This is often seen as the last great album by Prince before he lost the plot personally and musically, upon later changing his name formally to a symbol and referring to himself as “the artist formerly known as Prince”, believe it or not. After some time disbanding his group Prince & The Revolution, Prince opted to spend some lengthy time creating solo material. From his aborted sessions, including a triple album, comes Sign “O” The Times. Using the latest and greatest technology present in the late 1980s that he could find, he made a great step forward in terms of being a musician and an innovator of sound. This is a double album and his most highly praised effort by listeners and reviewers alike, even more so than his classic 1984 release Purple Rain. If Purple Rain is a good taste of what Prince was about musically, Sign “O” The Times hopefully is the real deal for the late artist. Let’s take a listen to this album and we shall hear where it takes us.

Sign ‘O’ The Times begins with some cool drum machine beats and sounds great from the start. Prince launches into some sleazy and gritty Funk-styled Music. This is extremely wonderful and catchy throughout. A really interesting and eye-opening piece of music that is quite direct and profane lyrically, matched by awesome digital sounds and instrumentation throughout. Nonetheless, a very cool listening experience that sounds incredibly sexual. No doubt Prince was channelling the spirit of The Doors’s Jim Morrison on this tune. In any case, one can listen to this tune and groove along to it. A great tune for those of you who like quirky Pop Music from the 1980s that has lasted very well to this day. Prince’s singing and his use of prodigious instrumentation are nothing but brilliant. Although he had some help from his friends, Prince is the master of musicianship on this album so far. He proves that he has originality and creativity better than most around this time (i.e. 1987). Obviously, a very great tune to listen to and some of the best music from the 1980s was made by Prince. The drum machine beats in the outro are cleverly done and sound awesome. A very good way to spend five minutes of listening.

Play In The Sunshine begins with some children chatting and sirens, followed by Prince launching into a good piece of music that sounds oddly recorded yet brilliant throughout. Evoking the retrospective spirit of John Lennon, this is a very sweet and amazing listening experience with a very catchy chorus. The music has some interesting and gorgeous melodic textures throughout and sounds really cool and brilliant. Never a dull moment on this album and song so far. It sounds like Prince was doing his best to channel the spirit of early Rock and Roll Music into a song of his own in this piece. He sings and plays the instruments very well in this song. The weird guitar solo in the midsection is something different altogether. The song quickly returns to the chorus at hand. This also has a somewhat Aerosmith flavour to it overall, at least vocally. In the second half is a breakdown that sounds pretty and different. Musically, this also evokes the spirit of The Beach Boys. Prince asks the drummer to “do your thang” before the guitars quickly enter into a wah-wah-styled guitar solo. Really brilliant and excellent, the outro sounds like digitally sublime music. A very good song that ends with some pleasant harmonies stating the song title. Great.

Housequake begins with some unusual vocals telling the audience to shut up, followed by some weird and quirky production and sounds throughout. Needless to say, this catchy tune sounds really cool and amazing and does not sound very dated at all. This music, in fact, has aged incredibly well. This is exactly what the world of music needed at the time. The array of sounds, textures and mixing are all fantastic. This tune is a great combination of electronic beats, Funk/Disco guitar and up-pitched vocals. It is best to be heard to be experienced. Words do not really do justice to how good this is. A fantastic, funky and cool listen with Theremin and horn sounds, Prince obviously was on a musical mission in the 1980s to surprise and dazzle others musically. All in all, this is one of the better album releases from the late 1980s and is a real contender for the greatest album of all time. Poptastic melodies, beats and singing make this tune a total winner. Great and decent enough to bop along upon listening to this. It ends with horns and some audience clapping and cheering before one is told to shut up. Excellent.

The Ballad Of Dorothy Parker begins with some quirky drum machine beats and some unusual digital sounds. Nonetheless, this is still a cool and consistent listening experience throughout. Prince sings in a clear and pretty way about the story of a lady who works on the night shift and who Prince admires in a sexual way. In any case, this is a really interesting and cool listening experience which proves that Michael Jackson had some real competition throughout. Prince’s musical vision is front and centre on this album, and he sings about unusual sexual lust and other feelings towards the said lady on this track. The music is just as good as the lyrics and singing, with some innovative and frankly brilliant use of textures throughout. Prince shows the world that quirky can be cool as well. Still, this tune and its album sound just as fresh today as it did back in 1987. That says a lot. The quirkiness of the tune continues all the way to the end. An excellent piece of music.

It begins with more quirky drum machine beats and launches into another weird yet wonderful song to listen to. Prince sounds like he is screaming in the background, but nicely so. Some interesting and quirky music exists on this tune. Prince proves to the world that he was untouchable and unique in a musical sense. He delivers a joyous and wonderful listening experience about having sex like a nymphomaniac. Of course, this is part of Prince’s extended ego here. There is a David Gilmour-styled guitar solo after some time before Prince returns to singing in the verses. Obviously, Prince knew exactly what he was doing at the time. Proving himself to be a musical legend and creative genius, the music and sounds throughout are not only catchy and memorable but are immortal in terms of overall popularity. Even for a lesser track on this album, Prince gives us a very rewarding musical listening experience. The second half gets rather stripped back, with only the drum machine beats ongoing. This eventually has other layers of percussion enter to fit the beat. The outro, although lengthy, sounds wonderfully passionate and excellent to listen to. Prince puts in a decent effort to dazzle the listener with a 1980s edge. Fantastic.

Starfish and Coffee begins with an alarm clock bell and launches into a piano-led piece of Pop mastery. Prince continues to exude and promote a great sexual and sensual feel. No wonder where R. Kelly got some of his musical ideas from. In any case, this is a really awesome and enjoyable piece of music that sounds really pretty and driven throughout. The chorus in particular is a wink and a nod to The Beatles famous Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds song, especially lyrically. All in all, this is another amazing listen on this double album. Prince makes some very nice and catchy Pop Music gems. A short yet sweet piece of mastercraft musically. Well done.

Slow Love begins with some awesome electronic beats and has a super slow Reggae-oriented feel to the music. Prince sings very well on this song, doing his best to woo the ladies out there. Another killer listening experience from Prince that has aged like wine. There are some fantastic horns throughout this piece as well. All in all, this album is a real winner. Quite possibly the best album from the whole of the 1980s overall. This song is another sexually driven piece of music that sounds quite amazing throughout. Prince sounds like he is on fire in this digital ballad, complete with a gorgeous saxophone to match. A very romantic and pleasant listening experience throughout. The saxophone is very prominent throughout and this music is pretty and lovely to hear. Everything here is brilliantly done in a musical sense. Indeed, Prince could create music unlike anyone else out there. A cool, calm and collected listening experience. Great to hear from start to finish. It fades out gently.

Hot Thing begins with fierce drum machine beats and has Prince launching into ego overdrive mode. That is not a bad thing, having said that. He sings wonderfully over this incredibly catchy 1980s-sounding tune. Prince showcases that, if anything, he was the sound and style of 1987, way ahead of the competition. An extremely minimal, catchy and enjoyable tune. Indeed, this is one of the best tunes from the album so far. Prince sounds incredibly inspired on this tune, and even though it is just under six minutes in length, it definitely could go on for longer than 10 minutes in length and you still would enjoy it. Prince puts his heart, soul and passion into this music. There is some high-end vocal yelping and a sweet saxophone solo throughout. In the midsection, there is a sweet breakdown, followed by the most impressive and glorious-sounding saxophone solo out there. This album is a great example of artistry and passion in music to a fairly wide Pop/Rock based audience. Prince cements his legend status further with this album. Towards the end, another saxophone solo emerges and this has a John Coltrane vibe present as a result. Just before this wraps up the electronic groove powers on and concludes with a fade out. Excellent.

Forever In My Life begins with some unorthodox drum machine parts and some loose vocal parts over the top. Prince sings sweetly on this track, and his voice has a great and recognisable dexterity to it. Some subtle harmonies are added into the background and this tune sounds subtle but nicely driven. A short and cool tune about the love one can experience and share in life, Prince was a really valuable musician whose presence in the music industry is missed, now that he has passed on. Regardless, a very good piece of music to take one’s mind elsewhere. The tune finishes up with some strummed acoustic guitar over the backing track. Another gem from Prince.

U Got The Look begins with some dark and atmospheric sounds, quickly launching into a decent, albeit slightly dated 1980s piece of music. Despite that dated sound, this has some more focused singing and instrumentation from Prince. A really fresh and enjoyable song, although this does sound a little too much like Michael Jackson on this tune for its own good. In any case, this is a pleasant and enjoyable piece of music that sounds really awesome and cool, despite it sounding somewhat dated. This music also has a very intellectual edge to it all, and it is much better than the one-hit wonders of the 1980s. Indeed, Prince reveals himself to be a wonderful Poptastic maker of good tunes, and this piece with his drum machine-based rhythm section and high-end vocals is good for what it is. Some screaming guitar in the right channel emerges, just before this gradually fades out. Great.

If I Was Your Girlfriend begins with a faded intro with a strange mix-up of sounds and samples, including wedding organ melodies. Soon enough, Prince launches us into a fine and fantastic funky tune with some unusual vocals by Prince. This is a good and refreshing listening experience to hear to this day. This song articulates the intimacy of relationships, such as the love and care that can come through. A really great listening experience throughout. Prince and his buddies articulate exactly what love and romance should be, according to their terms at least. All in all, a really lively and wonderful piece of music. The music present is really cool, and Prince delivers a strange but highly enjoyable listen. Even if you dislike the 1980s, you can easily find comfort in this music. All in all, a really great and inspired musical experience. Fine and sexually driven music, Prince sounds like a nymphomaniac on Viagra who just wants to get it on all the time. Very, very weird but another good cut. The end of this tune builds up to a climax, before finally finishing in a very minimal way. Nice.

Strange Relationship begins with drum machine rolls, some interesting keyboard work and glorious harmonies from Prince. Prince sings about lust and love in his own world. A cool and sharp listen, Prince bowls over the competition throughout. Even for a lesser track on this double album, Prince succeeds in giving the listener a great musical ride throughout. Again, this music is quite dated sounding in some areas, but it still sounds amazing regardless. In the second half, this piece continues on nicely and sounds like a sonic 1980s paradise. Not bad for a lesser track on this double album, again proving the musicianship and consistency of this entire listening experience. A wacky and weird song that matches the lyrics perfectly. Sweet music. The music goes on for just four minutes in length but still is legendary.

I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man is really quite ordinary from the start. Soon enough, Prince launches into a better section of verses and he sings really nicely here. This is a six-minute-plus long piece that is really lively, lovely and magical throughout. Another beautiful and joyous piece of music that, even for a lesser track, shines bright. This song is a piece of music that sounds tragic lyrically and is matched by some great music and arrangements by Prince. It is quite unbelievable that Prince made the majority of this music on his own. In any case, towards the midsection is another David Gilmour-ish guitar solo that sounds very, very good. This soloing proves to the listener that Prince was indeed, talented. A magical and enjoyable listening experience, Prince is one of the greatest male solo artists out there. Period. The second half has hi-hats, guitar volume swells and a great deal of suspense to admire the music. This suspense continues for some time and sounds really awesome and exciting. In any case, this is a real musical winner of a tune. The sounds progress along nicely and this extended solo section is not a million miles away from Jimi Hendrix territory. Prince certainly had a musical ear for sure. This jam goes on all the way to near the end, when the band kicks back in and Prince yelps across it all. Very good.

The Cross begins with some loose guitar parts, which are odd. This song eventually enters into a sweet acoustic guitar-driven piece that sounds very deep and meaningful. Prince does not sound really happy on this tune, and he sings about Jesus Christ’s death on the cross. A sad lament about the need to become a Christian. To be fair, some may be put off by this religious talk by Prince, which does not really need to be heard on this album. If that is the case with you, skip ahead. The music throughout sounds pretty, powerful and unique regardless. The drumbeats sound punchy and powerful, and soon enough this tune launches into a loud, driven and punchy piece of music. Prince’s religious tales are not for everyone from this song, but this song is a fantastic listen that sounds really monumental throughout musically anyway. This is Pop/Rock Music that sounds completely different from anything else, to this very day. In any case, the music throughout is really cool to listen to. The climax towards the end is worth hearing as well. This fades out at the end before some multitracked harmonies state the song title. Super sweet.

It’s Gonna Be A Beautiful Night – Live begins with some crowd cheering, and launches into a straightforward drum machine groove, with the audience clapping along. Soon enough, a horn section enters, followed by some vocal chanting. For a live tune, this sounds magical and enjoyable throughout. This is nine minutes long, but nonetheless does not wear out its welcome over time. A really top and cool listening experience, Prince and crew showcase a new and original form of music that sounds not just the album of 1987, but for the decades after. This tune is rather simple in its layout but is never dull or boring throughout. Prince is in total control musically here, and the music he made was fantastic, at least at this point in time. A very, very good listen. The saxophone throughout gives a tasty and unique flavour to this track. This does sound a little like Queen in places, but that is perfectly fine. Near the midsection are some chanting between the backing vocals and the crowd, sounding a lot like Metallica’s Harvester Of Sorrow intro there. Prince gets singing away nicely and he sounds ridiculously and awesomely good on these songs. In the second half, Prince sounds a lot like James Brown in terms of his musical output. There is some telephone call-sounding processed rapping in the second half of this piece. Prince keeps the momentum and excitement ongoing from start to finish on this album, and this track is no different. The chanting returns towards the end, and the backing band follows. Prince was notoriously strict on his bandmates to perform to the best of their abilities, and with good reason. Not a single mistake is present, and this music deserves to be heard. Towards the end, the chanting returns yet again and this tune gradually begins to wrap up extremely well. Awesome music, with a multitude of horns and other music parts. It finishes off with a crazy conclusion and the audience cheering. Great.

Adore is the final track on this double album. Prince sings nicely and sweetly on this tune, and he continues to funnel his sexual and romantic energies into music. Another wonderful gem of a tune by Prince, he should be proud of his 1980s works, particularly this album release. A pleasant and joyous listen about making love and other dirty pursuits, the music is very wonderful and good throughout. Indeed, Prince was musically untouchable through this time period. Some interesting instrumentation is in the background, such as keyboards, horns and (what sounds like) Sitar. A piano is thrown in as a solo instrument throughout, and this tune comes really lively. This is another solid gold and amazing listening experience by Prince. The midsection is organ-heavy. If anything, Prince made a pseudo-concept about romance and sex according to Prince himself. In the second half, Prince sings sweetly and marvellously throughout over the top of interesting instrumentation. A very lovely and awe-inspiring listen. Every musician on the planet should hear this album at least once. Towards the end, things get vocally intense and this tune builds up to a fine conclusion with some clever singing and production. A great finish off to one of the greatest albums of all time, period.

Prince obviously was a man on a mission during this time. After slaving away at some unsuccessful musical adventures between Purple Rain (1984) and this album, he hit the jackpot here with Sign “O” The Times. Not only this is a classic album and likely Prince’s best album release to date, but it is also arguably one of the greatest albums of all time from start to finish. The only possible flaw is that some listeners may not have the patience to sit through a double album. However, if you do, this is a very rewarding listen. So, should you listen to this album? Definitely do hear this, it deserves a place in your collection.

One of the best albums ever made.

9/10