O(+> (1992)
Prince adored Damn U and wanted it on 1993’s The Hits compilation despite the single bombing in the charts. In a list he sent to manager Alan Leeds, who was writing the liner notes, Prince describes it as one of the songs he was most proud of. He’d always be biased towards the new, especially on such a backwards-looking project, but the pride isn’t misplaced. Damn U is exquisite. The singer swoons and croons as if possessed by the souls of Marvin, Curtis, Stevie and the entire Ratpack, while Clare Fischer’s strings sail you down the Euphrates to get drunk on honey wine and to make love under the gods. It doesn’t last long though. The smattering of polite applause at the end soon brings us back in the room to witness the dense mania of Arrogance arriving like a salt brick to the face.
