Prince - I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man

[UnforgettableLemon]

This has got to be one of the most under-appreciated hits in his career. It's purely 80s and purely Prince. I love the synth, but the guitar in the song is subtle but suitably skillful. It's a fun song and a great vocal with such a simple narrative. It's like Prince at his most subdued and ambitious all at once.





There's a great video on youtube of the first verse or so performed live and acoustic, too.

 

[corianderstem]

Babayyyyyy, don't waaaaaaaaaaste my tiiiiiiiiiiiiiiime!
I knoooooooooow what's onnnnnnnn your miiiiiiiiind!

Love this song.

 

[If you shout...]

Can't believe I overlooked this thread, when it was initially posted. One of the best songs of the '80s, and easily one of Prince's very, very, very best.

 

[HeartlandGirl]

Excellent tune. Love me some Prince.

 

[lazarus]

I could name 25 Prince songs that deserve their own thread. The man is just. that. good.

This song is def in his Top 5. I was just listening to Sign O' the Times, and even though you have to wait until halfway through disc 2 to hear it, the rest of that masterpiece is so good you don't mind.

Strange that for a poppy song it's nearly 6.5 minutes long. Love the solo, the breakdown...everything.

I remember seeing The Afghan Whigs in concert on the 1965 tour, and they're well known for doing covers of R&B stuff (TLC's Creep, The Supremes' Come See About Me). They broke into this song and I totally lost my shit.

BTW, didn't U2 cover The Cross on the Joshua Tree tour? Or am I crazy?

 

[Muldfeld]

This has got to be one of the most under-appreciated hits in his career. It's purely 80s and purely Prince. I love the synth, but the guitar in the song is subtle but suitably skillful. It's a fun song and a great vocal with such a simple narrative. It's like Prince at his most subdued and ambitious all at once.





There's a great video on youtube of the first verse or so performed live and acoustic, too.

The single version is probably my favorite Prince song! (Well, after The Beautiful Ones, maybe.) I didn't know other Prince fans liked it so much.

 

[Popmartijn]

BTW, didn't U2 cover The Cross on the Joshua Tree tour? Or am I crazy?

No they didn't. And yes, you certainly are crazy! (You asked for it! )

But Bono did sing The Cross once. It was at a Prince aftershow somewhere in Dublin. IIRC, the year was 1995.

 

[lazarus]

Well I don't feel as crazy now.

Anyone have an mp3 of this thing?

Might be easier just to find the whole Prince boot.

 

[The Disciple]

He did a BLUESY version during the 2002 Celebration that is amazing.... totally reinvented the song....