1. Sometimes It Snows In April, Parade (Music from the Motion Picture Under the Cherry Moon), 1986

I used to have the poster for Under the Cherry Moon on my dorm room wall. When people would give it the gas face things could get ugly. Yes, it isn't a "great" movie, but if you love Prince, it is a classic. "If you wanted a Sam Cooke ablum...where would you go?"

2. I Wanna Be Your Lover, Prince, 1979

First Prince song I ever heard. Still sounds great today almost 40 years later.

3. Head, Dirty Mind, 1980

From Prince's unapologetic funk/sex period..the rest of his career after that was defined by the push and pull from his religious and sexual selves (played out against amazing music).

4. Girls & Boys, Parade (Music from the Motion Picture Under the Cherry Moon), 1986

Did I mention that I loved this movie and still do? Yes, I know objectively it is terrible but I would watch it right now if it were on. FYI, how great was it to see Jerome Benton last night at the Grammy's.

5. Erotic City, The Hits - B-Sides & Girl 6 (Motion Picture Soundtrack), 1993

Originally released as a B-side and later put on the two albums, one of the best "naughty" Prince songs for sure. If you are not familiar, Spike Lee asked Prince to score his movie Girl 6 (which is why the soundtrack counts as a Prince album)

6. Gett Off, Diamonds & Pearls, 1992

Underrated album, lots of good tracks. Check it out if you haven't heard it. NPG era.

7. Alphabet Street, Lovesexy, 1988

Sure the lyrics are kind of silly...But, I remember being blown away by how unique the syncopation was when I first saw it on MTV in my friend Paul's room when I was in High School. Yes, rap was never a strength, but many great Prince songs have hip-hop sections. This is still a great song.

8. Private Joy, Controversy, 1981

Back to the "naughty Prince" era. Of course, when I first started listening to Prince it was that teenage period, so it seemed even more subversive (he was talking about stuff nobody talked about).

9. I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man, Sign 'O' The Times, 1987

Sign 'O' The Times was a really important album in the canon. If you haven't listened to it all the way through, you are missing out. It is one of the few double albums you will ever hear without a weak cut all the way through.

One small aside, Prince's Black Album leaked about this time too. It is not on Spotify but was another important album. It was later released officially but I first heard it as a bootleg.

10. Starfish and Coffee, Sign 'O' The Times, 1987

This is just an incredibly well-written song, almost Beatlesque and certainly transcendent. No other song in Prince's music sounds anything like it.

11. Little Red Corvette, 1999, 1982

My first favorite Prince song. How he made Minneapolis look like a really interesting place to live without ever making it look freezing cold still amazes me (JK).

12. Mountains, Parade (Music from the Motion Picture Under the Cherry Moon), 1986

There are a lot of songs from Parade on this list because Parade is one of the all-time best Prince albums. Even if you hate the movie, this is one of his most musically brilliant albums.

13. My Name Is Prince, [Love Symbol], 1992

Want to understand Prince, this song is as close as you can probably come. He has two sides and they are friends. Also, the fretless bass riff is just sick.

14. Jack U Off, Controversy, 1981

Naughty funk Prince was really clever and innovative. Nothing else sounds like old Prince.

15. Kiss, Parade (Music from the Motion Picture Under the Cherry Moon), 1986

Classic. Still Classic. Always Classic. Just a brilliant song.

16. How Come You Don't Call Me Anymore, Girl 6 (Motion Picture Soundtrack), 1996

Maybe my all-time favorite Prince song. I use it to explain how two people can play the same notes and sound entirely different. His piano playing on this track is unique to put it lightly. You can really feel his conflict and inner turmoil just in his playing.

17. ANOTHERLOVE, Prince 3RDEYEGIRL, PLECTRUMELECTRUM, 2014

If you never saw his performance of ANOTHELOVE on SNL look it up. The recorded version is really good, the live version on SNL was GREAT (it as the third of three songs).

18. Sexy M.F. [Love Symbol], 1992

The horns on this are just nasty. What a build. Funk and funky classic.

19. Forever In My Life, Sign 'O' The Times, 1987

Prince could be so poignant sometimes. When you wade through his stuff you can really hear his pain and sadness among the joy, preening, and celebration.

20. Pop Life, Around The World in a Day, 1985

I had to include this song because it is hard to hear it without feeling sadness about how he passed away. This was a guy who was deeply religious and opposed to drug use but who died of a drug overdose. There is a lot to learn about our reaction to addicts in his story.

I probably should have included more from this album which, I think, was his homage to Sly Stone.

21. Free, 1999, 1982

One of the most beautiful songs Prince ever wrote IMHO and particularly important with what has been going on in this country for the last few months.

Wrapping It Up