Prince – Sign "O" The Times

I’ve recently had a vinyl ‘revival’ and came across this inherited album to add to my collection for the first time. I’ve only listened to this album on vinyl and since it’s first play is now my go to quality album of which all other must strive to be. Of course knowing that won’t be the case I will never listen to Sign O The Times from any other format other than vinyl. It’s a true masterpiece and sounds amazing still to this day. I’ve bought new albums and they sound nothing in of clarity and clean reproduction as this one does. I will cherish this forever and appreciate the talent and music production which only Prince could create.

This Was Cut Nice, Hot N' Loud. I Love It, Top Tier Prince Material And It Has A Nice Powerful Presence And Really Pops Out The Speakers. The OG Bernie Grundman Did A Great Job Mastering This. My Copy Is A Gold Stamped Radio Promo Copy That Definitely Got It's Fair Share Of Spins Back In 87/88 But It Hasn't Lost Any Of It's Lustre And The Vinyl Still Looks In Tip Top Shape With Only The Cover And Inner Sleeves Having Some Minor Dings And Creases And The Big Beautiful Blue Heart Sticker Stuck On To The Front Cover. I Don't Have A Favourite Cut Off Of This Album As All The Songs Are Pretty Incredible In Their Own Right. Would Love To Know Why Some Songs Have A Muffled Like Element / Effect To Their Mixes Which Even The 2020 Remaster Couldn't Fix But I Suppose It's Part Of The Sonic Charm And Lends To The Mystery Of Prince's Genius During His Hyper Creative Period In The Mid 80's.

Album Revolution #7:

Yes, I know, "Purple Rain" will go down in history as Prince's best selling album.....But let's be honest here, " Sign 'O' The Times" is his Best Album Period!!!!!!

Why? Maybe he was going through an identity crisis (aka, the Camille charater).... Maybe he was almost already fed up with the Music Biz....Or maybe he just was tired of people trying to sound like him....Who knows! But it sure brought out the best Music he ever Produced!!!

Exit "The Revolution", enter "The New Power Generation", featuring "Sheila E." on Drums, "Dr. Matt Fink" on Keyboards, "Miko Weaver" on Guitar, "Levi Seacer Jr." on Bass, "Eric Leeds" on Saxophone, "Atlanta Bliss" on Trumpet, "Boni Boyer", Keyboards and Vocals; also with Dancers and Vocalist "Cat Glover", "Wally Sandford" and "Greg Brooks".....

This 2 album set starts off with the very interesting "Title track"...I personally think that no one wanted to it that "Prince" was telling the truth about a host of what was going on with mankind...Just sayin'...

"Play In The Sunshine" is that playful t that is so cool....

"Housequake" was It!!!!! "Funk", "Funk", "Funk", "Funk", "Funk"!!!!!!!

"The Ballad Of Dorothy Parker" is one of those quirky jams that "Prince" comes up with...This one is so smooth though, that everybody I talked to says it's like a "Prince" favorite....

When I first got the album and saw the title "It", I said to myself that "this is probably "Prince" being freaky"....I was right!!! (but I'm sure that you guys said it too)...

"Starfish And Coffee" was another quirky jam....It was considered another "Prince" favorite (He even performed it on the "Muppet Show" years later)...

"Slow Love" (Lyrics Co-written By "Carol Davis") was a very classy slow jam unlike anything he ever done at that time (with help from "Wendy" & "Lisa" and fantastic horns by "Eric" & "Atlanta")...

"Hot Thing" had "Prince" being naughty again (funky though!!!!)....

"Forever In My Life" threw me off when I first heard it, but I LOVE it!!!! It was very unusual to me in how he sounded, but now looking back, I truly get it (it had to be talking about his relationship with "Susannah")....

That was just the first record...Whew!!!!!!

"U Got The Look" starts record 2 on the mega hit note...This one featuring "Sheena Easton" and with strong percussion from "Sheila E."....Prince also preformed the song in his alter ego "Camille" character....

He used the same character style in "If I Was Your Girlfriend" and "Strange Relationship"....

"Girlfriend" was mighty strange at the time...There was so many speculations about "Prince" when he did this, but at the same time it became an outright "Prince Classic"!!!!!

"Strange Relationship" is my absolute Crown Jewel of the album...The Melody, Bass Line and Drums are just so infectious to me....

"I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man" shows once again how versatile "Prince" really was....I really feel like it is important to note that, even though "Prince" is usually charted as "R&B", "Place Of Your Man" was charted on the "Rock" and "Pop" chart, and was a top 10 HIT....

"It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Night" (featuring the extended version of "The Revolution") is a glorious live number from the "Parade" tour, and as "Prince" put it, it also included "6,000 Wonderful Parisians"....

Last but certainly not least, the Ultimate Crown Jewel in "Adore", is one of the most beloved "Prince Slow Jams" ever!!!!!!! I always hate when people play the short version, because all of the 6:29 deserved to be played...

After this monster of an album, you could see that for a while he couldn't make a fully complete album, and after you listen to this you will understand why! This is the best album he ever made, and this a True Prince Classic PERIOD!!!!!!!

PS: A few months ago I got my hands on the massive 13 LP "Sign O The Times" box set, with the previously unreleased tracks that he made in between the transition of "The Revolution" to "The New Power Generation", compete with an 120 page book with essays, lyrics, and tons of pictures....I am in hog heaven!!!!!!!!!!!

PSS: 8/19/2024: Everytime I listen to "Everybody Want They Don't Got" (Record 7, Track 4), I get ENRAGED!!!!! Why???? IT IS WAY TOO SHORT!!!!!!! A Melody like THAT should NEVER be THAT SHORT!!!!!!

One for the ages Prince fans, One for the ages. Prince proves once and for all he can actually write good lyrics. There is too many good songs that the radio didn't even show proper love on this album.If you're expecting another "Purple Rain",nope. That's make it so good. He doesn't recycle previous work at all on this album. No knee high stockings,no songs of sisterly incest and no sexually assaulting female cabdrivers.Instead he's keeping it real.This album is proof that Prince was legendary.

Prince shows his range as a composer so well on this album. Play in the Sunshine is a banger. Prince was his own genre. I cranked it loud tonight as a tribute to the anniversary of his death. RIP

Does anyone ever stop to realize and appreciate this man's effortless artistic development as he was shifting the pop landscape all in a six-year period? Like, how do you leap from Dirty Mind to something uniquely masterful like this, where you encapsulate and perfect everything that made you a GOAT over four kick-ass sides? Hell, if anyone ever argued against Prince being a genre-defying master, there's no better confirmation to refute that claim than this. The third side (the arc) of Sign is wholly fascinating in itself. The run from "U Got the Look" to "I Can Never Take The Place of Your Man" is such a compelling distillation of how mature Prince's guise had gotten when it came to the topic of sex. It literally portrays the rise and fall of a relationship. There aren't too many double albums that I can credit with possessing an idiosyncratic, complex, and thematic quality in its arc. There's not much more I can further expound on the high-water mark excellence of this masterpiece.

Bernie Grundman's original mastering for the 1987 vinyl pressing is still top-notch. The long-OOP/ultra-expensive 2009 Japanese SHM-CD is my go-to digital version of this album. It sounds so lovely. Not remastered at all, but it's a solid upgrade from the domestic CD pressing.

The deLuxe Box came in today, cd version as I don't go along with the vinyl hype......very very beautiful. Pricey but totally worth it. Would have preferred the cd's more like they did with 1999 in their own sleeves, but I don't see scratches like I see other people mention and even with my really big paws I can take the cd's out easily....a little carefulness and handiness and no problem at all...slightly press on the former page or the back cover for the other cd's so the cd can be easily taken out over that edge. If you don't want the inevitable fingerprints on black paper you should wash your hands with dishwasser soap before.....but hey, just play the music and don't treat these things as if you want to make bank on it later, jeez.

I wonder what the single version of Crystal Ball sounds like. I wish they would have included the full version, and Dream factory in this release!

my copy has "R-261991" on the bottom left hand corner on the backside, can anyone tell me what that is.

Prince's finest ! everything is in the right place and happens at the right time -' it's June (1987) a little disease with a big name' ("Sign Of The Times").From"Starfish and Coffee" , "Ballad of Dorothy Parker" to 'If I Was Your Girlfriend' we#ll find the best songs, probably ever written in some way or another , at least from this genious of a musician .