I seem to remember a discussion, a long time ago (1996?), maybe on the PPML mailing list, about that particular lyric from "I Rock, Therefore I Am" ("Somebody selling 12 CDs for a dollar"). Prince might have been referring to something in particular.

Any idea what?

i remember those offers we used to get from tv guide and junk, with 12 (or whatever) cds for a penny or dollar. then you get 'em and there's some catch where the bill is like mad money and moms never paid it . that was what i thought of first

listened to this song today. 1996 and Prince singing about emails? the interweb wasn't even that popular back then. he had a plan even back then.

Columbia House Music Club is what he was referring to.
http://columbia-house.music.us/

There was also a BMG Music Service that functioned similar to Columbia House. These clubs would offer you 12 cds for 99 cents initially, then charge you $20 for each cd that you order afterwards. Not to mention, if you tried to cancel, you would still get billed close to $100, the cost for fulfilling your membership.

BMG Music Service later became YourMusic.com a few years ago. They changed their service to be similar to Netflix or Blockbuster. You pay $6.99 per month and get one cd from your cue each month. If you want to buy multi-sets, you only get charged $6.99 per cd in the set (ie: a 4 disc boxed set runs about $21). Also, shipping is free with them.

bigd74 said:

In 96, the web was extremely popular. I remember accessing the internet during the Come and Gold Experience eras in college. By 96, P had launched his own sites for Emancipation and started promoting Crystal Ball.

I remember chatting with different people on aol in different chat rooms about Prince. A few of the screen names we all swore was Prince, but nothing was ever confirmed.

daPrettyman said:

Yep....I was all over them offers too!
But, the catch was in the price of a regular CD after the initial 12.
And, you had to buy a certain amount of them too.

Revolution said:

Here is their terms of service:

Pick 12 CDs for FREE at Columbia House Music Club! (plus shipping & processing) Just complete and submit the application form, and once your membership is approved, you'll enjoy exclusive ColumbiaHouse.com benefits like: - Hassle-free service: there are no cards to return and we'll never send you a CD you didn't order - 24 hour access to our complete collection of over 12,000 titles, including Box Sets at up to 60% off Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price and bargain CDs as low as 99 cents. - Everyday Members-only sales, including great deals like Buy 1, Get 2 Free and Buy 1, Get Unlimited CDs For 3.99 - Fast shipping - Email newsletters - Cool sweepstakes and contests: you can enter to win all-expense paid trips and signed memorabilia, view exclusive webcasts, and more.
All you need to do is buy five regular Club priced CDs over the next two years. (regular Club prices are $14.98 and higher.)
And there's no risk. We'll send you a complete Columbia House New Member Guide along with your 12 free CDs. If you're not completely satisfied, simply return everything within 10 days at our expense and we will credit your account in full.
Notes: You can cancel your ColumbiaHouse.com club membership at any time after you fulfill your commitment. Columbia House Music Club reserves the right to request additional information, reject any application, or cancel any membership. ColumbiaHouse com offer limited to customers in the contiguous United States. Tax is added to orders in states where applicable.
If your application is accepted, your membership is subject to the terms and conditions of our Membership Agreement, which we will send you with your introductory package.
[Edited 9/30/09 14:44pm]

I think it was referring to a nonprofit release of a song called "Free at LAst"
The artist that made it didn't want to make anything from it so she said just put a buck on it.And I think prince knew about it and that was his comical response.

bobbyc17 said:

I don't think so. I say that only because at the time he was fighting with WB. He made a few statements in interviews about how much cds sold for and how much he got paid. He also referenced that music clubs were owned by record companies and they "gave away" his art for nothing. I remember reading it on some site in 95 or 96.

daPrettyman said:

"that's what i was telling you before..."

daPrettyman said:

Yes. Those 12 for a penny music clubs were notorious for not earning any monies for the artists. This is why there were many bands/albums that were not available to choose from as part of the initial 12 CDs. Artists got wise to the practice, and opted out contractually. Interestingly, some Prince 8-Track tapes were music club-only, and were not available through retail outlets. This made for increasingly rare collectibles.

squirrelgrease said:

squirrelgrease,I got to tell ya,I like you when your on topic and giving a smart answer to threads. But I dont like it when you start posting mean and no it all type of responses.But who cares what I think lol.I know your gonna be calling me annoying in the furture(well in the present) but I can truly say, I can only take criticism from you.
[Edited 9/30/09 18:15pm]

TheKing662 said:

Dude, orgnotes were designed for messages like this.

daPrettyman said:

lol,its a free country. lol how corny of me

TheKing662 said:

It is a free country, but there is a thing called etiquette.

daPrettyman said:

Aaight man,just chill.You dont have to get all personal.

"Shut up already,damn"

Come to think of it, it was a pretty prophetic line for 95/96. Although the internet was already around then, it was still very much in its infancy. You couldn't access music and video as easily as you can now. I remember those days you'd have to wait all night to download a single low-bitrate song - and everyone thought that was cool It wasn't until a couple of years later when the 'Napster debate' took hold.

Although Prince says "CDs", I've always taken it to be about the music "content" (regardless of the format). I think he could forsee some of the problems that the 'digital revolution' might pose on artists. I don't think it's actually about a specific person sending someone "12 CDs for a dollar"... Of course I could be wrong.

daPrettyman said:

Exactly because Prince basically said screw record companies because I can give my music away to fans now for free (Sunday show interview).... He never did though

toejam said:

He said CDs and that's what he meant. It's already been stated he was talking about those Columbia House, BMG deals. The only thing he foresaw is less money in his pocket.

purpledoveuk said:

Technically, he did give away a few "free" songs during that time. "Cybersingle" and a live version of "Gett Off" from the Act 1 or 2 show was given away.