I recently purchased the Come album for a mere £2 And a £2 well spent for me. But does anybody here hate (or not like) the end of the song Papa? As soon as he says 'Don't abuse children, or else they turn out like me' the song turns into something off of Chaos & Disorder (e.g.Same December). Chaos & Disorder is an easy listen and is very fun focused, whereas Papa is a song about child abuse what most would consider a serious subject (obviously) and from the begining the song comes across as being dark. I personally hate the ending of that song and thats a shame, because the rest of that song is ace.

Insanecabbage said:

Good Lord No, I absolutuly dig the end of Papa.
"Theres always a Rainbow at the end of every rain."

i do know what you mean, i love papa too, but i think the ending works myself. i just love how it rocks (i don't have C&D too) and then ends with "and theres always a rainbow, at the end of every rain".

i know what you mean, but i think he wanted to end it on a positive note, i don't think he did it to stop critics or people freaking out, or to make it more safe to help sales, so it's not like he wimped out by putting a positive ending on it.

i bought my copy for £3.99! at oxfam! i can't believe i paid that much looking back, for a bloody cd from a charity shop! i only did it cos it was prince. i remember going home and seeing songs called "come" "pheromone" "loose!" and "orgasm", then hoping "papa" and "solo" weren't what i thought they might be about!

I think Papa is one of his best songs of the 90s, I really do.

I'm in two minds about the ending. -- I do agree, the ending is tacked on. It's very bombastic, as you say like The Same December, or Strays Of The World even, it cheapens the songs somewhat - but I guess he was trying to convey a positive to the negative.

DarkKnight1 said:

Me too, I love the ending!

The positive makes the negative obsolete, which was probably P's idea, but then why make it negative and dark in the first place? Its just such a shame for me, because i agree with you Nouveau that its one of his best from the 90s...well 2min 17secs of it anyway

I love the ending. Just wish the song was longer with more lyrics. It's got a really eerie, but cool sound. Like some of his 80's stuff.

I LOVE the end of Papa. Very funky.

I've always thought Prince had problems when it came to ending a song. He comes up with amazing jams, but just doesn't seem to know how to end them. Sometimes he comes up with something cool, but often he just fades it out, or worse, lets it die. Listen to Purple Rain. He had no idea how to end that song. Darling Nikki, same thing.

Even live, he seems to get a cool groove and can't let it stop.

I guess if I came up with some great jams like he does, I wouldn't want them to end either.

persoanlally the ended is why i listen 2 papa when it cuts out and u hear that "dont abuse children" bit and it goes mad! LOVE IT!

NouveauDance said:

seconded.

NouveauDance said:

I guess it's his way of resolution, I like most of his outro's personally.

'dre

Papa Rawks Man

I love Papa, I like the change after 'else they turn out like me', the sudding jarring change from the soft spoken bit before seems to me like the abused child who has grown up shouting out his anger. But I'm not keen on the very last bit, with 'There's always a rainbow at the end of every rain', then 'ding'.

For a start off, there's not necessarily a rainbow after every rain, it depends on the moisture in the air and the sunlight angle, if any! Secondly, it's a rather childish lyric, but perhaps that was what he was going for.

Definately a song that makes you yearn for more - I always want the guitar heavy bit to go on much longer, so that you have time for the anger to really come out and a chance to reflect on the earlier lyrics. I mean, you're off to 'Race' so quick you don't get a chance to take it in!

madhouseman said:

Purple Rain's ending??? That big guitar hero ending is not an ending?? Funny actually as I have been thinking about my fave endings recently (off work at the moment)

So in response here are a few songs that I think end wonderfully:

Partyman (best bit)

When Doves Cry

Kiss

ICNTTPOYM

Alphabet St

Let's Go Crazy

Thieves...

If I Was Your Girlfriend

Joy In Reptetition

Feel U Up

Shockadelica



I could go on but I think that's enough for now. How opinions differ eh? I can't think of anyone who comes up with better endings.
[Edited 12/7/04 3:05am]

madhouseman said:

it's called a "vamp",nobody rides a vamp like Prince!

madhouseman said:[quote]I've always thought Prince had problems when it came to ending a song. He comes up with amazing jams, but just doesn't seem to know how to end them. Sometimes he comes up with something cool, but often he just fades it out, or worse, lets it die. Listen to Purple Rain. He had no idea how to end that song. Darling Nikki, same thing.


Ditto Holy River.

Karri

I too love the ending,

the lyrics r really good too....

..infact the "dont abouse children....." line is indeed rather sad yes but also rather creepy and too bluntantly personal to have an effect on me! Sounds too self loathing, but I guess he was self loathing when he recorded it so thats the impact he wants.....it is rather shocking! I just don't but much....

I think the ending makes perfect sense given the atmosphere and lyrics
of the song up until that bit.

The song wouldn't be nearly as intense if it had just ended with that
same vibe it starts out with.

It builds up like a thunderstorm, the intensity of it's atmosphere just
builds up and up and up until, in the end, the only way to set the
whole chain of action into motion is a softly whispered line that
redeems, closes, accuses, and acknowledges it all at the same time.

Causing the violent outbreak of the end where everything goes nuts for
a minute, until it lays down for good with the re-assuring message that
after every pour of rain there will eventually be a rainbow once more.

This is by far one of his best songs ever.

DarkKnight1 said:

Co-sign. Love the song. It's unique and only Prince can get away with something like that.

Karri said:[quote]

madhouseman said:

I actually think he's the best at ending songs. Most songs just fade out, but he manages to end the majority of his songs.

Wow, this is the first time I've heard someone say they didn't like that ending. Personally, I think it's great.

The ending is cool. I dig it.

the ending is the best part
i love this song. the ending shows that no matter what bad happens - " there's always a rainbow, at the end of every rain "

Looks like you're in the minority, my dear cabbage.

I love that, instead of sliding away on its melancholy vibe of remembered abuse, it snaps into a fierce, life-affirming little coda. It's funky, attention-getting, and it reminds me of Sly Stone.

IstenSzek said:

Beautiful.

MashedPotatoKid said:

So if there was a 'bombastic' ending to Sign 'O' The Times, conveying a positive out of 'seventeen-year-old boys, And their idea of fun, Is being in a gang called The Disciples, High on crack, totin' a machine gun' do you think it would work? Now i know Sign O' the Times doesn't end like Papa, but Sign O' the Times has the same vibe throughout and works great. Would it work as well, IF it had ended like Papa?

Insanecabbage said:

it wouldn't work with sign of the times, it would ruin it
BUT this time it works great and makes the song BETTER

MashedPotatoKid said:

Thats what i feel you see, except that Papa is spoilt by its ending

Insanecabbage said:

but try listening to the song without the ending
it has no impact. its an anticlimax

how would it end if it DIDN'T have this ending?

Insanecabbage said:

This is why your argument doesn't really work:

Papa is quiet and bare-bones. It's extremely sparely arranged, with practically whispered vocals. You almost have to stop what you're doing and strain to listen to the story that's being told, which is central. Then comes the changeup, and it hits you so hard because it's dense and bursting with life.

Sign O' The Times, on the other hand, is more densely arranged and does have mood changes throughout. The tone of this song is not stark, understated grief. It's multi-layered frustration and anger. An ending like Papa tacked onto Sign O' The Times would be tacky and pointless.