Prince: One Purple Person's Top 10 Favorite Songs

It's almost impossible to select the best from the vast array of music produced, arranged, composed, and performed by Prince. Over the years, the Purple One has taken us through heartache and pain, joy, and repetition. The following list may surprise you. It might even enlighten you, exposing you to musical possibilities you didn't know existed.

10. Chocolate Box from MPLSound. It's hard to place such a new song among some of the greatest, but if you've heard this song three times, you've heard it a million more in your heard. The first single off Prince's triple CD Target exclusive release is the defintion of earworm. I want a B-O-X of chocolate everyday.

9. Take Me With U from Purple Rain. The drums kick in at the beginning and call you to attention. Apollonia and Prince gel on this duet, like two people really in love.

8. Witness For The Prosecution (unreleased). This song has shown up in many unreleased forms over the years. Recorded sometime in the mid 1980's, the lyrics take a love story into the courtroom setting. Prince is the witness for the prosecution of a heinous love affair. He declares he's guilty of always wanting his lover to be there, On the stand, he reveals secrets about his desires. There's even two versions, one rock and one semi jazz fusion.

7. Endorphinemachine from The Gold Experience. One of Prince's most rockin' songs from an album few ever heard. The riff and live drums will have you playing air guitar and strumming along. Some strange lyrics are the only drawback.

6. Musicology from Musicology. When Prince sets out to prove something, his music benefits. Here, the "old school" artist has a message for popular singers like Beyonce and up and comers in the American Idol generation. He says its not enough to just be a singer, if you want to have staying power. Thankfully, he let's the music do the talking.

5. The Most Beautiful Girl In The World from The Gold Experience. Added to this album after a trial run as an independent single release, this song came about much like Musicology. Prince's label at the time didn't think he could write commerically anymore. Prince received permission to prove them wrong, using another label to release a new song. The result... one of Prince's most commerical and memorable love songs.

4. Shhh! from The Gold Experience. Prince originally wrote this for Tevin Campbell. But, much like he reclaimed Nothing Compares 2 U from Sinead O'Conner, he showed true ownership over this late night bedroom romp. Recording with a live band, should you need a tune to help your significant other get in the mood, light some candles and put this track on.

3. Let's Go Crazy from Purple Rain. It's a party on record. The energy is electric. The lyrics are chant worthy. The guitar solo at the end remains a peak during a rollercoaster ride with lots of highs.

2. Starfish & Coffee from Sign O' The Times. The simplicity of the sound shouldn't be underestimated, although the music follows the story. A little girl who acts a little less ordinary than her classmates opens their imagination to the possibilities of turning the mundane into the fantastic. Think Mary Poppins on a junior scale.

1. U Got The Look from Sign O' The Times. There's not an official term for the sound Prince gets his guitar to make on songs like this one and Kiss, but for some reason cherry pickin' comes to mind. The effect is so unique, that matched with Sheila E.'s percussion it makes a distinct impression from the start. Prince's voice is sped up here and he and Sheena Easton seem to have a competition singing, instead of acting out a traditional duet. The song peaked at #2 on Billboard's Hot 100, but it doesn't get much better than this.