I know Prince's music has truly affected everyone's life here, including mine, but has Prince's changing way of life ever influenced you?

Or, like me, do you normally tend to just focus on the funk and overlook most of it (i.e. name change, religious beliefs, views on the music industry, fashion, etc)?

daily mascara....and funky clothes !

He taught me not to care about what other people think of me. It's ok to be different and stand out.

I think my life really turnt into the disaster that it is still to this day after I bought my first Prince album when I was 14. He showed me how to deal with your freakdom and anomalistic behaviour with dignity. Wasn't that a great thing to learn.



I blame you, Prince.

Lots of incense and a ton of oils

After listening 2 Animal Kingdom,I bcame a vegetarian.

to actually 'listen' to music and break down each part in my head.

I grew up sort of a sheltered good girl playing by all the rules.

Prince's music liberated me, dared me to break rules, get into trouble and cross the line in many aspects of my life.

You may think that's bad, but the reality is society has always been improved by rebels. Revolutions and social change occur because people are willing to break convention and go against the status quo.

I have much respect.

Prince gave me, at 12, one of the only voice's in my life making me question social convention.

I'm happy to say this in this thread, because it will explain why I'm so hard on Prince.

I fell in love with a guy who say 'Where I come from we don't let society tell us how it's supposed to be ... we don't give a damn, we do whatever we please."

And someone who fucked for God and someone who just wanted to be free and stand up and start a new breed.

Now, all of a sudden he's almost cowardly embracing religious rules (i.e mumbo jumbo). Completely betraying me. Where's my fucking rude boy?

I understand he's has to grow older, mature, stop being obsessed with sex. I'm NOT talking about that! There are plenty of things to protest morally and artistically in society (including religion) and I'm not talking about music politics either and owning your own masters. Geesh!

And I'm not talking about superficial protests with childish wordplay. When did his thoughts become so passive and boring??

Anyway, I'm a writer and many of my stories are quite divergent and provocative because of my counterculture streak that I frankly didn't know I had until an older man introduced me to PRince at 12 and I started deciphering his music and all the cryptic messages on his album sleeves.

Heaven help the person becoming hooked on Prince now. There's no mystery to unravel.

But I digress...due to bitterness ...so I"m out.

Not that I'm Christian or even religious now, but Prince showed me that spirituality and religion could mix with fun & sex. Religion doesn't just mean falling asleep at church on a Sunday morning.

He also showed me that having fun was not just something that happened, but an important value ("someway somehow I just got to have fun!" "all for fun & fun for all")

His boldness to do what others wouldn't.

UCantHavaDaMango said:

I know exactly what you mean...

He showed me that it's okay to mix polka dots and plaid -- and not to pay any attention to those who laugh at the combination.

Yes, more than I can imagine.

He taught me 2 b proud of the way I am, no matter if its not "understood" or "accepted" bcuz its not commercial....

SynthiaRose said:

Hi synthiaRose, I totally get what you're saying... but he's still a rebel. He still stands for what he believes is right, and he doesn't care what everyone else thinks. Jehovah's Witnesses aren't exactly popular. Prince actually went up on stage in front of millions (Essence awards '98) and said: "perhaps someone lied about the way that someone died", referring to Jesus. Whether he's right or wrong, he hasn't changed, he's still a rebel. Also, before, he followed his own rules, now he's now trying to follow what he believes is GOD's rules. He's only trying to get into Heaven... can't blame him for that, can you?
The only people I can't stand (besides murderers, rapists, tyrants etc), are phony people. Prince is always real, even if his reality always changes.

funkyhead said:

Awesome! I used to listen to Milli Vanilli and Paula Abdul before "Batman" came out (I was 11). Then, I wanted to become a songwriter. Now I have a degree in music and going out there to perform. He has taught me to listen, play and write music (although I don't sound anything like him).
[Edited 3/19/07 12:28pm]

Riz1music said:

That's an interesting take. Yes, the Jehovahs are controversial and not exactly mainstream (I do remember that Essence event) ...but compacting the god experience into a religious image/doctrine IS.

What happened to "If I see 11, you can say it's 7, but still I wish you Heaven."

That sort of suggests he recognizes all are on a quest for God and will perceive him/her/it differently and it's cool.

I like that in the song 7 he talks about how he doesn't care if people say he speaks not of love but of blashemy. His interpretation of what is divine and that sex is a divine channel was always so in your face and individualist.

I never expected him to think he needed a group to "follow God's rules" as you say.

I'd have thought he'd always be an advocate of channeling God's thoughts himself. The direct link. Interpreting God in his own unique way ... that's how I always saw his spiritual struggle and I always respected that.

I personally find God in nature and more organic things.

But nevertheless, even if I think he's reneged a bit on his individuality and independence (don't forget all his "I'm a follower" talk and how it's best to follow than lead! remember that ...second convention)...still I completely revere that individual he once was.

And I always will.

funkyhead said:

That's me too. Prince makes me break things down and try to listen to music as an "art form" as well as for the obvious reasons.

He also inspired some of my poetry, allowing me to look at it from a different persepective. Instead of writing a poem all in one shot, I wrote down words and fragments that describe a piece of him and I'd try to put fragments together to create a poem. I've created 7 in that manner.

He also makes me reach inside myself and try to wear my heart on my sleeve the same way he bares his soul. I go beyond my usual train of thought and try to find a deeper inner meaning of something.

He taught me that the only difference between self-acceptance & self-love
is a really stinky finger.

How to break sterotypes so that the sky's the limit!












And a love for exotic beauties!

UCantHavaDaMango said:

Ditto for me.He also influenced me to believe in God, but I donn't think I'll ever become a Jehovah's witness.

I doubt I would have liked the paisley pattern without him.

I learned The Lord's Prayer from Controversy

he encourages me to embrace individuality and appreciate all aspects of real music

thekidsgirl said:

me too.

I'm judging other singers based on whether or not they write their own music or play instruments the same way Prince does.

And use those excuses all the time to say why Prince is 100x better than Justin.

...
[Edited 5/12/07 23:21pm]

Prince encouraged me 2 really xplore myself...
Physically from about '83 - '86 and mentally/spiritually from then on.

christos7 said:

That's me especially. Prince reaches me through my heart & soul, both thru his music and seeing "personal" Prince in interviews.

"Gold" has reached me spiritually... that's my fav. example.

And if Prince himself read this, I'm sure he loves reading our comments... and if he doesn't, he ought to.

I doubt any other musician could say that they reached their fans as deeply as Prince has.

Yeah, I wore lingerie to McDonalds once. Left after a few fries, people were heckling and throwing stuff, giving me the finger. And that was just the kiddie's birthday party

Prince taught me 2 be a freak, wear what the fuck i like, swear alot, pout, walk like a pimp and do everything with an attitue.

I LOVE U PRINCE!