Sometimes the signal gets too heavy. We’ve been living in the Gainesville humidity with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers for what feels like a decade, and before we dive back in for Part Two, we needed a reset. A high-voltage, high-heeled, funk-infused reset.

Enter the Purple Prophet.

We are diving into the foundation of the Minneapolis Sound. Looking at this playlist, you’re seeing the blueprint of a man who didn’t just play music—he lived inside the frequencies. From the raw, disco-adjacent vibes of For You in ’78 to the dirty, synth-driven revolution of Controversy in ’81, you’re watching a literal god-in-training find his voice.

People forget how dangerous Prince felt in the early days. Before the purple rain and the Super Bowl halftime shows, there was a kid in a basement in Minnesota playing every single instrument, writing every single lyric, and challenging every single social norm he could find. This isn’t just a playlist; it’s a masterclass in how to build a mountain range out of pure attitude.

HOUR ONE
Artist – Song – Album – Label – Year
01. Prince - For You - For You - Warner Bros. Records - 1978
02. Prince - In Love - For You - Warner Bros. Records - 1978
03. Prince - Soft And Wet - For You - Warner Bros. Records - 1978
04. Prince - Crazy You - For You - Warner Bros. Records - 1978
05. Prince - Just As Long As We're Together - For You - Warner Bros. Records - 1978
06. Prince - Baby - For You - Warner Bros. Records - 1978
07. Prince - My Love Is Forever - For You - Warner Bros. Records - 1978
08. Prince - So Blue - For You - Warner Bros. Records - 1978
09. Prince - I'm Yours - For You - Warner Bros. Records - 1978

HOUR TWO
Artist – Song – Album – Label – Year
10. Prince - I Wanna Be Your Lover - Prince - Warner Bros. Records - 1979
11. Prince - Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad - Prince - Warner Bros. Records - 1979
12. Prince - Sexy Dancer - Prince - Warner Bros. Records - 1979
13. Prince - When We're Dancing Close And Slow - Prince - Warner Bros. Records - 1979
14. Prince - With You - Prince - Warner Bros. Records - 1979
15. Prince - Bambi - Prince - Warner Bros. Records - 1979
16. Prince - I Feel For You - Prince - Warner Bros. Records - 1979
17. Prince - It's Gonna Be Lonely - Prince - Warner Bros. Records - 1979

HOUR THREE
Artist – Song – Album – Label – Year
18. Prince - Dirty Mind - Dirty Mind - Warner Bros. Records - 1980
19. Prince - When You Were Mine - Dirty Mind - Warner Bros. Records - 1980
20. Prince - Do It All Night - Dirty Mind - Warner Bros. Records - 1980
21. Prince - Gotta Broken Heart Again - Dirty Mind - Warner Bros. Records - 1980
22. Prince - Uptown - Dirty Mind - Warner Bros. Records - 1980
23. Prince - Head - Dirty Mind - Warner Bros. Records - 1980
24. Prince - Sister - Dirty Mind - Warner Bros. Records - 1980
25. Prince - Partyup - Dirty Mind - Warner Bros. Records - 1980
26. Prince - Controversy - Controversy - Warner Bros. Records - 1981
27. Prince - Sexuality - Controversy - Warner Bros. Records - 1981
28. Prince - Do Me, Baby - Controversy - Warner Bros. Records - 1981
29. Prince - Private Joy - Controversy - Warner Bros. Records - 1981
30. Prince - Ronnie, Talk To Russia - Controversy - Warner Bros. Records - 1981

Rolling with Scissors airs live every Tuesday from 2–5 AM on 89.9 FM in Madison and streams at wortfm.org. Missed it? You can catch the episode for two weeks after broadcast at archive.wortfm.org or at rwsradio.com.

While the audio disappears after two weeks, the episode notes and playlists don’t. Every deep dive, rant, and full album breakdown stays right here — so you can revisit the details any time.

Spin the dial — we’re probably on it. Lock onto your frequency. Pick your favorite antenna below and ride the signal back to us.

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