What's missing? You. You aren't a teenager anymore. Sorry to say it.

No, not a teenager any more...but I sure miss the plaintiveness, naivety, the searching spirituality, and the immediacy of songs like Controversy...and even heart-felt songs from Emancipation such as "Somebody's Somebody"....

skywalker said:

What's missing? You. You aren't a teenager anymore. Sorry to say it.

True. That's why fams like me would like to hear more of the new stuff live.

1989 and Maika B. crawling across my bedroom floor in her black panties! That's what's missing.

HonestMan13 said:

1989 and Maika B. crawling across my bedroom floor in her black panties! That's what's missing.

Wouldn't that be sight to see P crawling across a floor again in black panties?

ABANDON

johnart said:

ABANDON

Is that the name of the next Prince album...because it appears as if no one wants to have a real conversation about the original subject!

evidence that he really give's a rat's ass about what critics or

never-satisfied "fans" have to say...

which makes it so damn funky and enticing

[Edited 11/19/10 21:21pm]

purplethunder3121 said:

Silkilove said:

A sense of wonder is missing.

His music is amazing, but he's chasing me away with preachiness. It's hard to separate the music from the lyrics, so I struggle with him being such a talent, but making it harder to appreciate it due to his preachiness.

Earlier releases seemed to be searching for answers and questioning, which many can relate to. Now, he has all the answers/truth.

Anna Stesia and Elephants and Flowers brought me closer to wanting to know more about Christ and the Lord from a Christian perspective than anything on "The Rainbow Children." The you've got it wrong and I've found the light argument just makes me roll my eyes.

The questioning and searching...as well as musical exploration are the elements I miss the most. But I'm still gonna go see P perform in December! So glad he is still out there...wherever that may be!

Anna Stesia and Elephants and Flowers brought me closer to wanting to know more about Christ and the Lord from a Christian perspective than anything on "The Rainbow Children." The you've got it wrong and I've found the light argument just makes me roll my eyes.

I couldn't agree with you more. Although TRC is one of my favorite releases, it doesn't make me question.

I dont think anything was missing on 2010, Lotus, or MPLS. To me they are great Prince music. Lotus would be on my classics list. 2010 has some superb moments such as Beginning Endlessly. That set of songs sounds like various moments from his entire career. I mean I dont like every song on his eighties cd's. I would like to see him go in a more sort of Black Sweat direction. That song was fresh yet had Prince stamped all over it. He should do some harder edged dance tracks and throw in some heavy guitar, but not the Hendrix style. Think Electric chair meets Black Sweat with a rock guitar.

Oh yea and more straight ahead rock tracks like Lion of Judah. What can I say I love new Prince even if that makes me the underdog. I just wish he performed the new stuff.

NouveauDance said:

Melody, rhythm, care and passion.

Yes........ That will be my final answer!

I like 20Ten

But: of course the older music is so much better,

What's missing in recent music is the Prince sound.

People who enjoy it.

minneapolisFunq said:

Vintage synth patches

cuz today-music for P is business only-paying staff-mortgages etc-all takes cash......

whereas 20 yrs ago it was all about the passion for it-age and religion has all but killed his passion

so now-it keeps him in designer threads n limo's and pays the bills

and it kinda shows

Ambition

A good producer.

Something worthwhile to say. ( I think hes been on a loop the last 10ish years)

[Edited 11/20/10 6:38am]

yes, it is in the producing that he has lost it.

his melody's, his ideas, his lyrics, his virtuosity; it is all still there.

but the production are awfull.

that is wahy the last twenty years his DEMO'S are still magic...

vitalbacon said:

yes, it is in the producing that he has lost it.

his melody's, his ideas, his lyrics, his virtuosity; it is all still there.

but the production are awfull.

that is wahy the last twenty years his DEMO'S are still magic...

3121 and LotusFlow3r are two of the best produced albums of the second half of the 00s

Introspection

Beautiful strange wierdness

Flying the freak flag

Well written stories. Look at his really great tracks:

When U were mine

Strange Relationship

Joy in repetition

I could never take the place of your man.

That's just the first 4 off the top of my head. All have a simple, interesting story that people can relate to.

I can't relate to:

Beginning Endlessly

Compassion

Sea of Everything

Laydown.

Purple & Gold.

The only person that can get a meaningful tale out of those songs is the guy who wrote them in purple crayon.

Music is music.....perhaps it is the fans' tastes that have changed, and not the quality of the music.

Time changes folks, and not only Prince. Look within.

Personally, I can't wait until the new music hits my ears...the brotha's still got it.

And, as a bonus, i get to listen to all of his old stuff too!

Mo betta, mo betta...

erik319 said:

Well written stories. Look at his really great tracks:

When U were mine

Strange Relationship

Joy in repetition

I could never take the place of your man.

That's just the first 4 off the top of my head. All have a simple, interesting story that people can relate to.

I can't relate to:

Beginning Endlessly

Compassion

Sea of Everything

Laydown.

Purple & Gold.

The only person that can get a meaningful tale out of those songs is the guy who wrote them in purple crayon.

funny...but he's always written non-sensical stuff....that's art....it's up to your interpretation to determine the meaning...

Better With Time has a great message/story....one of his best songs of all time (and it's recent)

Revolution said:

erik319 said:

Well written stories. Look at his really great tracks:

When U were mine

Strange Relationship

Joy in repetition

I could never take the place of your man.

That's just the first 4 off the top of my head. All have a simple, interesting story that people can relate to.

I can't relate to:

Beginning Endlessly

Compassion

Sea of Everything

Laydown.

Purple & Gold.

The only person that can get a meaningful tale out of those songs is the guy who wrote them in purple crayon.

funny...but he's always written non-sensical stuff....that's art....it's up to your interpretation to determine the meaning...

Better With Time has a great message/story....one of his best songs of all time (and it's recent)

I agree. But the non-sensical tracks were generally in the minority and hailed as daring and strange.

Nowaydays, 9 out of 10 tracks on one of his albums are whimsical bollocks and only one makes any sort of sense.

He's like Picasso when he discovered cubism. He's forgotten that he can actually paint and instead likes to create stuff that only has meaning to him.

Greatness, risk-taking, enthusiasm, youth, sex, Wendy, Lisa, mojo, hunger...shall we go on???

Inspiration. Joy. Fresh ideas. Great lyrics.

erik319 said:

Revolution said:

funny...but he's always written non-sensical stuff....that's art....it's up to your interpretation to determine the meaning...

Better With Time has a great message/story....one of his best songs of all time (and it's recent)

I agree. But the non-sensical tracks were generally in the minority and hailed as daring and strange.

Nowaydays, 9 out of 10 tracks on one of his albums are whimsical bollocks and only one makes any sort of sense.

He's like Picasso when he discovered cubism. He's forgotten that he can actually paint and instead likes to create stuff that only has meaning to him.

I can't believe the org has it's first Prince comparison to Picasso!! Love it!

(Hi, Erik! xoxo)

I would personally like to compare Prince to God. He always thinks he's right. He doesn't have favorites among his children (songs), even the suck-y ones. Every time he speaks, you can't figure out what the hell he just said. And his followers vary from casual fans to crazies.

My answer to the OP's questions is the same as Quasar...inspiration is lacking. He's made himself too much of a recluse and can no longer write meaningful lyrics that the world can indentify with.

[Edited 11/20/10 13:41pm]

Warner Brothers

I think experimentation is missing from his recent music, while the songs in themselves are well crafted and often catchy, they don't offer anything new or anything memorable or surprising... it'd be nice if he learned how to write in waltz time or some new guitar techniques... i also think a real good concept album would be a good way to go for him

bonnie184 said:

Warner Brothers

And more cowbell.