I rediscovered Emanciapation this weekend and I really love this track. But can someone tell me what exactly he is talking about?

Here's another song i try 2 listen 2 and...i just cant get in2 it like "Curious Child" and "Savior"

I tried... i really did

paisleypark4 said:

Turn up the volume and try again. If that fails... well, i can always pray for you!

Sly said:

Maybe one day.. maybe

At least 2 thirds of Emancipation could have been a keeper had it had better production.

NouveauDance said:

Yeah, but that depends on which third you like - probably not the third I like or the third the next fan likes.

By putting out 3 disks virtually EVERY fan manages to find an album's worth of material he/she likes. If he'd put one album's worth out then maybe we'd only find we liked a third of that - a third of a third, if you like!

Better production? Well that depends on the sound you personally want to hear. I tend to think Emancipation was a little over-produced, the sound had been too smoothed out But then I prefer Prince when he has a very stripped down sound.

As for the song, well the first 2 verses are about people who think negatively are have no hope, and try to drag you down with them "Wicked is the witch that stands 4 nothing / All the while watching 2 see U fall", whereas the next verses are about if you think positively then you can make it through difficult times and find redemption: "All that believe will cleanse and purify themselves" while the line 'The only love there is, is the love we make' implies that you get out of life what you put in.

Raijuan said:

Check out the liner notes, the song is dedicated to Johnathan Melvoin, brother of Wendy and the drummer for Smashing Pumpkins(if memory serves me) before he overdosed on Heroin. Relisten to the song now.

rudedog said:

keyboardist Rude..Jimmy Chamberlain was the drummer.

Didn't he do some percussion of ATWIAD? Maybe that's where the confusion comes from?

The Love We Make Prince sang that baby!!!! just beautiful so much feeling and I love
me some Curious Child and Savior.

Listen again Paisley4 but open up that heart or urs.

paisleypark4 said:

Savior is one of the saving graces of Emancipation for me

Desperate is the day that is 2morrow
4 those who do not know the time has come
2 whip the dogs that beg, steal or borrow
From the table God set 4 His Son

Wicked is the witch that stands 4 nothing
All the while watching 2 see U fall
Deeper than the ditch that bred your suffering
The one being dug right now by them all

Happy is the way 2 meet your burdens
No matter how heavy or dark the day
Pity on those with no hope 4 2morrow
It's never as bad as it seems until we say

Precious is the baby with a mother
That tells him that his Saviour is coming soon
All that believe will cleanse and purify themselves
Put down the needle, put down the spoon

Sacred is the prayer that asks 4 nothing, oh
While seeking 2 give thanks 4 every breath we take, oh
Blessed are we inside this prayer
4 in the new world, we will be there

The only love there is, is the love we make
(The only love there is, is the love we make)
Only love there is, only love there is
The only love there is, is the love we make (Yeah)
The only love there is, is the love we make

Fucking beautiful

I Googled it.

PhilG said:

Phil! Yeah, also supposedly written in memory of Miles - at least Im sure I heard it mentioned in one interview or another back then...

One of his best songs of the mid to late 90's.

GREAT song. Possibly my fave on Emancipation.

The song is dedicated to Jonathon Melvoin (Wendy and Susannah's brother) who died of a drug overdose while on tour playing KEYBOARDS for the Smashing Pumpkins. He was using with the SP's drummer when he overdosed so perhaps that was the source of confusion.

IIRC, Prince also mentioned the memory of Chick Huntsberry, former bodyguard, who had also battled drug addiction as another inspiration for the song.

The song was NOT a tribute to the memory of Miles b/c Miles WAS STILL ALIVE!!! The tribute to Miles was the 4 second silent gap b/w songs on Rave (which was released 3 years after Emancipation).

jsb23nc said:

Miles Davis was alive in 1996?

Spinlight said:

Miles died in '91.
I really, truly love this song.

OdysseyMiles said:

Yeah, I know... Just don't get why the other person would say he was alive 5 years later.

Whoops re: Miles date of death.

Then, why did Prince wait until 1999 (Rave album) to put on a tribute to Miles?! Anybody know?

jsb23nc said:

Who knows.

But he also recorded a few songs back when Miles died as tributes to him, though they never surfaced.

jsb23nc said:

I never said it was a tribute 2 Miles - I said I had read him stating that 'Miles was in there somewhere' was the quote if I remember correctly - along with Jonathan and Big Chick - it's not about one person, it's about making love 2 the needle & spoon.

PhilG said:

Crap, I meant keyboardist. Thanks

Raijuan said:

Beautiful Song!!! I recently started rediscovering Emancipation as well and The Love We Make is arguably my favorite track on the album. Beautifully written, passionate vocals and a feeling of sadness/redemption that inspires hope at the end of the track. Damn I love this song. This song along with a host of others are the reasons why it pisses me off when people/critics write off Prince's 1990's output.
[Edited 10/1/04 9:15am]

i love this song...yeahhhh!!!!!

I love this song and I love Emancipation
must say Im partial to disc 2 though

It reminds me of something Bob Dylan would write.

No disrespect to Dylan, but come on. You''re just razzing us, right?

PAPAROBBIE said:

Truly beautiful song, too bad it's buried on that album. I always forget about it