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"The Beautiful Ones" This is arguably one of the most memorable songs Prince has ever written. And somehow, it never became a single.
The first time I hear it was when he did it in the movie. Takes your breath away. I think it was also the first non-guitar based song I've heard, even seen him do. I had no idea he could make piano/keyboard sound so compelling. Then Passion oozes from his lips in the last minute of the song. I had never seen anything quite like it and haven't since. Sorry if this song's been done to death, but I've got some questions I want to ask too. *Who do you think the "beautiful ones" are? [I have my own theories, but I wanna hear yours] *Is it just me or does Wendy seem a little misty eyed during the latter portion of the song? [Caught this around the 15th or 16th time I saw the movie] had 2 run away... pride was 2 strong. It started raining, baby, the birds were gone | |
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Love the song-but mad as hell that JT sampled it for his current single. He should have left this song alone. | |
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nurse said: Love the song-but mad as hell that JT sampled it for his current single. He should have left this song alone.
Justin Timberlake? RU serious? had 2 run away... pride was 2 strong. It started raining, baby, the birds were gone | |
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DreamyPopRoyalty said: nurse said: Love the song-but mad as hell that JT sampled it for his current single. He should have left this song alone.
Justin Timberlake? RU serious? Yeah-if you listen carefully to "Until The End Of Time" that beat is the "Beautiful Ones." | |
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nurse said: DreamyPopRoyalty said: Justin Timberlake? RU serious? Yeah-if you listen carefully to "Until The End Of Time" that beat is the "Beautiful Ones." Well, I don't really listen to Justin. In fact, I despise him. But I don't want to hear any covers of the song. Cuz there's nothing like Prince doing it. Any1 want to attempt answering my questions?  had 2 run away... pride was 2 strong. It started raining, baby, the birds were gone | |
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nurse said: Love the song-but mad as hell that JT sampled it for his current single. He should have left this song alone.
Blasphemy. I love it when people sample/songs i like, but a wanna be like him? Yeeah, anywho, I love this song. Its so passionate, it seems really than some act or song. He just really pours his heart out and the result is gorgeous. As for who it is? i never got any deep conclusion to it. Maybe i am too slow, but its that spoken part in the middle that makes me rack my brain? What DO you say it is? Or are u waiting for more replies so you dont sway opinion? [Edited 9/27/07 17:30pm] | |
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ToraToraDreams said: nurse said: Love the song-but mad as hell that JT sampled it for his current single. He should have left this song alone.
Blasphemy. I love it when people sample/songs i like, but a wanna be like him? Yeeah, anywho, I love this song. Its so passionate, it seems really than some act or song. He just really pours his heart out and the result is gorgeous.  another response.
I feel like people are ignoring me these days... like Musicology has "tarnished" w/e reputation I had. But this is just one of those songs... the first I labeled "Passion with a capital P."  had 2 run away... pride was 2 strong. It started raining, baby, the birds were gone | |
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The beautiful ones r the women in Prince's life.(r so I alwayz thought) As 4 the Wendy question,I've seen the movie a million times,but my eyez r alwayz on Prince.I couldn't tell u what Wendy's doing.  | |
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sexxydancer said: The beautiful ones r the women in Prince's life.(r so I alwayz thought) As 4 the Wendy question,I've seen the movie a million times,but my eyez r alwayz on Prince.I couldn't tell u what Wendy's doing.
I swear... when he stands up and starts singing to Apollonia, she gets teary eyed. Either that or my eyes are playing tricks on me. When I saw this, I was recalling what she said in the backstage interviews about when she heard him working it out. And she was like, "you're so in-tune right now," to him when she heard it. Then when Prince starts to beg, you can still see that expression on her face like she wants to cry (if she isn't already). had 2 run away... pride was 2 strong. It started raining, baby, the birds were gone | |
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The Beautiful Ones are simply the ones you fall too deep in love with, without getting the same love/attention from them in return. There have been millions of songs about this situation... but this one really pierces the heart. we're like two petals from the same flower, baby... | |
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DreamyPopRoyalty said: sexxydancer said: The beautiful ones r the women in Prince's life.(r so I alwayz thought) As 4 the Wendy question,I've seen the movie a million times,but my eyez r alwayz on Prince.I couldn't tell u what Wendy's doing.
I swear... when he stands up and starts singing to Apollonia, she gets teary eyed. Either that or my eyes are playing tricks on me. When I saw this, I was recalling what she said in the backstage interviews about when she heard him working it out. And she was like, "you're so in-tune right now," to him when she heard it. Then when Prince starts to beg, you can still see that expression on her face like she wants to cry (if she isn't already). | |
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sexxydancer said: DreamyPopRoyalty said: I swear... when he stands up and starts singing to Apollonia out in the audience, she [Wendy] gets teary eyed. Either that or my eyes are playing tricks on me. When I saw this, I was recalling what she said in the backstage interviews about when she heard him working it out. And she was like, "you're so in-tune right now," to him when she heard it. Then when Prince starts to beg, you can still see that expression on her face like she wants to cry (if she isn't already). Guess I didn't word that correctly...   j/k
But its no secret that Apollonia gets teary eyed too cuz the camera's right on her. had 2 run away... pride was 2 strong. It started raining, baby, the birds were gone | |
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DreamyPopRoyalty said: This is arguably one of the most memorable songs Prince has ever written. And somehow, it never became a single.
The first time I hear it was when he did it in the movie. Takes your breath away. I think it was also the first non-guitar based song I've heard, even seen him do. I had no idea he could make piano/keyboard sound so compelling. Then Passion oozes from his lips in the last minute of the song. I had never seen anything quite like it and haven't since. Sorry if this song's been done to death, but I've got some questions I want to ask too. *Who do you think the "beautiful ones" are? [I have my own theories, but I wanna hear yours] *Is it just me or does Wendy seem a little misty eyed during the latter portion of the song? [Caught this around the 15th or 16th time I saw the movie] I read somewhere that the beautiful ones was written for Wendy's sister Suzannah. He was in love with her and wanted her to break off with her then boyfriend so that they could have a stronger relationship. Wendy looked misty eyed in the movie (I noticed that too) I think she was just shocked by his screaming...and also because it was written for her sister. | |
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DreamyPopRoyalty said: sexxydancer said: U said Wendy,not Apollonia.
Guess I didn't word that correctly... j/k
But its no secret that Apollonia gets teary eyed too cuz the camera's right on her. | |
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Here's my interpretation of who the "beautiful ones" are. Directly from my blog:
The song starts with him telling the girl 2 pick him and how he wants her to be his. It starts out very innocent and he's somewhat "batting his eyelashes" at her 2 get her to come his way. Then he starts talking about "the beautiful ones," who tend to hurt you. I figure that they resemble the girls he's dated before and they were all gorgeous, but possibly so vain that it never worked out between them. And he ended up getting hurt. In the speaking portion, he says that the beautiful ones hurt you from the inside out and take a piece of you with them after they "smash the picture", which could be ur inner beauty or ur inner confidence. He's still very in love with the girl despite how beautiful she is and it's confusing him because while he wants to keep himself from getting hurt, he can't help wanting the girl, especially when someone else seems 2b interested in her. And I think you were right with TB1's referring to his past g/f. But yeah, I think Susannah was with another man at the time and therefore, he wrote this for her. Having said that... awww...  had 2 run away... pride was 2 strong. It started raining, baby, the birds were gone | |
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Maybe by smashing the picture The Beautiful Ones are shattering the false, "perfect" image you had of them from your head or "Visions of one's mind" or whatever. So you have this set of what he thought to be beautiful people, but they hurt him and destroyed his illusion.
I guess... | |
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pplrain said: DreamyPopRoyalty said: This is arguably one of the most memorable songs Prince has ever written. And somehow, it never became a single.
The first time I hear it was when he did it in the movie. Takes your breath away. I think it was also the first non-guitar based song I've heard, even seen him do. I had no idea he could make piano/keyboard sound so compelling. Then Passion oozes from his lips in the last minute of the song. I had never seen anything quite like it and haven't since. Sorry if this song's been done to death, but I've got some questions I want to ask too. *Who do you think the "beautiful ones" are? [I have my own theories, but I wanna hear yours] *Is it just me or does Wendy seem a little misty eyed during the latter portion of the song? [Caught this around the 15th or 16th time I saw the movie] I read somewhere that the beautiful ones was written for Wendy's sister Suzannah. He was in love with her and wanted her to break off with her then boyfriend so that they could have a stronger relationship. Wendy looked misty eyed in the movie (I noticed that too) I think she was just shocked by his screaming...and also because it was written for her sister. Well she wouldn't have been shocked at him miming a scream that she would have heard recorded a hundred times b4 they shot that portion of the film. I'm sure she either just felt the emotion of the track genuinly or squirted some onion in her eye on the directors orders. It is a film afterall... | |
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ToraToraDreams said: Maybe by smashing the picture The Beautiful Ones are shattering the false, "perfect" image you had of them from your head or "Visions of one's mind" or whatever. So you have this set of what he thought to be beautiful people, but they hurt him and destroyed his illusion.
I guess...  I like yours. It's a very interesting/intriguing idea. Thanks for sharing. had 2 run away... pride was 2 strong. It started raining, baby, the birds were gone | |
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I love this song, you know what I think Prince is the Ultimate "Beautiful one". He's singing about himself whether he knows it or not! | |
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wlcm2thdwn said: I love this song, you know what I think Prince is the Ultimate "Beautiful one". He's singing about himself whether he knows it or not!
in some twisted way, I think you might be right. 
he's been doing this a lot lately... When I paint the perfect picture of him and bring it to life, I encounter him in such a way in his work that he smashes that picture and I see him a whole new way. Sometimes 4 good, sometimes 4 bad. But I can't deny he's a beautiful man. so it's okay if he "sets me straight" as much as he does.had 2 run away... pride was 2 strong. It started raining, baby, the birds were gone | |
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ToraToraDreams said: Maybe by smashing the picture The Beautiful Ones are shattering the false, "perfect" image you had of them from your head or "Visions of one's mind" or whatever. So you have this set of what he thought to be beautiful people, but they hurt him and destroyed his illusion.
I guess... That makes a lot of sense! I always wondered what this song was about and I think that you got it just right! | |
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DreamyPopRoyalty said: Here's my interpretation of who the "beautiful ones" are. Directly from my blog:
The song starts with him telling the girl 2 pick him and how he wants her to be his. It starts out very innocent and he's somewhat "batting his eyelashes" at her 2 get her to come his way. Then he starts talking about "the beautiful ones," who tend to hurt you. I figure that they resemble the girls he's dated before and they were all gorgeous, but possibly so vain that it never worked out between them. And he ended up getting hurt. In the speaking portion, he says that the beautiful ones hurt you from the inside out and take a piece of you with them after they "smash the picture", which could be ur inner beauty or ur inner confidence. He's still very in love with the girl despite how beautiful she is and it's confusing him because while he wants to keep himself from getting hurt, he can't help wanting the girl, especially when someone else seems 2b interested in her. And I think you were right with TB1's referring to his past g/f. But yeah, I think Susannah was with another man at the time and therefore, he wrote this for her. Having said that... awww... A great thread, it shed light on this song for me! | |
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wildgoldenhoney said: A great thread, it shed light on this song for me! Thanx... glad its finally getting some attention. Either today's been really quiet and many have lost respect 4 me these days. It's good to hear things turning around. had 2 run away... pride was 2 strong. It started raining, baby, the birds were gone | |
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The Beautiful Ones is about Susannah. Prince had met her at this time and she had a boyfriend and he wrote this song about her because she didn't leave her man at the time for Prince. Then you know what happens next, She's his girl about a year or two later. __________________________________________________
2 words falling between the drops and the moans of his condition | |
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Awww this song is so sweet.. I love it too much.  | |
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the descending three-chord progression in this song is classic
you can hear it in a lot of songs, including some other prince tunes too but i have to say, this song's use of it is one of the best i've ever heard | |
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