept album back then it did quite well and really is a top class album. It may of been one of the more noticed albums of that year but it was in stiff competition.