Prince Hits 2 CD

Personnel includes: Prince (vocals, various instruments); Dez Dickerson (vocals, guitar); Sheila E. (vocals, percussion); Bernie Mac, Sheena Easton, Camille (vocals); Eric Leeds (flute, saxophone); Mazarati (background vocals).
The Revolution: Wendy Melvoin (vocals, guitar); Matt Fink (vocals, keyboards, synthesizer); Lisa Coleman (vocals, keyboards); Brown Mark (vocals, bass); Bobby Z. (percussion).
The New Power Generation: Mayte (vocals); Rosie Gaines (vocals, organ, progamming); Tony M. (rap vocals, background vocals); Levi Seacer Jr. (rhythm guitar, bass, background vocals); Tommy Barbarella (keyboards, programming, background vocals); Sonny T. (bass, background vocals); Michael B. (drums); Kirk Johnson, Damon Dickson (percussion, background vocals).
Producers: The Revolution, The New Power Generation, Prince.
Engineers include: Bob Mockler, Mic Guzauski, Ross Pallone.
Compilation producer: Gregg Geller.
THE HITS 2 includes a booklet with photography by Herb Ritts, plus extensive liner notes by Alan Leeds, and track annotations about previously unreleased material.
Personnel: Dez Dickerson, Wendy Melvoin (vocals, guitar); Rosie Gaines (vocals, organ, sampler, background vocals); Lisa Coleman (vocals, keyboards, background vocals); Mike Fink (vocals, keyboards); Camille, Brownmark (vocals); Eric Leeds (flute); Dr. Fink (synthesizer); Sheila E. (drums, percussion); Michael B. (drums); Damon Dickson, Kirk Johnson (percussion, background vocals); Bobby Z (percussion); Tommy Barbarella (sampler); Sonny T., Levi Seacer, Jr. (background vocals).
Audio Mixer: Keith "KC" Cohen.
Recording information: 1st Avenue; Alpha Studios, Burbank, CA; Hollywood Sound Recorders, Inc., Hollywood, CA; P; Paisley park; Sunset sound; UpTown.
Photographer: Herb Ritts.
Unknown Contributor Role: Greg Ross.
Arranger: Prince.
Like Hits 1, Hits 2 presents an illogically sequenced cross section of some of Prince's biggest hits and most notorious songs, including "Dirty Mind," "I Wanna Be Your Lover," "Head," "Delirious," "Little Red Corvette," "I Would Die 4 U," "Raspberry Beret," "Kiss," "U Got the Look," "Cream," and "Purple Rain." Two new tracks, "Peach" and "The Pope," are included among the 18 cuts and while they don't match the rest of the songs (or the new cuts on Hits 1), they are nevertheless enjoyable. On the whole, Hits 2 is a slightly stronger collection than its predecessor, but it still gives a rather incomplete portrait -- if you buy Hits 2, you need to buy Hits 1. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Like Hits 1, Hits 2 presents a cross section of some of Prince's biggest hits and most notorious songs, including "Dirty Mind," "I Wanna Be Your Lover," "Head," "Delirious," "Little Red Corvette," "I Would Die 4 U," "Raspberry Beret," "Kiss," "U Got the Look," "Cream," and "Purple Rain." Two new tracks, "Peach" and "The Pope," are included among the 18 cuts and while they don't match the rest of the songs, they are nevertheless enjoyable. On the whole, Hits 2 is a slightly stronger collection than its predecessor. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Upon their release in 1993, the shorthand descriptors were that THE HITS ONE contained the "clean" songs while THE HITS TWO had all the "dirty" stuff. It's not quite so simple. Such songs as "Controversy" delve into politics; "Purple Rain" and "I Would Die 4 U" explore Prince's deeply felt religious iconography. And, with only rare exceptions, Prince's songs tend to be more teasing and erotic than blatant. Even the most outrageous tunes, like "Head," have a sly wit that marks them as much more than Penthouse Forum titillation material. Bottom line: these 18 tracks are the very pinnacle of '80s and early '90s pop-funk. THE HITS TWO contains two previously unreleased tracks, the funky "Peach" and the calculated-to-shock "Pope." This disc and its companion volume are also available as a box set with an essential bonus third disc of b-sides.

Award Winner

Q (11/93, p.148) - 5 Stars - Indispensible - "...it's not just the high and mighty width of [Prince's] collection that startles: the sustained quality here is remarkable..."