For You (1978)
1. For You
2. In Love
3. Soft and Wet
4. Crazy You
5. Just as Long as We're Together
6. Baby
7. My Love is Forever
8. So Blue
9. I'm Yours
The best way to approach Prince’s debut is to appreciate what it is, rather than fault it for what it isn’t. No, For You doesn’t come close to the genre-bending brilliance he’d unleash just a few years later, but considering this was written, produced, and performed entirely by a 19-year-old? You can’t help but sit back and say: wow.
There’s no getting around it—Prince must have been something pretty extraordinary for a major label to hand over the keys to the studio and let a teenager do it all himself. And to his credit, he delivers. Whatever shortcomings this album might have, there’s never a sense that some seasoned pro could have swooped in and made it “better.” If anything, outside meddling probably would’ve snuffed out the very thing that makes it work: raw, youthful talent on full display.
For You is a late-‘70s R&B album through and through, grounded in the sounds of its time. The brief opening title track, For You, is an a cappella showcase that segues into the lush and catchy In Love, the album’s real kickoff. Then comes Soft and Wet, a track that hints at what’s to come. The disco-lite production dates it a bit, but the flirtatious groove and confident vocals are pure Prince. You can already tell he’s onto something.
One of the standout moments is Baby, a sweet and surprisingly mature ballad about two teens facing an unexpected pregnancy. It’s tender, vulnerable, and showcases his falsetto in the best possible light. It’s also the first moment where you feel like you’re hearing Prince the storyteller, not just the performer.
That said, he hadn’t ironed everything out yet. Crazy You flirts with lounge music territory and feels more like a stylish sketch than a fully developed song—blink and it’s over. Just As Long As We’re Together works better, a funky, feel-good jam that probably overstays its welcome by a couple of minutes. The final stretch doesn’t quite land. I’m Yours shows off some impressive guitar chops but ultimately feels like a young artist trying to cram in one last genre experiment—this time, rock—before the curtain falls.
You get the sense the label knew they had something here. What they probably didn’t know was just how quickly that “something” would evolve into one of the most singular voices in modern music. For You isn’t essential Prince—but as a starting point, it’s more than just a curiosity. It’s the sound of an artist already miles ahead of most, just getting warmed up.
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