Prince Album: “The Hits/The B-Sides [Box]”

Listen, I can tell you that I am a 100 percent Prince fan, but I think many of my other Prince counterparts can agree, every song on here is truly great..but, IT CAN'T BE SENSATIONAL IF MOST OR EVEN ALL OF THE SONGS ARE CUT! One thing I have always appreciated from Prince's music is the whole version of his songs. The fantastic endings to When Doves Cry,1999,Little Red Corvette and..need I say..the incomparable ADORE. As one reviewer wrote how can you leave out that great ending.." WITHOUT YOU THERE IS NO ME, WITHOUT YOU THERE IS NO SEA, THERE IS NO SHORE, LOVE IS TOO WEAK TO DEFINE HOW MUCH I ADORE..." well if your a true Prince fan, you know the rest. Absolute GENIUS lyrics, and they were cut out of this box set. And that's just to name a few! To cut these masterworks in half is truly a crime, which is the only reason why I can only give it 3 stars (it would have been 2, but even if they were cut, they still stand up way BETTER than most of the 3 minute songs out there, HANDS DOWN! ). But I will say if you don't mind the short versions this is still by far one of the best investments you can make in a CD package.

This box set is the bomb! I had already bought the Hits 1 and 2 seperately but I knew the B-sides were excellent, so I shelled out 50 bucks anyway. It was well worth it. Since I got this, I've listened to the B-sides non-stop. Just like all other Prince/Artist material, these songs are wonderful.

Prince has always had a knack for making excellent songs. All his albums are works of art even when they don't make the critic's lists. I HIGHLY recommend this box set to all Prince friends/fans. If you enjoy funk, slow ballads, or straight-up rock and roll, you cannot EVER fail with Prince. He covers all genres on every album he makes. This set will not dissapoint. "May you live to see the dawn"

I have written quite a bit on Prince's Warner Bros. dispute,its aftermath and all the problems with their handeling of his music catalog however, things only got worse with the release of The Hits/The B Sides.I originally purchased this on its release date in 1993 and was looking forward to getting the Bsides I was missing on CD. Back then it was a little tougher getting a decent collection of his B-sides unless you had the original singles on vinyl. I've been a Prince fan for at least 20 years and have collected his work on vinyl (albums, maxi singles and 7 in. singles) so, this package was a treat a the time however, I couldn't say the same about the A sides (the Hits) after one listen. Most of the tracks are the single edits and therefore rather unattractive since they fare lighter than their original full length counterparts. The sequence is also rather off since it begins with When Doves Cry and somehow works its way into earlier Prince. I wasn't thrilled to find out that WB skimped out on his better work from albums like PARADE,SIGN o THE TIMES,THE BATMAN SOUNDTRACK (Batdance was a #1 HIT)as well as some of his ballads. Instead, we get complete throwaway stuff like Peach and Pope which are great songs but when were they hits???? I would have rather liked the inclusion of Scandalous, Batdance, Mountains, and Money Don't Matter Tonight. The liner notes for the collection offered a great deal of information and great pictures but that does not excuse WB from missing out on some of his better stuff. Listening to some of the B-sides such as Power Fantastic,For the Tears in Your Eyes and How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore? is the only real reason I have kept this disc set for over 11 years now. If you are really into Prince I would recommend this set for the B-sides and push for the original full length albums instead. The full length songs are best when left unedited for the listener experience, musical genius and overall appreciation of the music itself.

This 3 CD Greatest Hits Compilation has it all. Slick and slipery Rhythm & Blues, Edgy Rock N Roll, Happening Hip Hop, Passionate Ballads, and even a touch of jazz. Its goes beyond styles as Prince delivers a fresh approach to many of the 56 songs. Some songs he does the high pitched falsetto, others a resonant baritone, and still more with a medium pitched tones.

Some of the songs are edited but at least they are tasetful edits like I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man and 1999. The B sided CD is truly Grade A. The Tears In Your Eyes and God are touching ballads. The first two discs are loaded with suprises. Enjoy hearing the original versions of I Feel For You which was written for Chaka Kahn and When You Were Mine which was performed by Cindi Lauper. Pop Life is quite delightful and Nothing Compares To U is a stunning duet. I'm especially fond of Gett Off and Cream in spite of their sexual explicit lyrics. Its the music that does it for me with many funky twists.

Whereas casual fans might prefer the single CD set, this 3 CD package is truly fully loaded with excellent music. In this case, it may be best to hold out for this more comprehensie set as it stands strong on both depth and style.

What more can a music lover ask for! You've got two albums with some of Princes most badass songs from the late 70's to mid 90s! I must confess I was never into Prince untill mid 2000's. I go through these fazes where I fall in love with an artist and listen to them over and over again. First it was the Spice Girls, then the king of pop, then Janet Jackson, and finally the sexy MF himself! Orince is definately a musical genious! Hes the most underrated guitarist on the planet. Just listen to that wild solo on Lets Go Crazy. The guy plays just about every instrument there! One of my definate favorites on this album has to be Thieves in the Temple. Diamonds and Pearls is one of the most beutiful slow songs I've ever heard. When Doves Cry is actually abridged on this album which is very unfortunate. To hear the full version of When Doves cry you should get Purple Rain. I must be honest though I love the songs on this album, but I like the other one better because it has my favorites (Little Red Corvette FTW).