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Thread started 10/13/04 6:39pm

crenshaw

EW marks 'Dear Mr. Man' as Prince's "protest music"

The new issue of Entertainment Weekly (Oct. 15 issue) has a half-page story in the Music section titled "Meet the new faces of protest music." Then it says, "Is Jadakiss the Next Bob Dylan?" They go through four current songs and compare them to older songs that they seem to "recall." Prince's song is accompanied by a picture of his head with a hat on. It reads:

"Nowadays What Prince's 'Dear Mr. Man' lacks in specificity ('What's wrong with the world today?') and wisdom ('Ain't no use in voting'), it makes up for in slow-cooked grooves. Recalls Marvin Gaye's 1971 hit 'What's Going On' as much for its 'us against them' vibe as for its soulful smoothness."

You know next week's issue will feature something about the Cinnamon Girl video.
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Reply #1 posted 10/13/04 7:17pm

squirrelgrease

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Dear Mr. Man in not even on the same planet as Marvin Gaye's classic.
If prince.org were to be made idiot proof, someone would just invent a better idiot.
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Reply #2 posted 10/13/04 8:56pm

SynthiaRose

Agreed.

And that Jadakiss song was pure ignorance. I couldn't believe it got so much attention over the summer. People acted like it was some intellectual statement. Laughable.
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Reply #3 posted 10/13/04 10:47pm

Hotlegs

squirrelgrease said:

Dear Mr. Man in not even on the same planet as Marvin Gaye's classic.


hmmm It may not be on the same planet but it is in the same universe as far as eye am concerned. That's just my twocents .
[Edited 10/13/04 22:47pm]
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Reply #4 posted 10/14/04 3:53am

jpav

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"Ain't no sense in votin'"

Easily one of Prince's most truly ignorant lyrics. Very surprised to see such an immature thought, on a topic that most urban youth need guidance with.

For all of Prince's merits, every once in a while he just misses the boat!

confused
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Reply #5 posted 10/14/04 4:22am

mozfonky

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Dr. Mr. Man is a great song. It is a homage to Marvin if there ever was one. Gaye has always been a major touchstone for prince, if not musically, then lyrically and ideally. I can hear him in this one, I've never voted maybe never will, and because it breaks from his usual conservatism, I was shocked to hear him say with seeming passion, "We Tired of Y'all". Really, that sums the country up for me, even though I still can't believe Prince said it from the experience that most of us have had, he's spoiled.
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Reply #6 posted 10/14/04 7:58am

crenshaw

I like the line, although I think just leaving at "Ain't no sense in voting" takes it way out of context. The complete line is, "Ain't no use in voting, same song with a different name." And I think that perfectly sums up this current election ("debate")-- we have two whole "choices," whoo-whoo-- whichever one wins-- Kerry, Bush-- America loses. I think the line in the Prince song perfectly describes this frustration, and I also think it is important to remember that Prince is an artist, and that in his songs, he takes on personas. As with any artist, he is telling someone's story, not necessarily his own. DEAR MR. MAN reminds me of LADY CAB DRIVER, which also wasn't necessarily about Prince himself, but in each song he is hitting on very real frustrated emotions, and I think that is where the song hits its stride. And I think Prince is right, anyway (no use in voting), and real revolution can only come when we begin to realize that this illusory show we call politics is just a game, and that the whole system needs to be overhauled. Two people in a "race" for leader of our country? Come on. We tired a y'all.
[Edited 10/14/04 8:00am]
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Reply #7 posted 10/14/04 8:12am

kisscamille

Whoever wrote this article is a fucking idiot!! Comparing Jadakiss to Bob Dylan?? I think not!! Not in this lifetime or any other. AND, Dear Mr. Man doesn't stand a chance against Marvin's classic. Some people are just plain assholes and shouldn't even be allowed to write about things they know nothing about.
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Reply #8 posted 10/14/04 8:15am

Handclapsfinga
snapz

squirrelgrease said:

Dear Mr. Man in not even on the same planet as Marvin Gaye's classic.

sho' ain't.
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Reply #9 posted 10/14/04 8:19am

FunkMistress

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That Army bag
Is such a double-drag
Partyup


horns
CHICKENS ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO DO COCAINE, SILKY HEN.
The Normal Whores Club
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Reply #10 posted 10/14/04 8:28am

FunkMistress

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SynthiaRose said:

Agreed.

And that Jadakiss song was pure ignorance. I couldn't believe it got so much attention over the summer. People acted like it was some intellectual statement. Laughable.


Pure ignorance? Your statement is pure arrogance.
I don't agree with every word in "Why," but it raised many valid questions that most mainstream artists aren't going near. The remix is even better, taking it further ("Why do schools care more about your son's braids than his grades?")

Then again....I just remembered, this is coming from a "Black Album" hater. Now that's laughable. biggrin


Why is garbage music selling a lot?
Why is the music industry's state of mind far from real hiphop?
CHICKENS ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO DO COCAINE, SILKY HEN.
The Normal Whores Club
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Reply #11 posted 10/14/04 9:42am

Hotlegs

crenshaw said:

I like the line, although I think just leaving at "Ain't no sense in voting" takes it way out of context. The complete line is, "Ain't no use in voting, same song with a different name." And I think that perfectly sums up this current election ("debate")-- we have two whole "choices," whoo-whoo-- whichever one wins-- Kerry, Bush-- America loses. I think the line in the Prince song perfectly describes this frustration, and I also think it is important to remember that Prince is an artist, and that in his songs, he takes on personas. As with any artist, he is telling someone's story, not necessarily his own. DEAR MR. MAN reminds me of LADY CAB DRIVER, which also wasn't necessarily about Prince himself, but in each song he is hitting on very real frustrated emotions, and I think that is where the song hits its stride. And I think Prince is right, anyway (no use in voting), and real revolution can only come when we begin to realize that this illusory show we call politics is just a game, and that the whole system needs to be overhauled. Two people in a "race" for leader of our country? Come on. We tired a y'all.


nod clapping Your points are well said. This song is probably one of the most emotional and militant songs that P has made. Crenshaw, I understood why you made the comparision between Lady Cab Driver and b/c they both were powerful in the way P presented them.

What some people fail to realize is that P won't be fed any of the propaganda that the media is feeding the world about the Presidential Candidates. He probably knows that there may be some validity in the existence of an elite society which has been touched on in the Politics and Religion Post on the org. With that being said, in essence, Americans would be voting with the same voice with a different name. So if you do decide to vote, you will be choosing between the 2 evils(in which I will perhaps do). P puts a message out there and its up to us(his fans) to seek the truth and make are own decision w/out mass media influencing us.

In conclusion, all I can say to P if he is reading this, thank you for putting the truth out there. It was a bold message to put out but somebody had to do it. More power to the people
.
fro peace

music "The revelution will not be televised."
[Edited 10/14/04 11:26am]
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Forums > Prince: Music and More > EW marks 'Dear Mr. Man' as Prince's "protest music"