So - Dig U Better Dead came up on shuffle and got me thinking: what was behind the sustained death theme at this time? Sure we'd had IWD4U and other glances earlier, but this seemed more personal and significant. Was it just about killing off "Prince" to get Symbol (Sacrifice of Vicor, Gold intro)? Had someone (WB?) seriously suggested that he fake his own death? I do remember speculation at the time that if he died he'd be way more appreciated than he was in the mid-90s...

Here's the evidence (add others, if necessary):

• Sacrifice of Victor (+ booklet etc.)
• Come cover (Prince 1958-93)
• "Prince esta muerte" (TGE)
• Dig U Better Dead
• Face Down
• My Computer (Isn't that the one where a friend called him and askd him if the rumors were true that he's dead?)

Ae there more?

What's your take?

Most of those songs deal with the death of one personality and transition into another (see the '7' video).

Also, the WB dispute; if Prince is 'dead' they have no hold over his reborn self (i.e symbol).

'Face Down' seems to concern the death of prince and again, a remergence of something new. See the 'Face Down' video where Prince (as symbol) appears at Prince's funeral. Prince lies face down in a coffin. His clothing and hairstyle '93 era.

'My Computer' references a false radio report that Prince had died.

'Dig U Better Dead' is either a metaphorical story of himself or another.

'Dolphin' and 'Into the Light' concern Prince's reading of Bette Eadies book also titled 'Into the Light' (I think) detailing her near death experience.

The death references on 'The Truth' and 'NPS' concern IMO, his thoughts regarding the death of his son Gregory. 'Comeback' in particular, is poignant.

kenkamken said:

Make the most of your life so you don't have regrets later, life is too short.

i agree. if ur in a position to jump on a private jet and go see a true friend, then put on those nike's and just do it.

Prince at Ana Moura Conce...no July 26

.

[Edited 7/27/10 5:19am]

aww very comforting pictures

thanks 4 posting

We're going to be in eternity a WHOLE lot longer than we are going to be in this life! Prince gets this. Everyone's thought about where they're going in the longrun, he's planting seeds!

Let's Go Crazy, despite it's montstrously fun beat, is all about the spiritual themes "what happens next/where are you going" !

[Edited 7/27/10 6:53am]

I never read all that as an obsession with death rather a sense of despair and general darkness. If there was a deeper level I would argue it was he had to bin everything to move forward as he was not getting the outcomes (In the mid 90's) that he was hoping for. A hissy fit with a bit of profundity

much of it was related to the name change - he tried to establish the symbol as a separate entity from Prince under the delusion that this would get him out of the contract Prince signed with WB. That's certainly the reason behind the Come cover and the TGE line.

[Edited 7/27/10 7:30am]

OperatingThetan said:

Most of those songs deal with the death of one personality and transition into another (see the '7' video).

Also, the WB dispute; if Prince is 'dead' they have no hold over his reborn self (i.e symbol).

'Face Down' seems to concern the death of prince and again, a remergence of something new. See the 'Face Down' video where Prince (as symbol) appears at Prince's funeral. Prince lies face down in a coffin. His clothing and hairstyle '93 era.

'My Computer' references a false radio report that Prince had died.

'Dig U Better Dead' is either a metaphorical story of himself or another.

'Dolphin' and 'Into the Light' concern Prince's reading of Bette Eadies book also titled 'Into the Light' (I think) detailing her near death experience.

The death references on 'The Truth' and 'NPS' concern IMO, his thoughts regarding the death of his son Gregory. 'Comeback' in particular, is poignant.

Interesting comments (alandail too). I mentioned the namechange metpahor and I think it explains some of the moves but I think Face Down and Dig U Better Dead reflect a more personal preoccupation or perhaps, as I suggested, actual discussions about the commercial potential of "killing Prince off." (dead like Elvis - i.e. faked death for commercial gain).

I'd forgotten about Dolphin and Into the Light, both of which strengthen my case that he was clearly preoccupied with the subject during these years.

The death of his son would definitely have added to his meditations on death (if that's what they were), but that happened towards the end of the period I'm referring to...

I always just thought he was bored of fame & depressed so trying to find a way/and a reason to continue

I've always taken these songs (Dolphin and Dig U Better Dead especially) to be a comment on how certain "stars" become bigger and more revered once they've passed on and Prince saying that perhaps if he were dead, certain people would pay him more respect.

If Kurt Cobain hadn't slipped the trigger would today's 12-13 year olds be wearing hoodies and buying posters of him? I doubt it, but his troubled life/sudden death increased the mystique.

And also with Face Down stating he'd like to be buried face down so they could kiss his arse, suggests a bit of after life love.

harveya said:

I've always taken these songs (Dolphin and Dig U Better Dead especially) to be a comment on how certain "stars" become bigger and more revered once they've passed on and Prince saying that perhaps if he were dead, certain people would pay him more respect.

If Kurt Cobain hadn't slipped the trigger would today's 12-13 year olds be wearing hoodies and buying posters of him? I doubt it, but his troubled life/sudden death increased the mystique.

And also with Face Down stating he'd like to be buried face down so they could kiss his arse, suggests a bit of after life love.

Yep - I get that too, but what led him to ponder that idea at all and so intensively (you mention three different songs!)?

It gives a kinda alternate twist to the name-change crisis: there's the record company conflict, but this indicates that he was in a crisis of confidence too. It's almost like he felt that success and acclaim were slipping from him and he didn't know how to sustain them and had reached (or contemplated) a "last resort"...

harveya said:

I've always taken these songs (Dolphin and Dig U Better Dead especially) to be a comment on how certain "stars" become bigger and more revered once they've passed on and Prince saying that perhaps if he were dead, certain people would pay him more respect.

If Kurt Cobain hadn't slipped the trigger would today's 12-13 year olds be wearing hoodies and buying posters of him? I doubt it, but his troubled life/sudden death increased the mystique.

And also with Face Down stating he'd like to be buried face down so they could kiss his arse, suggests a bit of after life love.

i think Face Down just means that you have fucked it all up and Prince was saying that was how he was perceived. During this era he was very conscious of the respect he had lost

i think Face Down just means that you have fucked it all up and Prince was saying that was how he was perceived. During this era he was very conscious of the respect he had lost

"Dead like Elvis"?

His fight w/WB and feelings about putting "prince to bed" as he once was quoted as saying....was definitely expressed thru his music from the symbol album all the way thru to Gold. Then I think the death of Prince (since he was now symbol) may have seemed trivial when compared to him losing his son and then later both parents. Ultimately leading him to seek deeper knowledge of death/life/god...etc.

thepope2the9s said:

His fight w/WB and feelings about putting "prince to bed" as he once was quoted as saying....was definitely expressed thru his music from the symbol album all the way thru to Gold. Then I think the death of Prince (since he was now symbol) may have seemed trivial when compared to him losing his son and then later both parents. Ultimately leading him to seek deeper knowledge of death/life/god...etc.

Yep, but what about Dig U Better Dead, Into the Light, My Computer, Face Down? They're all after Gold and before he lost his son...

You should listen to Prince's music sometime. All of it.

ernestsewell said:

You should listen to Prince's music sometime. All of it.

?

Wot u talkin' bout Willis?

wasitgood4u said:

thepope2the9s said:

His fight w/WB and feelings about putting "prince to bed" as he once was quoted as saying....was definitely expressed thru his music from the symbol album all the way thru to Gold. Then I think the death of Prince (since he was now symbol) may have seemed trivial when compared to him losing his son and then later both parents. Ultimately leading him to seek deeper knowledge of death/life/god...etc.

Yep, but what about Dig U Better Dead, Into the Light, My Computer, Face Down? They're all after Gold and before he lost his son...

On a side note, P has always referenced death thru his music throughout his whole career

[Edited 7/29/10 6:00am]