I was going to write you that Jack "U" Off is actually something he performed already during the Dirty Mind tour, but then found out that "Jack, You're Dead" is actually a really old song from the 1940s.

The similarities are undeniable. Prince has turned into a joke song, so I wouldn't accuse him of plagiarism in this case.

Great find in any case. This info should be added to pages like princevault.

very interesting, we know Prince likes that swinging jazz style from more recent songs (Now's the Time, Courtin Time etc), but I always thought Jack U Off was based on the rockabilly style (like Delirious), but hearing the Joe Jackson song I can see a different influence.

blackwith said:

Today I was playing the Joe Jackson album 'Jumpin'Jive' for the first time (great album) and came across the song 'Jack, you're dead'. The similarities to 'Jack you off' are very obvious! The Joe Jackson album came out 4 months before the Controversy album. I like these kind of connections between artists and songs. It fills in a bit of history and makes it richer experience. I can imagine Prince playing the album and liking the song, maybe playing along, having new ideas, making fun of it, making it his own, etc.

I always thought many of the songs on Controversy were composed around the same time as those for Dirty Mind.

Aerogram said:

blackwith said:

Today I was playing the Joe Jackson album 'Jumpin'Jive' for the first time (great album) and came across the song 'Jack, you're dead'. The similarities to 'Jack you off' are very obvious! The Joe Jackson album came out 4 months before the Controversy album. I like these kind of connections between artists and songs. It fills in a bit of history and makes it richer experience. I can imagine Prince playing the album and liking the song, maybe playing along, having new ideas, making fun of it, making it his own, etc.

I always thought many of the songs on Controversy were composed around the same time as those for Dirty Mind.

See my reply.

The song is originally from the 1940s.

I'll just post the video, because all you busy people won't read my normal replies anyway. Maybe it catches your attention more efficiently.



See? Not a song from '81.

novabrkr said:

I'll just post the video, because all you busy people won't read my normal replies anyway. Maybe it catches your attention more efficiently.



See? Not a song from '81.

Bit of a stretch to say Jack U Off is influenced or inspired by it, but not impossible I guess.

jaawwnn said:

novabrkr said:

I'll just post the video, because all you busy people won't read my normal replies anyway. Maybe it catches your attention more efficiently.



See? Not a song from '81.

Bit of a stretch to say Jack U Off is influenced or inspired by it, but not impossible I guess.

I don't see it as a stretch at all, but of course there can't be certainty over these things. Coincidences do happen in music sometimes.

There are just so many similarities between these two songs with their the lyrical refrains, the way they're phrased and in the general idea for the arrangements. Just listen to the latter part of that older song and one of those live versions of 'Jack "U" Off' with horns and the similarities should be even more obvious. Sure, both songs use pretty standard swing music phrases, so there's that aspect involved.

I suppose there are still plenty of people on this site who can't believe that "Kiss" is based on an old R&B song (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpSRqG5tM24 Helene Smith - You Got To Be A Man). It's probably because people are told these days that this type of borrowing is wrong, so it's hard to accept that Prince has done it. I see it myself as just something that musicians have done for thousands of years. Especially with comedy type of songs.

novabrkr said:

jaawwnn said:

Bit of a stretch to say Jack U Off is influenced or inspired by it, but not impossible I guess.

I don't see it as a stretch at all, but of course there can't be certainty over these things. Coincidences do happen in music sometimes.

There are just so many similarities between these two songs with their the lyrical refrains, the way they're phrased and in the general idea for the arrangements. Just listen to the latter part of that older song and one of those live versions of 'Jack "U" Off' with horns and the similarities should be even more obvious. Sure, both songs use pretty standard swing music phrases, so there's that aspect involved.

I suppose there are still plenty of people on this site who can't believe that "Kiss" is based on an old R&B song (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpSRqG5tM24 Helene Smith - You Got To Be A Man). It's probably because people are told these days that this type of borrowing is wrong, so it's hard to accept that Prince has done it. I see it myself as just something that musicians have done for thousands of years. Especially with comedy type of songs.

Yeah I meant consciously; Jack U off as a conscious re-writing or play on the idea in that specific song. Could be though, i'm glad this thread exists!

I'm happy to go along with any theory of diffusion of ideas, styles, riffs etc. btw

This type of stuff is so interesting. Although I'm aware of Joe Jackson (and Louis Jordan of course) he was always a but too MOR for me so didn't know this cover version at all. I've never heard of that Helene Smith song so will check that out.

I think people get all hot under the collar as they assume Prince is being accused of copying, rather than being influenced (sure sometimes a lot more obviously than another) and/or his style of music evolving from other forms.

novabrkr said:

jaawwnn said:

Bit of a stretch to say Jack U Off is influenced or inspired by it, but not impossible I guess.

I don't see it as a stretch at all, but of course there can't be certainty over these things. Coincidences do happen in music sometimes.

There are just so many similarities between these two songs with their the lyrical refrains, the way they're phrased and in the general idea for the arrangements. Just listen to the latter part of that older song and one of those live versions of 'Jack "U" Off' with horns and the similarities should be even more obvious. Sure, both songs use pretty standard swing music phrases, so there's that aspect involved.

I suppose there are still plenty of people on this site who can't believe that "Kiss" is based on an old R&B song (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpSRqG5tM24 Helene Smith - You Got To Be A Man). It's probably because people are told these days that this type of borrowing is wrong, so it's hard to accept that Prince has done it. I see it myself as just something that musicians have done for thousands of years. Especially with comedy type of songs.

I'm kind of impressed by Prince's wide listening habits.

blackwith said:

That's easier to believe than that Prince has been going through old Jazz records and found that same song.

yeah it's not like his Mum and Dad were in a jazz band or anything...

and the threads get more moronic....