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Sign 'O' The Times (sott) The song... Did it ever get the recognition it deserved for being such a 'Socially Conscious' song...? If you watch the video, and read along...Prince says some powerful/social things. Or is that the reason perhaps this title track to a 'wonderful' album. didn't get much recognition...?
Perhaps I was too young to know back then. Yet even today, I don't hear mentioned on those...'All Time Great Songs' Categories... What ya think...? 
Blue 
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I remember being amazed by the video back then (I was very young, 8 or 9). I think it's a great, interesting text and is probably his best "social/political commentary". | |
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I remember that the music critics recognized it as a great song. I cannot remember what position it charted but I remember the video getting a lot of air play. | |
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I know that it charted to at least #5 in the US. I have an old cassette that I taped off the weekly top 40 radio show and it was at #5. | |
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Yes,,,It is an amazing song...Especially considering it came from such a young musician at the time it was written/made which was many years ago...Which goes to show 'Sign 'O' the Times...dont change...  | |
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The song actually made it to no.3 on the Billboard chart & I recall it getting a lot of airplay though the video didn't on MTV. I never even saw the video until "The Hits" tape came out.
I was excited when this song came out. Up to that point, Prince pretty much sang about what was going on in his world & didn't tackle too many subjects going on in the outside world (though Controversy did a little). It was a refreshing angle to his music & a lot of critics noticed it. | |
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I took a film class in university and the SOTT video was the first thing we studied. I loved the class after that!! | |
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grandfather speaks 
here in the Netherlands, back in 1987 SOTT was regarded as one of the best social consciousness lyrics ever released. One critic even said that it was the best summary of a decade ever published in history. The video was reviewed as renewing and refreshing and very fit with the lyrics. The album was regarded the best of the 80-ies. Actually in 1987 a Dutch music magazine (Oor) had that year a Best Albums Ever and SOTT was in the top 10 (don't remember the exact place...) and the only album of the 80-ies in the first 50. The song (and album) made Prince accepted as a renewing artist to many people - also those that never liked anything released after the Beatles: it opened the audience for Prince open to older generations of music-lovers. In 1986 (Parade) the concert-goers were all young people. A year later with SOTT complete families attended the shows. The SOTT show (only Europe  ) was often referred to as the best concert EVER - and it was until the LoveSexy tour came along.
I have all the paper and magazine reviews in my scratch book but am not going to find internet links to proof my statements, sorry. [This message was edited Sat Aug 31 7:25:40 PDT 2002 by roverlo] |
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SOTT very heavy song. A lot of food for thought. | |
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wish i could watch a news report or read a newspaper from the day it was written so i could c what inspired it... | |
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roverlo said: grandfather speaks
here in the Netherlands, back in 1987 SOTT was regarded as one of the best social consciousness lyrics ever released. One critic even said that it was the best summary of a decade ever published in history. The video was reviewed as renewing and refreshing and very fit with the lyrics. The album was regarded the best of the 80-ies. Actually in 1987 a Dutch music magazine (Oor) had that year a Best Albums Ever and SOTT was in the top 10 (don't remember the exact place...) and the only album of the 80-ies in the first 50. The song (and album) made Prince accepted as a renewing artist to many people - also those that never liked anything released after the Beatles: it opened the audience for Prince open to older generations of music-lovers. In 1986 (Parade) the concert-goers were all young people. A year later with SOTT complete families attended the shows. The SOTT show (only Europe ) was often referred to as the best concert EVER - and it was until the LoveSexy tour came along.
I have all the paper and magazine reviews in my scratch book but am not going to find internet links to proof my statements, sorry. [This message was edited Sat Aug 31 7:25:40 PDT 2002 by roverlo] Thanx, Nice info. It's amazing how things are percieved differently overseas. I must admit, sometimes I think I'd like it better over there. Though I love 'most' of my fellow Americans. Blue
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'Sign O' The Times' (the song) always struck me as Prince's 'Bob Dylan moment'... It's certainly a much better song than 'Subterranean Homesick Blues'!!! and makes me wish Prince got more socially-conscious on record more often... his feel and rhyming for this sort of thing can be unparallelled at times...
And yes, you are completely right: 'Sign O' The Times' never did get the recognition it deserved as A SONG, just by virtue of being part of such a "wonderful" album. Hah. In all honesty, I really believe most of the material on that album did not quite stand up to that monster of a song... the lyrics were quite unlike ANYTHING on that set. Maybe some revisionism is way overdue with regards to 'Sign O' The Times'. The song easily ranks amongst the very best of the 80's. . "You don't frighten us, English pig dogs. Go and boil your bottoms, sons of a silly person." | |
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giotto said: 'Sign O' The Times' (the song) always struck me as Prince's 'Bob Dylan moment'... It's certainly a much better song than 'Subterranean Homesick Blues'!!! and makes me wish Prince got more socially-conscious on record more often... his feel and rhyming for this sort of thing can be unparallelled at times...
I Agree just the fact He mentioned "AIDS" in a Song spoke Volumes for a Cat known for being anything but Socially-Conscious at the time.He had to have been Inspired by James Brown's "King Heroin" by the Music&Arrangement of the song.I still remember a Aids Commerical back on NBC playing a Portion of "Sign O The Times" in the background.but Prince Rarely makes these Kind of Songs&it's ashame because He truly excels at it.Story-Telling.this would be Cool if He did a VH1-Story-Teller Opening with this Song IMHO.And yes, you are completely right: 'Sign O' The Times' never did get the recognition it deserved as A SONG, just by virtue of being part of such a "wonderful" album. Hah. In all honesty, I really believe most of the material on that album did not quite stand up to that monster of a song... the lyrics were quite unlike ANYTHING on that set. Maybe some revisionism is way overdue with regards to 'Sign O' The Times'. The song easily ranks amongst the very best of the 80's. . mistermaxxx | |
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1 of my favourite songs ever and it clearly contains sum of Princes most socially politically powerful lyrics ever.
The most powerful 4 me being, "Its silly no? When a rocket ship explodes and everybody still wants 2 fly. Sum say a man aint happy unless a man, truly dies, oh why? The times." Brilliant example of this being the September 11th strikes. 2 Boeing 767's are used 2 destroy the World Trade Centers and only then does the US review and increase its customs security. We humans arent always that smart are we? [This message was edited Sat Aug 31 14:16:33 PDT 2002 by SexLovely] "...because no-one gets there alone." - "...I like the floor. It's the only thing that seems real." | |
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SexLovely said: [color=blue:c038fa3ad6:19d9882d5a]1 of my favourite songs ever and it clearly contains sum of Princes most socially politically powerful lyrics ever.
The most powerful 4 me being, "Its silly no? When a rocket ship explodes and everybody still wants 2 fly. Sum say a man aint happy unless a man, truly dies, oh why? The times." Brilliant example of this being the September 11th strikes. 2 Boeing 767's are used 2 destroy the World Trade Centers and only then does the US review and increase its customs security. We humans arent always that smart are we? [This message was edited Sat Aug 31 14:16:33 PDT 2002 by SexLovely] Yeah you're right Lovely, good example. Blue | |
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Interesting and little known fact about 'Sign O' The Times':
The bass drum hammers out an S.O.S. all through the song. (in morse code, doncha know) ...---...---...---...---...---...---...---...---...---... SOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOS | |
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BorisFishpaw said: Interesting and little known fact about 'Sign O' The Times':
The bass drum hammers out an S.O.S. all through the song. (in morse code, doncha know) ...---...---...---...---...---...---...---...---...---... SOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOS Really? That is so cool -- has this been commented on many tmes, or did you just pick it up 'cause you speak Morse? La, la, la
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I wonder what the SOS code says...?
Blue Blue | |
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BorisFishpaw said: Interesting and little known fact about 'Sign O' The Times':
The bass drum hammers out an S.O.S. all through the song. (in morse code, doncha know) ...---...---...---...---...---...---...---...---...---... SOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOS Wrong. The code for "S.O.S." is ... --- ... (Short,short, short, long, long, long, short, short, short) It stands for "Save our Souls". The kick drum in SOTT is a different pattern. It would be a bit funny to see how many people just went on believing your post without knowing the facts | |
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Eleventeen said: BorisFishpaw said: Interesting and little known fact about 'Sign O' The Times':
The bass drum hammers out an S.O.S. all through the song. (in morse code, doncha know) ...---...---...---...---...---...---...---...---...---... SOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOS Wrong. The code for "S.O.S." is ... --- ... (Short,short, short, long, long, long, short, short, short) It stands for "Save our Souls". The kick drum in SOTT is a different pattern. It would be a bit funny to see how many people just went on believing your post without knowing the facts Well thanx for clearing that up for us 11teen. Blue | |
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TheBluePrince said: Eleventeen said: BorisFishpaw said: Interesting and little known fact about 'Sign O' The Times':
The bass drum hammers out an S.O.S. all through the song. (in morse code, doncha know) ...---...---...---...---...---...---...---...---...---... SOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOS Wrong. The code for "S.O.S." is ... --- ... (Short,short, short, long, long, long, short, short, short) It stands for "Save our Souls". The kick drum in SOTT is a different pattern. It would be a bit funny to see how many people just went on believing your post without knowing the facts Well thanx for clearing that up for us 11teen. What song are you listening to??? The kick drum DOES go "short short short long long long short short short" It goes S.O.S.O.S.O.S.O.S.O.S. all through the song. (not s.o.s. s.o.s. s.o.s.) LISTEN TO IT. | |
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