Song of the Day 12/13: Prince, “I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man”

In his heyday, Prince was often compared to Michael Jackson, but while both could sing and dance like nobody else, Prince also wrote his own songs, produced his own albums and might have been the most underrated great guitarist in rock. He wrote this song in 1982, when he still mixed a lot of pop in with his funk and R&B, but didn’t release it until his double LP Sign ‘O’ the Times in 1987.

Lots of people covered the song. Most sped up the tempo a bit, but the Goo Goo Dolls not only raved it up, the Buffalo, N.Y., band handed the vocals to local legend Lance Diamond and added a new coda.

To illustrate my point about his mad guitar skillz, check out his long solo (it starts at 3:29) on “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” at the Rock Hall of Fame concert in 2004, when both Prince and George Harrison were inducted. A highlight comes at 4:44, when Prince sinks to his knees and Dhani Harrison reacts with obvious glee.