Annie Christian & SOTT spring to mind and erm... nope, struggling with this one. Dear Mr Man too maybe. He only alludes to real life events rarely. Prince likes to write his own stories.

[Edited 5/6/14 14:39pm]

Chelsea Rogers.

"Rome was chilling in Carthage in 33 BCE"

it's going down y'all, like the wall of berlin

family name and avalanche

he also mentioned two of the darkest pages in human history in "muse 2 the pharaoh"

but i suppose we'd better not open up that can of worms again.

the sacrifice of victor and dreamer both mention the murder of dr king.

segregation is mentioned, or alluded to in both "mountains" and "the sacrifice of victor"

in more of a historical/geographical setting than mentions of it in "sexuality" and many

other songs (the allusion to Apartheid in afrika on Mountains and the parents putting

their children together on the bus in Victor) so i'd count it as a historical event.

old skool company mentions the 700 billion government bail out

when the banks collapsed on us just a few years ago

the verse in money don't matter 2nite about sending children off to war

and controlling the oil is a reference to the gulf war.

there's also "S.S.T./Brand New Orleans" about hurricane Katrina and it's aftermath.

Ronnie Talk 2 Russia...

Kids today will ask "Who the hell is Ronnie?"

I was reading the lyrics to The War today, and found this:

Batter up, pitcher down

What your teachers say, it ain't sound

Pledge allegiance 2 your flag

U tie me 2 a truck, 'n' then U drag

The last line refers to the horrific torture and murder of James Byrd Jr, who was dragged by truck by white supremacists.

I believe the release was very close to the murder, chilling to hear then and now.

Chas said:

Ppenguin said:

IstenSzek said:

segregation is mentioned, or alluded to in both "mountains" and "the sacrifice of victor"

in more of a historical/geographical setting than mentions of it in "sexuality" and many

other songs (the allusion to Apartheid in afrika on Mountains and the parents putting

their children together on the bus in Victor) so i'd count it as a historical event.

No disrespect but a single line about something here or there in a song isn't really deep or really memorable. It's not something he does particularly well or can do now with much conviction or credibility from his watchtower in Princeworld.

unkleg said:

I was reading the lyrics to The War today, and found this:

Batter up, pitcher down

What your teachers say, it ain't sound

Pledge allegiance 2 your flag

U tie me 2 a truck, 'n' then U drag

The last line refers to the horrific torture and murder of James Byrd Jr, who was dragged by truck by white supremacists.

I believe the release was very close to the murder, chilling to hear then and now.

I don't think he was referring to one case in particular. Happened a lot. Still happens now. Seem to remember South African police doing it to one of their own quite recently. Unbelievable.

Marrk said:

unkleg said:

I was reading the lyrics to The War today, and found this:

Batter up, pitcher down

What your teachers say, it ain't sound

Pledge allegiance 2 your flag

U tie me 2 a truck, 'n' then U drag

The last line refers to the horrific torture and murder of James Byrd Jr, who was dragged by truck by white supremacists.

I believe the release was very close to the murder, chilling to hear then and now.

I don't think he was referring to one case in particular. Happened a lot. Still happens now. Seem to remember South African police doing it to one of their own quite recently. Unbelievable.

Since "The War" was recorded two weeks after James Byrd, Jr's murder, and the firestorm of media coverage that followed, I'd say that is most definitely what he's referencing.

renfield said:

Marrk said:

I don't think he was referring to one case in particular. Happened a lot. Still happens now. Seem to remember South African police doing it to one of their own quite recently. Unbelievable.

Since "The War" was recorded two weeks after James Byrd, Jr's murder, and the firestorm of media coverage that followed, I'd say that is most definitely what he's referencing.

Definitely.

What about the 'Moors in Spain?' or was that a poem? Prince scholars...kindly clarfy this. Thanks in advance.

[Edited 5/9/14 9:03am]

it's nice of the original poster to be so involved in this thread though, i find that heart warming

renfield said:

Marrk said:

I don't think he was referring to one case in particular. Happened a lot. Still happens now. Seem to remember South African police doing it to one of their own quite recently. Unbelievable.

Since "The War" was recorded two weeks after James Byrd, Jr's murder, and the firestorm of media coverage that followed, I'd say that is most definitely what he's referencing.

I stand corrected. I don't recall that making the news this side of the pond at all for some reason. That's horrible.

A lot of "Sign O' the Times"--particularly:

"It's silly, no?
When a rocket ship explodes and everybody still wants to fly "


Referring of course to the Challenger explosion in 1986.

Cinnamon Girl

growing levels of anti-Muslim attitudes,

'911 turned that all around'

'war on terror alibi'