i've been reading a few articles of susan rogers hating this song... does anyone else completeley disagree with her?

I thought she thought it was weird...

I like it, it had a feel of an album comprised of

Splash

Go

Adonis & Bathsheba

Wonderful Ass

and a few others.

It's an interesting little number isn't it? Yet more evidence of how prolific and experimental Prince was in 1986. We only have the 1:20 snippet though don't we? I wonder how it progressed after that.

What really interests me though is the two titular figures of the song, one from Greek mythology and the other from the bible. I wonder why Prince chose to juxtapose those two specific figures, they seem like a rather strange fit, and I must confess that I'd never even heard of Bathsheba before learning of the song. I did grow up in a non-Christian household though, so maybe that's why I was unfamiliar with her.

RaspBerryGirlFriend said:

It's an interesting little number isn't it? Yet more evidence of how prolific and experimental Prince was in 1986. We only have the 1:20 snippet though don't we? I wonder how it progressed after that.

What really interests me though is the two titular figures of the song, one from Greek mythology and the other from the bible. I wonder why Prince chose to juxtapose those two specific figures, they seem like a rather strange fit, and I must confess that I'd never even heard of Bathsheba before learning of the song. I did grow up in a non-Christian household though, so maybe that's why I was unfamiliar with her.

Yes it is

I know, I want to search for more info on that, maybe we can ask Lisa or Susan Rogers

A lot of people have the wrong understanding of Bathsheba so I wonder how he connected Adonis with her

Love it

artist76 said:

So, he's contemplated the Bathsheba story for years before his whole theory that he was being "punished" like King David (with the death of his son). Interesting.

May I ask how familiar the average American (not that can really have an average American, given the enormous cultural and social variation in the country, but you know what I mean ) would be with the story of Bathsheba? Like I said, I hadn't even heard of her, and I believe it would the same for my friends here in the UK (I haven't bothered to ask, but she ain't exactly Jesus in terms of a big biblical name) and so for me she seemed like a rather obscure figure for Prince to reference, but maybe she's a common feature of Sunday school or something. Or maybe I'm just incredibly ignorant.

The song is Excellent.

RaspBerryGirlFriend said:

artist76 said:

So, he's contemplated the Bathsheba story for years before his whole theory that he was being "punished" like King David (with the death of his son). Interesting.

May I ask how familiar the average American (not that can really have an average American, given the enormous cultural and social variation in the country, but you know what I mean ) would be with the story of Bathsheba? Like I said, I hadn't even heard of her, and I believe it would the same for my friends here in the UK (I haven't bothered to ask, but she ain't exactly Jesus in terms of a big biblical name) and so for me she seemed like a rather obscure figure for Prince to reference, but maybe she's a common feature of Sunday school or something. Or maybe I'm just incredibly ignorant.

I would think she's fairly well-known among Bible-reading folks. Among people with a more Biblically literalist background (as I believe Prince's was)--well, then, she's a good example of what can happen when you let lust dictate your behavior.

Now, the whole Adonis thing seems weirder. Do we have complete lyrics anywhere?

EddieC said:

artist76 said:

EddieC said:

I would think she's fairly well-known among Bible-reading folks. Among people with a more Biblically literalist background (as I believe Prince's was)--well, then, she's a good example of what can happen when you let lust dictate your behavior.

Now, the whole Adonis thing seems weirder. Do we have complete lyrics anywhere?

The story of Bathsheba is/was very well-known in Western civilization outside of "Bible-reading folks." There are countless famous paintings of her, including by Rembrandt (hanging in the louvre), Peter Paul Rubens, and William Blake. There are countless pieces of great literary works about her and her & David, and movies including one with Gregory Peck and Susan Hayward, and it's possible this is how Prince first learned the story, since he likes old movies. There are countless works also based on David's Psalm 51 in which he repents for his sin of lusting after her and causing her husband to be killed. Prince is most likely familiar with this psalm, either from attending SDA churches and/or later when he went through his spiritual change around 1998-2000, when he likened himself to David in an interview. These lines are in songs that I know are sung in (SDA) churches: "Make me a clean heart, O God: and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from Thy presence: and take not Thy Holy Spirit from me" and "For Thou desirest no sacrifice, else would I give it Thee: but Thou delightest not in burnt-offerings. The sacrifice of God is a troubled spirit: a broken and contrite heart, O God, shalt Thou not despise." The juxtaposition of Adonis with Bathsheba is a little peculiar, but from the snippet of lyrics, it seems pRince is painting some erotic scene between a very beautiful, sensual man and woman, so maybe he's using the names not as the actual mythical figures, but as general terms: a man as handsome as an Adonis (the general meaning of the word as a perfect physical specimen of man) and a woman as alluring as Bathsheba (the general meaning referring to a beautiful irresistible woman, like a siren). It could also be that he has heard of David compared to an Adonis, particularly Michelangelo's sculpture of him. Typo edit [Edited 6/26/14 16:51pm]

Actually, the point about David's use in art (esp. Michelangelo) is a good one. I tend to think of the older David who can't even get warmed up when they bring the best looking woman to his bed--but in his youth he was supposed to be pretty attractive.

But if he'd just release it, we might know even better.

artist76 said:

EddieC said:

I would think she's fairly well-known among Bible-reading folks. Among people with a more Biblically literalist background (as I believe Prince's was)--well, then, she's a good example of what can happen when you let lust dictate your behavior.

Now, the whole Adonis thing seems weirder. Do we have complete lyrics anywhere?

The story of Bathsheba is/was very well-known in Western civilization outside of "Bible-reading folks." There are countless famous paintings of her, including by Rembrandt (hanging in the louvre), Peter Paul Rubens, and William Blake. There are countless pieces of great literary works about her and her & David, and movies including one with Gregory Peck and Susan Hayward, and it's possible this is how Prince first learned the story, since he likes old movies. There are countless works also based on David's Psalm 51 in which he repents for his sin of lusting after her and causing her husband to be killed. Prince is most likely familiar with this psalm, either from attending SDA churches and/or later when he went through his spiritual change around 1998-2000, when he likened himself to David in an interview. These lines are in songs that I know are sung in (SDA) churches: "Make me a clean heart, O God: and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from Thy presence: and take not Thy Holy Spirit from me" and "For Thou desirest no sacrifice, else would I give it Thee: but Thou delightest not in burnt-offerings. The sacrifice of God is a troubled spirit: a broken and contrite heart, O God, shalt Thou not despise." The juxtaposition of Adonis with Bathsheba is a little peculiar, but from the snippet of lyrics, it seems pRince is painting some erotic scene between a very beautiful, sensual man and woman, so maybe he's using the names not as the actual mythical figures, but as general terms: a man as handsome as an Adonis (the general meaning of the word as a perfect physical specimen of man) and a woman as alluring as Bathsheba (the general meaning referring to a beautiful irresistible woman, like a siren). It could also be that he has heard of David compared to an Adonis, particularly Michelangelo's sculpture of him. Typo edit [Edited 6/26/14 16:51pm]

Thank you for the information, it seems like a big gap in my biblical knowledge, maybe I should actually continue my aborted project to actually read the damn. I got to the end of the Pentateuch but got no further as it was pretty hard going. A lot of people nowadays tend to emphasise how the Old Testament is a hotbed of sex and violence, possible as a contrarian way of dispelling the notion of the Bible as a fusty old religious text. That stuff is certainly in there, but they neglect to mention how it also contains page after page of stuff like God's painstakingly detailed description of how the Tabernacle should be built. After getting through that I never wanted to hear the word "cubit" again.

Anyway, to get back on track, I do wish that all these fabulously weird and playful tracks like this and Cosmic Day are one day collected together in some kind of '86 Sessions box set. That period of Prince's music is far too interesting to just consign a few tracks to a SOTT bonus disc remaster. The music deserves so much more than that.

The 2nd half has incredible guitar in it, for sure.

1nonly said:

The 2nd half has incredible guitar in it, for sure.

Oh you little tease.

RaspBerryGirlFriend said:

1nonly said:

The 2nd half has incredible guitar in it, for sure.

Oh you little tease.

Oh really?! Quiz me.

Beautiful. Also sounds like the song "Crucial" .

kae510 said:

Beautiful. Also sounds like the song "Crucial" .

But the guitar parts truly outshine in A&B over Crucial. I'll say this much, Susan (engineer) was totally wrong about this track. From beginning to end it is a beautiful song, especially considering the first half of the song has all the lyrics, with the second half being played out and "sung" with only music.

kae510 said:

Beautiful. Also sounds like the song "Crucial" .

But the guitar parts truly outshine in A&B over Crucial. I'll say this much, Susan (engineer) was totally wrong about this track. From beginning to end it is a beautiful song, especially considering the first half of the song has all the lyrics, with the second half being played out and "sung" with only music.