Why do you think Prince chose to write this song now?

At its core it seems to be about Martin Luther King Jr. and race relations. Maybe he is trying to get the point across that even with a black president there is still a long way to go??? I just thought the timing of it was odd when I actually listened to the lyrics.

222 said:

I think you hit the nail on the head...President Obama has also been referenced as pursuing the same dream as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. - to unite races and cultures from all backgrounds and overcome the trials and tribulations for a brighter and better future. I'm sure that Prince in some form or fashion felt the impact that his election has made globally.

To bad he doesn't vote tho.

Still a nice song though

222 said:

Yeah, at this time the lyrics puzzle me too. It seems that with the Hendrix vibe, this song would have been perfect on the ATWIAD album. It reminds me of America. But hey, this song rocks too damn hard for me to trip. Rock on Prince!

222 said:

Yes, unfortunately we still have a long way to go with race relations in this country, and I believe that is what he is expressing in this song.
[Edited 3/27/09 18:01pm]

"Dreamer" is such an awesome song. I've read it is in tribute to another legend Dick Gregory.

NONSENSE said:

True, you're right, that was mentioned in an article posted here in early February.
[Edited 3/27/09 18:53pm]

I could've done without the "gotta watch out for these Devils" comment at the end. I'm going to assume that that comes from his experiences in the music biz and not his opinion of white people in general.

222 said:

I actually didn't hear that comment at the end, and if he did say that, I think what he meant when he said "devils", was to be aware of "those with evil intentions that would basically work overtime, so-to-speak, to bring you down or want you to fail."

I think if you really read the lyrics to "Dreamer" he mentions an event in American history, that involved a man who wanted change, and racial equality and justice for all, not just a select few in society, but unfortunately, MLK was murdered because of what he believed in, yet his dream and legacy lives on today in many of us.

As far as Prince mentioning in "Dreamer" to call him a "dreamer too," that statement seems to be based on Prince's own dream--his passion to play and share his gift of music with the world. He has successfully managed to create his own legacy and live his "dream" through his music, has broken racial barriers with it, was part of a music revolution, and at the same time, won many awards along the way for it

All this he accomplished, because he had a "dream" and he made it happen because he did not allow racial barriers or racist attitudes to stop him.
[Edited 3/28/09 20:41pm]

NONSENSE said:

So true!!! Should be a concert staple!

Dayclear said:

And that's the only thing that irks me about this song - should someone who makes a point of abstaining from the voting process be able to take such a political stance and be taken seriously. I'm afraid that I'm of the school of thought that if you don't vote you have no right to complain.