1sexymf said:

People can hate on the music all they like, but the lyrics in this album cannot be fronted on.

I believe that 'Musicology' was a concept, revolving around the album and the tour. In my opinion, the album was a lesson in songwriting. Sure all of us who have heard everything he's done up to this point can easily go: "oh, it's not his best, he can do better, you shoulda been there..." all day long.
The point is that P has not lost his ability to use playful metaphors while still having a sense of humor and dry wit. "ICP&C", "The Marrying Kind" and "On The Couch" are perfect examples of P's neverending ability as a songwriter to make the listener smile. Many of us were negatively comparing "Dear Mr. Man" and "Cinnamon Girl" to "Sign 'O The Times" not realizing that these songs still did the same thing. They made you think.
Then, there was the tour. This was most definitely a lesson in how to work that stage. A lesson in how a true musician takes command of his band and commences to kickin' your tail! After coming home from the theater simulcast, I thought that he'd given all he had and the rest of the shows would not be on that same level. Ha! Every other day on this very Org there was rave review after rave review about how dude was killin' it every single night out there. He'd put together an amazing group of musicians, with a killer setlist and of course, the acoustic bit. Once again, people of all ages and backgrounds were blessed with the privilege to come together and share a part of history. A beautiful gift of encouragement and inspiration.
To me, the album and the tour go hand in hand as a concept.One that teaches the beauty of clever and provocative songwriting along with the rewards of hard, hard work on the stage. I appreciate this part of the album's purpose because it has been so inspiring to me as an artist. I know there are some of you who feel as if no one will be talking about it 10 years from now. So many of us remember where we were and who we were with when we first heard all the old hits, plus the feeling those songs gave us. If I'm alone in 10 years when I reminisce about this album, so be it. It's kinda cool that I can always look back on these things while listening to Reflection.

OdysseyMiles said:

i think a lot of people are still missing the point...a true artist doesn't limit himself to one style. How would u all feel if he came out with a similar record to SOTT every time he released an album.....by now you'd have left him behind and denounced hime for being repetitive.....imagine if van gogh turned out the same painting every time.instead we have artists that turn out the same kind of music every scheduled release date.
do those who actually appreciate music, really want 12 songs that sound the same. The record business is all about making money, that's why someone like Usher is doing so well....the producers and programmers will carve out the track for him, and he will turn up for an afternoon and lay down about 20 tracks of vocals, they will then be comp'd (edited) to get the best result, and he'll walk away with all of the glory, and receive all of the plaudits for a great album.
With Prince, we still have someone who creates, directs, plays, gets performances out of others, and insists on being different yet creative with every song, let alone every album.
count your blessings he's around, coz there ain't anyone else like him.
And yes, the album, the tour, the hall of fame, the grammys...allpart of the big plan to get back on top...but wouldnt we rather have someone with talent carving the way, than, well. ...take your pick.

"Yeah, telling in as much that it was a cleverly marketed, commercial album, with record company big bucks behind it."


"Purple Rain" was massively hyped and cleverly marketed also. Warner Bros. marketed the hell out of it. Get the single, see the movie, buy the album, see the tour.....

So what is your point?

Everytime I listen to Musicology, part of my soul dies.

Everytime I listen to Musicology, part of my soul dies.

I believe that 'Musicology' was a concept, revolving around the album and the tour. In my opinion, the album was a lesson in songwriting. Sure all of us who have heard everything he's done up to this point can easily go: "oh, it's not his best, he can do better, you shoulda been there..." all day long.
The point is that P has not lost his ability to use playful metaphors while still having a sense of humor and dry wit. "ICP&C", "The Marrying Kind" and "On The Couch" are perfect examples of P's neverending ability as a songwriter to make the listener smile. Many of us were negatively comparing "Dear Mr. Man" and "Cinnamon Girl" to "Sign 'O The Times" not realizing that these songs still did the same thing. They made you think.
Then, there was the tour. This was most definitely a lesson in how to work that stage. A lesson in how a true musician takes command of his band and commences to kickin' your tail! After coming home from the theater simulcast, I thought that he'd given all he had and the rest of the shows would not be on that same level. Ha! Every other day on this very Org there was rave review after rave review about how dude was killin' it every single night out there. He'd put together an amazing group of musicians, with a killer setlist and of course, the acoustic bit. Once again, people of all ages and backgrounds were blessed with the privilege to come together and share a part of history. A beautiful gift of encouragement and inspiration.
To me, the album and the tour go hand in hand as a concept.One that teaches the beauty of clever and provocative songwriting along with the rewards of hard, hard work on the stage. I appreciate this part of the album's purpose because it has been so inspiring to me as an artist. I know there are some of you who feel as if no one will be talking about it 10 years from now. So many of us remember where we were and who we were with when we first heard all the old hits, plus the feeling those songs gave us. If I'm alone in 10 years when I reminisce about this album, so be it. It's kinda cool that I can always look back on these things while listening to Reflection.

skywalker said:

Uhm, that was my point - They got the same amount of Grammy nominations - because they were the shit-hottest albums that year, or because of industry politics, revenue, and clever promotion?

I don't know why some are assuming by what I said that I'm bad mouthing Musicology or 'new Prince' - I was just saying it's right to compare Purple Rain to Musicology, or even Diamonds & Pearls and Batman for that reason, because they stand as Prince's most effectively marketed records - that's all.


» NouveauDance
[Edited 12/10/04 3:38am]

OdysseyMiles said:

You won't be alone.
Excellent, excellent post.

pennylover said:

you mean "life of the party" doesnt make your ears bleed????? that song scarred me for life....Candy should concentrate on blowing her horn...

i think a lot of people are still missing the point...a true artist doesn't limit himself to one style. How would u all feel if he came out with a similar record to SOTT every time he released an album.....by now you'd have left him behind and denounced hime for being repetitive.....imagine if van gogh turned out the same painting every time.instead we have artists that turn out the same kind of music every scheduled release date.
do those who actually appreciate music, really want 12 songs that sound the same. The record business is all about making money, that's why someone like Usher is doing so well....the producers and programmers will carve out the track for him, and he will turn up for an afternoon and lay down about 20 tracks of vocals, they will then be comp'd (edited) to get the best result, and he'll walk away with all of the glory, and receive all of the plaudits for a great album.
With Prince, we still have someone who creates, directs, plays, gets performances out of others, and insists on being different yet creative with every song, let alone every album.
count your blessings he's around, coz there ain't anyone else like him.
And yes, the album, the tour, the hall of fame, the grammys...allpart of the big plan to get back on top...but wouldnt we rather have someone with talent carving the way, than, well. ...take your pick.

i think we all have to appreciate the fact that he dared to make an album that wasn't necessarily commercial by todays standards, but returned us all to the fact that albums can be good because of their overall content, and that they can also be also be varied...i.e. you dont have to repeat the same formularic grooves for 10-12 songs; you don't have to make sure the tempos don't stray from radio's accepted formula; and that the lyrical content is acceptable even if it's different from the 'set' standards, especially the childlike rhymes of a lot of todays so called hits..
what he proves with "musicology" is that an album can be what albums used to be...a listening experience; that is, not cookie cutter stuff, carved out to make record companies and radio stations happy.
a true innovator knows how to write more than one type or style of song.
And like it or not, he is a true innovator.
Variety is a good thing. Even though record companies try to dissuade an artist from diversyfying. (I'm in the rceord business, and have closer ties to HIM than you can even imagine.....I also know the shenaningans that go on in the record industry)
all the songs on an album do not have to sound the same - it's not written into music law, and it sure as hell as hell isn't written into Prince's law.
Look at the the last two Grammy awards ...best pop instrumental in 2003, and now this year, 2004, all of the RnB stuff and pop...i defy you to find another artist who crosses over with such ease into a varied range of accepted styles.
Don't give me Usher - who needs three other artists to make a single - that's just record companies cynical outlook purveyed into making sure y'all buy the record; don't give me Fantasia, (who has made sure that with the top producers who r getting $50,000 per song) that they can make a hit for radio (and sure enough she sells 271,000 in her first week - gotcha); don't sell me on Ashlee Simpson who can't sing, can't write, and spends most of her time ,when she actually deigns to be in the studio, spending most of her time on her cell phone or ordering food..... the rest of the stuff that they call hits....well.....we have to stop this stuff , and HE may may well be our last chance.
as he says in the businesss magazine interview, this is why live concerts are taking a dive...nobody wants to hear someone lipsynch for a whole show, when they can see the same thing on MTV. he proves that variety in music , is certainly what keeps us going, and the lack of variety is what will kill the industry and the art form. the man is a true innovator and, even though we hear the word a lot, a genius.
let's hope the grammy's reflect this.

PS - i posted this as a response on a a previous post, but i really feel strongly that this should be spelled out on another forum....listen to the record - it's unlike anything else out there!!

It’s funny how Musicology has brought so much controversy and attention 2 Prince. It’s a beautiful CD, the lyrics are tight and he’s very focus and free. The voice as always is simply beautiful. I like everything on the CD. I like the fact I don’t have 2 skip over one song 2 get 2 the other. I can see the buzz was not only on the giveaways themselves but the music which in my opinion is simply beautiful. 2 top it all; it was not really played on the radio like all the other crappy music that gets heavy rotation. I have friends that actually purchased Musicology who totally hate P, but love the CD and that says a lot. These people I’m speaking of have gone out and started collecting his music LOL…. This CD has brought in a whole new generation of fans 4 him. I love it, I love the attention it’s received and I can see why he was nominated 4 5 Grammy’s.

I believe that 'Musicology' was a concept, revolving around the album and the tour. In my opinion, the album was a lesson in songwriting. Sure all of us who have heard everything he's done up to this point can easily go: "oh, it's not his best, he can do better, you shoulda been there..." all day long.
The point is that P has not lost his ability to use playful metaphors while still having a sense of humor and dry wit. "ICP&C", "The Marrying Kind" and "On The Couch" are perfect examples of P's neverending ability as a songwriter to make the listener smile. Many of us were negatively comparing "Dear Mr. Man" and "Cinnamon Girl" to "Sign 'O The Times" not realizing that these songs still did the same thing. They made you think.
Then, there was the tour. This was most definitely a lesson in how to work that stage. A lesson in how a true musician takes command of his band and commences to kickin' your tail! After coming home from the theater simulcast, I thought that he'd given all he had and the rest of the shows would not be on that same level. Ha! Every other day on this very Org there was rave review after rave review about how dude was killin' it every single night out there. He'd put together an amazing group of musicians, with a killer setlist and of course, the acoustic bit. Once again, people of all ages and backgrounds were blessed with the privilege to come together and share a part of history. A beautiful gift of encouragement and inspiration.
To me, the album and the tour go hand in hand as a concept.One that teaches the beauty of clever and provocative songwriting along with the rewards of hard, hard work on the stage. I appreciate this part of the album's purpose because it has been so inspiring to me as an artist. I know there are some of you who feel as if no one will be talking about it 10 years from now. So many of us remember where we were and who we were with when we first heard all the old hits, plus the feeling those songs gave us. If I'm alone in 10 years when I reminisce about this album, so be it. It's kinda cool that I can always look back on these things while listening to Reflection.

emesem said:

Am I the only one that likes Candy's voice on LIFE OF THE PARTY?

Miguel