Prince has done a lot of cover songs live recently which is cool. Why does he get mad when other's cover his songs.I think prince should relax a bit

rusty1 said:

Prince has done a lot of cover songs live recently which is cool. Why does he get mad when other's cover his songs.I think prince should relax a bit

Yes, Prince has lost his mind; but I disagree with the bolded part. Enough with all the covers already, he's supposed to be an artist, not a Sly Stone tribute band.

And he gets mad about others covering his songs because he's a control freak. That, and he likes to keep himself in the news, and apparently saying crazy shit is the only way for him to do that...

[Edited 7/19/11 21:17pm]

He doesn't get mad when people cover his songs. People should actually pay attention to what he says and not just bold headlines on the internet.

Paris9748430 said:

he definitely seems to have issue with people covering his music and putting it out on print, more so than those who cover his songs in a live environment. thing is though, he has also covered people and put it out on print. just more of the non-sensical idiocy of the man

Pricking the Balloon of Prince's Pomposity

I thought his problem was studio covers not live covers? I mean, this is an issue of $$$ I think.

NouveauDance said:

I thought his problem was studio covers not live covers? I mean, this is an issue of $$$ I think.

You're probably right, but if that's the case, he needs to take a look at his past decade to see he's had a fair few of those himself. Case of U, Purple House, Crimson & Clover, Wild Thing, When Will We B Paid?...

Not to mention thelive stuff released physically on Indigo Nights & One Nite Alone Live.

Then there's the stuff like Colonized Mind that's just plain plagerism.

Still seems a little like 'Do as I say' not 'Do as I do' from the lil' guy.

NouveauDance said:

I thought his problem was studio covers not live covers? I mean, this is an issue of $$$ I think.

^

Crimson & Clover

Prince is guilty himself, doing covers on albums.

thedance said:

NouveauDance said:

I thought his problem was studio covers not live covers? I mean, this is an issue of $$$ I think.

^

Crimson & Clover

Prince is guilty himself, doing covers on albums.

And 4 covers on the Emancipation album .

LOL. I don't take it 2 seriously everyhing he said en did.

Nah. "Lost his mind" is a bit too much. It's not like there's been a rapid decline in the Prince intellect recently. He's quite consistent in that department. Which I reckon has been a good influence on how he made music.

It's dead simple: 1) He is a brilliant musician. A God given talent rarely seen on this planet. 2) He's a tosser. 3) Repeat.

It wouldn't suprise me the least if the next record from him comes in a month as an internet only release consisting of 14 covers with "better" lyrics.

Mainly because Prince's thoughts seem as together as a game of Kalah.

If you look at what he said on the Lopez show, it wasn't that he was against covers as such. More the fact that record companies could take his songs and do pretty much what they liked with them.

This is what he said "And it's okay when my friends ask to do them, but there's this thing called the compulsory license law, which allows artists, through the record companies, to take your music, at will, without your permission."

dearmrman said:

dearmrman said:

erik319 said:

dearmrman said:

If you look at what he said on the Lopez show, it wasn't that he was against covers as such. More the fact that record companies could take his songs and do pretty much what they liked with them.

This is what he said "And it's okay when my friends ask to do them, but there's this thing called the compulsory license law, which allows artists, through the record companies, to take your music, at will, without your permission."

... Like Prince did when he shoved the 'Kinks Wild Thing' into Crimson & Clover?

I think he only gets mad when someone who can't sing his song properly. I get mad when I hear people who do covers of Prince's and my other favorite singers songs and it does not sound right. For example, I like Tom Jones' music/singing; however, I did not like his cover of "kiss". It was bad, in my opinion.

I do not think he has lost his mind, but you have a point. I have often pondered this question myself...

let us not condemn him though, but accept him as an imperfect human being like the rest of us, who do not always make sense

NelsonR said:

I do not think he has lost his mind, but you have a point. I have often pondered this question myself...

let us not condemn him though, but accept him as an imperfect human being like the rest of us, who do not always make sense

Seriously, Tom Fucked up when he did the cover of "Kiss".

[Edited 7/20/11 9:36am]

erik319 said:

Paris9748430 said:

He doesn't get mad when people cover his songs. People should actually pay attention to what he says and not just bold headlines on the internet.

sadly, none of us are within earshot of the guy, so all we can do is read interviews he's given to magazines & papers. And in those, he's been quite vocal about his annoyance over covers. Even when it comes to people like Alicia Keys covering them...

Actually, he's been annoyed at people recording covers without asking him.....He's said as much in those interviews....Performing covers live has always been a part of Prince's shows since he was singing Joni Michell's "A Case Of You" or James' "Mother Popcorn" in the mid '80s...

I think fans at the Org have gone overboard with this particular talking point...actually, they have been quite intellectually dishonest or just plain clueless...

erik319 said:

NouveauDance said:

I thought his problem was studio covers not live covers? I mean, this is an issue of $$$ I think.

You're probably right, but if that's the case, he needs to take a look at his past decade to see he's had a fair few of those himself. Case of U, Purple House, Crimson & Clover, Wild Thing, When Will We B Paid?...

Not to mention thelive stuff released physically on Indigo Nights & One Nite Alone Live.

Then there's the stuff like Colonized Mind that's just plain plagerism.

Still seems a little like 'Do as I say' not 'Do as I do' from the lil' guy.

Curious - what is Colonized Mind copied from?

vman4639 said:

erik319 said:

You're probably right, but if that's the case, he needs to take a look at his past decade to see he's had a fair few of those himself. Case of U, Purple House, Crimson & Clover, Wild Thing, When Will We B Paid?...

Not to mention thelive stuff released physically on Indigo Nights & One Nite Alone Live.

Then there's the stuff like Colonized Mind that's just plain plagerism.

Still seems a little like 'Do as I say' not 'Do as I do' from the lil' guy.

Curious - what is Colonized Mind copied from?

I hope that the next singer who does a Prince cover will SING the song good and not mess it up.

Too many people sound shitty singing Prince songs. Trey Songz for example. I'd be mad too.

imago said:

Pricking the Balloon of Prince's Pomposity

Back in the late 80s, between the time Prince was sleeping with Jerome Benton and Cat(Kat), he intrigued me deeply. I mean, real deeply.

Here was a musician who reinvented himself more frequently than ever changing topography of the landscape that was Michael Jackson’s face. Where Maddona’s supposed reinventions involved a little bit of hair-dye and changing objects involved in simulated stage masturbation, Prince’s reinventions were far sweeping—every year brought a new look, a new color scheme, a new set of themes, and most importantly a new sound. And he did so with the frequency and ferociousness unrivalled by any of his peers.

Although Lady Gaga has allowed Prince to rest his laurels a wee bit, being that she has in a very short period of time emerged on the music scene as the musical heir of Mozart, a prodigal daughter whose various sonic textures exude a sense of ethereal genius, that if Prince were any other musician than who he is, would have long ago pricked the balloon of his transparent pomposity.

But, Prince is Prince. He’s been unusually untouchable in some sense. Although, he vacillates between being the critics Darling and the public’s ‘dark horse’, none of this seems to have curbed any eccentricities that he long ago displayed.

The worse of these, in my opinion is his inability to give a straight answer when interviewed. Additionally, his unwillingness to answer questions actually related to his craft while simultaneously claiming that he wants people to know his music rather than other nefarious aspects of the persona that is “Prince” only makes him appear even more socially awkward.

Has Prince ever given a good interview? Has he ever given an interview where he was completely honest all the way through? Look, we love Prince because he stands out among other musicians. Dare I even say it, I love the fact that he behaves differently from other musicians and the fact that he tends to intimidate other musicians to some extent. However, I do grow weary of the fact he still insist, at the age of 50 and with his makeup and various cosmetic enhancements with their waning degrees of effectiveness in keeping up the eternal youth illusion, this old man still tries to build a mystery for himself.

At 20 or 30, the dark horse is alluring. At 50, he’s creepy.

I’ve dated a guy a couple of years ago who insisted on building a mystery for himself as well, trying desperately to make everyone around him think that he was this sweet nice guy. In reality, he was no different than me—vain, critical, and very selfish. The only difference is that he still desperately clings to trying to promote that illusion. It’s a transparent veil. Prince’s transparent veil may or may not intrigue some of you. For me, the verdict is still out as to whether I find it interesting and humorous, if a bit sad—or whether I find it just strange and annoying. All that can be said is that I find it interesting enough..but mostly in a perplexing way.

Prince has always had repeating patterns in his life. In the late 80s he hooked up with Cat…In the 90s, he married Manie who resembled a mouse…And of course, Bria who sort of reminds me of a horse….the old MacDonald’s farm theme is a pattern. As is many things in his life.

I do fear that his inability to answer a question straight forward, and therefore allowing future books on the man to rely on speculation and conjecture, does him and his fans a disservice. Perhaps he’s not brave…Perhaps he’s not interested. Whatever his motivations, we’ll never know and only rely on the afore mentioned speculation. However, what a book an honest memoir would be!

Simulated Image Below of Prince and Bria Valente (in order to avoid cease and desist orders from WebSherrif)

No, theres nothing wrong with liking Lady Gaga. But overrating someone shouldnt become a habit, espcially when the majority of her songs just ooze unoriginiality with so many reused melodys and then theres just terrible overproduction and terrible lyricism.

MadamGoodnight said:

Too many people sound shitty singing Prince songs. Trey Songz for example. I'd be mad too.

Yes, Trey Songz was awful at last year's? BET awards. But, in all fairness, he sounds awful singing his our song.

I think Prince lives by a double-standard. It's okay when he covers, but not the next person.

Why all of a sudden is he having a go at Sinead O Conner???? ..."i bought a house with ur version of that song???...It almost sounds bitter/angry eye dont get it.O dear Princey...

who listens to prince?, if he's not playing guitar i'm out, shame on the writer for actually listening to prince long enough to comment.

rusty1 said:

Prince has done a lot of cover songs live recently which is cool. Why does he get mad when other's cover his songs.I think prince should relax a bit

Ties in with having no authority over people covering his songs. I think his issue with Foo Fighters was that he prob. didn't even know who they were or what songs they did, just getting word that some band covered "Darling Nikki" without his consent.

The "Nothing Compares 2 U" situation... keep in mind Roger Waters of Pink Floyd called HER "the most difficult artist he's ever worked with". Prince was pissed off someone covered a song he had wanted a protege to record, but she made it a #1 hit. You would think he'd be happy with it! But because she never went to ask him personally, it was seen as a backstab move. So when he chastized her, and you know he can be condescending, she spat in his face and all hell broke loose. She made it sound like she was some scared timid little girl, but she was Courtney Love crazy and defiant.