IanRG said:

There is always one exception to a rule, perhaps you thought it was just people playing Astley because they like him!!.

So how does the Together Forever video, which is not the song used for Rickrolling, have over 100 million views? I also mentioned Rick is still played on the radio. He was also recently on a tour with New Kids On The Block, En Vogue, & Salt-N-Pepa that made a lot of money. People like all kinds of songs. What Does The Fox Say has over a billion views. Drake has over 300 songs that have charted on the Hot 100 in Billboard, which is more than anyone else in history. Garth Brooks has 9 diamond (10 million sold) albums in the United States. Even The Beatles & Michael Jackson haven't done that.

Maybe he was just fuckin' with Lionel Richie...

HELLO?!?

MickyDolenz said:

IanRG said:

There is always one exception to a rule, perhaps you thought it was just people playing Astley because they like him!!.

So how does the Together Forever video, which is not the song used for Rickrolling, have over 100 million views? I also mentioned Rick is still played on the radio. He was also recently on a tour with New Kids On The Block, En Vogue, & Salt-N-Pepa that made a lot of money. People like all kinds of songs. What Does The Fox Say has over a billion views. Drake has over 300 songs that have charted on the Hot 100 in Billboard, which is more than anyone else in history. Garth Brooks has 9 diamond (10 million sold) albums in the United States. Even The Beatles & Michael Jackson haven't done that.

Do you know why you are posting on this topic?

It is undeniable that Astley had others hits (but fewer than Prince). It is also undeniable that Astley is currently best known to the TikTok generation (the "younger people" you hope to rely on have moved on from YouTube) because of Rickrolling.

It makes no difference that he is played on you local top 40 oldies radio station.

It makes no difference that he was one of the artists in a successful oldies tour.

It makes no difference that people like a all kinds of songs.

Someone else called Astley a one hit wonder, not me.

Everyone knew that the alleged "one-hit" was not together forever, but was the rickrolling song because it is used to rickroll.

The topic is about we are the world, not just an opportunity for you to demonstrate once more that you are alway more into other artists, any other artists, than in Prince on Prince.org.

oh my christ how is this thread at 3 pages

lustmealways said:

oh my christ how is this thread at 3 pages

Because there's a tangential line of discussion involving Rick Astley, which really has nothing to do with the original premise.

Sheila E. was there and I always thought that she was there to kinda represent the Prince camp

oh and what's up with all the Rick Astley talk? y'all are funny

psyche2 said:

Most of you made really good points, but on top of it all, ain't the song SHIT to begin with?

I don't think it is, and it was for a good cause, despite what people defending Prince say.

lonestar9 said:

psyche2 said:

Most of you made really good points, but on top of it all, ain't the song SHIT to begin with?

I don't think it is, and it was for a good cause, despite what people defending Prince say.

No one defending Prince is denying that feeding starving people in Africa was a good cause. If you think that, then you've not understood our points.

We're saying Prince could support that worthy cause by contributing a song to the album. He didn't need to take part in the sing-along.

Also, a celebrity can't literally support every single cause, no matter how worthy they are. Celebrities need to be able to pick and choose, and shouldn't be faulted for that.

The idea that Prince was obligated to a.) contribute to this specific cause, and b.) contribute in a very specific way (by joining a sing-along) because "everyone else was doing it" is the type of logic a cult would use.

Finally, we're also saying that some of the celebrities who participated were motivated by PR, just as much (if not more) than charity.

None of what I just wrote can logically be construed to mean I don't believe the record was for a good cause.

[Edited 1/30/24 7:26am]

lonestar9 said:

psyche2 said:

Most of you made really good points, but on top of it all, ain't the song SHIT to begin with?

I don't think it is, and it was for a good cause, despite what people defending Prince say.

No one said it was not for a good cause - but most agree that it is a shit song.

Many of the Prince's "defenders" have pointed out that Prince donated a song to this cause - 4 the tears in your eyes. This was specifically recorded for the album, therfore for the cause. Had MJ and Quincy agreed to let him play guitar, Prince probably would have performed in the song. It is just part of the silly games that Prince, MJ and Quincy played at that time.

That on a Prince fansite you want to beleive that people who seek to defend Prince are claiming it was not for a good cause is telling.

why are they using pictures of Prince that didn't exist at that time?

SoulAlive said:

Sheila E. was there and I always thought that she was there to kinda represent the Prince camp

I thought P sent her to represent

dreamfirstborn said:

Honestly, i still couldn't imagine Prince being there.

He would have had to have had his own vocal booth draped with black cloth and the inside lit with lilac flavored candles.

How the hell could that be filmed anyway???

PennyPurple said:

SoulAlive said:

Sheila E. was there and I always thought that she was there to kinda represent the Prince camp

I thought P sent her to represent

Or maybe she was there as a favour or friend to/of Lionel Richie? She worked with him before she became involved with Prince.

mb71 said:

PennyPurple said:

I thought P sent her to represent

Or maybe she was there as a favour or friend to/of Lionel Richie? She worked with him before she became involved with Prince.

Reply #62

The PMRC - Parents Music Resource Center - was formed in May 1985 as a DIRECT result of "We Are The World." The official cover story for the formation of the PMRC was that Tipper Gore (almost President Al Gore's wife, so almost First Lady) bought a copy of "Purple Rain" and played it for her two kids (I think they were 10-12 years old, maybe a bit older) and was just shocked to her core to hear the lyrics to "Darlin' Nikki" come blasting out of her family's stereo speakers, and she felt she had to get involved in protecting children from "harmful lyrics." They (the PMRC) promoted the use of warning stickers on "offensive music" which practically had the effect of many record and chain stores simply refusing to stock stickered items, particularly in the Bible Belt South. Asserting control over and interrupting the freeflow of culture - i.e. censorship - particularly in the South - was the entire point of the existence of the PMRC. The official story of "protecting children" was totally bullshit. The TINY ruling elite in America are completely outnumbered by regular working people and they therefore can only survive as an elite through division; they use a small percentage of their unprecedented wealth to play very serious divide and conquer games with all the rest of us, keeping us constantly fighting one another and not them. The unity that was displayed by the musicians and artists in the "We Are The World" session and more importantly the subsequent immediate response of the entire world to that unity got the ruling class' swift attention. They acted with no hesitation and immediately began an offensive on musicians and cultural workers.

hardwork said:

The PMRC - Parents Music Resource Center - was formed in May 1985 as a DIRECT result of "We Are The World." The official cover story for the formation of the PMRC was that Tipper Gore (almost President Al Gore's wife, so almost First Lady) bought a copy of "Purple Rain" and played it for her two kids (I think they were 10-12 years old, maybe a bit older) and was just shocked to her core to hear the lyrics to "Darlin' Nikki" come blasting out of her family's stereo speakers, and she felt she had to get involved in protecting children from "harmful lyrics." They (the PMRC) promoted the use of warning stickers on "offensive music" which practically had the effect of many record and chain stores simply refusing to stock stickered items, particularly in the Bible Belt South. Asserting control over and interrupting the freeflow of culture - i.e. censorship - particularly in the South - was the entire point of the existence of the PMRC. The official story of "protecting children" was totally bullshit. The TINY ruling elite in America are completely outnumbered by regular working people and they therefore can only survive as an elite through division; they use a small percentage of their unprecedented wealth to play very serious divide and conquer games with all the rest of us, keeping us constantly fighting one another and not them. The unity that was displayed by the musicians and artists in the "We Are The World" session and more importantly the subsequent immediate response of the entire world to that unity got the ruling class' swift attention. They acted with no hesitation and immediately began an offensive on musicians and cultural workers.

And yet it got no sticker unlike the Filthy 15.

Few of the Filthy 15 where part of the We are the World supergroup.

You have to ask did this song ever bring unity to the entire world? Was 1985 any different from every other time conservative wowsers tried to impose censorship? Why didn't these elite actually ever target "We are the World" and instead wasted their efforts on seeking a voluntary code and stickers for other songs?

Off topic, but ;

I read somewhere that, later, some rappers WANTED that Parental Advisory/Explicit Lyrics-sticker on their (CD) cover art,

even started to just print in with the sleeve artwork,

thinking it would sell more to kids, and maybe it did...

Vannormal said:

Off topic, but ;

I read somewhere that, later, some rappers WANTED that Parental Advisory/Explicit Lyrics-sticker on their (CD) cover art,

even started to just print in with the sleeve artwork,

thinking it would sell more to kids, and maybe it did...

True, I have a lot of early 90s hip-hop album that have the sticker in the artwork instead as a seperate sticker. There were rappers who also saw it as a badge that proved they were legit back then.
Back then i also had a big white shirt with the sticker as the print on it. It was a Hip Hop thing back then.

[Edited 1/31/24 8:17am]

IanRG said:

hardwork said:

And yet it got no sticker unlike the Filthy 15.

Few of the Filthy 15 where part of the We are the World supergroup.

You have to ask did this song ever bring unity to the entire world? Was 1985 any different from every other time conservative wowsers tried to impose censorship? Why didn't these elite actually ever target "We are the World" and instead wasted their efforts on seeking a voluntary code and stickers for other songs?

I'm as anti-censorship and anti-PMRC as you come, but I'm not buying the second half of @hardwork's analysis. Although I think people like Tipper Gore are crazy, I believe they're honest about their motives. In their narrow minds, they genuinely thought they were saving children. You don't need to attribute a conspiracy to explain their actions.

For the record, Tipper Gore was progressive, not conservative. Sadly, both sides of the political spectrum are pro-censorship. That wasn't always the case. It used to be that the liberalism was synonomous with free speech. No more. Old time Lefties like myself are still zealously pro-free speech, but younger progressives have convinced themselves free speech is rightwing. It's like the world turned upside down.

I just watched the doc last night before bed. I think it was really well done. Some of the footage is obviously from the VHS release (I still love Tina singing, "FISH! BURGER! Da daaada da daaa!"

But to hear about Huey just trying to work out his part with Cyndi and Kim Carnes was cool. And yes Sheila, they probably were using you to get Prince there. That's your lot in this game. People only want you because of Prince. Just like you said at the Purple Rain premiere to Mark Curry.

ANYWAY - I felt the film really expanded on the whole experience. The retro look back, with time and wisdom in pocket, felt nice. I don't know why Q wasn't in it, though. I knew the time frame of writing the song was tight, but I didn't know it was that tight! Fuck, 10 days and the song was written, a demo made, mailed out, etc etc. I knew the story and I was panicking!

I very much remember that night of the show. Lionel's catchphrase was "OUTRAGEOUS!" all night long (see what I did there?). It was a fun show actually.

I'm also glad they showed Waylon walking out. His name was on the album and single, but I knew the story behind him walking out, too. Stevie may have overstepped himself a bit by wanting to add the Swahili part, then the cultural-sounding stuff. It seemed to temporarily take the wind out of the room. But Waylon walking out seemed a bit dicky on his part.

As far as Prince, we still didn't see anyone really talking about it in the moment. But maybe it was just in hushed tones or whatever; unable to be captured. I don't necessarily buy the "he wouldn't have been in control, so he would've clammed up" story. Never have, really. This guy was what - 27 years old. A young person. MJ was his age. Many of the folks were his age range. He's a human being, the studio is his world. He could've showed up and just done his thing, and got over himself.

lurker316 said:

IanRG said:

And yet it got no sticker unlike the Filthy 15.

Few of the Filthy 15 where part of the We are the World supergroup.

You have to ask did this song ever bring unity to the entire world? Was 1985 any different from every other time conservative wowsers tried to impose censorship? Why didn't these elite actually ever target "We are the World" and instead wasted their efforts on seeking a voluntary code and stickers for other songs?

I'm as anti-censorship and anti-PMRC as you come, but I'm not buying the second half of @hardwork's analysis. Although I think people like Tipper Gore are crazy, I believe they're honest about their motives. In their narrow minds, they genuinely thought they were saving children. You don't need to attribute a conspiracy to explain their actions.

For the record, Tipper Gore was progressive, not conservative. Sadly, both sides of the political spectrum are pro-censorship. That wasn't always the case. It used to be that the liberalism was synonomous with free speech. No more. Old time Lefties like myself are still zealously pro-free speech, but younger progressives have convinced themselves free speech is rightwing. It's like the world turned upside down.

Or in short to keep this away from politics, everyone is a mix of different views and there is no indication that "We are the World" united everyone against the elite mega rich and these mega rich fought back by putting stickers on other songs.

i saw this thread bumped again and i was like "holy shit how is this still going" then realized i said the same thing a few days ago

lustmealways said:

i saw this thread bumped again and i was like "holy shit how is this still going" then realized i said the same thing a few days ago

Not from me. I'm on topic as of mere hours ago.

TrivialPursuit said:

(...)

As far as Prince, we still didn't see anyone really talking about it in the moment. But maybe it was just in hushed tones or whatever; unable to be captured. I don't necessarily buy the "he wouldn't have been in control, so he would've clammed up" story. Never have, really. This guy was what - 27 years old. A young person. MJ was his age. Many of the folks were his age range. He's a human being, the studio is his world. He could've showed up and just done his thing, and got over himself.

Exactly my point.

RODSERLING said:

Sly Stone wasn't there neither. His lines were replaced at the last minute by Cindy Lauper.

Cindy's parts are the highlight!!!

RODSERLING said:

Sly Stone wasn't there neither. His lines were replaced at the last minute by Cindy Lauper.

Nonsense.