Let's face it folks: Prince never was your typical 80's american pop-star. Some say that he's ashamed of being black (), but that's only the tip of the iceberg...

Fisrt, he wrote those sexual/liberated/challenging lyrics during the DM era, then he complained about the stupid/magnified controversy they stirred in his follow-up album called "Controversy" (no less) which also included sensible topics like gun control, death-penalty or sex as the only way in tracks like Sexuality or Anne Christian

then, with the 1999 album, he still had some things to say about american culture/society/gov with tracks like 1999, All the Critics, LCD ("this is for"..., etc) or LPWM. And, was Free honest to begin with?

his so-called "mainstream" album/movie, PR, was in fact a personal project about Prince "surpassing" american limitations and being better? than the rest ("let ME guide you...", "Baby I'M a star", "I'M something YOU'll never understand"). He even dropped his sperm (symbolically) on the audience during the last scene! What does that tell you?

ATWIAD was easily his big F*CK YOU to those mainstream fans that listened to him back in the day just because LRC and WDC/LGC were catchy. The album also has telling lyrics about Prince living in his personal, perfect, little, isolated country (Paisley Park), about his desire of getting in touch with other cultures (title-track), about his obsession with the afterlife Ladder/Temptation (a life better than american wordly life?), about mid-80s american culture (Pop Life) or a straight, bitter critic to his own country (America).

So, it was unsurprising that his new project (album/movie) was set in France, center of the vastly superior/more liberated (let's face it) european culture. And it's not surprising that the project was more successful in Europe than in America. With SOTT he was still thinking as a bitter american. The title-track's lyrics are the thoughts of an american complaining about the sorry state of his country. In fact, the whole SOTT album is bleak and/or desperate... And it's telling that he didn't tour the US in 1987...He was the Bride of Europe back then...

Then he tried to release an all-funk album that could have worked very well in america but he rejected it because he thought it was evil/uneven (did he think that America was in 1987/88 simple and evil?); instead he released an spiritual/desperate/preachy album that tried to SAVE/GUIDE american society and once again the album worked better in Europe.

He was suddenly in dire need of cash $ so he made, during the 89-91 era, a councious effort to win back the "garrulous" american mainstream audience with sellout/pop-rock albums like Batman/GB/D&P. The trick worked, but he was probably ashamed of himself. In 1992, his attempt at releasing something commercial and visionary at the same time flopped (sort of) so he didn't know what to do...A hits compilation, wow...

Come can be seen as the death of the old Prince. He was ashamed/deeply depressed. He had sacrifized his respectability in the early-90s just for some american mainstream cash. His late-80s european-inspired message was lost. He rebelled against his own big label (a very un-american move). It was the end of the road. He could have retired in 1994. He had said it all, to no avail. The title of the album is basically a tombstone, lol. It's telling that Prince used a pic of the Sagrada Familia (in case you didn't know) in Barcelona (another center of european culture) as the front cover. Hell, Prince deciced to "die" and be "buried" in Europe!! So, the old Prince is buried in Barcelona for all I care...

the man who "resurrected", , was a different man, a man with no past obsessed with modern-R&B/R.Kelly. No, that was not Prince. The real Prince truly resurrected in 2001 as a born-again JW, which is hardly american mainstream christianity, right?

Some would say that Musicology/3121 were sellout/mainstream albums (they are) but after that short ($$$) era he "betrayed" american mainstream culture again when he released his new albums (PE, LF-MPLS, 20Ten) via english newspapers and european distributors. Ha! Remember those rumours about him buyin' a lil mansion in France?? lol And 20Ten is still no physically available in the US!!!!

Conclusion: his wallet is in America (sellout albums, recent american tours), his soul is in The Tower, is heart is in Minneapolis and his mind is in Europe. My God, and some people still wonder why he isn't a superstar in the US anymore...

Just sayin'....

[Edited 8/26/11 6:46am]

I dunno.

^deep down, you do

[Edited 8/26/11 6:45am]

I look at the early to mid-80's as a time when the "Bristish Invasion," was still heavily upon us musically. The "weekends," where I grew up were "Rocky Horror Picture Show's" at midnight.

We all did it...brought the rice...dressed on the risque or flambuoyant side and did the "Time Warp." There were gay guy's around but the straight guys did it too. Music and Dress and Art were about making a statement for freedom. Prince's "Uptown," just goes to show the he was the American musician saying the same thing the Brit's were saying...

From the "Flock of Seaguls," to "Duran Duran," The dresscode naturally matured as well.

prince has always been disgusted with american society and rightly so .. its disgusting .. mindless sheep who ignore the fact that america is bombing the fuck out of the world on a daily basis .. who would not be disgusted .. americans thats who .. at the same time .. around the name change period .. prince souled out to the devil .. he was no longer a voice of reason in babylon .. instead he became what he despised .. his lyrics turned from honest thought provoking and passionate to empty bragging and posturing .. he became the self bloated american he despised .. promoting love of wealth and superficiality instead of the real truth .. his jw stance comes more from a place of projecting his superiority than from a place of sharing his thoughts .. perhaps it all stems from fear and justification for his now very superficial life style .. or major insecurity at the fact that he can't sell records for shit anymore .. he's not in europe because he wants to be .. he is there because his rebellious and intelligent fans no longer respect him in america, and his music isn't even good enough to attract the stupid 'buy anything' american audience anymore .. was he ashamed? definately yes .. is he ashamed now? no .. he embraces american superficial culture now .. he is only ashamed that american culture no longer embraces him .. and he wants back in big time .. why else would he sell his crap music at target instead of mom and pop record stores .. or put his crap songs in a verizon comercial instead of releasing a single that is worthy of word of mouth credibility .. he is ready to take the easy (american) way out and he's pissed off the media and his fans so bad that they wont let him .. so now he's run away to europe

"Europe" is seen by many pop artists as a symbol of freedom and creativity. Just look at David Bowie and U2, for example.

Post-Purple Rain Prince had more success in Europe with albums that were demanding and brave more than radio-friendly. He challenged his audiences during the 80's, and Europeans followed him more than United States citizens (I don't use the incorrect and arrogant term "Americans").

TrevorAyer said:

prince has always been disgusted with american society and rightly so .. its disgusting .. mindless sheep who ignore the fact that america is bombing the fuck out of the world on a daily basis .. who would not be disgusted .. americans thats who ..

he was no longer a voice of reason in babylon .. instead he became what he despised .. his lyrics turned from honest thought provoking and passionate to empty bragging and posturing .. he became the self bloated american he despised .. promoting love of wealth and superficiality instead of the real truth .. his jw stance comes more from a place of projecting his superiority than from a place of sharing his thoughts .. perhaps it all stems from fear and justification for his now very superficial life style .. or major insecurity at the fact that he can't sell records for shit anymore ..

don't turn this thread into some P&R crazy thread, or I'll fist you

I agree with the bolded part of your post though...

Aren't most people ashamed of American society?

NouveauDance said:

Aren't most people ashamed of American society?

Don't forget the comment he made about the Japanese audience thAt returned tambourines to the seats they were placed on after the concert.

Songs like "Free" and "America" prove that Prince was very patriotic back in the 80's. And proud of it.

And Imago told me that Prince's ridicule of blue cheese in "Animal Kingdom" proves that he hates European culture.

rdhull said:

Don't forget the comment he made about the Japanese audience thAt returned tambourines to the seats they were placed on after the concert.

Because no one told them they could keep them, right?

From the ONA NYC soundcheck?

TheDigitalGardener said:

rdhull said:

Don't forget the comment he made about the Japanese audience thAt returned tambourines to the seats they were placed on after the concert.

Because no one told them they could keep them, right?

From the ONA NYC soundcheck?

Something akin to that, I don't remember.

This is a very interesting post and I agree to some extent, although I think that you're reading a bit too much into the whole thing.

Prince was very patriotic, but more in a stylish kind of way. He loves Minneapolis, because it's quirky to love a small city buried in snow, especially as a black man.

He simply can't/doesn't want to identify with a superficial, McDonald's-loving, consumption-driven, importunate, anti-sophisticated society (which the U.S. represent in many cases, unfortunately), and that's something I completely endorse.

He just does it in a very subtle and careful manner, so that no single person feels personally neglected and turns away from Prince fandom.

Dave1992 said:

This is a very interesting post and I agree to some extent, although I think that you're reading a bit too much into the whole thing.

Prince was very patriotic, but more in a stylish kind of way. He loves Minneapolis, because it's quirky to love a small city buried in snow, especially as a black man.

He simply can't/doesn't want to identify with a superficial, McDonald's-loving, consumption-driven, importunate, anti-sophisticated society (which the U.S. represent in many cases, unfortunately), and that's something I completely endorse.

He just does it in a very subtle and careful manner, so that no single person feels personally neglected and turns away from Prince fandom.

Fast Food check in the 80's: Chick said they used to eat KFC together, and upon landing at Heathrow in 1988, he took fans to McDonalds.

ufoclub said:

Dave1992 said:

This is a very interesting post and I agree to some extent, although I think that you're reading a bit too much into the whole thing.

Prince was very patriotic, but more in a stylish kind of way. He loves Minneapolis, because it's quirky to love a small city buried in snow, especially as a black man.

He simply can't/doesn't want to identify with a superficial, McDonald's-loving, consumption-driven, importunate, anti-sophisticated society (which the U.S. represent in many cases, unfortunately), and that's something I completely endorse.

He just does it in a very subtle and careful manner, so that no single person feels personally neglected and turns away from Prince fandom.

Fast Food check in the 80's: Chick said they used to eat KFC together, and upon landing at Heathrow in 1988, he took fans to McDonalds.

Of course, but how many of his "fans" (especially back then) really knew this? Very few.

And how many of them would associate Prince with fast food? Very few, I guess. That was actually my point.

ufoclub said:

Dave1992 said:

This is a very interesting post and I agree to some extent, although I think that you're reading a bit too much into the whole thing.

Prince was very patriotic, but more in a stylish kind of way. He loves Minneapolis, because it's quirky to love a small city buried in snow, especially as a black man.

He simply can't/doesn't want to identify with a superficial, McDonald's-loving, consumption-driven, importunate, anti-sophisticated society (which the U.S. represent in many cases, unfortunately), and that's something I completely endorse.

He just does it in a very subtle and careful manner, so that no single person feels personally neglected and turns away from Prince fandom.

Fast Food check in the 80's: Chick said they used to eat KFC together, and upon landing at Heathrow in 1988, he took fans to McDonalds.

And I remeber reading an early interview where he commented on standing outside of McDonalds (iirc) smelling the food and that making him angry as he was poor and couldn't afford it. If it was an actual statement fomr him as well.

Only he knows.

But I know this, Europe has a history long before his existence of embracing black musicians even after they lose their stardom, they're a very faithful audience. I've seen Roy Ayers twice, in DC and London, you wouldn't believe the uproarious ovation he got long before he played his first note, whereas in DC he got respectful but mild treatment.

Now, I'm not basing my thoughts on those only two incidents but it made me think about what those musicians said in their interviews about the contrast of treatment between the European and the American audience, over & over again.

Maybe he feels that way, or maybe he doesn't. But it makes me assume he does espechially when when most of the acclaim he got for albums such as Parade, Signs 'O' The Times and Lovesexy was from the European audience.