Prince's spirituality has always made itself known to me,no matter how sexually explicit his musical catelog may have been,it's always been there from the time I began listening to him. Keep in mind that I've been a fan ever since the Purple Rain days. I knew songs like 1999 and Little Red Corvette but PR was the first album I got by Prince.

As we all know,Prince's first two albums were rated PG at worst.After that,Dirty Mind was,at the time, one of the most controverial albums in the early eighties. The common threads in each of those albums were fantasy,lonliness ,insecurities and good old fashioned horniness.

To get to the just of it,what were you old school fan's initial reaction to hearing the Lord's Prayer recited during Controversy? Did you think it was blasphemous like certain radio stations suggested? Did you think Prince was slowly changing directions? Comments...

At the time (when I was a mere nine years of age), I thought it was very inappropriate to place The Lord's Prayer into a song such as Controversy. However, with the passage of time we can assume that Prince always had a spirtual side and at that time an immature way of displaying this sprituality. Fast forward to today, I see it as effective if for nothing else, to get your attention - most people would not have dared such a tactic, but again most musicians and artists are not of the legend of Prince - only 34 above him; the numbers don't lie:) In retrospect, I think that's what he wanted during that time/era: To get your attention. Whether it was an anti-war plea, a dance-all-night groove, or a sexual parade, Prince was always and still to this day a musician first that had some things on this mind and he he still has our attention. Good question.

Thanks! Good answer as well.

I didnt hear it until 1995, I think its clever as he chants it. One thing 2 realise, how do u know Princes God is the same as ours. For all we know his god could be a tree in the woods or lurking under his briefs.
I think Prince's god is his dick and the temple for him is a vagina, devotion is expressed when the two meet.
Every semi religious Prince album (Controversy, Purple Rain, Lovesexy etc) has some x rated material on it too. Do you think I wish u heaven and Annastesia are really about god. Since I am gay and live in 2005 who really gives a toss what the church thinks.

sitruk7 said:

I loved it when I first heard it. The song was about Controversy, and what would spark more of that than using a religious passage like it was never used before? It was a genious stroke.

This is quite a topic. I heard the song for the first time when I was 8 during BET's Video Vibration marathons for Prince and they only played the single version and when he sang the line "Do U all believe in God, Do U all believe in me, Controversy", I wondered if that was blasphemous. My mom let me know that it wasn't.

Fast forward 9 years when I was 17. My Mom, Aunt and I were talking and I'll never forget this, my Aunt told us that they played Controversy at a party she went to. While she was dancing to the song, she heard him start doing the Lord's Prayer and she stopped dancing and didn't continue even after it was over. She felt like it was wrong to put that in the song and she wasn't even into God as she is now. I wanted to hear it after that, if for no other reason than to see how long the song really was. I didn't hear the full version of Controversy till 2 years after the conversation and when I heard it, I was surprised that it didn't bother me. I saw it as Prince just being Prince and like someone said earlier, that is what the song was about, Controversy.

Thanks for the interesting comments people.At the risk of sounding arrogant, I'm actually surprised this thread hasn't gotten more responses from the old schoolers. But then again, this is about Prince's music rather than his sex life. My bad

sitruk7 said:

I share your opinion - I love talking about the music (especially the creation of it and evolution over time). However, between you, Madhouseman, Blurred Eye, Purple Cam and a few others, I am learning. The more I learn the more I want to know. So, keep coming up with the great "musical" topics; 3-4 replies is better than none.

The first time I heard "The Lord's Prayer" in "Controversy", I never thought he was becoming religious. At the time, I thought he was being sarcastic towards judgemental, overly religious people.

the first time i ever heard the lord's prayer in 'controversy' i thought it sounded really really cool. and, some 17 years on, that's still what i think...

Being a fan since For You,I first heard this song and thougth Prince is expanding the scope of his music,and when he said ''We need a new leader,stand up and organize''on Sexuality,I standing in line.

vainandy said:

A song like Controversy was a message to anyone that were still piss-off about the songs & message on the Dirty Mind album.

A lot of the Sunday-Keeping Black & White Churches were saying that Prince was going to hell.
[Edited 9/30/05 8:59am]

napoleon370 said:

Thanks! Glad to be of service!

I was like 9 or 10 when that was out. It mainly struck me as different, not blasphemous, just different.

sitruk7 said:

This is off topic, but he did sneak a few things in there one may not even notice : "I wanna be the only one u come for", "U know u got me creamin"

Welcome back from the flood. Glad to see you're alright.

doctamario said:

Yep, that's why I said PG rather than G.

Lyrically the song Controversy is a deep song, The Lord's Prayer only added 2 its depth. Maybe he felt he needed the Lord bcuz of the direction he was getting ready 2 go with his music. Prince shocked the world with his sexual lyrics and behavior. That might be the reason he wants 2 'Right The Wrong' now and he doesn't do that type music anymore, hence The Rainbow Children. Maybe we should have seen this coming!

vainandy said:

I stay posted at the library for a little bit.