Taken from DMSR by Per Nilsen, p.221:

'Even though the majority of Sign O' The Times was recorded when Prince was experiencing considerable emotional turmoil, few songs expressed his deepest feelings. "It was typical of Prince, yet kind of surprising", Rogers comments. "There were a lot of things waiting for him to deal with [but] he basically wanted to do happy music. He never quite got that, with the exception of a few songs... It was rare that he opened he door to let us see the real guy".'

Through the years, when, if ever, has Prince let us see the real him?
Are we likely to see more of the real him as he grows older?

love

i think we saw a LOT of the real him during the symbol years and afterward. i think he's worn his heart on his sleeve on more than a few songs since the mid-nineties (and certainly on more than a few songs before then).

I don't think we've ever seen the REAL Prince yet.

I think some of Emancipation, he was so in love with Mayte that he wore his heart on his sleeve in some of his songs to her!

wlcm2thdwn said:

I agree. He was really open during that time and it was refreshing.

Lovesexy and Emancipation are the two, I think, where he let us in...bared his soul, so to speak. Lovesexy because he'd just had an epiphany and wanted everyone to witness this 'spiritual re-awakening' of his, and Emancipation simply because of how much he was in love with Mayte.

IMO though Prince makes his best music when he's pissed off and got a point to prove.

The Real Prince?
What does that mean?
Than man has been here 4 THIRTY Years

If U have not noticed
He has covered all of the bases
From Love 2 lifes biggest Fears

Maybe your problem, if u have one
Is that u are not seeing
The Real Prince?
After 30 years.....
What more do U want from one HUMAN being?

sexxydancer said:

sexxydancer said:

Speak 4 yourself.

Graycap23 said:

heeere we go

Anx said:

There u go.....how is your pet?

Graycap23 said:

ask prince

Anx said:

I'll ask Joe Mama.

Graycap23 said:

STOPPIT! Both of you!


I'm one of the few who actually thinks that Prince gives the best of what he has to give of himself at any given time. He has to keep some Prince for Prince and I can't be mad at him for that. I sure as hell ain't an open book all the time.

babynoz said:

I'm one of those few, too!

I think its all there to be justly interpreted.

I'd say a rare few gets to see his authentic self (I watch way too much Dr.Phil ).... he is a very complex person it seems.
What really moved me was watching the interviews with the cast of the Purple Rain movie and the director (his name has slipped my mind) was describing the emotional scene between Prince and his father where his father told him never to get married. The director broke down when explaining that Prince had told him this really happened to him.I had a lump in my throat watching him!
I guess it was his job, but the director really seemed to get into Prince's head and understand him. It was really sad

sexxydancer said:

U R right sexy. He has done a damn good job building his fortress.

diana7777 said:

He shows the public what he wants to show us... the rest is not really our business, far as I'm concerned.

Heiress said:

co-sign

Heiress said:

Heiress, are you curious about the person who makes the music, specifically, what makes him reveal or, as is often the case, conceal his vulnerability through his music?

Does it have to be your business for you to be curious?

love

Anji said:

Well put.

Anji said:

He's revealed so much already about the workings of his mind... how much more do we really need to know?

Heiress said:

If you believe the bolded above to be true, are you willing to directly address the question in the original post? i.e. Through the years, when, if ever, has Prince allowed us to see the real him?

love

Anji said:

I think it's in the nature of the artist to reveal the inner workings of their minds... that is where, after all, the product is coming from.

Eye Love U But Eye Don't Trust U Anymore to me is a very "real him" moment on wax to me. i agree that his music does give us tremendous insight, but when i saw him perform that song here in Detroit (his last "tour" before the Musicology tour), and i've seen him several times, it was easily the most vulnerable i've ever seen him onstage even. it didn't come off as pretentious or contrived either. not sure where they were in the separation/divorce proceedings at that point but brotha almost broke down.

Heiress said:

Interesting. I wonder how, then, do you interpret what Susan Rogers is quoted as having said by Per Nilson?

'Even though the majority of Sign O' The Times was recorded when Prince was experiencing considerable emotional turmoil, few songs expressed his deepest feelings. "It was typical of Prince, yet kind of surprising", Rogers comments. "There were a lot of things waiting for him to deal with [but] he basically wanted to do happy music. He never quite got that, with the exception of a few songs... It was rare that he opened the door to let us see the real guy".'

Based on this passage, do you still hold that it is in Prince's nature to reveal the inner workings of his mind?

love

datdude said:

Nice response, datdude.

love

Anji said:

If he created the music, it came from the inner workings of his mind. If he chooses not to exploit every last bit of his "emotional turmoil," or whatever exactly that means, that is his choice.

I'm sure that his mind contains endless quantities of things that are not readily apparent to the people closest to him. After all, how well can any one of us know any one other person?