Handclapsfingasnapz said:[quote]

pepper7 said:

So what's your point here? I'm giving you my opinion on his music that's all. It's my gut feeling about Prince nothing more, nothing less.

And I think you are missing my point somewhat.

Handclapsfingasnapz said:

I know right? I literally when like this : when I heard that. P, try harder. PLEASE. That is a bad song. Hold me Dansa..hold me...

Life O the Party is a tip of the hat to Sly. The lyrics "dont it make you wanna holla" are a reference to Inner City Blues by Marvin Gaye thats like 35 years old. The interesting thing about the way P, Jimmy, Terry and the other 3 Black people from Minne. speaks is that it was almost perfect English still laced w/ ebonics. ie "wrecka stow" The part of LOP that was more of an attempt to jack somebody's style than be current, is the Missyesque rap bridge. His big thing is he wants everybody to know he does it all. Plus Missy was joning on him in a video.

I'm not normally one to quote Prince lyrics to bolster a point, but reading this thread made me think of that line from Don't Play Me, "My only competition is...well, me in the past" Prince knows that a lot of people have huge expectations everytime he releases something new, and it's because of his past; and no matter what he does, it's like he will never live up to those expectations. So I think he chooses not to compete with his past. It's serious fans (and to a lesser degree the general public/casual fans) that seem to want him to be as great as he was in the 80s. It will never happen. It doesn't mean that the new stuff can't be amazing, but imo, inevitably it will always pale in comparision to 1999 or PR or SOTT or whatever one's favorite album is because human memory is faulty and there is also a nostalgia factor. (e.g. The album you remember LOVING right away maybe in reality took a couple months to grow on you, but now you associate with your favorite summer or whatever...) I'm glad he's not trying to compete with his past. He doesn't need to. I think if he did it would be annoying--like the football star from HS who can only talk about the big game even though you graduated 10 years ago...or Picasso still trying to do Cubism at 65. (It's tired.) You can't live in the past and you can't go back. I understand that people want rawness or innovation or whatever, but I think that came from youth and having something to prove. Prince doesn't need to prove anything anymore.

Just my

jone70 said:

Yep I agree. Just tell Prince that.

The thing is music isn't like a football match. It's something that can be referenced for years to come. It's the same as literature. People still see the relevance of Shakespeare or Beethoven. They don't say "Oh, but it's old so it's not relevant now."

There is a lot of literature and a lot of music in the world. There has to be more reasons to why people like what they like and why certain things endure better than others.

I also think it must be really nerve wracking to put your own stuff out in the world, for everyone to scrutinise and criticise. Prince writes and sings his own music. It's almost like baring your soul in public. I think that's really difficult.
[Edited 2/21/06 9:10am]

pepper7 said:[quote]jone70 said:[quote]I'm not normally one to quote Prince lyrics to bolster a point, but reading this thread made me think of that line from Don't Play Me, "My only competition is...well, me in the past" Prince knows that a lot of people have huge expectations everytime he releases something new, and it's because of his past; and no matter what he does, it's like he will never live up to those expectations. So I think he chooses not to compete with his past. It's serious fans (and to a lesser degree the general public/casual fans) that seem to want him to be as great as he was in the 80s. It will never happen. It doesn't mean that the new stuff can't be amazing, but imo, inevitably it will always pale in comparision to 1999 or PR or SOTT or whatever one's favorite album is because human memory is faulty and there is also a nostalgia factor. (e.g. The album you remember LOVING right away maybe in reality took a couple months to grow on you, but now you associate with your favorite summer or whatever...) I'm glad he's not trying to compete with his past. He doesn't need to. I think if he did it would be annoying--like the football star from HS who can only talk about the big game even though you graduated 10 years ago...or Picasso still trying to do Cubism at 65. (It's tired.) You can't live in the past and you can't go back. I understand that people want rawness or innovation or whatever, but I think that came from youth and having something to prove. Prince doesn't need to prove anything anymore.


Let this quote be the "Book of Revelation" of this thread. Nothing more needs to be said... I really hope these words speak to those who are hoping we can all go back to "Dance,Music,Sex,Romance". In his greatness(whatever that means to you), he has touched masses of people with this music, and even if the crowds are not screaming now, let's respect the fact that he is making music that reflects who he is now.
[Edited 2/21/06 13:11pm]

pepper7 said:

But don't you think Prince realizes that? I think for the most part he does. That's why he puts out the kind of music he wants regardless of what "people" want/expect him too. (I would cite NEWS as an example here.) I can imagine he must think about it sometimes though, maybe he even wishes he could be "that great" again--but I also think he is realistic in knowing that the past cannot be repeated. (Don't misinterpret this statment, I think Prince is still great, but I hold little expectation that he will ever be as huge as he was in the 80s.)



Yes, but even some sporting events hold historical relevence (US Hockey team beating Russia in the 80s, Jesse Owens at the '36 Berlin Olympics are two examples that spring to mind.) But I also put the reference about Picasso in to compare music to another artform. Picasso kept doing "Cubism" in different ways pretty much until the end of his life, but the later stuff is nothing compared to the early stuff when he & Braque were challenging each other. (Do I dare compare them to Prince and the Time? Probably not the same. ) I absolutely think that SOTT or Lovesexy are the types of albums that will always have relevance (in music & Prince history), but I don't think relevence is the type of thing that can be planned. SOTT, for example--do you think Prince was trying to create something that would be relevent some 15 years later, or was he doing what he wanted to do and it happened to be simultaneously groundbreaking?



I couldn't agree with you more. The myth and persona of being "Prince" is so large that sometimes it's easy to forget that at the end of the day, he has feelings that can be hurt like everyone else.


And just for the record--I'm not one of those fans that thinks Prince can do no wrong--he has put out a lot of stuff that I think is . But even Michaelangelo had bad days...

Prince is damned if he tries new music by long time fans for trying new music
Prince is damned if he makes music similar to older music he's made, for making similar music to his past sounds.
What
do
you
want
from
him?????
Give Prince a break. Listen to his music if you want
Don't listen if you don't want.
Alls I knows is I like his music

2freaky4church1 said:

He still has the touch, he just keeps it on the down-low by giving his coolest shit away to Beck.

You really oughtta quit.

OdysseyMiles said:

You oughtta quit telling other people what to do .

I don't understand why we can't give artists the freedom to have a variety of work, some fun and poppy, some more controversial, some edgy...P has the right, as an artist to have some "fun" music. He doesn't have to always be cutting edge, that gets tired too. I say he has more than earned the right to do poppy fun music. Let the man work for Gods sake! He's doin his thing! And we don't have to like every little thing he does, but we can continue to respect him as an artist.

I don't know... personally I'd like to hear his unreleased album configurations... especially from 88-89, Diamonds and Pearls, plus a great release of early 80's material that was never released. I thought the Crystal Ball official bootleg was going to be it but it left a lot to be desired.

pepper7 said:

Honey, read the words again. Saying Prince doesn't know how great he is is like saying a Klan member doesn't know he's white.

...oh, and while I'm givin them out:

2freaky4church1 clearly needs one...

It'll be okay, honey. One day the bitter taste will leave your mouth and it will all be rainbow trees under the waterfall.

hmmm... prince has always gone through phases of trying to incorporate stuff that panders to the the current trends.

1999 and Purple Rain had a lot of New Wave. Erotic City sounds like that White Horse song... It's like he takes his songs and puts them through a current trend filter.

of course nothing sounds like "The Ball"

or "3121" .... I bet.

2freaky4church1 said:

FunkMistress said:

Prince knew he was awesome before anyone even knew who he was.

FunkMistress said:

You're trying to talk him into drugs, aren't you?

JonnyApplesauce said:

And this is what it comes down to..The dirty little secret for a lot of Prince fans...They don't want Prince to be, um, how shall we say...Black....They want him to pick up the guitar and have a freak out session (And hey, i love the man when he's on guitar...); I just don't want to limit the midget to one genre of music...

FunkMistress said:

I wonder what "the light" is to 2freaky.

This week is going by too slow. I could use a Bud Light about now.

OdysseyMiles said:

I'm wondering what the "world of hurting" is. Is he an android that runs on 80s funk? Will his organs give out if Prince releases music that doesn't fit in 2freaky's special gas tank?

P.S. I have four left in the fridge...

my edit doesn't drink domestic, but i do
[Edited 2/22/06 9:31am]

FunkMistress said:

*gasp*

I'd love to be one of those!

want some cheese with that whine?

FunkMistress said:

Yeah, maybe that's the "paranoid android" Radiohead were talking about.

FunkMistress said:

I'll bring a sammich and we can split it!

OdysseyMiles said:[quote]

FunkMistress said:

Fried egg and peppers?

You just can't satisfy people.
Someone will always hate what an artist hates that is new. This really isn't that big a change in direction. !!Personal Opinion!! Prince (Album) vs. Dirty Mind, one year apart was a big change. Purple Rain vs. ATWIAD (one year, yet again) was a big change. Between The end of the 80's and beginning of the 90's was one massive change.

What I am getting at is despite the fact one might not like his new direction. However if you look at it his style changes quite a bit.

And one again. As so many above this comment has said. If you don't like Prince, go follow some new one hit wonder.

FunkMistress said:

thekthy.

Why do people always dismiss and ignore all the great music Prince has released on his website that have been adventurous and uncompromising. Sometimes we get spoiled by the sheer breadth of his talents, his workaholic nature and the deepness of his catalog.

I would not trade Prince's career output (the highs, lows and adventures) with any other musical artist. Great music is not made on an assembly line.

jdcxc said:

Seriously. It's made under a waterfall, atop a rainbow tree.