I was watching the R&R hall of fame recently and I noticed PRINCE came out and first gave thanks to JEHOVAH...

I noticed in recent years ... he does not mention JW.. not that I CAN RECALL..

I wonder if he still is a faithfully member.. or is this fading..

I KNOW he has always been a faithfully CHRISTIAN.. just wondering if he chooses not to share this side of himself anymore.

What do y'all think ORG??

Since Prince has mentioned publicly that he is a member of the Jehovah Witness faith, then folks can speculate on his relationship with the religion and fellowship at JW places of worship. Just venturing a guess, I believe he is but maybe not as devout as he once was. In the Associated Press interview he gave ahead of the release of Art Official Age and Plectrumelectrum he mentioned that he still follows the tenets of Jehovah Witness faith and has begun reading about African history.

does this really matter?

From a lyrical point of view, it most CERTAINLY does.

Ever compared his pre-1997 lyrics to the more recent ones?

nosajd said:

does this really matter?

I don't really care. Only Prince knows.

rainbowchild said:

Not that it's any of my business, but I wonder how his music will evolve if he suddenly became an atheist.

Weird you say that, I was thinking that just the other day. It's highly unlikely to ever happen of course, but it could be absolutely fascinating to see how it would affect his song-writing and world-view. Short of him converting to Islam, atheism is kind of his final frontier as a 'spiritual'/ religious song-writer artist .

Mind you, most people tend to get more religious as they enter their later years ...

ThisCouldBeUs said:

nosajd said:

does this really matter?

yeah? Because if he isn't we -might- get to hear ole Darling Nikki and others again live if he isn't.

Listen to the lyrics.

No one knows for sure, but I suspect if he is, he's not so zealous as he had been between 2000-2006. He's ceratinly not preaching about it, or putting JW references (explicit otr implicit) into lyrics of his songs as he had been.

A good case in point: "Baltimore", newly recorded social song, would be a perfect opportunity to make some reference to JW specific beliefs, but it does not. Actually seems more agnostic if anything: "does anyone hear us when we pray?"

Just speculation and observations on my part.

nosajd said:

2010 BET Lifetime Achievement Awarads... He thanked Jehova.

nosajd said:

does this really matter?

somehow people isnt that it does. UNless he stated making religious music, it really doesnt.

fms said:

ThisCouldBeUs said:

BobGeorge909 said:

I unno....lyrics like this...

ThisCouldBeUs said:

(Metaphysical cookie licking dream)
Sleep alone if U wanna
(nothing mystical, let me lick your kitty clean)
But like a new pair of shoes
(& after that, U can put me on my back)
U gonna wanna show me off 2 your friends
(Lo4 andy in my purple psychede lic pimp sack
When I...oooohhh...

I never purchased those CDs but those lyrics

those lyrics are from a man that is trying sooooo
hard to be down. Those YOUNG kids he's hanging
around is just making him sound like a fool. Hang
around folks that are close to your age Prince and
you soon will be back to-REALITY.

BobGeorge909 said:

I unno....lyrics like this...

ThisCouldBeUs said:

(Metaphysical cookie licking dream)
Sleep alone if U wanna
(nothing mystical, let me lick your kitty clean)
But like a new pair of shoes
(& after that, U can put me on my back)
U gonna wanna show me off 2 your friends
(Lo4 andy in my purple psychede lic pimp sack
When I...oooohhh...

I never purchased those CDs but those lyrics

those lyrics are from a man that is trying sooooo
hard to be down. Those YOUNG kids he's hanging
around is just making him sound like a fool. Hang
around folks that are close to your age Prince and
you soon will be back to-REALITY.

Judging by his image and appearence over the past 2 years or so, hes not. JWs would not have gone for that afro, they would have suggested to him that it was shorter and more neater and they would have also suggested to him that he had males in his band as well as females, to mix it up a bit, cos him and just females in a band would have sent the wrong message regarding the Faith and their morals!!

Also, if he was still a JW he wouldnt have written and recorded "Baltimore" and even done the Rally 4 Peace concert, because JWs keep seperate from the world and dont get involved in politics and any social issues because they beleive that it is only Gods Kingdom, which is soon to come, that is going to bring about REAL PERMANENT change to the whole world not quick fix "band aid" solutions!!

Also, during the height of his JW phase, in interviews he often spoke about the beliefs but during recent interviews, like the Mojo Magazine interview of last year and others, there has been no mention of them, whereas before he was always "preaching" in interviews!!

Maybe he has realized that the JW faith ruined his music over the past 12 years or so and decided to get out of it!!

fms said:

Listen to the lyrics.

No one knows for sure, but I suspect if he is, he's not so zealous as he had been between 2000-2006. He's ceratinly not preaching about it, or putting JW references (explicit otr implicit) into lyrics of his songs as he had been.

A good case in point: "Baltimore", newly recorded social song, would be a perfect opportunity to make some reference to JW specific beliefs, but it does not. Actually seems more agnostic if anything: "does anyone hear us when we pray?"

Just speculation and observations on my part.

I noticed that line too but wouldn't read too much into it. It's more like "are the authorities listening to our pleas and prayers?" than "is there a God out there listening to our prayers?"

It was certainly an interesting line coming from him.

I don't think Prince was ever as strictly devout as people imagine, he did have periods where he was heavily into it but he's very individualistic and used to following his own beat so I doubt he could ever stick to an almost strict observance for too long.

He's highly spiritual and I do like how he incorporates religious references slyly.

Religious fanatic: Has accepted one truth, and is not willing to question it. Manipulates information by putting it in context that makes it seem as if it's a proof to gods existense.

Atheist fanatic: Has accepted one truth, and is not willing to question it. Manipulates information by putting it in context that makes it seem as if it's a proof to gods non existense.

Agnostics: Are instead asking questions, comparing different possibilities with an open mind. He or she might say what he or she thinks is most likely in their opinion, but will look to the sources of information and admit that it's based off of assumptions rather than facts.

A questioning and wondering Prince would be perfect now. An agnostic mind without being afraid to exaggerate opinions and feelings a bit for the entertainment and discussion value.

BobGeorge909 said:

I unno....lyrics like this...

ThisCouldBeUs said:

(Metaphysical cookie licking dream)
Sleep alone if U wanna
(nothing mystical, let me lick your kitty clean)
But like a new pair of shoes
(& after that, U can put me on my back)
U gonna wanna show me off 2 your friends
(Lo4 andy in my purple psychede lic pimp sack
When I...oooohhh...

I never purchased those CDs but those lyrics

those lyrics are from a man that is trying sooooo
hard to be down. Those YOUNG kids he's hanging
around is just making him sound like a fool. Hang
around folks that are close to your age Prince and
you soon will be back to-REALITY.

NorthC said:

feeluupp said:

2010 BET Lifetime Achievement Awarads... He thanked Jehova.

Of course, that solves it. Thanks for the answer to the burning question. Especially since that was just a few days ago.

nosajd said:

does this really matter?

It does to the thread starter.

stillwaiting said:

feeluupp said:

2010 BET Lifetime Achievement Awarads... He thanked Jehova.

Of course, that solves it. Thanks for the answer to the burning question. Especially since that was just a few days ago.

Nothing 2 solve... He's still a Jeova's Witness... and ur Still Waiting.