Prince's pop life, song by song, in chronological order.
-
The Belle of St. Mark
While “Glamorous” sounded tailor-made for Sheila’s particular talents (even if it wasn’t), “Belle” is well-crafted but faceless, embodying the essentialist cynicism of the publishing imprint Prince used for his female side projects: “Girlsongs.”
-
Cloreen Bacon Skin (Tricky)
An unfiltered masterclass in groove by one of Prince’s most underrated rhythm sections.
-
Jungle Love
Long after the audience for a long-winded unpacking of the musical and cultural significance of “Jungle Love” has dried up, its value as a kitsch object will endure.
-
Katrina’s Paper Dolls
Like many of Prince’s songs about women, “Katrina” feels like textbook projection: What else, after all, were Vanity 6, Jill Jones, or even the Time, if not “paper dolls” for him to play with and discard once he grew bored?