In the videos for "Alphabet St."and "Elephants and Flowers" Prince has short solid lines across his face - kind of in the style of tribal war paint. Looking back, you have to stop and wonder "What the bleep was he thinking?". Did he think this was cool, or trend setting? In hindsight, this fashion faux pas is almost as bad as when he cut his hair around his ears really high, in the mid 90's, to showcase his quarter moon ear cuffs. Anyway, my question is: Aside from Alphabet St. Elephants and Flowers, the Hippy style Cross on his face from the S.O.T.T. movie (and of course those years with the word "Slave" scrawled on his face); when else has Prince used war paint on his face? And does ANYONE have any idea why?

DaisyHall said:

This was a lift from Adam Ant from back in the 1980s.

He was spotted in an Amsterdam book store looking like this during the Rainbow Children era:

War paint lends and idea to what Love paint could be.

DaisyHall said:

sorry i can't answer ur question, but just wanted 2 say tht i really like the spock king leers barnet. really i do. i begged my husband 2 follow suit, but he refused.

Tame said:

Tame? ... what are you talking about?

Prince has often used his face as a message board, for attention obviously.
He wrote a bible verse on his forehead for the "Cinnamon girl" video, that was the the last one, weird huh?!


[Edited 1/24/08 3:52am]

Flowerz said:

Maybe the mostly cut out sub-plot dealing with the Kid and Aura use of paint. He uses it to write song lyrics on the wall and to paint a hearts on each other. But there is more to that sub-plot than made the final cut. Some of it can be seen in the trailers and other clips that did not make it into the movie.

The notion might well be, if there is war paint there might as well be love paint.

But in reality, Native American and African American people have used painting their faces for millions of years and Prince is a descendant of both, I think it's cool!

wlcm2thdwn said:

Prince's potential Native American heritage is a topic i've brought up here before.
i was told it was not factual.
if you have anything to support this claim,
i would be very interested in knowing what tribe his ancestry is linked to. Lakota perhaps?
thanks.

as for "war paint," it's probably as old as the Caveman himself.

why do we ask why do something different,
when we can ask why NOT do something "different?"

apparently face painting has a long, rich history of symbolism.
the native americans would probably tell you there is power/magic in it.

there was no war paint on prince's face during the alphabet street video..it was just computer graphic images used instead of actual paint as in graffiti bridge

'Prince in War Paint'

I remember when Mayte and Prince had their hands and arms all
painted up for some religious reason.

Actually... I thought Prince looked Pretty darn sexy in
Grafitti bridge during "Elephants and Flowers " with his face
painted and his long hair brushed back..
He DID look like an American Indian..

I think its kinda neat how Prince some times Tries new things
One thing I did NOT like was the "Dress phase " he went through..
He looked kinda like a Priest.. Or the "Tora Tora" thing with
the clothe over his lovely face.