18 & Over vs. Sense of Doubt - Live

Song:  18 & Over
Album:  Crystal Ball
Year:  1998

Let me start by pointing out that this song was recorded in 1994, which would put Prince at 36 years of age at the time of recording.  Bear that in mind as you read on . . .

Coming from an artist who has proven himself capable of artistic displays of sexuality, sometimes very graphically, this particular offering is abhorrent.  Prince may be trying for some double entendres here, but he barely manages single entendres with lines such as "18 & over, I wants to bone ya" and referring to himself as a "Kemosabe Bone Ranger".  I haven't witnessed such a blind spot in music since Robin Thicke thought himself so clever with "what rhymes with hug me?"  The rapping is poor, the sentiment is merely sexual, not sexy, and the beat is simplistic.

Back to the whole age thing.  WTF Prince!!!!!  Who do you think you are?  R. Kelly?  Not someone to aspire to!!!  Do you want to know when most guys move on from 18 year olds?  At the age of 19!  Even employing the "half your age plus 7" rule you'd be off by seven years.  I'm disappointed in you sir.  I'll accept Do Me Baby, Head and International Lover, but this is crap.

Verdict:  0/5 stars

Would I sing it at karaoke?  Good God no!!!!

Song:  Sense of Doubt - Live
Album:  Stage
Year:  1978

A live version of an instrumental track from his Heroes album, this is a moody synth piece clearly meant to be a bridge (and a vocal respite) between songs in his live set.  It's a fine piece for what it is, but not necessarily what I'm seeking when I want to  hear some Bowie.  It works far better in the context of the full studio album, though I'm sure the crowd appreciated it live too.

Song facts offers this:

Producer, Brian Eno, devised a set of "Oblique Strategies" cards that contained cryptic "instructions" to help with the recording of the Heroes album. Eno and Bowie would select a card at random, keeping it a secret from the other. Bowie selected "Emphasise differences" while Eno selected "Try to make everything as similar as possible" and it was this paradox which formed the basis for this dark but ambient instrumental piece. Eno said: "It was like a game. We took turns working on it; he'd do one overdub and I'd do the next, and he'd do the next…I was trying to smooth it out and make it into one continuum [while] he was trying to do the opposite."

This explanation gives the song a bit more depth.  I like the concept and would love to try it myself sometime.

Verdict:  3/5 stars

Would I sing it at karaoke?  Silly question

Winner:  Sense of Doubt - Live

Running Score - Bowie 23, Prince 16

I Wonder U vs. Let Me Sleep Beside You

Song:  I Wonder U
Album:  Parade
Year:  1986

Clocking in at 1:39, this track probably shines brightest when the album tracks are experienced sequentially.  It works well as a segue between the more up tempo New Position and the slower Under the Cherry Moon.  Taken on it's own it's interesting but too short.  This is an album I'm very familiar with and as many times as I've listened to this track I've only just noticed that there seems to be a very slight, almost imperceptible, tempo increase as the track progresses.  The lyrics are vague, though they may make more sense in the context of  the movie (Under the Cherry Moon), which I've never seen.

As a side note, the lead vocals on this track are sung by Wendy Melvoin and mark the first time Prince did not provide the lead vocals on a Prince album track.

Verdict:  4/5 stars

Would I sing it at karaoke?  No.  Too short and too few words

Song:  Let Me Sleep Beside You
Album:  David Bowie
Year:  1967

Nothing I can write here will better describe this song than Chris O'Leary's Pushing Ahead of the Dame blog:

“Let Me Sleep Beside You” is a rake’s come-on in the well-worn style of Andrew Marvell and Robert Herrick—the singer frames his seduction as being empowering, the rake merely serving as a means of liberation. He appeals to youth’s vanity; he flatters his conquest with the promise of her alleged maturity: “Brush the dust of youth from off your shoulder/because the years of threading daisies lie behind you now,” Bowie murmurs, keeping a straight face. “Lock away your childhood…child, you’re a woman now/your heart and soul are free.”

Of Bowie's earliest works, this is not a track of which I was familiar.  Having now had a few listens, I can confidently say that it's OK.  The lyrics are more accessible than some of his other early works, though it's definitely missing the odd subject matter of tracks such as Silly Boy Blue or Please Mr. Gravedigger.

Verdict:  3/5 stars

Would I sing it at karaoke?  Doubtful

Winner:  I Wonder U

Running Score:  Bowie 22, Prince 16

Sleep Around vs. Moonage Daydream - Live

Song:  Sleep Around
Album:  Emancipation
Year:  1996

A decent up-tempo groove influenced by late 90s club music with a touch of Miami Sound Machine.  Prince seems to be having fun with the mix and soloing on this track and while the drum beat seems very mechanical, the other instrumentation is more dense and interesting.  At just over 7 minutes, it feels like an extended dance mix, and perhaps this is an example of his newfound artistic freedom.  There may not be a lot of substance lyrically but that's made up for by enough variance in the mix to make for a nice listen.

Verdict:  4/5 stars

Would I sing it at karaoke?  Not necessarily the right fit for such a venue

Song:  Moonage Daydream - Live
Album:  1982
Year:  Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars (The Motion Picture Soundtrack)

I went into this one dreading it.  This soundtrack is of notoriously muddy quality and not known to be representative of his best live recordings.  The slight vocal ch-ch-changes that Bowie makes early into the song didn't help.  They were OK but definitely felt as if he were holding back slightly, though that's understandable for a live performance.  This all changed when Mick Ronson's guitar took over.  It's a soaring, wobbly, spinny sensation, evoking a sense of interstellar travel with just the right use of some pedal effects.  I can imagine being in the audience and just soaking it in.

Verdict:  4/5 stars

Would I sing it at karaoke?  I believe I have!

Pointless rambling:
This is a tough pairing for me.  I was surprised by both of these tracks and love them both for very different reasons.  So  I have to ask myself which track will I intentionally seek out to listen to again?  And I still can't decide, because that question hinges on setting.  I may throw Sleep Around into a Spotify playlist intended for a social  gathering but go to Moonage Daydream for a drive with the windows down and the volume turned up to eleven.  So then which song sticks in the head better?  Well that would be Moonage Daydream by a long shot, but that may be because I know it well enough to sing at karaoke.  That being said, I think that is going to be my criteria on this one.  As much as I liked Sleep Around I am going to have to proclaim this battle's winner . . .

Winner:  Moonage Daydream - Live

Running Score:  Bowie 22,  Prince 15

STOPTHISTRAIN vs. Hallo Spaceboy - Live

Song:  STOPTHISTRAIN
Album:  PlectrumElectrum
Year:  2014

Another Prince project, 3rdEyeGirl, with Hannah Welton-Ford on vocals.  This is a pleasant mid-tempo pop song with vocals that manage to fit with the pop sounds of the day.  It rolls along at an easy pace and makes me want to listen to more of the album.  Billboard describes this album as "more dessert than side dish" (to the album "Art Official Age" which was released at the same time) and calls out this track as one of the stronger numbers.  It's an apt description

Verdict:  3.5/5 stars

Would I sing it at karaoke?  Not my style.

Song:  Hallo Spaceboy - Live
Album:  A Reality Tour
Year:  2004

A nice noise track and one that I'm sure got the crowd going when performed live.  It's not a track that would be a showstopper or highlight, but sure would rev a concert-goer up in preparation for some off the bigger numbers.  I don't have a lot to say about this one.  Good enough but nothing very special.

Verdict:  3/5 stars

Would I sing it at karaoke?  No

Winner:  STOPTHISTRAIN

Running Score:  Bowie 21, Prince 15

Let's Work vs. Diamond Dogs - Live

Song:  Let's Work
Album:  Controversy
Year:  1981

Follow me here . . . Waaaaaaaay back in 1979 it seems Prince took his backing band to Boulder, Colorado to record an album under the band name The Rebels.  They recorded nine tracks, none of which have ever been released.  One of those tracks, titled Let's Rock, derived it's name from a popular dance at the time called, what else, The Rock, which itself was influenced by an Edwin Starr song titled "It's Called the Rock".  (I was unable to find a video of the dance itself, though if you'd like to see videos of Dwayne Johnson dancing those are readily available).

A couple years later Prince decided to re-record and re-title Let's Rock as Let's Work for his fourth album Controversy, an album which Allmusic rightly claims tries to bring funk to a rock audience and vice versa.  This track does just that.  To say it rocks would be a misnomer.  To say it funks would be more appropriate, but that's just not a thing.  To say it works is probably most accurate, though it seems like a vast understatement.

Having listened to this album, and both the album and extended recordings of  this particular track, for 38 years now, I can definitively say that this is the Prince that I prefer.  The one that drew me into his music to begin with.  A hard driving funk/rock/soul beat, sweaty lyrics, cool synthesizer backing . . . it's all there.  It expands the sound of his previous release Dirty Mind and sets the stage for the masterpiece that is 1999.  (For what it's work, Dirty Mind and Controversy are also masterpieces).  This is Prince at his best.

Verdict:  5/5 stars

Would I sing it at karaoke?  Oh hell yeah!

Song:  Diamond Dogs
Album:  David Live
Year:  1974

While a fan of the Diamond Dogs album, both as a collection of songs and as a concept, I've never been that fond of this title track.  It's OK.  It just doesn't do much for me.  It's a natural inclusion on the David Live album as Diamond Dogs was released the same year.  It's fast-paced and rocking, but rather TOO much of a straight-forward rock song for it to spark any interest.  The live performance doesn't try to alter or improve on the studio recording in any way.  It's just meh.

Verdict:  3/5 stars

Would I sing it at karaoke?  Meh

Winner:  Let's Work

Running Score:  Bowie 21, Prince 14

Emancipation vs. Dollar Days

Song:  Emancipation
Album:  Emancipation
Year:  1996

Emancipation (the song) is the final track from the staggering 3-CD, 3 hour album of the same name.  It starts as if it's going to be a slower song but quickly switches to an midtempo dance/funk jam.  As the final track, it's a fitting celebration of Prince's newly found freedom from his Warner Bros. contract.  Ironically, his glee in being free to chart new musical ground and experiment with new sounds does not play out on this track; it would actually fit well within the oeuvre of his Purple Rain output.  Still, it's an enjoyable song that had my toe tapping and my head bobbing.

For what it's worth, this rather dumb poem, also titled Emancipation, was distributed to the audience of his 9/9/95 show at Paisley Park Studios.

Is it reality or just a dream?

2 your spirit say ♥ U in spite of my slavery

We're both 2 blame 4 this lesson in life

cuz this is the path we choose

'm sure knew U long ago

Look into your soul – it knows

And would never claim more righteous

Dare Napoleon and Hitler see

It depends on who U ask my friend

love U, do U love me?

How will history sing, my brother

What song will our children teach?

The Emancipation Proclamation is well within our reach

Tear down the walls that make us bicker

4 many years fought your war

One stroke of your pen could conquer

Every sin our actions bore

implore the goodness that's in all of us

An example we now must set

4 when this life is over

What U be is what U get

The Dawn is coming!

The Dawn is coming!

Acknowledge and save us all

Free my people 2 bring the message

Heed the call! Heed the call!

And this song from every mountain top

Every child will surely teach

The Emancipation Proclamation

Is well within our reach

love U, love U – Do U love me?

I'm not convinced that Prince's emancipation from his record label carries the same weight as the Emancipation Proclamation, and if the pictures from this time with the word "slave" emblazoned on Prince's cheek weren't enough to evoke that tie, this poem dispels any doubt.

Verdict:  3.5/5 stars for the song.  1/5 stars for the poem.

Would I sing it at karaoke?  Nah . . . vocals are too sparse

Song:  Dollar Days
Album:  Blackstar
Year:  2016

The Blackstar album is Bowie's final, poignant gift to his fans.  He recorded it while he knew he was dying and passed away just days after it's release.  The album differs from anything he's done previously due to  the inclusion of some jazz musicians; specifically, on this track, saxophonist Donny McCaslin.  The track is moody and beautiful.  Though Bowie's voice is not at it's strongest, it is still a beautiful and haunting presence in this lament on the futility of the human condition.  I can't possibly know what was going through Bowie's head at the time.  Though I'm sure he despaired of things left undone and the continued overall shittiness of humanity, I do hope he took satisfaction in the global pleasure of his enduring work.

Verdict:  3.5/5 stars

Winner:  Emancipation

Running Score:  Bowie 21, Prince 13

3121 vs. Rosalyn

 Song:  3121
Album:  3121
Year:  2006

The lead track on the album, 3121 evidently refers to Prince's rented mansion at 3121 Antelo Rd. in Los Angeles.  Evidently that's where the party be.  The track is heavy on post-recording effects, including various vocal pitches combined so that Prince is singing along with himself.  There are also some other distortions and intentionally abrupt musical stops.  The song chugs along nicely with a decent effects-heavy guitar solo thrown in for good measure.  A few online commenters suggest that 3121 means "Love One to One" or refers to the 21 concerts Prince gave in London for the price of 31 pounds each.  Perhaps it's all that, perhaps not.  What it IS is a nice, funky Prince jam that has grown better for me with each listen.

Verdict:  4/5 stars

Would I sing it at karaoke?  Only if I could do all the voices at once like Anna-Maria Hefele.

Song:  Rosalyn
Album:  Pin Ups
Year:  1973

Also an opening track, this one from Bowie's album of 60s British rock covers, Rosalyn is a guitar-heavy jam with a Bo-Diddly beat that incorporates some nice Mick Ronson slide guitar work.  It's a straight-up guitar rock jam from a band (The Pretty Things) that unashamedly borrowed from all manner of American blues and rockabilly styles.  Bowie's version is very true to the original, though somewhat crisper.  Altogether a pleasant rendition of a forgotten hit that led me back to the original material and deeper into the original artist's catalog.  This was probably the intention.  Well done.

Verdict:  3.5/5 stars

Would I sing it at karaoke?  Yes!  A nice rocking obscure number!

Winner:  3121.

Running score:  Bowie 21, Prince 12

Random musings:
As I've been listening to my Prince v. Bowie tracks I've found that I have a tendency to try to think of if/how/why each pairing goes together.  Today, both tracks stay within their own grooves and within one key.  Each tune has a distinct energy and rocks/funks out in their own particular way.  Despite the 33 year time span these two work together well.

17 Days - 7" B-Side Edit vs. Silly Boy Blue

Song:  17 Days - 7" B-Side Edit
Album:  Purple Rain
Year:  1984

Originally released as the B-Side to When Doves Cry, this is the first track to be credited to Prince & The Revolution (the A-Side was credited to Prince alone).  It's difficult to assess this track out of the context of Purple Rain and the associated hugeness of both the movie and the soundtrack.  Prince was all over the airwaves, all over MTV, doing the rare late night talk show appearance.  Everyone wanted more, and the B-sides delivered.    I believe this track came first, followed shortly thereafter by Erotic City (Let's Go Crazy B-side), God (Purple Rain B-Side) and Another Lonely Christmas (I Would Die 4 U B-side).  This one fit in nicely with the overall feel and theme of the album and was just the snack hungry Purple Rain fans needed.  It's a straight-forward jam with the synthesized drum track steadfastly moving things along; it's as if the listener just hopped on the Prince train for a short ride along a much longer journey.  It's a fun  ride.

Verdict:  4.5/5 stars

Would I sing it at karaoke?  Given the relatively easy vocal demands, sure.

Song:  Silly Boy Blue
Album:  David Bowie
Year:  1967

I have not delved too deeply into Bowie's pre-Space Oddity recordings and therefore hadn't heard this track before.  Like much of his early work, the song structure and recording is dated by today's standards, making it something that doesn't grab you immediately.  However, after giving it some attention and a few listens it's clear that Bowie is taking the song form and tweaking it ever so slightly to give it his own touch of oddness.  The vocal stylings give the track some interesting character; especially the unexpected harmonies in the vocal wobble that closes the song.

Content-wise, the song has something to do with being identified as the next Dalai Lama.  Whether the titular "silly boy" is embracing his fate or revolting against it is for the listener to decide.

Verdict:  3/5 stars

Would I sing it at karaoke?  Probably not, but you never know.

Winner:  17 Days

Running Score:  Bowie 21, Prince 11

Better with Time vs. Seven - Beck Mix #1

Song:  Better with Time
Album:  Lotusflow3r
Year:  2009

OK Spotify shuffle, I know Prince can kick out the slow jams.  You've given me yet another and frankly I'm running out of adjectives.  Better with Time is another well-executed song; perhaps a bit more minimal than some of the others - mostly voice, piano and synthesized drums.  Some background vocals and the inevitable vocal swell as the song progresses.  It's fine.  It's not outstanding.

Verdict:  2.5/5 stars

Would I sing it at karaoke?  Of course not.

Song:  Seven - Beck Mix #1
Album:  Hours
Year:  1999

In the late 90s Bowie partnered with The Cure guitarist Reeves Gabrels to create the music for the video game Omikron - The Nomad Soul.  This track arose from that collaboration and appears to have also been included in that game's soundtrack as the closing number.  That version titled Seven - Demo on the album.  THIS version is the first (and my preferred) of two remixes by Beck.  It's essentially Beck experimenting with some stark industrial and dub elements while keeping intact the vocal track (though some of the vocal effects also seem to be stripped down).  The feel is more alienating than the "official" album version, titled, simply, Seven).  There's a sense that something is winding down - the narrator, the world, possibly even the recording equipment.  It's interesting.  Also not outstanding, but definitely better than fine.

Verdict:  3/5 stars

Would I sing it at karaoke?  If it was last call and the stragglers were heading out, sure.

Winner:  Seven - Beck Mix #1

Running Score:  Bowie 21, Prince 10

Future Soul Song vs. An Occasional Dream

Song:  Future Soul Song
Album:  20Ten
Year:  2010

So I am learning that Prince has sooooooooooooo many slow jams!  This one comes courtesy of his 20Ten album, which, although it was included in some European newspapers and the German edition of Rolling Stone, was never released domestically during his lifetime.  The drum machine seems to be doing a variation of The Beautiful Ones while the lead and backing vocals soar and intertwine quite nicely.  It's pleasant to listen to though otherwise unremarkable.

There's some Jehovah's Witness doctrine being referred to in the lyrics, but it's relatively benign and perhaps applicable to most religions.  It's subtle and likely won't add or detract to your enjoyment regardless of your views.

Verdict:  3/5 stars

Would I sing it at karaoke?  A bit too slow for my karaoke tastes.

Song:  An Occasional Dream
Album:  David Bowie (Space Oddity)
Year:  1969

Given my familiarity with this album, I entered into this one already knowing it pretty well.  It's a quiet, folksy single and a companion piece to the earlier "Letter to Hermione".  Bowie's lost love and muse Hermione Farthingale has been the inspiration, in whole or in part, to several of his earlier songs; in addition to the two mentioned here, she is "the girl with  the mousy hair" in Life on Mars?

Like Prince's offering, this is a simple and beautiful track, though far more acoustic and folk-oriented than Prince's soul, electronic-based offering.  It offers the listener the melancholy experience of remembering tender moments through the lens of lost love.

Verdict:  4/5 stars

Would  I sing it at karaoke?  Also a bit too slow for my karaoke tastes.

Winner:  An Occasional Dream

Running Score:  Bowie 20, Prince 10

Silly Game vs. Because You're Young

Song:  Silly Game
Album:  Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic
Year:  1999

Come on Prince.  U R not even trying any more.  U give us this boring song full of simplistic lovey-dovey drivel?  Why?  Where's the bravado?  Where's the innuendo?  OK, some of the chord progressions are vaguely interesting in a smooth-jazz type of way, but really there's not much here.  It sounds like a song that would play during a saccharine montage in some direct-to-DVD (since it's 1999) movie.  U need to up your game buddy.  I'm pulling for you!

Verdict:  1.5/5 stars

Would I sing it at karaoke?  Not a chance.

Song:  Because You're Young
Album:  Scary Monsters
Year:  1980

In direct opposition to Prince's offering of today's battle, Bowie delivers an almost impenetrable song about the inevitable clash of young dreams vs. the reality of aging.  The lyrics are dense and somewhat difficult to pull from the instrumental mix, at least at the beginning.  The vocal delivery is Bowie at his most diverse.  Words are elongated, stress is placed on unusual syllables, vibrato is everywhere.  The drum beat is hard and steady.  Bass provides syncopation.  Lead guitar circles the mix like a drunk teenager experiencing the bed spins.  And that synthesizer would be at home in a B-52s song.

It's not a song that grabbed me immediately.  If not for this silly project of mine I may not have given it a second (and third) chance.  But I'm finding that the more I listen to it the more  I'm liking it.  There's a density here that is absolutely needed in the absence of any easily accessible hooks or hummable tunes.  Well done!

Verdict:  4/5 stars

Would  I sing it at karaoke?  I would love to have the vocal chops to do so, but probably not gonna happen.

Winner:  Because You're Young

Running Score:  Bowie 19,  Prince 10

Affirmation III vs. Andy Warhol

Song:  Affirmation III
Album:  Art Official Age
Year:  2014

He has clearly taken his time on these tracks, and avoided any pre-listen.

I'm reading the majority of reviews considering it a filler or throwaway, Really??

The strings, the chords, the weird thrashing sounds, the keys and the stunning vocals. I love it.

These are the words of one Prince fan, not me.  I personally think this track would be better situated in a cut scene to some futuristic video game than on a Prince album.  I suppose it works as part of the overall context but as a stand-alone it's just word jazz (a concept that I find about as unappealing as 99% of acapella music), and it's not even good word jazz at that.  I'll bump it up a half star because Lianne La Havas has a lovely voice.  That's her above . . . I couldn't find a video of this track that either wasn't silent or wasn't reversed.

Verdict:  1.5/5 stars

Would I sing it at karaoke?  Please!

Song:  Andy Warhol
Album:  Hunky Dory
Year:  1971

Dress my friends up just for show.  See them as they really are.

These are (close to) the opening lines of this song and ones that sing true to me.  I love it when friends can express their quirks, their odd fixations, their utter uncoolness . . . examples of which might include a fondness for the Zelda videogame franchise or the shared male bonding experience of drunkenly and unashamedly singing "Easy" while on a guys night out in Detroit.  This is what Warhol (at least in part) was doing with his Factory and this is echoed with the musicianship on this track.

The track opens with some studio banter and electronic noise.  It transforms into a nice song featuring dual acoustic guitar, vocals and what appears to be percussion created by someone's tap shoes (with a tap shoe solo at the end!)  It's a catchy tune, minimalist, well-done and it appears that Bowie and friends are having fun.

Verdict:  4/5 stars

Would I sing it at karaoke?  Yes!  I'm surprised I haven't thought of it until now!!

Winner:  Andy Warhol

Running Score:  Bowie 18, Prince 10


Postscript
I am continually delighted by the Spotify suggestions that arise from my combined Bowie/Prince playlist.  Today's surprise was Who Is She (And What Is She to You) by Gladys Knight & The Pips from their 1971 album Neither One of Us.  It's a funky jam and worth your ear time, whether you've heard it before or not.  You may think you know Gladys Knight . . . think again.

One Kiss at a Time vs. Dancing with the Big Boys

Song:  One Kiss at a Time
Album:  Emancipation
Year:  1996

Come here, baby
Come and get your come on

The opening couplet from this sexy slow burn lays it on the line quickly.  In true Prince fashion, this is not so much a celebration of the woman as it is a celebration of Prince's skill as a lover.  I'm fairly sure oral sex is implied in at least one line, suggesting a level of maturity in the 16 years that have elapsed since 1980's Head.  Yep.  Prince is gonna do you and he's gonna do you good if he doesn't say so himself.  You cannot resist his stare.  He is the Pablo Picasso of getting it on.

Verdict:  3.5/5 stars

Would I sing it at karaoke?  I'd need to practice my falsetto, or have a helium balloon handy.

Song:  Dancing with the Big Boys
Album:  Tonight
Year:  1984

There are too many people, too much belief
(Dancing with the big boys)
Where there's trouble there's poetry
(Dancing with the big boys)
Your family is a football team
(Big boys)

A David Bowie / Iggy Pop collab in which they slam together cast-off snippets to create a mélange of word diarrhea set to a rather uninteresting beat.  Somehow it's better then it has any right to be, but only just by a hair.  While I enjoyed this album upon it's release, it's just hitting me now that it was tracks like this one that probably sent me to Bowie's back catalog to discover (or re-discover) something truly artistic and engaging.

Verdict:  2/5 stars

Would I sing it at karaoke?  It would be a waste of my mic time

Winner:  One Kiss at a Time

Running Score:  Bowie 17, Prince 10

Shh vs. Segue - Ramona A. Stone / I Am with Name

Song:  Shhh
Album:  The Gold Experience
Year:  1995

Originally written for Tevin Campbell and included on his 1993 album "I'm Ready" Shhh begins with bombastic drums and orchestral hits and then mellows into a sexy slow jam.  I say sexy, but somehow this one hits me Flight of the Conchords sexy as opposed to Marvin Gaye sexy.

It's far too serious of a sexy.  This seduction sounds like a lot of work.  I really don't think Prince would have to work that hard.  Tevin Campbell maybe . . .

Verdict:  3.5/5 stars

Would I sing it at karaoke?  Oh hell yeah!!!

Song:  Segue - Ramona A. Stone / I Am with Name
Album:  1. Outside
Year:  1995

Oh jeez . . . what I thought was a disposable segue track turned out to be a bit of a rabbit hole.  Evidently this album was originally titled (or possibly subtitled) the Nathan Adler Diaries.  These are quite gruesome and not for the faint of heart.  They do, however, put some structure around the tracks on this album.  Or at least they seem to when comparing the story to the track names; I actually haven't listened to this album in it's entirety.

According to a comment on songmeanings.com this is sung by a character in the diaries who sells art made from pieces of the human body.  At least one other commenter believes this song is an admission that she is the killer.

Ramona A. Stone also happens to be the name on a lovely Instagram account highlighting art, nature, architecture; embedded in the photo stream is this picture:

Coincidence?  Probably not.  I like to believe that Ramona the Instagrammer became aware of the use of her name (or perhaps appropriated all or part of it).

Verdict:  2/5 for the track alone, 3/5 with context added

Would I sing it at karaoke?  Oh hell no!

Winner:  Shhh

Running Score:  Bowie 17, Prince 9

The Max vs. Pablo Picasso

Song:  The Max
Album:  The Love Symbol Album
Year:  1992

I've mentioned before in this blog that the 90s, and especially the early 90s, were a period in which I became enamored of goth and industrial music; simultaneously shunning most mainstream music.  Still, I recall purchasing this cassette and playing it frequently enough that I remember most of  the tracks to this day.  Back then I thought that Prince's foray into incorporating rap into his songs was both a bit too commercial and not all that interesting and this track is no exception.  It's a nice funky groove that starts strong and continues to jam without really breaking new ground or developing as a song.  The lyrics are a jumble of thoughts about how Prince never quits.  OK.  The added rap lyrics don't add much either stylistically or contextually.  Still, it's a nice danceable number that may not draw me to the dance floor but wouldn't drive me off of it either.

As a side note, the Wikipedia entry on Tony M is pretty interesting.  Evidently his rapping was initially incorporated into Prince's live shows to up Prince's street cred.  Things went downhill from there.  Click the link above for more.

Verdict:  3/5

Would I sing it at karaoke?  If it was a dance-heavy night, sure.

Song:  Pablo Picasso
Album:  Reality
Year:  2003

I first heard the song Pablo Picasso as the Burning Sensations' version in the film Repo Man.  It was only many years later that I discovered it was originally penned and performed by Jonathan Richman.

I could also swear I've heard a Iggy Pop version of this on an album somewhere, but Spotify disagrees.  I did, however, find this nice video that sounds exactly how I'd expect an Iggy Pop version to sound:

My point is that I have a fairly long history of hearing this song in various forms (including some wicked awesome Jonathan Richman live performances) and yet have not heard this David Bowie cover until just now.  I like it!  It's different enough to make me pay attention to a song I thought I already knew, including a smattering of phased Spanish guitar at the opening and later leading into the final minute of the song.  Bowie's delivery deviates enough from that of Jonathan Richman (a deadpan wink and a nod), Burning Sensations (bored) and Iggy Pop (obey) to make this a fine addition to this song's history.

Verdict:  4/5 stars

Would I sing it at karaoke?  The song, yes.  Perhaps not this version . . . Jonathan's remains the best

Winner:  Pablo Picasso

Running Score:  Bowie 17, Prince 8

All the Midnights In the World vs. Running Gun Blues

Song:  All The Midnights in the World
Album:  Planet Earth
Year:  2007

A supposed love song that contains a section that sounds weirdly similar to Here Comes Santa Claus.  It's a short song at 2:22 and, though the sentiment is sweet, it doesn't have anything that I can sink my teeth into.  I suppose I could make a correlation to the Santa Claus thing, midnight and the fact that a brief Google search indicates that 222 represents happiness that one finds in giving to others.  Actually, that elevates the song a smidge but doesn't fully redeem it, especially since I'm just making things up at this point. 

Verdict:  2/5 stars

Would I sing it at karaoke?  No thanks.

Song:  Running Gun Blues
Album:  The Man Who Sold the World
Year:  1970

Another David Bowie blog has this to say:

An early entrant in the distinguished “crazy Vietnam veteran” genre, “Running Gun Blues” features an ex-soldier turned serial killer. Bowie sounds unhinged in the verses, tries for menace in the choruses, going on about cracking the heads of “gooks.” It’s satire fit for (and seemingly written by) a squalid 13-year-old boy.

Mick Ronson offers amends—beefing up the D-C-G riff that Bowie first offers on his acoustic, locking in with Tony Visconti’s bass to ride out the track. It’s no use, as the track’s nothing but cheap, loud burlesque with “social commentary” pretensions. Angela Bowie recalled that her husband wrote the lyrics to “Running Gun Blues” over an afternoon when he kept being interrupted to do interviews, and it shows (“for I promote oblivion/and I’ll plug a few civilians”). As rancid as it is forgettable.

Recorded 18 April-22 May 1970; never performed again by Bowie, or anyone else.

I disagree.  I've always felt this album is commenting on the madness brought on by war and, in that context, this song works well.  It may not be the strongest or most memorable track on the album but it serves to make the album as a whole more cohesive. 

Verdict:  3/5 stars

Would I sing it at karaoke?  Sure.  Why not.

Winner:  Running Gun Blues

Running Score:  Bowie 16, Prince 8

Interlude