i really like the last 50 seconds not sure about the first half.
after that whole 'the guitar solo made me cry' i think i was just

expecting to be blown off my socks by a solo that would carry

the whole weight of emotion behind the song, which it doesn't.

breezy, walking kind of tune. nothing wrong with it. just threw
me a bit in the feeling it conveys.

Prince lacks any reasonable perspective to really say anything much about the state of the world. He is in Prince Land... he has really no idea what life is like for people. So I doubt he could make an album's worth of songs that had any real point to make.

First of all, I am really happy Prince is trying to bring attention to Freddie Gray. You can tell he put the song together quickly, but at least he did something, unlike most other artists with bigger platforms, who seems happy to take their black fans' money but are afraid to address social issues.

The only line of the song that rubbed me the wrong way was the "let's take all the guns away". What about the police's guns? Because Freddy Gray wasn't carrying a gun, neither was Eric Garner, Michael Brown, etc. Even though I beleive the ease of access to guns is a huge problem in our country, I don't think that lyric belonged in this song.

Anyway, I give Prince credit for saying something and I think the song is okay - not a masterpiece, certainly, but not as bad as a lot of people here seem to think. My favorite part is the guitar solos.

OnlyNDaUsa said:

can y'all please take the personal back and forth nonsense to OrgNotes or just letitgo?

Yes, please!

Pentacle said:

What can one say but... Salieri.

I 100% Agree.

How can a musician capable of great finesse, still rely at 56 on such lame chord progressions?

And what's with the "Pearls Before The Swine" gentle mood?

One would expect a sad drama or a heavy metal rant.
Not this tepid blurb.

It's really getting depressing being a P fan (as if it wasn't already).

Prince, ever heard of Run The Jewels? Go back to class.

CarolineC said:

First of all, I am really happy Prince is trying to bring attention to Freddie Gray. You can tell he put the song together quickly, but at least he did something, unlike most other artists with bigger platforms, who seems happy to take their black fans' money but are afraid to address social issues.

The only line of the song that rubbed me the wrong way was the "let's take all the guns away". What about the police's guns? Because Freddy Gray wasn't carrying a gun, neither was Eric Garner, Michael Brown, etc. Even though I beleive the ease of access to guns is a huge problem in our country, I don't think that lyric belonged in this song.

Anyway, I give Prince credit for saying something and I think the song is okay - not a masterpiece, certainly, but not as bad as a lot of people here seem to think. My favorite part is the guitar solos.

and gray and garner were not killed with guns so that fails on that level too... and brown tried to take the cops gun away so...

the other reason the line has NO PLACE in this song is that it is a song about cops killing people... so he is suggesting that ALL guns be taken? From Law Abiders and Law Enforcment alike?

OnlyNDaUsa said:

Prince lacks any reasonable perspective to really say anything much about the state of the world. He is in Prince Land... he has really no idea what life is like for people. So I doubt he could make an album's worth of songs that had any real point to make.

i'm not sure that argument really holds up. it's been said a lot of times about prince, but it got

me to thinking; he seems to be watching the news a whole lot, he's always babbling on about

current events in his interviews. so he does know at least a large chunk of what is happening
out there in the world.

many of us aren't actually 'living the news', we're just bystanders, reading about stuff and/or

watching it on tv. the degree to which we are affected by that news is a different matter. just
through reading/watching/learning about situations, you can still get a clue.

prince's main problem is that his songs are always just slightly left of neutral. his love songs

as well as his socio-political songs. he doesn't go deep enough and show enough emotion or

let you know what the person prince is thinking, instead of the persona prince.

in the few instances where he does dig a bit deeper and show a personal side instead of just

another cookie cutter lyric, you at least feel the song and the emotion, even if you think it's
a bit silly or weird. it's a real emotion, something genuine.

i think he deliberately dumbs his lyrics down partly because he doesn't want to show too much
of his own emotions/private life and partly because he probably thinks that those cookie cutter
lyrics appeal to more people. a false sens of humbleness perhaps? "why would people care to
hear my very private/emotional stance on this? i've got a much more universal lyric to go in
this place"?

however, he often seems to feel very passionate about his pseudo-scientific new age ramblings
and isn't affraid to insert lots of them in his songs, so what do i know but as i said, i like it
when he does that, because at least you get the feeling that he's actually passionate about the
things he's stating. be it suspended animation in a spaceship or communicating telepathically

OnlyNDaUsa said:

Strong harmonies, dull lyrics, greatly monotonous guitar solo. Forgettable.

SuperFurryAnimal said:

Why continue to promote cases that will fail? To get people to mass riot..federalize and militarize law enforcement?

Yup! You hit the nail on the head.

nosajd said:

I like it, it's not ground breaking, but it's simple and to the point, lyrics don't bother me either. Thanks Prince, strong work!

Can you point me to your Kool-Aid dealer?
I sure need some heavy drugging after wasting 4 minutes of my life on this void.

"Think I'm gonna take a musical suicide".

bonatoc said:

KCOOLMUZIQ said:

"bAlTiMoRe" Is A FuNkY "OnE MaN BaNd: CoMpLeTe "MaStErPiEcE".........

I like the song alright for what it is, but, you clearly don't understand what the word Masterpiece means. Are you saying this is Prince's greatest work? Because you say that about everything he does, and it's not possible that everything is his greatest.

masterpiece

[mas-ter-pees, mah-ster-]

noun

1.

a person's greatest piece of work, as in an art.

[Edited 5/9/15 8:17am]

nosajd said:

OnlyNDaUsa said:

and gray and garner were not killed with guns so that fails on that level too... and brown tried to take the cops gun away so...

the other reason the line has NO PLACE in this song is that it is a song about cops killing people... so he is suggesting that ALL guns be taken? From Law Abiders and Law Enforcment alike?

You guys are really stuck on this gun line. He's been singing about gun control for a long time, this should be no surprise.

He also sang against it. And what other song did he say all guns should be taken away? I know "gun control" flashed on the screen in the Fixurlifeup song... but that is a bit less than this.

Brown was shot down, not to mention all the GD school shootings.

Brown? the evidence shows Brown first tried to take the gun and then rushed the cop... and that is supported by several accounts and the physical evidence. And you are being tricked into the belief that there are a lot of school shootings, they are still rare. They get over hyped and over reported. And in many cases the gun was illegal obtained. Sandy Hook (stolen) Columbine (stolen)

Guns are out of control, that is a fact.

No that is a myth. the numbers do not support that. gun crimes are down...

It's way too easy for the wrong people to get them and it will always be this way, so for Prince to sing this is no surprise to me, he's expressing his POV.

Yeah people illegaly get all kinds of stuff... how is that a valid argument to take them from the 99% that never use them illegaly?


I agree with him, even though we both know it'll never happen.


Thankfully I agree... it will never happen... and if it were: it would not be pretty. As the saying goes "you only need the right to own guns when they come to take them away" and if I had guns I WOULD Die and kill before I let someone just take them...

OnlyNDaUsa said:

IstenSzek said:

OnlyNDaUsa said:

Prince lacks any reasonable perspective to really say anything much about the state of the world. He is in Prince Land... he has really no idea what life is like for people. So I doubt he could make an album's worth of songs that had any real point to make.

i'm not sure that argument really holds up. it's been said a lot of times about prince, but it got

me to thinking; he seems to be watching the news a whole lot, he's always babbling on about

current events in his interviews. so he does know at least a large chunk of what is happening
out there in the world.

many of us aren't actually 'living the news', we're just bystanders, reading about stuff and/or

watching it on tv. the degree to which we are affected by that news is a different matter. just
through reading/watching/learning about situations, you can still get a clue.

prince's main problem is that his songs are always just slightly left of neutral. his love songs

as well as his socio-political songs. he doesn't go deep enough and show enough emotion or

let you know what the person prince is thinking, instead of the persona prince.

in the few instances where he does dig a bit deeper and show a personal side instead of just

another cookie cutter lyric, you at least feel the song and the emotion, even if you think it's
a bit silly or weird. it's a real emotion, something genuine.

i think he deliberately dumbs his lyrics down partly because he doesn't want to show too much
of his own emotions/private life and partly because he probably thinks that those cookie cutter
lyrics appeal to more people. a false sens of humbleness perhaps? "why would people care to
hear my very private/emotional stance on this? i've got a much more universal lyric to go in
this place"?

however, he often seems to feel very passionate about his pseudo-scientific new age ramblings
and isn't affraid to insert lots of them in his songs, so what do i know but as i said, i like it
when he does that, because at least you get the feeling that he's actually passionate about the
things he's stating. be it suspended animation in a spaceship or communicating telepathically

All great and thoughtful points. I'd imagine one would be less inclined to put their true and private thoughts out there only to have them dissected and ridiculed. I remember reading an interview from TRC era where he said negative online comments deeply affected his psyche. I think people are being unnecessarily harsh toward this one, too. Geez, it's not another Purple & Gold!

babynoz said:

OnlyNDaUsa said:

the chowder head sharpton wants the DOJ to take over! LOL what a fool! for one the cost of just adding the oversight would be huge... for two think for ONE SECOND he would say that if a republican was in office?

Stay on topic.

Isn't this the topic that Prince brings up in the song that is the topic of this thread?!?

The topic within the topic IS on topic! No?

djThunderfunk said:

KCOOLMUZIQ said:

"bAlTiMoRe" Is A FuNkY "OnE MaN BaNd: CoMpLeTe "MaStErPiEcE".........

I like the song alright for what it is, but, you clearly don't understand what the word Masterpiece means. Are you saying this is Prince's greatest work? Because you say that about everything he does, and it's not possible that everything is his greatest.

masterpiece

[mas-ter-pees, mah-ster-]

noun

1.

a person's greatest piece of work, as in an art.

[Edited 5/9/15 8:17am]

I am not sure if any artist is limited to one masterpiece... but it would tend to be limited to the best say 10%. and this is not one of his best 50 songs...(how many released songs does he have 500 or so?)

Sorry orgers..but this song isn't doing it for me. I was expecting something a little more dramatic and heavy ("The War", "SOTT")..Even though D's "The Charade" had beautiful melodies, it still had drama and tension. I applaud P for writing the song, but the music to me is too upbeat. Take the lyrics out and it could be a instrumental Sheryl Crow song..(no disrespect to her because she's cool). Just my 2 cents..no offense to anyone else that likes it.

nosajd said:

OnlyNDaUsa said:

You obviously are very passionate about your feeling towards guns, so I will comment no further on the topic, as you have made up your mind.

i am just as passionate about any basic human right. and as i have sad many time i do not even own guns... but if i ever wanted to I want to have the right to! And I did my part when I served in the ARMY to be able to say I will defend those rights by whatever it takes within my abilities.

and in the end: My view is the if you do not like something do not get one. I have not as far as I recall fired a gun (other than a bb gun or nerf) since jan 1992 (my last time on a range in the Army) but I have also not had anything published in a book or the news paper or magazine in 27 years either but I also like my freedom of press.

What if someone said "Let's take free speech away" Or "let's force all people to go to church"?

if you choose what rights you want to see protected based on your personal feelings then what rights would we end up with?

Styles said:

Askani said:

omg, this song is shit.

Well then, write something better that you did by yourself without the aid of computers and post it up!

Otherwise?

Shh!!!!

People that don't like it can only say so if they can do better?!? Bwahahahah!!!

Why you trying to "Shh" opinions that differ from your own? Fascist much? Just sayin'...

OnlyNDaUsa said:

nosajd said:

OnlyNDaUsa said: You obviously are very passionate about your feeling towards guns, so I will comment no further on the topic, as you have made up your mind.

i am just as passionate about any basic human right. and as i have sad many time i do not even own guns... but if i ever wanted to I want to have the right to! And I did my part when I served in the ARMY to be able to say I will defend those rights by whatever it takes within my abilities.

and in the end: My view is the if you do not like something do not get one. I have not as far as I recall fired a gun (other than a bb gun or nerf) since jan 1992 (my last time on a range in the Army) but I have also not had anything published in a book or the news paper or magazine in 27 years either but I also like my freedom of press.

What if someone said "Let's take free speech away" Or "let's force all people to go to church"?

if you choose what rights you want to see protected based on your personal feelings then what rights would we end up with?

It might be difficult to have a heated discussion about freedom of speech, when all parties involved have the right to bear arms.

Guns are just very obviously dangerous. If I go to a neighbor to complain about something, at least I don't have to worry he'll pull a gun on me.

Pentacle said:

Styles said:

Then write something better and post it!

I once criticized Nazi Germany.

People told me to first subjugate an entire continent and put a few million people in camps,

and see how I'd fare, because right now? I had no right to speak, let alone criticize!

OnlyNDaUsa said:

SchlomoThaHomo said:

IstenSzek said:

i'm not sure that argument really holds up. it's been said a lot of times about prince, but it got

me to thinking; he seems to be watching the news a whole lot, he's always babbling on about

current events in his interviews. so he does know at least a large chunk of what is happening
out there in the world.

many of us aren't actually 'living the news', we're just bystanders, reading about stuff and/or

watching it on tv. the degree to which we are affected by that news is a different matter. just
through reading/watching/learning about situations, you can still get a clue.

prince's main problem is that his songs are always just slightly left of neutral. his love songs

as well as his socio-political songs. he doesn't go deep enough and show enough emotion or

let you know what the person prince is thinking, instead of the persona prince.

in the few instances where he does dig a bit deeper and show a personal side instead of just

another cookie cutter lyric, you at least feel the song and the emotion, even if you think it's
a bit silly or weird. it's a real emotion, something genuine.

i think he deliberately dumbs his lyrics down partly because he doesn't want to show too much
of his own emotions/private life and partly because he probably thinks that those cookie cutter
lyrics appeal to more people. a false sens of humbleness perhaps? "why would people care to
hear my very private/emotional stance on this? i've got a much more universal lyric to go in
this place"?

however, he often seems to feel very passionate about his pseudo-scientific new age ramblings
and isn't affraid to insert lots of them in his songs, so what do i know but as i said, i like it
when he does that, because at least you get the feeling that he's actually passionate about the
things he's stating. be it suspended animation in a spaceship or communicating telepathically

All great and thoughtful points. I'd imagine one would be less inclined to put their true and private thoughts out there only to have them dissected and ridiculed. I remember reading an interview from TRC era where he said negative online comments deeply affected his psyche. I think people are being unnecessarily harsh toward this one, too. Geez, it's not another Purple & Gold!

such a shame but i think by now he probably realises that people complain just to complain,
or to get attention and stir the pot. just look at the threads in this forum. many people don't
respond to answers to their questions, unless the answer contains something they can call out
and get all worked up about, then start a discussion. a normal, neutral answer, or regular facts
without baiting don't get a response anymore. you see it all the time. which is why threads on
various topics get derailed and turn into shouting matches between a few, which ultimately just
frustrates the many. but it's not an org thing, that's an internet thing. it used to be fun to read
the comment sections on most sites, because they contained witty banter and back and forth.
these days comment sections are the sewer of the internet.

RIP Prince

I really miss you.

nosajd said:

If you think the world is better off with guns than with out, then more power to you, we can agree to disagree.

so is that standard? and if not guns then people would find other ways to kill each other... but I do think we need guns and I am thankful that here ...that is respected and protected.

and as always: if someone want to take away a right they have 3 options: accept it, lobby for change, or go live somewhere else. (and unless you have a 4th I think those 3 are all inclusive)

oh and I am pretty sure I never made the case that the world was better of with guns. i would say it is much more likely that guns existing in general is neutral to the value of the planet.

[Edited 5/9/15 8:48am]

OnlyNDaUsa said:

Yeah!


I am an old fan, I remember what it was like when a new Prince song was released in the 80s early/mid 90s...

Back then I was like everytime, from 1983 up to 1995.....

The problems began in 1996 post- Warner.

(I still enjoy some songs on the albums nowadays, but in general the quality isn't aware lik
That's it! That's exactly what I thought. We'll just have to accept the fact that the days when Prince's music sounded unlike anybody else's are simply over. These days, we'll just have to settle for "okay".
Secondly, when a rock star wants to write about police brutality, racism and war, you just can't (or at least I can't) help comparing it to What's Going On or or Say It Loud I'm Black and I'm Proud. What we have here is just tw o verses of simple lyrics, the name of the town as a chorus, a chant thatseems out of place and a lot of guitar playing to fill up the rest of the four minutes. The guitar sounds nice though. It's got the typical 3EG sound and I have nothing against them, but as far as songwriting goes, Prince is a shadow of his former self.