Diamonds and Pearls - Prince (CD 1991)

You ever have that friend who's single for a long time, and then they finally get with someone and they become someone totally different from the person you've known so long? They're still you're friend, when you're alone with them it's still the same old jokes and stuff, but when they're significant other is around, they're just . . . different, almost going out of their way to show you how they've "grown" and all the new things they can do, apparently because of this new influence in their life. You know that person? That's what this record is.

For a long time, Prince was putting out great record after great record, and most of the time he was going solo; even when he had a band, the credits read "written by Prince". Well, the credits for DIAMONDS AND PEARLS read "written by Prince and the New Power Generation" and it's just not the same batch of songs we've loved so long.

Yeah, this record spawned 3 relatively big singles ("Gett Off", "Cream"--his last Billboard #1--and "Diamonds and Pearls", which made it to #3), but when taken as a whole . . . it's just not the same.

First off is this new band, the New Power Generation. NPG served its purpose as a GRAFFITI BRIDGE song, and a nice ideal, but as a band, I think we can do without them. The members are (and pay attention) Tommy Barbarella on sampler and other keyboards, Rosie Gaines on backing vocals (one of the few welcome new members), Michael B. on drums (the other welcome member--Michael B. plays his heart out on REAL drums, not the computer, and he plays them for all they're worth), Kirk Johnson on backing vocals and percussion (but what he mostly did was dance), Sonny T. on bass (okay, another welcome member, he plays a hell of a bass), Tony M.--lead raps (what?), Levi Seacer Jr. on guitar (the only surviving member of the SIGN "O" THE TIMES era), and Damon Dickson on backing vocals and percussion (but what he mostly did was dance--notice a pattern there?). Now here's the question: since when did Prince need backing assistance, on ANYTHING? Since the first song of his first record he's been proving to us he don't need no back-up. As for hiring people to dance in the background, what is this, an MC Hammer record? And a rapper? Seriously? What for? First of all, Prince isn't a rapper, although when the song calls for it (as in "18 and Over" from CRYSTAL BALL), he can manage it himself. I have to wonder what it was Tommy Barbarella, Michael B., Sonny T., and Levi Seacer Jr. offered that Prince couldn't already give to a record, but what the hell, they were playing instruments at least. And Rosie Gaines--we won't complain about her, her voice is too good. But a rapper? You wouldn't HIRE a rapper as PART of the band unless . . . well, unless you planned on having raps enough on the album to merit the bother. And raps he's got, God help us.

I'm not talking about the almost-rappish groove of "Cream", one of the catchiest damn songs Prince had released in years. I'm talking about RAP, in the middle of actual songs ("Daddy Pop", "Live 4 Love", "Willing and Able") and then songs that ARE raps ("Jughead" and "Push"). It's not innovative. It's not a "new direction". It's just an embarrassment, and a letdown. Hey, there's only 13 songs on this record, why are there raps in 5 of them? (Is this sounding too anti-rap? I don't mean it to. If you're a rap act, rap, and if it's worth a crap, I'll listen--but Prince isn't a rapper, it's not why I buy his records).

And then, if the raps aren't bad enough, there's some new "jazzy" thing he's trying here, too. "Willing and Able" isn't a bad song, it's got some catchy lyrics, but there's just something about it, I can't pin it down, that holds the song back. The song directly before it, however, "Strollin'"--God help me, I never thought I'd say it, but this Prince song sucks. It's simply horrid. There's nothing redeeming about this song and I cannot believe Prince willingly allowed this song to, not only be recorded, but put on the record. It's the cheesiest, most uninteresting thing on any Prince record up to that time. In fact, singles aside, there's not much worth really taking note of here. "Walk Don't Walk" is kind of cool, but it's more cool in a goofy, kidsong kind of way. "Money Don't Matter 2 Night" was a single, too, but who remembers that one? I know it because I bought the cassette single, not because I ever heard it on the radio or saw it on MTV--not surprised, though, it's not a great song, another of his attempts at political songwriting ("Hey now maybe we can find a good reason / To send a child off to war / So what if we're controllin' all the oil / Is it worth the child dying for?"). "Insatiable" (another ignored single) was DIAMONDS AND PEARLS' sex ballad, but it's obvious this late in the game that he's losing his golden touch even at these--the pillow talk session that closes the song is overdone, and the lyrics leading to it are not the lyrics of a seasoned sex balladeer ("I got a jones Martha / It be like this / I can't have a hug / Unless I have a kiss"). Whatever. (It does have its moments, though--"I know I could be nasty with you")

Singles aside, "Live 4 Love" is really about the only song to earn its inclusion here, and that's even WITH the rap at the end. This song rocks. Michael B. is pounding the drums like there's no tomorrow, Sonny T. plays the bass like he invented the thing. Prince on guitar is always magical. This song brings it all home and makes the previous songs worth the time. Everyone shines here . . . even Tony M. "Live 4 Love, without love you don't live".

The singles, of course, everyone knows. After flashing his cheeks on MTV, who's gonna forget a song like "Gett Off". And "Cream" was played so much, even I got a little tired of it. "Diamonds and Pearls" is, of course, a beautiful song, the success of which surprised me like a gun blast. As soon as I heard it, I thought what a great song. But with lyrics like "Which one of us is right / If we always fight / Why can't we just let love decide / Am I the weaker man / Because I understand that love must be the master plan", I thought for sure people would ignore the song once they heard the message. Luckily I was wrong and "Diamonds and Pearls" was made the hit it deserved to be.

If only more songs off this record could have been even half as deserving.