In the Emancipation booklet there is a little blurb after each song. Presumably these were written by Prince. The blurb after "White Mansion" reads as follows:

In a perfect universe-dreams come true. Sellout? neveragain!

Now, when I read the word "sellout" I think of an artist that compromises their vision in an effort to sell product. So when I read that I can't help but wonder which era of his career does Prince consider a sellout. However, it's very possible that Prince has a different definition of the word in mind. This was his first album as a "free" artist so maybe he considers his years as a WB artist as a sellout and that never again will he be under someone else's thumb. Does anyone have any thoughts on what exactly he meant?

rialb said:

In the Emancipation booklet there is a little blurb after each song. Presumably these were written by Prince. The blurb after "White Mansion" reads as follows:

In a perfect universe-dreams come true. Sellout? neveragain!

Now, when I read the word "sellout" I think of an artist that compromises their vision in an effort to sell product. So when I read that I can't help but wonder which era of his career does Prince consider a sellout. However, it's very possible that Prince has a different definition of the word in mind. This was his first album as a "free" artist so maybe he considers his years as a WB artist as a sellout and that never again will he be under someone else's thumb. Does anyone have any thoughts on what exactly he meant?

it could be what you said ^^^

or it could be :cough: you know the other thing :cough:

Since the song talks about selling his publishing rights, I assume that's what he means by selling out. He'll never sell his publishing rights again.

Considering the time frame, and the subject matter, it's just Prince bitching about record companies, etc. Simple as that. It's hypocritical how he constantly bit the hand that fed him for years (that being Warner Bros Records), then he bit the other hand (by suing and bullying his fanbase repeatedly). Despite having a few valid points about owning master tapes or whatever, most of his rants fall on deaf ears, because even now he's seen as a brat w/ it all.

So the "sell out" is him probably having a record contract in general. Although as much as he's talking about how he'll never "beat that guy", meaning himself in the Purple Rain era, it could relate to that as well. I don't really see the Purple Rain thing being a sell out. First, he wanted it. Second, he made two other movies, a concert movie, and endless attempts at acting in his long form videos. He can't really belittle Purple Rain because it was his Thriller of sorts. He wanted it, he got it.

ernestsewell said:

Considering the time frame, and the subject matter, it's just Prince bitching about record companies, etc. Simple as that. It's hypocritical how he constantly bit the hand that fed him for years (that being Warner Bros Records), then he bit the other hand (by suing and bullying his fanbase repeatedly). Despite having a few valid points about owning master tapes or whatever, most of his rants fall on deaf ears, because even now he's seen as a brat w/ it all.

So the "sell out" is him probably having a record contract in general. Although as much as he's talking about how he'll never "beat that guy", meaning himself in the Purple Rain era, it could relate to that as well. I don't really see the Purple Rain thing being a sell out. First, he wanted it. Second, he made two other movies, a concert movie, and endless attempts at acting in his long form videos. He can't really belittle Purple Rain because it was his Thriller of sorts. He wanted it, he got it.

, Spot on post!

Efan said:

Since the song talks about selling his publishing rights, I assume that's what he means by selling out. He'll never sell his publishing rights again.

he owns the publishing to most of his songs. It was advice that either Chris Moon or Owen Husney gave him. And that lead to Prince's first company Encrip Music.

OnlyNDaUsa said:

Efan said:

Since the song talks about selling his publishing rights, I assume that's what he means by selling out. He'll never sell his publishing rights again.

he owns the publishing to most of his songs. It was advice that either Chris Moon or Owen Husney gave him. And that lead to Prince's first company Encrip Music.

Another claim coming from thin air.

He did NOT own the publishing of those WB-released songs. This lyric had nothing to do with Chris Moon or Owen Husney.

Spinlight said:

OnlyNDaUsa said:

he owns the publishing to most of his songs. It was advice that either Chris Moon or Owen Husney gave him. And that lead to Prince's first company Encrip Music.

Another claim coming from thin air.

are you are confusing ownership of the Master recordings with publishing?

He did NOT own the publishing of those WB-released songs. This lyric had nothing to do with Chris Moon or Owen Husney.

yeah one one of them suggested he start a publishing company to help protect his publishig rights. and that is when prince started Ecnirp Music

OnlyNDaUsa said:

Efan said:

Since the song talks about selling his publishing rights, I assume that's what he means by selling out. He'll never sell his publishing rights again.

he owns the publishing to most of his songs. It was advice that either Chris Moon or Owen Husney gave him. And that lead to Prince's first company Encrip Music.

No, he does not. He owns from Emancipation onward, except the two or three WB albums released post-1996. Having your name or imprint as publishing on a song doesn't mean you own it outright. It means you have some say so over it, and you get royalties.

ernestsewell said:

OnlyNDaUsa said:

he owns the publishing to most of his songs. It was advice that either Chris Moon or Owen Husney gave him. And that lead to Prince's first company Encrip Music.

No, he does not. He owns from Emancipation onward, except the two or three WB albums released post-1996. Having your name or imprint as publishing on a song doesn't mean you own it outright. It means you have some say so over it, and you get royalties.

are you aure you are not confusing publishing with the masters? Not at all the same thing, even if like copyrights they may have some overlap.

Publishing is really more of an administrative thing. If prince did not own the publishing to them why would he have the publishing companies?

OnlyNDaUsa said:

ernestsewell said:

No, he does not. He owns from Emancipation onward, except the two or three WB albums released post-1996. Having your name or imprint as publishing on a song doesn't mean you own it outright. It means you have some say so over it, and you get royalties.

are you aure you are not confusing publishing with the masters? Not at all the same thing, even if like copyrights they may have some overlap.

Publishing is really more of an administrative thing. If prince did not own the publishing to them why would he have the publishing companies?

Actually, publishers get a cut of the profits and Prince's publishing deal was with Warner Brothers until 1999.

rialb said:

In the Emancipation booklet there is a little blurb after each song. Presumably these were written by Prince. The blurb after "White Mansion" reads as follows:

In a perfect universe-dreams come true. Sellout? neveragain!

Now, when I read the word "sellout" I think of an artist that compromises their vision in an effort to sell product. So when I read that I can't help but wonder which era of his career does Prince consider a sellout. However, it's very possible that Prince has a different definition of the word in mind. This was his first album as a "free" artist so maybe he considers his years as a WB artist as a sellout and that never again will he be under someone else's thumb. Does anyone have any thoughts on what exactly he meant?

This kind of reminds me of P's most comercially successful albums. It seems that after 'Purple Rain' he did a 180 on the direction of his music. The follow up to that album was A.T.W.I.A.D. which is only 'liked' by the hardcore fans of Prince & The Revolution. Once P left WB, that when I tought he wasn't 'selling out' anymore, if you wanna use that term. The question is: how much has changed after he left WB, he still shop'd his previous albums with a few labels known and unknow. LoTUSFLOW3R and 20Ten were just NPG Records releases. I have to think a bit more about this. Thanks for bringing it up ...

This reminds me of my B*Boy (Hip Hop) days when we were quick to call someone a sellout or that they were selling out ...

Bottom line Prince is a very confused individual with mulitple personality disorder IMO.

Farfunknugin said:

Bottom line Prince is a very confused individual with mulitple personality disorder IMO.

I doubt very much that you're a doctor or have any sort of professional training to the extent that you can diagnose a man you have never met and don't know on a personal level with Multiple Personality Disorder. So the "O" in IMO is rendered invalid.

ernestsewell said:

Farfunknugin said:

Bottom line Prince is a very confused individual with mulitple personality disorder IMO.

I doubt very much that you're a doctor or have any sort of professional training to the extent that you can diagnose a man you have never met and don't know on a personal level with Multiple Personality Disorder. So the "O" in IMO is rendered invalid.

prince diagnosed himself!

OnlyNDaUsa said:

ernestsewell said:

I doubt very much that you're a doctor or have any sort of professional training to the extent that you can diagnose a man you have never met and don't know on a personal level with Multiple Personality Disorder. So the "O" in IMO is rendered invalid.

prince diagnosed himself!

If you are ever in need of a psycholgical examination would you trust Prince to carry it out and would you accept his diagnosis? I didn't think so.

rialb said:

OnlyNDaUsa said:

prince diagnosed himself!

If you are ever in need of a psycholgical examination would you trust Prince to carry it out and would you accept his diagnosis? I didn't think so.

I am not sure I would accept his diag but I would not turn now the chance to discuss it with him.