Song: Electric Chair
Album: Batman
Year: 1989
I never gave Prince's Batman album much respect. Using Prince to provide the soundtrack for a superhero film seemed like an odd move in 1989 and it didn't help that the movie itself was rather dull and drab looking. The movie hasn't aged well as the franchise has taken a decidedly more artistically dark anti-hero path. The soundtrack may have aged somewhat better . . . hard to say since I seem to have written this album off and never play it. I may have to change that stance. This silly rock/soul battle of mine has already exposed me to Arms of Orion, which I gave a 3/5 stars to BECAUSE it is a cheesy guilty pleasure. This track is similar in it's mediocrity. A decent enough Prince groove with not a lot to say and not a lot of staying power, but not subpar enough to switch away from either. It has all the Prince-y elements - synthesized 80s drum grooves, blistering guitar solos and a very Prince-esque chord progression/outro. It reminds me of Prince . . . which I guess is the whole point.
Verdict: 3/5 stars
Would I sing it at karaoke? It's just not interesting enough for that honor.
Song: Be My Wife - Live
Album: Stage
Year: 1978
Allmusic claims that this tune, originally on the album Low, is well loved by his fan base. Personally, I've never really thought much of it. This live version is sped up a bit, lacks the intro ragtime-y piano riff and though it has some decent guitar work it is not quite up to par with the studio version. Or maybe I'm just not a big fan of the song structure, which replaces a typical, verse-verse-chorus arrangement with more of a verse 1-verse 2-verse1-verse 2 repeat ad nauseum structure. Also, Bowie chooses to pronounce lonely as "lahwn-lee" which just seems like an affectation. Not into it.
Verdict: 2/5 stars
Would I sing it at karaoke? Nope.
Winner: Electric Chair
Running Score: Bowie 32, Prince 22
Palate Cleanser . . .
For cheap sentimentality done right, it doesn't get much better than this video by the Plain White T's. It also happens to be a number that I sang for the first time last night at karaoke. Enjoy.
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