Ocean of Violets: Prince song by song

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Lance LaSalle, Jul 21, 2020.

  1. thekid87

    thekid87 Forum Resident

    Location:
    The Netherlands
    The Good Life

    "The good life. One day, that's what I'll be livin'.
    Fantasy never hurt nobody, whatever chills the illin'.
    "

    This should have been a hit. It's the most commercial song on the album and it was released as a maxi single with several different mixes and styles (also in the US, the only release from the album over there). I think we will discuss the 'big city remix' separately. All the other mixes are kinda nice, but not really Prince's style (they are mixed by outside dj's/producers). Sonny and Prince are sharing lead vocals again, while Prince sings the chorus. The song itself it very catchy and uplifting. Great song!
    Again, the band is great. Very nice bass and drums.

    Too bad that Prince only performed this song a couple times at home (in Paisley Park).
    After Prince's death, the NPG did perform the song on their tour with Sonny on vocals. Here's an example from 2018 in Amsterdam:



    "The good life. One day we'll know"

    This is a minor 5 out of 5
     
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  2. thekid87

    thekid87 Forum Resident

    Location:
    The Netherlands
    Really? I always liked the excitement of the NGPMC and the Adhio shows, but I can totally understand why Prince cancelled the album High (and started working on The Rainbow Children)
     
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  3. Tricky By Name

    Tricky By Name Forum Resident

    Location:
    London, UK
    It was exciting waiting all day for the dial up modem to download all those low res files! :laugh:

    They need a proper vinyl release sometime in the not too distant future!
     
  4. footprintsinthesand

    footprintsinthesand Reasons to be cheerful part 1

    Location:
    Dutch mountains
    And laughing your rear end off while discovering Prince's latest cd copy protection plan .... 35 short empty files .. really ? :laugh:
     
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  5. Andrecrabtree

    Andrecrabtree Forum Resident

    Location:
    Leicester
    The Good Life.

    3.5 /5

    Good solid funky song.

    Wasn't there a remix of this that did quite well on the UK charts?
     
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  6. Popmartijn

    Popmartijn Senior Member

    Location:
    The Netherlands
    Can't say that much about The Good Life, apart from that it's another solid track. But sometimes you don't need to say anything more, just enjoying the good life (ha!). :)
    3.5/5
     
  7. AnthonyCM

    AnthonyCM Forum Resident

    Location:
    Brooklyn
    The Good Life: 3.5/5
     
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  8. sunspot42

    sunspot42 Forum Resident

    Location:
    San Francisco
    This is OK. Kinda generic for the era, apart from the lyrics which seem quite Prince. Does sound more like a "hit" than a lot of his material from this period.

    3/5
     
  9. groovelocked

    groovelocked Forum Resident

    Location:
    Columbus OH (USA)
    The Good Life

    quite generic for me. Never bothered seeking out the different mixes.
    2.5/5
     
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  10. Lance LaSalle

    Lance LaSalle Prince of Swollen Sinus Thread Starter

    Yes. See my post.
     
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  11. luvtotha9s

    luvtotha9s Forum Resident

    Location:
    North Carolina
    The Good Life... A very enjoyable song indeed. I like the chorus, and it flows nicely. The Good Life is very catchy... I like this song, but I don't love it.
    3/5
     
  12. hotstuffmama

    hotstuffmama El Supremo

    Location:
    new york, ny
    The Good Life is good, not great. 3/5
     
  13. Michael Macrone

    Michael Macrone Forum Resident

    Location:
    San Francisco, CA
    "The Good Life": I also find this pretty generic. On the other hand, like most of the album, it's strictly party music, so the genre's the whole point. I'm trying to grade in context, but it's hard to properly appreciate a track like this by its lonesome, in the harsh light of day.

    3.5/5
     
  14. Lance LaSalle

    Lance LaSalle Prince of Swollen Sinus Thread Starter

    Today's song is "Cherry Cherry", written by [​IMG], Sonny T., Michael B., Tommy Barbarella and Mr. Hayes; produced by [​IMG]; both credits attributed to The New Power Generation.

    The New Power Generation – Cherry, Cherry Lyrics | Genius Lyrics

    Recorded at Paisley Park in December 1994 or January 1994.

    Sonny T.: lead and backing vocals, bass guitar
    Tora Tora (aka Prince): vocals, all instruments
    Tommy Barbarella: keyboards
    Mr. Hayes: keyboards
    Michael B.: drums

    Mike Scott: guitar

    Performed occasionally live in 1995.
     
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  15. Lance LaSalle

    Lance LaSalle Prince of Swollen Sinus Thread Starter

    "Cherry, Cherry", is very nice indeed. Vocals are a bit sloppily produced and the song, again, borders on sounding like that Beck-style Prince pastiche and bona fide Prince in seventies soul mode. It's really very melodic and pretty.

    Lyric is interesting, a cut above the averaged R&B cut. This is a really good album.

    4.5/5
     
  16. thekid87

    thekid87 Forum Resident

    Location:
    The Netherlands
    Our votes for “The Good Life” (19 votes):
    1 - 0x
    2 - 0x
    3 - 8x
    4 - 6x
    5 - 5x

    Average: 3,6053
     
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  17. croquetlawns

    croquetlawns Forum Resident

    Location:
    Scotland
    Cherry, Cherry: I wouldn't skip this, but it sometimes sounds like an uninspired attempt to write another Adore - 2.5/5.

    I think that Neil Diamond wrote a much catchier song with the same title... :hide:
     
  18. Tricky By Name

    Tricky By Name Forum Resident

    Location:
    London, UK
    Cherry Cherry - always enjoyed this soul number. At one level it feels a bit out of place on this album, but at another level I can't imagine the album without it.

    4/5
     
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  19. sunspot42

    sunspot42 Forum Resident

    Location:
    San Francisco
    Oddly-produced retro number - the mix is all outta whack, I guess in an attempt to sound a bit more vintage. The melody isn't quite strong or coherent enough to be a true classic even if this is produced trying to sound like one, but I'd have definitely released this one as a single. It's waaaay to long for this kind of nostalgia exercise though - the originals were all 2-3 minutes long, tops.

    A weak 4/5 I guess, just for being kinda well executed and having a great mood.
     
  20. Freek999

    Freek999 Forum Resident

    Cherry Cherry
    3/5
     
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  21. DownInAHole

    DownInAHole Forum Resident

    Late getting my vote in for "The Good Life." I like it. 3.75/5

    "Cherry, Cherry" is even better. I think the album needed something like this to slow things down. I don't know how autobiographical the lyrics are but it paints a nice picture of the era Prince grew up in. 4/5
     
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  22. Piiijiii

    Piiijiii Hundalasiliah

    Location:
    Ruhr Area, Germany
    Yeah, High would have been a fantastic album.
    The Rainbow Children is also great btw.

    Judas Smile, When Eye Lay My Hands On You, Supercute, High, Northside, Peace The Daisy Chain, Sexmesemnot ... all too notch Prince songs for me, mostly 5/5s.
    Underrated era with top electronic and overall modern sounds for once. Love that stuff.
     
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  23. Piiijiii

    Piiijiii Hundalasiliah

    Location:
    Ruhr Area, Germany
    Cherry Cherry

    This song does nothing for me. It has a nice retro feel but is pretty generic.

    2.5/5
     
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  24. DownInAHole

    DownInAHole Forum Resident

    I have always been a bit cold on those NPGMC era tracks but it is nice to see someone who is enthusiastic about them.

    The Montreux performance of "When Eye Lay My Hands on You" made me appreciate the song much more than the studio version.
     
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  25. Popmartijn

    Popmartijn Senior Member

    Location:
    The Netherlands
    Cherry, Cherry really sounds like a pastiche of those 70's soul songs. Someone mentioned Beck before and his soundalike track Debra and I hear that as well. But, it works for Cherry, Cherry. Though sometimes a bit too sweet for my tastes it is a really nice ballad.
    4/5
     
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