Prince’s ultimate Paisley Park party playlist from 2013
‘Life is just a party and parties weren’t meant to last.” — Prince.
There aren’t many artists in music history who can fuse myriad genres into one catalogue so effortlessly. Prince, however, managed to cram the pain and poignancy of pop balladry, the peacocking bravado of rock, and the rhythm of a disco night all into one small purple package with relative ease, precluded only by his own perfectionism.
The Purple One or, to give him his formal title, His Royal Badness, can certainly find a groove in every single song out there. He pored over the tender reflection of Joni Mitchell, and he hurled himself into the adventure of Led Zeppelin. But where he feels most comfortable is at the party.
In fact, it’s in the middle of the party, standing out like a UFO over Times Square. Whether it’s his own birthday party at Paisley Park, celebrating the Millenium, or gatecrashing Stevie Nicks’ wedding, Prince always knows how to throw a real shindig. As he famously quipped, “But life is just a party, and parties weren’t meant to last.”
Despite his ability to melt into any genre’s steely casing, the ‘Let’s Go Crazy’ singer has always had one thumping heartbeat that powers all his music, a steady dose of unbridled funk that demands the dancefloor. It’s what made his most iconic hits pop out of the already vibrant scene, and it’s what made his deep cuts travel right the way down to the bone. Following on from Parliament, Funk was at the centre of everything Prince did.
It has made Prince a welcome name on the playlist for any DJ. Safe in the knowledge that any party charged with the electrifying sounds of Prince would run all night, often those behind the decks will find special moments for a hit of ‘U Got the Look’ or ‘Controversy’, happy to find the space between jams and let Prince work his magic on the dancing audience. Long after his death, Prince will still remains the King of parties.
Off-record too, Prince was a positive party aficionado, the likes of which we may never see again. He strode around in high heels and even managed to sink a few hoops in the process.. Famed for their lavishness and often featuring a performance from Prince himself, the singer’s birthday parties were the stuff of rock and roll legend. But what would the Purple One play for his guests at the event, what would the ultimate Prince party playlist look like?
First picked up by Boing Boing, we were given us a taste of what a Prince party might sound like thanks to a TV appearance three years prior to his passing. When the singer appeared in a 2013 episode of Zoey Deschanel sitcom New Girl, he provided the producers with a real look at the party playlist he used for gatherings at Paisley Park. It makes for some of the funkiest noises you’re ever likely to hear.
If you need a snapshot of Prince’s undoubted influences, then you needn’t look any further. The singer selects his tracks from a distinct 1970s set of influences, namely, before Prince’s own debut record in 1978 (after which he presumably gave up on others doing the job for him).
There’s room on the list for Sister Sledge, Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Bootsy Collins, Curtis Mayfield, and more. If you were looking for a more Prince-oriented playlist, look no further than Giorgio Moroder’s ultimate disco playlist, showcasing seamlessly how synonymous the ‘Purple Rain’ singer is with parties. It reads as a who’s who of the ‘70s soul world and is, as you might expect, charged with a funkiness that is impossible to resist.
As the man himself once said, “Dearly beloved. We are gathered here today. To get through this thing called life.” These songs certainly help with that. And they’re classy enough to retain some appeal even on a Monday morning.
Prince’s favourite songs:
- ‘City in the Sky’ – The Staple Singers
- ‘Country John’ – Allen Toussaint
- ‘Fire’ – Ohio Players
- ‘Happy House’ – Shuggie Otis
- ‘Higher Ground’ – Stevie Wonder
- ‘I Was Made to Love Him’ – Chaka Khan
- ‘Listen to the Music’ – The Isley Brothers
- ‘The Lord is Back’ – Eugene McDaniels
- ‘Lost in Music’ – Sister Sledge
- ‘The Pinocchio Theory’ – Bootsy Collins
- ‘Rubber Duckie’ – Bootsy Collins
- ‘Rumpofsteelskin’ – Parliament
- ‘Skin Tight’ – Ohio Players
- ‘We’re Gettin’ Too Close’ – The Soul Children
- ‘Wild and Free’ – Curtis Mayfield
- ‘After The Love Has Gone’ – Earth, Wind & Fire
- ‘Back in Baby’s Arms’ – Allen Toussaint
- ‘Don’t Let Me Be Lonely Tonight’ – The Isley Brothers
- ‘Don’t Take My Sunshine’ – The Soul Children
- ‘How Could I Let You Get Away’ – The Spinners
- ‘I’ll Be Around’ – The Spinners
- ‘Push Me Away’ – The Jacksons
- ‘Stay With Me’ – Shirley Brown
- ‘The Thrill Is Gone’ – Aretha Franklin
