I am doing a deep dive into the work of the musical artist Prince. Each week until December I will post my thoughts on albums released by Prince (and his bands and side projects) focusing on one year of his career.
This week I’m reviewing Parade the soundtrack to Prince’s second film Under the Cherry Moon from 1986.
Album: Parade
Artist: Prince and the Revolution
Release Date: March 31, 1986
Label: Paisley Park/Warner Bros.
Favorite Tracks:
- New Position
- Girls & Boys
- Mountains
- Kiss
- Anotherloverholenyohead
- Sometimes It Snows in April
Thoughts:
“Kiss” is probably my favorite Prince song, perhaps one of my favorite songs by any artist. There isn’t another song out there that sounds like “Kiss,” and even though it features on this album, nothing else on this album sounds like it. That disappointed me at first. But after several listens I began to accept and enjoy the funk and psychedelic groove of this album for it’s own merit. This album also has more of a jazz feel, thanks to contributions from Prince’s father John L. Nelson, as well as French chanson (which is probably a nod to the setting of Under the Cherry Moon).
I’ve never seen the movie so I don’t have a sense of how this album works as a soundtrack. The first and final tracks – “Christopher Tracy’s Parade” and “Sometimes It Snows in April” – refer to Prince’s character in the film. Some of the tunes, including the title track and “Venus de Milo,” sound cinematic but most of the songs just sound like a Prince album. Among the standout tracks on the album are the typically horny seduction songs “New Position” and “Girls & Boys,” and the spiritual anthem “Mountains.” And, of course, this is the album with “Kiss.”
Rating: ****
| For You | 1978 | *** | |
| Prince | 1979 | ***1/2 | |
| Dirty Mind | 1980 | **** | |
| Controversy | 1981 | **** | |
| 1999 | 1982 | Prince and the Revolution | ***** |
| Purple Rain | 1984 | Prince and the Revolution | ***** |
| Around the World in a Day | 1985 | Prince and the Revolution | **** |
| Parade | 1986 | Prince and the Revolution | **** |
| Sign O’ the Times | 1987 | ||
| 8 | 1987 | Madhouse | |
| 16 | 1987 | Madhouse | |
| Lovesexy | 1988 | ||
| Batman | 1989 | ||
| Graffiti Bridge | 1990 | ||
| Diamonds and Pearls | 1991 | Prince and the New Power Generation | |
| Love Symbol | 1992 | Prince and the New Power Generation | |
| Goldnigga | 1993 | The New Power Generation | |
| Come | 1994 | ||
| The Black Symbol | 1994 | ||
| The Gold Experience | 1995 | ||
| Exodus | 1995 | The New Power Generation | |
| Chaos and Disorder | 1996 | ||
| Emancipation | 1996 | ||
| Kamasutra | 1997 | The NPG Orchestra | |
| Crystal Ball | 1998 | ||
| The Truth | 1998 | ||
| Newpower Soul | 1998 | The New Power Generation | |
| The Vault: Old Friends 4 Sale | 1999 | ||
| Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic | 1999 | ||
| The Rainbow Children | 2001 | ||
| One Nite Alone… | 2002 | ||
| One Nite Alone… Live! | 2002 | ||
| Xpectation | 2003 | ||
| N-E-W-S | 2003 | ||
| Musicology | 2004 | ||
| The Chocolate Invasion | 2004 | ||
| The Slaughterhouse | 2004 | ||
| C-Note | 2004 | ||
| 3121 | 2006 | ||
| Planet Earth | 2007 | ||
| Indigo Nights | 2008 | ||
| Lotusflow3r/MPLSound | 2009 | ||
| 20Ten | 2010 | ||
| Plectrumelectrum | 2014 | with 3rdeyegirl | |
| Art Official Age | 2014 | with 3rdeyegirl | |
| HITnRun Phase One | 2015 | ||
| HITnRun Phase Two | 2015 |
Panorama of the Mountains 