Monday 4 July 2022

My Alphabets

INXS - Need You Tonight
(From Kick album; 1987)



My m8 Tomo is a Prince mega-fan and recently edutained me with an interesting anecdote about two of the best pop singles of the 1980s. The story goes that Prince was simultaneously hugely impressed and hugely infuriated by INXS' Need You Tonight: hugely impressed by it as a song because he was already an INXS fan after What You Need blew up in America a couple of years earlier, but hugely infuriated by someone else having a massive hit which was drenched in his own DNA. So he decided to rework an acoustic demo of his into something which was, essentially, Need You Tonight with an even bigger boner. Hey presto - Prince's last great single of the '80s was born.

Prince - Alphabet St. (single version)
(From Lovesexy album; 1988)



Of course, whether Alphabet St. is a better song than Need You Tonight is entirely subjective innit. But what isn't up for debate is that Alphabet St. trumps Need You Tonight in Prince's mission statement of sheer Big Boner Energy™. Job's a good 'un - the best example of Prince living up to his The Purple One nickname or wot?

While this anecdote isn't quite Prince's equivalent of James Brown's Hot (I Need To Be Loved, Loved, Loved) swaggerjacking David Bowie's Fame, both instances prove that colonial cracka artists can occasionally spur black 'Murican artists to greater heights. Game recognise game, bro's do too. Pour out a little liquor for all the lost lads.

7 comments:

L.A said...

Lol.

Stop the Batman soundtrack hate!

Kelvin Mack10zie said...

All the singles from that were 💩

Spartan said...

That Mystify: Michael Hutchence documentary is pretty good.

Kelvin Mack10zie said...

The bit where it goes from him & Paula Yates on The Tube to him & Paula Yates on The Big Breakfast made me laugh.

Unrelated, going to see Get Carter on the big screen tonight.

Spartan said...

Blaming that head injury on him dropping peak era Kylie and Helena for Paula.

Pre-ordered both upcoming releases of Get Carter and The Appointment, by the BFI.

Kelvin Mack10zie said...

Never heard of The Appointment before. Looks interesting. May take advantage of the YouTube upload before the BFI get it nuked.

L.A said...

I ride for "Batdance".