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
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