I think the whole mysterious bit should have ended with the symbol.

Say what you mean dude!

What exactly are you referring to?

when his mysterious weirdness was evocative and playful, i thought it was great. these days, it just seems like something he falls back on when he doesn't know what he's doing.

Anx said:

That would be frightenly often.

littlemissG said:

yeah, well.

It was played out half way through the years (Around 97 and 98).


I don't get it. The man is sooo fucking talented, and such a genius, would it really pain him to just answer a question straightforward and honestly? I mean, "Yo Prince, what was that symbol thing all about?" doesn't need to be answered with a story about an egyption Princess, some past life experiences, a mysterious dream, a female multiple personality alter-ego, and an epiphany about eating meat.

AsianBomb777 said:

its not that its played out--he just doesnt need anymore... fans

I don't think he knows how to communicate any other way. I think it isn't an act that is just how he behaves and talks. Reading about him it seems he's always been a bit of an odd ball and kinda a loner since he was young so he's probably always been a different kind of person which most "normal" people would consider an act or trying to "be mysterious". But he is just an eccentric artist..great artists have always appeared kinda odd to others.

Sure there have been artistic reasons for such behavior, but mostly I think it has been about insecurity.

When he speaks in public I think he often feels the pressure of expectations that he appear as mysterious and weirdly wonderful as his music.

Being more of an introverted person this also keeps him from having to reveal too much of himself.

When he releases a song he can labor over it until it's exactly what he wants to be represented by. But answering questions off the top of his head means a loss of much of that control.

I sense that he's one of those people that wants everything he says to be exacting, meaningful and deep.

Allowing yourself to be imprisoned by how you think others see you is surely a recipe for disaster.

I want my popstars mysterious and distant! If everything about Prince was plain and obvious there would be no reason to have the great discussions about every part of his life and music we have on here. Prince resonates with a lot of people because he doesn't come down on a particular side often; in fact, when he came down firmly on the JWs side rather than just being vaguely spiritual, that alienated a lot of fans. Making clear statements like that simply pushes fans who think another way to one side; far better to be vague and mysterious about his beliefs and meanings and then everyone can find something in his music to like.

metalorange said:

Very true for me. I like the "stars" you have the mysterious vibe going on. Less is more remember.

Robbie Williams (some big UK singer) is very popular but he just annoys me because he just goes on like a normal persons and does far too much talking during his concerts and is full of self-doubt. He appears in contant awe of his fans as opposed to having this great "expectation" that of course everyone loves him. I found Freddie Mercury to be a great mysterious star who had this invincible attitute about his abilities.

So although I think Prince isn't always sure about his motives and actions the casual fan will never really pickup on this and thus the mystery serves its purpose.

metalorange said:

Me too.

Prince is who he is.....if u buy into his act that's on U.

Krystal666 said:

I'm with you Krystal...I don't think it's so much the "act" as people think...I mean, it would become tiresome if it just wasn't part of his natural behavior...
that's just the way he is.

I don't blame him for trying to keep part of his life for himself.

minneapolisgenius said:

i like artists to have a "persona" for the sake of the media and mainstream consumption, but i also like them to exist on a more up-front level when they're talking shop or talking to the fans. i felt like prince dropped his 'persona' on the tavis smiley interview and was just himself. that was nice.

Anx said:

Well, I like something in between that and say, wearing gold chains hanging over your face in public.

Exactly.

He could be a little more approachable some times he's just rude.

I thought he pretty much dumped the mysterious bit when he starter promoting Musicology, having the celebrations, having more interviews than you can even watch, etc.

I for one wanted some mystery back. I think with 3121, he did bring it back a bit.

He's bringing mystery back.. YEAH

minneapolisgenius said:

oh, the gold chains were fun. it's when you know he's being all 'pay no attention to the man behind the chain hat!' that i get annoyed. don't pee on our legs and tell us it's purple rain.

AsianBomb777 said:

This is so funny because I was just thinking about this this past weekend. I agree with you AsiansBomb777. Sure one of the things that attracted me to Prince was that myserious thing he had going on, but many years have gone by and there are many of us who would like to know the meanings of some of the things he's said in songs, or the motivation behind things he's done. Most of his fans are adults now and having grown folks debating about whether 3121 is a address to his house or some type of spiritual message because Prince refuses to say what it means, seems a bit silly.

Of course Prince deserves to have some things to himself but I really don't think that really is the issue here. Most of us aren't interested in how many times a week he takes a poop or how many virgins he's had. But after 2 years he can't do something as simple as acknowlege his marriage or let his fans hear from his mouth what "May U Live 2 See the Dawn" means?

About 2 years ago, there was a thread here about "She's Always in My Hair". I think the consensus was that song was about Jill Jones. Well a couple of weeks later on the NPG site, the topic of the day in the chat room was, "Is She's Always in My Hair REALLY about Jill Jones"? In my own mind, I say what is the big deal with just saying who it was about? The song is over 20 years old now and can't have too much of an impact with regard to that revelation. I'm sure he more than likely get kicks from such things but at some point what's wrong with finally revealing the answers?

I say about once every decade Prince sits down and answers the questions than he knows many of us would like to know the answers to.
[Edited 11/13/06 10:55am]

The whole point of not spelling out the inspiration behind every song is that it makes it possible for the listener to bring their own experience to it and derive their own meaning. If you've ever had someone who was "always in your hair" and you associate that song with them in your mind, wouldn't it change your feelings about the song if Prince told you he wrote it about a specific person? I don't want to think about Jill Jones (or Prince's relationship with Jill Jones) when I hear "She's Always In My Hair." I want to think about someone in my own life who evokes those feelings.

He's welcome to keep all that stuff to himself, if them's his 'druthers.

Anx said:

Genesia said:

But I don't think every song has to be that profound. I love the song and when I hear it now the first thing that comes to mind is how fantastic of a song it is and not someone who's always in my own peronal hair. Personally it wouldn't change my perception of who the song was about because no one knows who the song was about in the first place.

A lot of Prince's songs, particularly the older ones, are already associated with certain memories to many of us because most of us are adults now. When I hear "When Doves Cry" it takes me right back to that era and where I was when I first heard it and my friend who loved the song to no end. So when I bought the special edition to Purple Rain and found out the song was written specifically for the film and Albert Magnoli had asked him to create it so it would be a universal hit, it changed nothing about my feelings associated with the song. If Prince walked up to me right now and said, "Adore was about Apollonia" (by the way, I don't believe it was about Apolonia), it would not change my mind that it is the greatest song ever written. My personal empathizing with the lyrics to that song would not change because I found out the song was about Susannah.

I don't believe Prince has to sit everyone down and explain every song he has ever written, or explain every action he has made over the years. But some of things would be great. Maybe I'm not satisfied because reporters or casual fans tend to interview him. Most reporters are not going to ask about 3 Chains of Gold.

When he's speaking, yes. He comes across much better when he's loose & funny, especially because nobody expects it.

The mysterious thing doesn't work very well when it's not part of the performance.

And in The Rainbow Children it may have been overdone. I liked it just fine, but it backfired with many devoted fans.

I have my preferances but I feel extremely guilty laying out my expectations of another to act a certain way. Back in the day I liked the smirky and pouty P witihin a cloud of smoke with the purple robe. But I also kind of dug the P that graced the covers of magazines and gave wierd answers to simple questions like I going to look 4 the ladder. I then liked the spiritual lovesexy era with Do U believe stuff. Then came tha glasta glam era with the only mysterious thing was why did he wear that bathing suit in that video? I eventually forgave him and went into the come/TGE era and noted that P had died and some one that looked liked him had slave on his face played music like him But the height of mystery was the masked scarfed man with the exodus crew. I guess no mystery man is complete without I am back as P and better than ever. JW, braids, TRC and then performing very giving and sincere concerts during the ONA era. in 04 I turn on CNN and he's giving an interview on the financial show that was pretty mysterious to me. I guess in the end the answer for me is no it's not played out what's different is that he's not hiding behind a scarf or a cloud of fog but his decisions always surprise me, Vegas I didn't see it coming. I can't wait for the next mystery act.
[Edited 11/13/06 14:41pm]