The Ultimate CD of Prince is a strange assortment. On CD 1 contains 17 songs from the years 1979-1992. Most of them can be found in its short single versions, a few also in their long album versions (eg Purple Rain, Controversy and Alphabet St.). Nothing Compares 2 U, the mid-80s was first recorded by The Family and later by Sinead O'Connor became a hit, is present in a live version. On CD 2 there are then 11 songs in their long Maxi versions. Much of it is available only or here for the first time on CD. Highly recommended are the Maxis of Hot Thing, the B-side She's Always In My Hair and Let's Go Crazy. This second CD and the cheap price (about 5 euros) were my reasons to buy this compilation. The two CDs do not overlap with respect to. The songs. Many of the big hits (Kiss, Let's Go Crazy, Raspberry Beret, Cream, U Got The Look, Little Red Corvette), therefore one finds only in the Maxi versions. This can be a little tiring because you do not always feel like having an 8-minute song. Really makes sense not this compilation. Better it would have been a new remastered double CD with the hits in their normal versions to publish. The CDs The Hits 1993 sound soundwise namely gotten pretty dusty. An additional double-CD (at least) with the Maxi versions would have been very welcome. There are so many excellent Maxis Prince (eg America, I Wish U Heaven, Housequake, I Would Die 4 U, Erotic City, Glam Slam ....) were not yet released on CD or are difficult to obtain. Because of the dispute by Prince with his old record company Warner but is now determined not soon to be expected. Hardly any other well-known artists was on CD so far so bad republished as Prince. There's virtually nothing appeared as remaster. Almost everything still sounds like the CD first publications. At least Ultimate was revised sonically.
Conclusion: This double CD is neither a reasonable best-of compilation still a decent collection of Maxi versions. A better selection of hits can be found on the two CDs The Hits. The opportunity handset is better off with the The Very Best of Prince single CD.
