As I was reading the credits, I noticed that Michael and Sonny play on the title track. This tells me that this track is at least 10 years old. Man seems to be making this a habit of rehashing old studio stuff.

daPrettyman said:

I don't see how the track could be 10 years old...the sound...the title (P wasn't living at 3121 then was he?)...Not to completely dismiss the theory...but hey I'm just a guy...

There were rumors in early 2005 that he was recording with them again. I assume that's when the track was recorded.

That's what I was saying, to my buddy. Haven't heard the whole album yet, but aside from the Tamar track, from all the reviews, nothing on this album seems to be current, which although not bad -- people have been clamouring for vault tracks -- it does account for why it's not significantly better than other/newer music done by artists who, given P's legacy, have been trying to measure up. None have matched P's oeuvre, but certainly much of his output from the last decade and a half has been outshined by a few other notable talents.

Still great to see him market vault songs (and Tamar) like he cares about them. But kinda makes me wonder if he's done anything recently that might just shut up all the haters.

GoZero said:

The Dance seems to be the only song taken from the vault...just my opinion...

Honestly, the thought that 3121 was an old track did cross my mind because of that dumb line about "It's goin' down...like the wall of Berlin" The Berlin Wall went down in 1989; why would Prince put that reference on a song from 2005/6? It seems out of place to me. (Don't get me wrong, I like the song, but that line bothers me--it sounds hokey and like he's trying to force 'coolness'.)

Michael B was on a thread over in the associated artists forum a while back (it really was him!) and he confirmed he and Sonny T played a bit with Prince last year:



Having said that, I've heard the very basic drum and bass on 3121 described as 'turgid'! It really doesn't show what they can do at all and certainly was nothing Prince couldn't have done himself.

The idea that 3121 is an old vault track from maybe the 80s is pretty absurd to me, even if it was he could easily have updated the line about the Berlin wall, that just suggests to me he wanted it there, I don't think it's a bad line, the fall of the Berlin wall was a symbol of freedom, and you can associate that with Prince's freedom to do what he wants musically.

metalorange said:

He's actually still over there answering questions on that thread. He answered a query of mine regarding 3121 last week, saying that it was a recent jam session and he didn't notice its similarity to the live Days Of Wild at the time.

It's a new track for crying out loud. The title is referring to a HOUSE he bought only some year-and-a-half ago.

Novabreaker said:

you knnow....

Novabreaker said:

Unless he has spent the last 20 years looking for a house in a nice suburb numbered 3121.

GoldiesParade said:

This could easily be an old track with UPDATED lyrics.
The track sounds very close to the Days of Wild groove he, Sonny T. and Michael B. used to jam to all the time.

who cares?! so you like it or not? yes or no?

Taurus said:

Did you read the Michael Bland comment Metalorange posted earlier? :


So, it would be an old track with UPDATED lyrics, UPDATED drum and bass tracks (not to mention the whole rhythmic structure would have had to be renewed as well in the same run), and also with UPDATED "Camille"-effect (this is a digital pitchshifter plug-in, not the old trick with the tape machine). So how much of the proposed original "3121" would still remain on the end-product in that case? Well, I guess he could have played the guitar in the 80s and then built absolutely everything else around that guitar part twenty years later...

...hum... days of wild ? 3121 being an old track ?

It reminds me of the electro version of "come" which was broadcasted about 1994-95 in France (Canal + channel) called "the beautiful experience"... And yes Michael B and Sonny T were there...

So it could be an "old" music with new lyrics, but the real question indeed is do you like it or not ?

...I do love it ! If only the whole album could have that "strange" vibe !

Milty said:

[Edited 3/18/06 10:12am]
[Edited 3/18/06 10:12am]

the berlin wall divided a nation
prince is bringing people back together as well
or have you not noticed

Snap said:

Yes, I noticed--16+ years ago. I realize the significance and importance of a unified Germany, but why not use a more contemporary example of unity/division (Hussein for example)? Perhaps because the fall of the Berlin Wall is far enough in the past that to use it in a non-serious context would be non-offensive. Using a current issue might still be too painful and offensive to some people. Then again, maybe it’s not even that deep. Maybe Prince just thought it was a cool line.

well, it is prince we're talking about