I was studying yesterday when the subject of Satan and music came up. The teacher started 2 point out how Rock music was 2 some degree a front for passing along satanic messages 2 the masses. During the conversation he mentioned Prince and the album cover of 1999. If u turn the album cover upside down, u can see the 666 (mark of the beast) and the word evil. That sort of took me by surprise but I could clearly see the point the teacher was trying 2 make about the 1999 album cover. Any thoughts on this?

If this has been discussed before, my apologies.

I've never really seen it discussed on here before-so great topic. This may sound strange but I can remember as a kid in church that people use to actually believe that the year 2000 would be the end of the world or armageddon which ever way you want to look at it. I find it interesting that Prince took that belief and came up with the title track 1999. I guess in some eyes it can be viewed as kind of eery,satanic or whatever. But again I would love to read the replies on here

Thats what bothers me about some teachers, they start imposing their own interpretations or i should say misinterpretations into others people's artistic works. And they are wrong to do so. If the Artist/Author is not present to personally verify someone's elses interpretations or opinions, then i don't believe the person doing the interpreting, because i have my own mind and my own senses to makeup my own mind. Besides anyone who turns the number NINE upsidedown will see a six, and vise versa, thats just the intrinsic nature of those 2 numbers. i think that teacher was looking for ways to unfairly criticize Prince. Because in no way is the word Evil seen on that Album cover. That Professor should hear from God and Jesus.
Further more, i studuied literature in College and wrote my own Poetry. So i had some experiences where Profs try to push their own opinions or other's opinions on the students. Wrong and unfair. SOme of those Profs. used to make me so angry because they say that their interpretation is the only right one, that some other critic is right, or some other Professor who has a Master's in Literature.Why, just because they have a degree, and how do i know that they aren't acting out of Jealousy and or wrongful thought. One of my prof's argued with me over my own Poem and what i meant in it. Thats not fair. Or they have told me how i should say it. Art is personal and yet for the public to experience if the artist so chooses. But others should not twist someone else's artistic works into something negitive when it isn't. i could go on.and on and on. i wish i had a way to change wrongful doing immediately, but i don't so i hve to rely on Karma's wisdom of everything when its time and the right way. The good way.
Not every Professor does the above. And i do understand that there has to be discussion and grading criteria. And i know there are many Fair Professors, Teachers and so called Critics. i am speaking specifically of unjust interpretations and/ or not allowing room to dismantle wrongful interpretations.
i think changes should be made in the Artistic parts of Educational Institutes.
Unless the Author can speak for himself i'm not going to believe some critic. AND another thing to consider especially in Archaic times, what if an Artist was under threat of himself or his family and wasn't able to defend himself and his works were there unable to be defended correctly.
[Edited 9/29/08 9:48am]

Graycap23 said:

There isn't even an "L" on the cover.

nurseV said:

My electronic music teacher in college played Stairway to Heaven backwards for the whole class and you could here the word "satan" being said...i heard it, it was really creepy

ReginaCarman said:

I'm not saying I agree with his interpretation, but if u take a look at the cover upsaide down, I can see how he came up with his point of view.
[Edited 9/29/08 9:35am]

Graycap23 said:

Yeah 666 is on it, but I've never seen the word evil-don't know where the professor came up with that one. I think Regina has a point though-how can you judge an artist work without their interpretation? I think your professor is misguided because anyone who listens to Prince's music knows that he doesn't have an evil bone in his body-every lyric is spiritual, yes even the strange ones.
[Edited 9/29/08 9:28am]

I don't see it at all. Does he really think the 9s look like 6s upside down? They don't at all. I don't see "evil" either. And I don't agree that rock music was a front for satanic messages.

So yeah, I just don't see it here. Other albums, sure, it's been done. But I've never seen 1999 as having satanic overtones, hidden or otherwise.

LizaWoman08 said:

Unfortunately some artist have used their work to spread evil messages, but Prince isn't one of them. Take a listen to Free, The Ladder, etc. He's so spiritual there's no way you wouldn't feel it.

Check out this one for starters, post 34

http://prince.org/msg/7/232204?&pg=2

I agree, it's very interesting!

..
[Edited 9/29/08 9:36am]

Efan said:

If you take Marilyn Manson's music for instance, it is true; his rock music is blatantly satanic. He's even the reverend of his own satanic church.

And do you know what KISS stands for? Knights In Satans Service.

And the band SLAYER stands for Satan Laughs As You Eternally Rot.

So yes I believe a lot of Rock music is used as a vehicle for satanic messages.

LizaWoman08 said:

Urban myths about band names don't prove this point. Even if questionable stories about the "real" meaning of some bands' names are true, it would represent an incredibly small percentage of the total. Satanism is not the reason rock 'n' roll was created.

That some bands have used rock to put forth satanic messages and imagery is of course true; I wouldn't argue that. I would argue, however, that a lot of those bands used those things just to sell records or build an image. They liked the mythology it created about them more than they actually cared about it as a real religious practice.

Finally, let me say that I don't believe in subliminal messages having an effect on the listener or viewer. Being worried about subliminal messages is just superstitious to me.

It's all true! And it's not just rock n' roll!

Almost every album on iTunes costs... you guessed it: 9.99!

Turn it upside down, wadda you get???

PANIC!!!!!

Graycap23 said:

A person would have to be intentionally looking for something Evil to say. Its a negatively contrived statement by that professor. AND he should be ashamed of himself because he is effecting young minds. And has a responsibility as an educator to have verifiable facts and teach Truth not fiction.Can he prove his statements ? Why didn't he invite Prince into the classroom to defend his Album. Its a sin that things like this happen in educational Institutes. Who knows what other innocent people he is hurting. He could unjustly ruin innocent people's reputations.
[Edited 9/29/08 9:59am]

ReginaCarman said:

In general I'd agree with u, in this case I do not. I thought he was off his rocker until I looked at the cover myself. View the cover from an abstract perspective will lead one 2 see where the teacher was coming from. U don't have 2 agree with the teacher, just broaden your perspective 2 see his interpretation. I thought it was interesting. He played a few songs from artist that contained satanic backwards masking. It was clear as day. He did NOT play any Prince music.

LizaWoman08 said:

And Prince stands for Penises Rise In Naughty Creamy Explosions, therefore confirming Prince's satanic homosexual tendancies once and for all.

This reminds me of the time the company I work for offered a Superman t-shirt. The cover of our catalog had a guy pulling open his dress shirt to reveal the tee underneath.

We got a letter from a customer objecting to what he saw as a subliminal "sex" message on the front cover - formed by the Superman "S," the guy's fingers as the "E" and the veins on the back of his hand forming an "X."

I think we might have set a world record for simultaneous at our company that day.

NouveauDance said:

I'm surprised nobody mentioned the backmasking at the end of Purple Rain " God Is Coming Soon" Prince has always made his message and faith perfectly clear. The speaking of the Lords Prayer was once controversial from well 'controversey", I never saw the biggie.

As far as 1999... ummm I hope that wasn't a math teacher, everyone knows that a 9 looks like a six upside down, also wouldn't the album upside down become 6661, its not like he named the album nine nine nine. It's silly

I remember kids would point out the fact that Prince had six letters in each of his full name, I'm looking at the CD now trying to find the word "evil" I don't see it, maybe I'm saved
[Edited 9/29/08 10:27am]

nurseV said:

Let me make another point! What if someone said that everyone born in 1999 was evil, because if u turn 1999 upside down there are 3 sixs in it. Is that stupid? Yes!!! Is that wrong to do? Yes it is!!!!! Same applies to the stupid statement made about the 1999 album cover. Remember people have to attone for any intentional wrong or misleading thoughts or actions.
[Edited 9/29/08 10:43am]

oops I see the word Evil only if you spell it.. ECVIJD

Meloh9 said:

I have 7 letters in my first name, 4 in my middle name, and 7 in my last name.

Oh, my god - I'm actually an airplane!

Meloh9 said:

I thought it was 'The Lord is coming soon....'

nurseV said:

AN Artist does not interpret his own works of art, he knows what the meaning is. The Artist his the only one qualified to tell anyone exactly what he or she meant.

Jeffiner said:

Lord/God ok ok .. technical Prince fanatics forgive me, my point is we know he is talking about God

Graycap23 said:

I think I'd ask for my money back on that class...

Shorty said:

It's NOT that type of class.

why do some people think rock stars are so obsessed with passing satanic messages on to the masses? do all rock stars meet in a secret satan headquarters somewhere and plot evil schemes?

Anxiety said:

Of course, they do.

I've seen this discussed before and all I can say is

ReginaCarman said:

Maybe interpretation was the wrong term Of course they know the original meaning, but not every piece of art may mean a single thing to an artist. Maybe you should just ask Prince