In the new Uk Q magazine special "100 songs that changed the world"
Sign O The Times is listed at No.68 as the first song "where social commentary became mainstream".Theres a pretty good page long article about it, detailing the background of the album (i.e Warners balking at the triple-Cd set Crystal Ball and Prince whittling it down to SOTT) and also Prince's previous flirtations with social commentary (on Ronnie talk to Russia and Party Up amongst others),and it proclaims
the single as "the last great protest song"

P.S. The No.1 song that changed the world they say is It's Alright by Elvis Presley

Another stupid senseless poll

The one Elvis song that changed the world and I can't remember it? It must not have been too significant. (Check out the logic in that sentance... muthafucka!)

There have been tons of great protest songs since then. American Jesus for instance. That song is fuckkin brilliant. For those of you who don't know it I will at this time transcribe the lyrics.

I don't need to be a global citizen
cuz I'm blessed by nationality
I'm a member of a growing populous
that enforces popularity
There are things that seem to pull us under
and there are things that drag us down
but there's a power, a vital presence
that's lurking all around

We've got the American Jesus
see him on the interstate
We've got the American Jesus
he helped build the presidents estate

I feel sorry for the earths population
cuz so few live in the USA
but the foreigners can copy our morality
they can visit but they cannot stay
Only precious few can garner the prosperity
it makes us walk with renewed confidence
cuz we've got a place to go when we die
and the archetype resides right here

We've got the American Jesus
posing as our head of state
We've got the American Jesus
overwhelming millions everyday

He's the farmers baron fields
The force the Army wields
The expressions on the faces of the starving children
The power of the man
The fuel that drives the clan
He's the motive, He's the conscious of the murderer
He's the preacher on TV
The false security
The form letter that's written by the big computer
The nuclear bombs
The kids with no moms
and I'm fearful that he's inside me. yeah!

We've got the American Jesus
see him on the interstate
We've got the American Jesus
exercising his authority
We've got the American Jesus
posing as our head of state
We've got the American Jesus
overwhelming millions everyday.

[This message was edited Tue Jan 21 19:12:04 PST 2003 by creepycornerman]