Ok, while I understand his religious beLIEfs "prevent" him from voting, does that mean he had to write a song stating there "ain't no use in voting"? Millions of freedom fighters, their children and their children's children would disagree. Present company included.

Secondly, he states that "maybe WE should write a letter". A letter? Really Prince? A letter. And when did he start speaking French? But I digress.

Exactly what would this letter say? Would "we" be using harsh language to get some "assistancy in AIDS"? (which MANY orginizations tirelessly provide for millions living with the disease).

Overall, the fact that the second line in the song contains the words "don't understand", speaks louder more than the song itself.

I can see 100% where he's coming from. *shrug*
[Edited 1/25/09 8:46am]

Eyewouldnever said:

[Flame snipped - Mars23]

ToraToraDreams said:

Me or Prince?

And if Prince, 100%? Word?

GNS said:

[Flame snipped - Mars23]*meant in the nicest way possible*

GNS said:

Actually, both ya'll. Because, I'm on YOUR side.
I can Uderstand the sentiment of the song. I'd like to think that voting does do a hell of a lot. But there's a lot it can't do. Just because of the system that America works under with politics, economics, etc, not to mention the problems and "isms" that are innately in its culture.
[Edited 1/25/09 9:04am]

ToraToraDreams said:

Gotcha. And while I can understand the song's sentiment, I find the lyrics he used to express it are juvenile, naive and misguiding at best.

Lovesymbol2 said:

[Flame snipped - Mars23]

i spell things wrong on porpoise.

cheers!
~seven

This is interesting. I for one DON'T agree with not voting. As a black man, I am thankful for the opportunity to exercise my right to vote and I never take it for granted when November rolls around or any month where Primaries are held. With this said, there are a LOT of people who feel the same way Prince does when it comes to voting. They feel that they won't win no matter who they choose. I understand that POV but I don't think that help matters any. We hurt ourselves when we don't vote, IMHO.

I think Dear Mr Man is a worthwhile song cause it does make me think about what he's talking about. I may not agree with everything in the song but I'm glad he did it because it can spark up a conversation like this one, whether we agree on what he's saying or not.

I just read the lyrics and disagree with it being his stupidest song. I agree and understand most of wat he's saying. The system is very corrupt. Hopefully, President Obama can and will change some of that.

purplecam said:

I agree 100%. I suppose I could have used another word than "stupidest" in the thread title, but I tend to type like I speak. I understand Prince isn't alone is this way of thinking, but overall, as I wrote before, I think the song's lyrics (as a whole, not just the voting thing) are misguiding.

JayJai said:

Obama didn't get elected by writing a letter?

GNS said:

Wat I mean is in 2004, Bush was there. War and all types of fuckery. Prince wrote this song around that time.
People re-elected Bush ("wtf?! " was my reaction). Plus the system itself has been corrupted for yrs and yrs upon yrs, so that's why I agree and understand most of the lyrics.

Despite disagreein wit some of the lyrics, this isn't the stupidest song and it's not much of a stupid song anyway. Do u disagree with everything said in the song?
[Edited 1/25/09 9:57am]
[Edited 1/25/09 9:58am]

JayJai said:

Yeah, Bush was in the house (AND got re-elected, WTF indeed), but all the more reason to become active and do something to prevent further corruption. And let's face it, recording this song was no more than half a drop in the bucket. If that.

As far as the song being "stupid", yer right, bad choice of word. Defeatist, ignorant,uninformed or misguided would all have been better options.

And lastly, I've gotta point out that folks have only replied to this thread with regards to the voting issue. The AIDS lyric is pointless and untrue, the letter part is laughable at best and the "3 words; we tired o' y'all" ending is just flat out trifiling. So yeah, I disagree with everything said in the song.

The only redeeming quality is the music. I like the groove.

GNS said:

-----
At the time when he wrote it he was just as pissed about the war and Bush being re-elected. I do not agree that voting is a waste of time but when you see the system tampered with it can be very discouraging and I think that was the only thing P was saying. You need to put the song in the context of the time it was written.

I think his statement that he doesn't vote completely invalidates any political statement/message he has or ever will make.

Because voting is you getting your say in a very real, and if you don't, then any complaining about the way things are is just that: complaining. It means you're just interested in complaining for the sake of complaining and don't actually care how things turn out or aren't interested in doing anything about it.

GNS said:

hmmmm you actually have a pretty valid point

Eyewouldnever said:

[Flame snipped - Mars23]

We will see if Prince was right or wrong when he said "ain't no sense in votin', same song with a different name". If Obama ends up being the completed term of JFK, then Prince will have been proven wrong. On the other hand, if Obama gets stifled by the "man" as Prince said, Prince will be right.

But overall, I could understand feeling the way Prince did back then. Bush/Cheney ruined the nation and many other Presidents have been criminal as well.

And I see EXACTLY what Prince is saying about having to "work around the clock so I can buy a big house in the hood with cigarette ads on every block", because the ENEMY is continuously trying to keep God's children DOWN by keeping us in a state of constant endentured servitude and poor health by promoting their evil in the "Capitalist system formerly known as SLAVERY".

Plus, the song has a good groove that reminds me of an old-school Al Green joint. How can you not like that?

GNS said:

More, much much much more can be done on the government's part to help wit assistance for AIDS. They're not doing as much as they can.

laurarichardson said:

True

errant said:

[Edited 1/25/09 10:50am]

laurarichardson said:

on the other hand, you win some, you lose some. just because your guy didn't win and things aren't going the way you personally want them to, doesn't mean that the system doesn't work.

laurarichardson said:

Umm, the first sentence in the post you quoted acknowledges the time frame. And yes, things were (and still are) truly fucked. However, is that cause for him squander a right many people fought (and died) for, while almost ENCOURIGING others to the same? If he wants to give up, let him. But that is one boat I will not get on.

errant said:

THANK YOU!!!

jonylawson said:

HA! You seem surprised.

The problem with Dear Mr. Man is that it mostly says nothing new.

He throws out trite complaints about welfare being unfair and the US starting a lot of wars without delving into any potential causes or solutions, or even exploring these issues from a fresh perspective. Sentiments like these have been repeated ad nauseum for years and years.

Whereas SOTT used wordplay and addressed the baffling paradoxes of society, Dear Mr. Man is as straightforward a ballad as they come in plainly stating the most general concerns we have.

That alone would have been harmless enough, but his political naivety further hurts the song.

Only a preteen should be foolish enough to ever write that voting is useless.
[Edited 1/25/09 10:57am]

GNS said:

You not agreeing with something doesn't make it stupid. It just makes it stupid to you.

JayJai said:[quote]GNS said:[quote]
More, much much much more can be done on the government's part to help wit assistance for AIDS. They're not doing as much as they can.
I agree, but that doesn't negate the fact there IS some help available.