Rockability said:

Prince has released a song and will probably be more bothered by what the masses think of it rather than the fans who'll buy everything he releases regardless of whether we like it or not (don't say it ain't true).

Personally, I say it's too soon to know just how this song will be regarded when compared to Prince's back catalogue. I always maintain that the best songs are the ones that don't hit you on first listen. Remember When Doves Cry? I defy anybody to say that they fell in love with it on first listen.

I've got good hopes for 3121.

DorothyParkerWasCool said:

I know what you're saying, but still, it's sad that you have to find ways to justify why Prince is allowed to get away with more mediocre music without criticism these days. If he retired tomorrow, I would be happy with the music he has give us, but while he still feels the need to release music, it's up there for us to criticise, hate or love.

Even though Prince has aged and his attitudes and beliefs have changed, I still believe he is capable of delivering hunger, emotion, and a desire to prove himself yet again, and whatever the type of song he does, I am sad when he does not even try to live upto his own high standards.

metalorange said:

But I'm not making excuses. I'm facing reality. He doesn't have to prove himself anymore, he already did. There are plenty of other up and coming artists to enjoy. Check them out, they're hungry and where Prince and all the other greats were years ago. I understand your sadness, but it happens to damn near everyone man.

DorothyParkerWasCool said:

Copy. Print. Save.
We'll pick up here when he releases the next single/album/video.

DorothyParkerWasCool said:

I do actually listen to a lot of other artists, young and old, and I believe you can apply the same critical criteria to all of them to give a balanced review. But bottom line, I don't make excuses for any artist, I either like the song or don't, and if I don't like it I will be listening to something better instead. I don't get stuck just listening to Prince for the sake of it.

Prince isn't worried about what..1000 (if even that) "net"-fans think. The average non-net Prince fan will eat this up.

TheBigBang said:

I agree.

If he's looking for new fans I don't blame him. It's not like he gets much props from his so-called fanbase. Only gripes and expectatons.

I've listened to the song 7 times now and I like it more each time.

The video is gorgeous too.

Well, Tina Turner was in her 40s when she made her huge comeback in the 1980s and she was far from the dull life of white picket fences, station wagons, dogs, and kids. She was wearing that killer spiked hair, those skimpy dresses, high heels, and turning out harder music than she ever had in her career.

Cher, Madonna, Kiss, The Rolling Stones, and The Barkays are others that aren't spring chickens either but they are still wild as hell.

metalorange said:

Well at least u're consistent. I look at it like this, I don't really care that much at this point. I like certain things the man puts out, others don't speak to me. But its really not that big of a deal to warrant the kind of overreaction we are getting on the org. I will say this though, Prince is rapidly becoming as polarizing as Miles Davis.
[Edited 12/13/05 19:52pm]

Rockability said:

i don't think he values his fans opinions, he does what he does now a days for himself and other stars, not for fans

metalorange said:

i can't believe you people, you are the same ones that adore whatever madonna's new release is...this is psychological trauma for me... get to know the new prince and if ya don't like him, let him be...every one goes through phases, maybe prince isn't beating his past prince but he's still funky, he's still pop and younger listeners like myself enjoy prince (he's so much better than usher and craig david and gangster rap) he's been there, done that....newer artists are going to follow in his foot steps if they ever make enough music
his music is neil young style to me

klaatu said:

If by "killer", you mean "good".....


I don't expect a masterpiece every time, but shouldn't it be at least be something people want to listen to again?

I guess I'm in the minority,but I like the song

Nonsense.

I have read many positive reviews on various Prince sites.

Enigmoid said:

Well, you had me up until that point. I literally became a Prince fan the first time I heard WDC.

Universaluv said:

Funny, because Madonna was on UK Radio 1 earlier today, and she said that hearing 'When Doves Cry' for the first time changed her life.

Whether that's a good thing or bad thing depends on your views on Madonna, I guess...

metalorange said:

you call it "mediocre" music but it is your point of view... Don't generalize...

klaatu said:

Can I generalise with my own point of view?

DorothyParkerWasCool said:

I agree with the sentiment of this post, but, for me, the problem is not that he's not hungry anymore, or that he's mellowing. Actually, I'm really glad when he's not trying to replicate his past glories, or trying to sound like the 'cool new kid on the block' - when he does songs like 'Life O' The Party' I cringe. A more mellow sound and feel would suit him well, and he's got the musical depth to make that interesting. Plus, a lot of his lyrical content has previously been sexually-charged, and I think that that works less and less successfully as he gets older (in fact it gets kinda 'icky'....).

With artists, etc, I see it a bit like a relationship. When you first start out, there's all the passion and 'zing', etc, but you expect that to die down. And I guess that people who've been together with someone for years aren't expecting fireworks all the time - just a kind of intimacy and trust that comes from having matured together, etc. And lots of artists manage it - Bruce Springsteen and Paul Simon have both been making records for years longer than Prince, and, personally, I found both of their most recent albums among the most satifying records they've each made.

But that's where I get frustrated with a song like TAC. Sometimes he doesn't seem to have grown as an artist. Take the lyrics, for instance. There's no more depth there than in, say, Still Waiting, or one of those other bubblegum-pop songs he did in his early career. I'm interested in where he's at in his life, but he doesn't seem to want to tell us. He'd rather just give us A Love Song ("The sky is blue / I love you", etc). It makes you start to wonder - when you take away all the bondage fantasies, etc, does Prince really have anything to say today? if he does, he doesn't seem to want to tell us about it.

The problem with TAC is not that it's mature, or that it's mellow, nor even that it's got an rnb influence - it's that it's so damn safe. It's like he's trying not to offend anyone, or deviate too far from some formula. At least with Miles, when he was going in a certain direction, he was just striding ahead with it; stretching himself, and if some people didn't like it - too bad! So then, when people heard it, some loved it, some hated it. From the response to this song, I don't get that. Even it's defenders are saying, "It's not that bad..." or "It's nice..." Hell, even I think it's nice - pleasant, even. But that's what irks me about it. Not 'moving', 'sublime', 'crazy', 'gut-wrenching', 'passionate'.... just nice. A pleasant (and, of course, radio-friendly) little song.

Like a Mark Rothko painted in beige.....

DavidEye said:

I'm with you - I like the song.

deebee said:

I understand and agree with some of what you are saying but comparing Prince to other artists ( <- I'm guilty of it) also becomes dangerous territory because it has to be done within certain contexts. Paul Simon and Bruce Springsteen may have made satisfying albums but they have pretty much always been consistent to one genre and neither one has branched out into as many musical territories as Prince has.

If you've been with Prince through his marraiges of new wave and funk, funk and soul, jazz fusion and rock etc. then it should be easier to accept Prince in safe mode. Just like DorothyParkerWasCool said, his catalog is too eclectic to appease everyone. No one has to like it, but I think it would be easier to accept in an older musician as diverse as Prince. Even though the material may not sound as passionate as it used to, he's still being "Prince" in the broad spectrum of things. He's still a mixed bag.

Personally, I think this song is a grower. The more I listen to it, the more I like it; unlike S.S.T, which I downloaded and played a few times and took solace in the fact that it was recorded for a good cause. With each play of TAC, I'm actually finding elements that I didn't take notice of on the previous listen.

as i've said before think of prince live and decide whether you loyal or not...prince is as good as robbie williams
[Edited 12/14/05 17:02pm]

Rockability said:

Oh, it's obvious, is it?


I've been a fan since 82. I love the song. I think it's a great single with a beautiful vocal and strong melody.

I don't see much of a "concensus" at all. I see different individuals stating their opinion, all of which are valid.