A Genius Delivers a Masterpiece

In 1987, Prince disbanded the Revolution, his backing band from the Purple Rain days. He toyed with different ideas and directions. Prior to the disbanding of the Revolution, Prince was working on two separate projects: The Revolution album Dream Factory and a pseudonymous solo effort, Camille.

Unlike the three previous band albums, Dream Factory included input from the band members and lead vocals by Wendy & Lisa. The Camille project saw Prince create an androgynous persona primarily singing in a higher, female-sounding voice.

With the dismissal of the Revolution, Prince consolidated material from both shelved albums, along with some new songs, into a three-LP album to be titled Crystal Ball. Warner Bros. balked at the idea of trying to sell a three-LP album and forced Prince to trim it down to a double album.

That double album is the monumental Sign o’ the Times. It was released on this day in 1987 and it’s considered one of the greatest albums of all time.

Prince shows all sides of his musical prowess: from bare-bones electro-funk and smooth soul to pseudo-psychedelic pop and crunching hard rock, touching on gospel, blues, and folk along the way. The songs touch on weighty subjects (AIDS, drugs, bombs) but he’s able to balance it with hopeful lyrics and songs.

There’s so much going on with this album and that’s a good thing. It’s as if Prince was emptying his musical luggage out on the bed. While Prince was already an influential artist at this point in his career, his influences can be heard throughout: Sly and the Family Stone (“Forever In My Life”), James Brown (“Hot Girl”).

Favorites of mine range from the pop-centric “I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man”, the whimsical “Starfish and Coffee” and the funky “Housequake”.

Prince was never one to settle for something and this album is the perfect example. He took chances, discovering new sounds, beats and blended genres perfectly. It reminds me of post- young Motown Stevie Wonder, who was a chameleon in his own right (think Songs in the Key of Life).

It’s a true masterpiece - one where I discover something new each time I listen to it. So many of the songs still sound fresh, even 35 years later.