Bear with me here, cos the penny took a while to drop, but I was listening to Family Name yesterday (and singing along of course) when I got to this bit:

"Devil, devil what u know?
U been here since 1914, but now u got 2 go
U been hidin' behind corporate eyes
U wanna war, but u can't fight
Devil, u got 2 go"

This really reminded me of some stuff I've heard evengelic christians going on about - anyone remember David Icke (ex-BBC sports presenter (really!)) going on about secret organisations controlling the world, and making thinly-veiled suggestions that they are run by those Jews who left Europe in the war(s)?

What do others make of this - who else arrived in america who could have been hiding behind corporate eyes?

One count against this theory is the Martin Luther King quote at the end of family name:

"Black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics will
b able 2 join hands in the words of the old Negro spiritual:
"free at last, free at last, thank God almighty we are free at last!"

hmmm

PS - if prince is making these links, then larry's teachings really have a lot to answer for

I don't know if Prince is anti-semitic or not but why would he add MLK's speech asking for tolerance amongst all religions if he had something against Jew's?

ConsciousContact said:

Shit I just read your post again and you already made this point. Excuse me for not concentrating. Goin' mad

I agree with you about the MLK speech. If Prince is thinking anti-semitically, then I would be upset but I don't reckon he is anyway.

And David Icke has some very strange ideas. He thinks that Ted Heath (former British Prime Minister) is a shape shifting lizard!!

He really has too much idle time on his hands.

"Wheres my Rubik's Cube?"

I wish we could all be about it...

sinaplenty said:

i've tried to get my head around this song as well.. there's definitely something to it - i just can't figure out if it's anti-semitism or not.

why does he use the names Mr Rosenbloom, Mr Pearlman? these are all names that have jewish basis.

the meaning of the song is that people should keep their family names. there aren't many jews out there who came to england or america during either of the world wars who have kept their family names..

gooeythehamster said:

that's pretty damn cute!

And as for Prince being an anti-semite.. I really don't believe that.

sinaplenty said:

"Devil, devil what u know?
U been here since 1914"
This ties in very strongly with JW beliefs. They believe that the devil has been ruling over the Earth and the start of his regin was 1914, this is the start of the period leading up to armageddon.

"but now u got 2 go"
They also believe that this battle will take place before the generation born in 1914 has completely died out, which considering that those born in 1914 would now be 87-88, would mean that time to be quite soon. Actually, if I remember correctly, the way they were teaching it about 10 years ago, was that there qould be substantial numbers of the 1914 generation remaining when armageddon takes place. It will be interesting to see what happens in 10 years tim when the youngest of that generation is approaching there 100's. I wonder, will we all be annihilated, or will the JW's be having a rethink?

"U been hidin' behind corporate eyes"
Not overly sure about this bit, so I won't speculate.

"U wanna war, but u can't fight"
The devil works by using subtle manipulations and can not show himself fully. If he did that, then we would all know his plans and therefore would be able to stand against him.

"Devil, u got 2 go"
Well, no surprises here, if you believe the bible. The devil will be gone after the battle of armageddon when Jeses returns to rule over us.

Hope that helps a little.

1) I can't imagine that Prince is anti-semeitic. After all weren't Dr. Fink and Bobby Z Jewish?

2) Prince does have an obsessionwith religion and particularly certain sub-divisions of Christianity. And whatever one may think of J.W's the fact that he is searching for the Truth is a good thing.

3) (A little hint for Prince) ... there is no such thing as the Devil. The Devil and Evil are metaphors for the state of man(kind) and his deviation from the Truth.

1914: The start of the first world war !
Hiding behind corporate eyes: Evil men running the world.

simple as that !!

I really don't see what any of this has to do with Jews or being anti-semitic or secret organisations !?

sinaplenty said:

PS - if prince is making these links, why does that have anything to do with Larry at all? That is really a stupid thing to say.

Persian said:

Dr. Fink and Bobby Z. are jewish, and in an interview in the mid-eighties Prince said Bobby Z. was his best friend, so I can't imagine that Prince is this way.

I think there is evidence in these lyrics of anti-semiticism. Aside from the war, in 1914 US immigration policy changes were the primary concern of both the government and the Jewish citizens of the US.

It seems obvious (to me) that Family Name is directed towards jews. However, lyrics are an art and art is expression. Take it as you will, but it's not any different than any other religious musings. Just as long as the man isn't allowed the power to make laws about this stuff, we're all ok.


I think the JW explanation is really interesting though (TheEnglishGent), I just think the song as a whole has too many historical, and specifically jewish references.

blanket said:

I think you've got it a little twisted. Africans who were brought to America were not allowed to keep their family names, languages, etc. Many Jews in this country do still have their family names. Some did have their names changed by immigration officials or voluntarily changed them because of discrimination, but for the most part it doesn't compare with African Americans' complete loss of heritage and history, beginning with their names and languages.

this is so a couple months ago...

PlastikLuvAffair said:

I know this has been discussed to death for the past year, but some things do bear repeating for those who don't understand.

fragisexy said:

this isn't about whether "african american's complete loss of history" is worse than jews leaving their country due to nazi persecution, being split from their families, turning up on american or english shores and then having their names changed.

my point is that if the song is complaining about not being able to keep your family name - then the finger of blame shouldn't be pointed at jews... at least not without some proof.

I think that when he talks about the Devil and 1914 and corporate stuff, he is talking about Nazi's and Racists (if there is a difference), They also have big corporate backing. That big computer company with the three letters the first one I and the last one M funded the Nazi's in the war and all though there are still a lot of Nazi's/Racists around that want to fight they are unable to because no government would fund such a ridiculous war. Did anyone see that programme on the BNP the other day? I have never seen such crap in all my life, the average racist is thick and looks like a cave man!!! I don't think Prince hates the Jewes, Prince has probably been the subject of persacution himself and I don't think he would encourage persacution of other. I do not like Larry Graham though!!!