12. space cowboy, "die 4 u"
now herre's a summer hit that translates well to the winter months. prince's sentiment is, of course, warm but the sound, particularly that subtle synth french horn, was frigid; space cowboy only emphasizes that aspect with the antiquated synths he employs: one can actually hear the dust in between the notes, redolent of drafty attics. i think i made the link between prince and electro elsewhere -- the romantic fatalism, the electronics, all of the female singers sounding like wendy & lisa at the opening of "computer blue." it is ultimately they who are the most successful inheritors of his legacy. space cowboy even one-ups the master by realizing that the repetition of the bridge only makes the song better. true, the use of dynamics -- not to mention the truncation of the title (space cowboy apparently has no interest in self-sacrifice) -- lessens the message but these electro-types really don't mean it; it's all ironic, right? or do they?