diamonds and pearls is a cool tune...

most people on the org. are not.

D&P does what it does very well

But I thought that he jumped the shark when I first heard it.

Something in the Way is a great song on a near perfect album.

What a silly list....

they could've at least pick some songs that REALLY sucked...

I don't love "Diamonds and Pearls" so much that I feel like defending it, but I will say this...

...if the guy who wrote this is looking for Prince's worst song, he didn't dig very deeply and mustn't know Prince beyond the commercial single releases. I'm sure he could have found something off "Come" or "The Slaughterhouse" that would make "Diamonds and Pearls" look like "Respect."

Keith/Kacey

A little off topic, but...They bashed the Beatles' Yesterday????

I don't think the writer (s) even knows music. First, The song is NOT a love song. From what I understand and please don't quote me, it was written about 2 of the band member, I think Paul & John, whos mothers passed away too soon.

And secondly, They're are worse Prince songs out there.

I love you...Prince

Diamonds & Pearls, Nirvana's "Something in the way" and u2's "numb"...no way...not great songs, but all of them r good

adorable2 said:

I feel you, but hell...

Let Prince give me some damn diamonds and pearls. I'd be one happy muthafucka!!!!

Pffffft!

Firstly, any critic that writes articles for these crappy lists is suspect.

Secondly, it's well-known that the Cool and Incisive cannot stand anything as gloriously sentimental as Diamonds and Pearls.

Conclusion : this pick says more about the lameness of the critics involved than any potential lameness of Diamonds and Pearls. What could be more predictable and boring than a critic not liking a unabashedly sentimental song? It never ceases to amaze me how those who act like they are so terribly original end up doing the most unoriginal thing.

I put the song on, just to make sure:I love the melody line...LOVE...the lead-in harmonic guitar notes...chimes sweeping...I love his lower register vocal...LOVE...I mean, LURVE!...Rosie's vocals ....the lead guitar tastefully scrrrreeeeeaming, the bass throbbing....what a lovesong..Prince does this..this (whatever it is?) this jaw-dropping loveballad (is THAT a word, even?) like no other. This song is so original. I've always loved the "middle-eastern" style licks he puts in his music. Is he a Prince, or WHAT! WHen I first heard this song....I thought.. "WOW!"....The critic's a whining arse is all.

D & P gives me the shits. Sigue Sigue Sputnik and even Soundgarden preceeded Prince with the exact same melody, only with much finer songs.

u know what this thread reminded me of..... when this song was released as a single, no big deal..oh well. Then I waited to see Prince perform the song live at the Special Olympics that year. In the back of my mind I was thinking...of all the great songs Prince could perform he's gonna play this damn song. OMG was I in for a surprise . Prince turned this song out with an incredible guitar solo. Prince & Rosies vocals blended so well ....this performance left me breathless wondering why he didn't record the song this way & put in on the album. night n day....I still don't really care 4 the album vers , but damn Prince can turn a weak ass album cut n2 a mind-blowing live concert jam.

oleiso said:

Hey - I love that song, because it reminds of a release party in London for that record - some Prince band members where there (although not Prince), and Diamond and Pearl. And hey, I got their autograph on my CD booklet. What beauties - especially one of them (Diamond? Pearl?) reminded me a lot of Cindy Crawford

D&P is one of the songs that got me into Prince when I was young (yes, I'm only 20). I've always enjoyed it...Diamonds and Pearls, is of course a little cheesy...but like most music isn't to a certain extent anyway...

...It is NOT one of the worst pop songs ever written...no matter what any loser says...I wouldn't even say its a real low point for Prince...not his best, not great, but enjoyable...

klaatu said:

Also compare "Manic Monday" and "1999" verse melodies - virtually identical. That said, it is not unusual for a songwriter to (quite innocently) "re-write" a melody without realising it.

About this ludicrous list - I'd like to point out that "Angie" is probably one of the best (and most loved) ballads of the 1970's. "Something in the way" by Nirvana shouldn't be on a "worst" list and neither should "Diamonds and Pearls".

The problem with these lists is that they are written by young, ignorant "critics" who are not qualified to make these judgments. Your average "critic" today has never owned a vinyl record, so they learn about music the second hand way - through cd's and computer files. They weren't there and do not know enough. They are not qualified to do the job - they don't exactly have academic qualifications in music criticism (if such a thing even exists). Just take a look at these recent "all time greatest" lists that are now being compiled (being the 50th anniversary of Rock and all). Some of the true legends are on there (Elvis, Beatles, and the usuals) but then all of a sudden you get a mention of Eminem or whoever else is hot "at the moment" - people who might be very talented but have been around for about 2 or 3 albums. They have not yet earned the privilidge to be up there with the greatest rockers of all time (not that Eminem is a rocker so he REALLY doesn't belong on there). Five years ago, these lists mentioned the Spice Girls. No more mention of them today. So you see, whatever is "hip" now will always be thrown onto these lists.

And the more time that goes by after a great hit record is released (such as Diamonds and Pearls or Angie), the more uneducated bashing it receives.

Angie, the song, is 21 years old - still loved by so many people. I wonder if Eminem's tunes will be studied, discussed and loved in 21 years time.

JediMaster said:

Even 'Come On'?!

The funny thing is,I loved the song "Diamonds And Pearls" back in 1991-1992,when it was all over the radio.But I heard it recently and it didn't do much for me.I now think of it as just an average song.I guess,for me,it's one of those songs that didn't have alot of "staying power".

wonder how many arguable 'pop standards' have these literary assholes written on their own?! hating a song because of its immense popularity and almost permanent airway is understandable but totally irrelevant when it comes to judging its quality...

I think we have to look at this in a positive view. Obviously the writer wrote down his list of top artists and then proceeded to try to find each one's worst 'single'. And I think he may be correct (of Prince's excellent list of singles it does stand out as the most sappy and trite). In a way he is giving back handed props - if this is Prince's worst single then he ain't doing to bad!

Ths song got rinsed to death on the radio and it's not the greatest track melodically either (have U ever tried playing "this'll be the day...." on the piano, bleedin' nursery rhyme!), but U cannot deny the longevity of the track.

I wouldn't say it's his worse, what about "Neon Telephone"?
Don't care if he never released it, there was an obvious reason - it existed!

'dre

I gotta admit that I like the song, even though the lyrics are suspect! i still include it on Prince Ballads rotation!

JediMaster said:

ninarockets said:

man, i was loving this song ever since the Special olympics performance
when shannon was running around in her diapers.

the song is too good. that's its only flaw.

DavidEye said:

The track has plenty of staying power though, objectively. The song itself is better than the single released, as evidenced during the piano medley on the ONA tour. For this reason, it's going to stay a Prince standard and I wouldn't be surprised if someone covered it with great success in years to come.
[This message was edited Thu Jul 8 9:20:11 2004 by Aerogram]

oleiso said:

Love that comparison and have to agree with it, but can still enjoy D&A - lovely melody

okaypimpn said:

me 2!

3NineteeN04 said:

TIMMY!

at least they didn't totally go off the deep end and diss "bambi".

teller said:

Agreed, but I think it's by far his worse "hit" song.