In response to an article in:
Uptown Magazine called: All The Ladies Call Me Electric Man
By Vicki Shuttleworth ~ Uptown Issue #48 (2001)

Prince's Androgynous Sexuality Fuels Us All!


Ms. Vicki Shuttleworth's writing hints of an unexpected jealousy - a preferred perfectionism...to traditional heterosexual-ism. Prince's androgynous sexuality, in my opinion is the core emotional foundation that fuels his his entire career as a Superstar Performer always with his finger on the pulse of success! By focusing your observations so much only on the pivotal relationships he's had with straight women in the latter part of hiss life; Ms. Shuttleworth implies his genius is all male concocted and totally unaffected by the (his) feminine mystique. A fact that sweetly confounds his music!

Ms. Shuttleworth's, implication that his deliberate control of his celebrity is only a facade of getting married and maintaining a somewhat 'normal' family man image (as opposed to) an on going ignition of his infamous reputation as an uncontainable volatile sex slave; is ill conceived, I do believe. You've failed to unravel his clever honesty and ambiguity about his own sexual orientation...a sort of bi-sexual; bi-racial sub-identity that underlines his sensitive lyrics and transcends obvious definitions of male/femaleness. This honest exploration of sexuality; however thwarted by his male appetite for porn images and unabashed dominance of all things feminine; has always been reflected in his music. He's never been traditional about the private choices men and women have in relationships. I for one, love that about him.

Granted he uses Women as reflections of his own self-objectification! As a sex object himself he shares the role of the passive aggressive seducer much like Houdini distracts his audience from unmasking the secrets of his 'tricks' with a quick flash of color or flamboyance; Prince stimulates your deep unconscious sexual desires. Considering Prince grew up secretly watching his father play brilliant piano in 'dirty mind' strip joints around Minneapolis I think you are missing the exquisite uniqueness of his splendor - he has flipped the script on interpersonal relationships - revealing what many off us veterans of scarred love affairs and tried and true marriages have learned the hard way - that men can be and are more oft than not - 'soft and wetter' than their 'female' counterparts. . . and as their wives/lovers/healers we are the protectors of this secret and their mystic spiritual guides to their own true natures.

I personally love Prince for never falling for the traditional image(s) of manhood ; womanhood; and/or marriage. I adore his attention to erotic detail that I only wish my husband had the capacity to maintain. Prince's music remains an ever lasting tribute to the enigma; the yin/yang of sexuality and it's vices, privileges and responsibilities...

Would you want to be responsible for Princes ongoing orgasms? Keeping it fresh by constantly reinventing yourself as to keep inspiring his mature (twin/duel Gemini) genius musicians 'dirty mind' as his 'whore' in the bedroom (similar to the women he peeped in his childhood) all the while walking that ever challenging tight rope of being his 'Virginal' Madonna wife/lover/friend/life partner in the public eye?? Not I.

I admire his attempts at self-healing and self redemption. They are a true balancing act in the face of fame and fortune. And Big Props to those fragile women who took on the challenge to love, understand and heal such a complex sexually-oriented male human being, who also happens to be a mega star musician in need of spiritual grounding as much as any man on earth.

AND as if that weren't enough he's a self-taught multitasking musician; able to play several instruments funkily in a single bound...his genius know no boundaries. What a complex person to really love, in the face of your own faults and shortcomings; all under public scrutiny!

Ms. Shuttleworth seems to think he fits into the 'typical' mold of husband and father? Relying on the women in his life to somehow not become his parallel sex objects or fascinations of the public eye. What do U think drives his huMANness? ...His music...His mystique?

I would die 4 U . . . ? Only if U want me 2!
or If I were your girlfriend...


-----


I would die 4 U - lyricsBy Prince
(extended Version)

I'm not a woman
I'm not a man
I am something that U'll never understand
I'll never beat U
I'll never lie
And if U're evil I'll forgive U by and by

Cuz U - I would die 4 U, yeah
If U want me 2
U - I would die 4 U, yeah

I'm not your lover
But I'll be your friend
I am something that U'll never comprehend
No need 2 worry
No need 2 cry
He's your messiah and U're the reason why

Cuz U - I would die 4 U, yeah
Darling, if U want me 2
U - I would die 4 U, yeah

Lead line, help me

U're just a, U're just a...
U're just a sinner I am told
Be your fire when U're cold
Make U happy when U're sad
Make U good when U are bad
I'm not a human, I am a dove
I'm your conscience, I am love
All I really need is 2 know that U believe

I would die 4 U, yeah
Darlin', if U want me 2
U - I would die 4 U


-----


If I were your girlfriend... Lyrics
If I Was Your Girlfriend [Controversy Music, ASCAP - 1987]
By Prince

"Look at the bargains over here, ladies..."

If I was your girlfriend
Would U remember
2 tell me all the things U forgot when I was your man?
When I was your man

If I was your best friend
Would U let me take care of U
And do all the things that only a best friend can
Only best friends can

If I was your girlfriend
If I was your girlfriend

If I was your girlfriend
Would U let me dress U
I mean, help U pick out your clothes
Before we go out

Not that you're helpless
But sometime, sometime
Those are the things that bein' in love's about

If I was your one and only friend
Would U run 2 me if somebody hurt U
Even if that somebody was me? (Even if that somebody was me?)

Sometimes I trip on how happy we could be
Please

If I was your girlfriend
If I was your girlfriend

Would U let me wash your hair
Could I make U breakfast sometime
Or then, could we just hang out, I mean
Could we go 2 a movie and cry together
Cuz 2 me baby that would be so fine (That would be so fine)

(If I was your girlfriend)
Baby can I dress U
I mean, help U pick out your clothes
Before we go out
(If I was your girlfriend)
Listen girl, I ain't sayin you're helpless
But sometime, sometime
Those are the things that bein' in love's about (Sugar)

Sugar do U know what I'm saying 2 U this evening? (Sugar)
Maybe U think I'm being a little self-centered (If I was your girlfriend)
But I, I said I want 2 be (Sugar)
All of the things U are 2 me (Sugar) (If I was your girlfriend)
Surely, surely U can see

Is it really necessary 4 me 2 go out of the room
Just because U wanna undress? (If I was your girlfriend)
We don't have 2 make children 2 make love
And we don't have 2 make love 2 have an orgasm (If I was your girlfriend)

Your body's what I'm all about (If I was your girlfriend)
Can I see it?
I'll show U (If I was your girlfriend)
Why not?
U can do it because I'm your friend
I'll do it 4 U
Of course I'll undress in front of U! (If I was your girlfriend)
And when I'm naked, what shall I do?
How can I make U see that it's cool? (If I was your girlfriend)
Can't U just trust me?
If I was your girlfriend U could (If I was your girlfriend)
Oh, yeah, I think so
Listen, 4 U naked I would dance a ballet (If I was your girlfriend)
Would that get U off?
Then tell me what will!
If I was your girlfriend, would U tell me? (If I was your girlfriend)
Would U let me see U naked then?
Would U let me give U a bath?
Would U let me tickle U so hard U'd laugh and laugh (If I was your girlfriend)
And would U, would U let me kiss U there (If I was your girlfriend)
You know down there where it counts (If I was your girlfriend)
I'll do it so good I swear I'll drink every ounce
And then I'll hold U tight and hold U long (If I was your girlfriend)

And together we'll stare into silence
And we'll try 2 imagine what it looks like
Yeah, we'll try 2 imagine what, what silence looks like
Yeah, we'll try 2 imagine what silence looks like
Yeah, we'll try...
-----
What do U think drives his huMANness? ...His music...His mystique? Let me know what you think?

evadne said:

I do not know... I don't think about all that stuff often.

Listen Up! What I think is PRINCE is Gonna be INFLUENCED by WHOMEVER he HANGS WITH, WATCHES, EXPORES ETC,ETC. If he is Visiting Clubs Seeing That CROWD. If he is Watching CERTAIN MOVIES. His SEXUAL DESIRES are his OWN as to WHAT he LIKES. What he SINGS about his Fantasies. He is Singing MORE about POLITICAL ISSUES Lately. He's VERY SEXUAL a PERSON and it Comes Out in his WoRK. I think he has TURNED AOT of his FANS ON SEXUALLY, yet also Got them to a HIGHER LEVEL of CONSCIOUSNESS SPIRITUALLY. He just has taken us HIGHER into a HIGHER REALM ACTUALLY.

You know, ever since I read that Alan Leeds thing (and then saw an interesting video about Kevin Smith's encounter with Prince during the filming of Celebration 2001), articles like this just don't get me the same way. I am starting to think of it as "unhealthy fascination."

Plus I remember Oprah's interview where he is asked the question, "What do you most want your fans to know about you?" His response is simple: "My music".

So, while I am not opposed to meeting Prince at all, I would definitely say that I have a much more realistic approach to how I see him. He's a human being after (like me), and is capable of all emotions and behaviors, negative or positive. I will always love the music, though.

ImYours said:

Since when does Kevin Smith become an expert on Prince. He's an overrated, simple filmmaker who did not mesh with P. So what. The fact that he uses the experience for material shows his lack of imagination. He should go make another movie with that other cinematic hack, Ben Affleck.

jdcxc said:

I'm not sure if you are agreeing with me or disagreeing, or are you arguing a different point? Please clarify.

ImYours said:

I agree that Prince is a human being but I don't base any interpretation of his humanity by listening to Kevin Smith. Of course the music is the central basis for understanding Prince but we all look deeper for inspiration, analysis, context and criticism. And by the way, wasn't that essay unreadable?

Thanks for posting this. It is pretty interesting point of view. I don't know if I agree with all of it but it's interesting to see how other's see Prince sometimes. All human beings are sexual...some men are more sexual than others...some people are more facinated by sexuality than others...to me the music and the sexuality always have gone hand in hand. If you only hear the music and sex doesn't come to your mind that's cool too. But to lots of fans, expecially alot of female fans...Prince is synonomous with sex.

Phyicalities and Sexualities are such human thoughts.

I couldn't Care a Fig Leaf what he or another B I am a Twig so Who Cares I still want him to SOIL MY SHEETS.....He Mkes me SCREAM and Nasty Up My PANTIES from the WICKED CRY,,,,,

Krystal666 said:

Wow KRrystal666 - Seriously, how could anyone listen to Prince and not have "sex" come to their mind? His lyrics are so specifically sexual...?

I'd have to say that half of Prince's lyrics are lewdly Sexual...if Prince isn't actually talking about "getting head the night before he weds" . . . or "do me baby"... or "u say u want my hips up in the air? eye know eye could b nasty with u"...or "kiss" ... or "get off" ...or "Say My Name"... directly than Prince is implying sexual behaviour with clever "double entendre" sexy lyrics like . . . "act u'r age momma, not u'r shoe size and maybe we can do the twerl" . . . or "let's get to rammin' u got he look"... "eye want u alone in my dirty little cage"... or my favorite Prince lyric metaphore for having sex :"Acceleration into temporal state continuum now beginning"

evadne said:

\ Well some fans are resistant to that fact. So if it makes them feel less guilty for imaging he is talking about working out or cardio or something other than sex...then...I suppose that's alright.

To me even his lyrics that were not obviously about sex...were....REALLY sexual. Remember in "I like it there" when he was singing about his emotional ejaculate on the floor? Man I love this guy.
[Edited 4/9/06 10:41am]

there's something very intense about the notes... it makes me want 2 listen very carefully & analyze it or something.. then again hardcore hiphop sometimes even scares me & I have 2 turn down the volume after a little while