I think Prince was just being sarcastic. The cold war was still raging in 85 and the American government was doing it's best to demonize the USSR and communism on the whole. What Prince did was illustrate the similarities of the aforementioned and capitalism. Being poor in America was the same as being poor in communist Russia. Being rich in communist Russia was the same as being rich in America and being unpatriotic in any country leads to a bullshit existence. I think Jimmy's mushroom cloud was drug induced, him being strung out with no belief or value system as a foundation in his life and not as a result of some nuclear experiment.

America is one of his more patriotic songs. He's written it in such a way that it sounds like he's being ironic, but he's actually not.

Justin1972UK said:

FarrahMoan said:

I wanna know!

dseann said:

I never read that lyric as being drugs, but it sure makes sense. I think Prince values "freedom" above all things. A look at his career seems to point to his desire to always have a free hand and choose his own path. I think he is/was very ambiguous about the US but finds it perferable to a regime that controls the people as part of its doctrine.


This is really a cool thread. This is what the org should be all about instead of moaning about the music or latest business move.

Justin1972UK said:

Nonsense. A rising tide lifts all boats. The average "poor" person in the United States has it all over the truly poor in any other part of the world. Yes, there is an entrenched underclass in "first world" countries -- but it has as much to do with poor life choices as anything.

And, of course, microwaves, etc. cost more when first sold -- new technology is always at its most expensive when first offered. (Fewer competitors, developers recouping their R&D costs, etc.) It isn't like anyone was trying to gouge blue collar workers -- the items were the same price for everybody.

If people feel the need for the latest and greatest (regardless of what percent of their income it sucks up), that is a personal choice -- not some nefarious government scheme.

Genesia said:

I just gave consumer goods as one example.

There were other factors for the poor remaining poor (despite an increase in earnings) such as Reagan and Thatcher's rampant privatisation of former state-owned (or state-subsidised) services. The Reagan administration's sale of Conrail being a prime example of this.

As soon as public services fall into the hands of private business, you remove the state-owned monopoly - but replace it with an investor-based totopoly which is even less unaccountable to its customers.

good post. more of these needed for sure. America is a FAR CRY from rampant jingoism. Because its a PRINCE song. we know enough to know that he's as astute as he is contradictory at times and too critical to be a "blind patriot." so the song, like the country, is wrought with complexities and contradictions.

i like your piece about communism being just a word. i think ppl have always been afraid of that word and the gov't used that fear against us in the worst way (vietnam). Russia's version of that system wasn't it's best possible manifestation, just like our version of capitalism isn't the BEST version of what it could be. for what its worth, i always understood the "mushroom cloud" reference to be an allusion to Jimmy becoming drug addicted instead of any sort of reference to "nuclear testing".

datdude said:

Listen to "Free". Prince was not politically/socially astute back then! He was a blind patriot. Maybe not now.

ufoclub said:

Yeah America and Free stay in the same naive patriotism folder IMO. Can't blame greedy ol' Prince for enjoying 80s America though, no better time to be part of a rich elite.

KoolEaze said:

Those lines were referring to Sly Stone who famously altered the US flag for the cover "Theres a Riot Going On".

SpecialEd said:

Yes, that possibility or interpretation has been discussed before and I´m familiar with that album but I think this line is about Prince, not Sly.

SpecialEd said:

i think u missed the gist of that song (America) if u think its a song about blind patriotism. btw, one can enjoy the freedoms OF America and still be critical of it. ppl have made criticism and patriotism mutually exclusive concept and they are NOT.

datdude said:

trust me, I have not missed the point, the song clearly has Prince saying that despite bad stuff like poverty, America is the best place to be especially compared to a communist country. Read the lyrics, they are as clear as his drum beat.

and mushroom cloud refers to a nuclear war. And also Prince is saying stay in school. And you also better be "proud".

ufoclub said:

Nothing made Jimmy proud. Now Jimmy lives in a nuclear war?

dseann said:

Of course. I always understood it as a reference to atomic bombs and never even thought about psychodelic mushrooms ( mushroom cloud = cloud you see when the a-bom explodes) . Drug mushrooms don´t make clouds.

Nothing made Jimmy proud ( to be an American ) and now he´s dead because "the enemies" have dropped the bomb on the USA.
That´s how I understand that line. What else would it be about ? What is your take on it ?

Genesia said:

Economic growth doesn't necessarily mean that everyone becomes "richer" - the "trickle down" fantasy of neoliberal Reaganites. This was the case in the 1960's, an extraordinary period of sustained growth under capitalism, but certainly not during the most recent upswing in the US.

Since 2001 real wages of most American workers have stagnated or dropped. Says the Financial Times, not an advanced post of socialism. Only the credit bubble has kept consumption afloat (but this bubble is bursting at this very moment).

So, not all boats are rising. The boats of a super rich elite have become much bigger and ordinary workers have been doing the rowing for them. I don't think poverty, or having to combine 2 or 3 jobs, is the result of "poor life choices" - a smug conservative statement to shift the blame on the victims of free market anarchy. It's the consequence of not producing rationally for the needs in society, but for profit.

KoolEaze said:

Well looking at it from that perspective I can understand your reasoning. If nobody cared about America, it would create an opportunity for the enemies to get in and get us good.




But what do you think of my reasoning?

I don't know about all this politics stuff, but damn if that 20-minute extended version of 'America' isn't the funkiest thing Prince ever laid down in the studio.