KingSausage said:

JudasLChrist said:

And that right there is why the lyrics suck. They are a call to a kind of American Nationalism. Trite bullshit that swells Americans hearts and leads then to feeling they are 'the best'... And we all know what happened after 9/11.

Isn't it just a reminder to people everywhere (not just Americans) to enjoy their freedom? A comparison against living under totalitarian rule? What about it needs to be specifically American?

"we will fight for the right to be free"... A simple statement, but pretty loadeed for an American to be singing.

Tommorrow Belongs to Us was sung by the Nazis, but I suppose it could refer to any country, right?

The lyrics to that song are insipid, and politically dangerous in the wrong context, as evidenced by the response of the original poster.

[Edited 12/31/15 12:02pm]

I always like it, I love also the piano Prince & band accapella @ the 1984 Birthday show

KingSausage said:

Free is one of the shittiest songs he released in the 80s, which is tragic given that it's right in the middle of 1999. It's like a rat dropping in some tasty soup.

Now that's how a true poet gets scatalogical.

KingSausage said:

JudasLChrist said:

And that right there is why the lyrics suck. They are a call to a kind of American Nationalism. Trite bullshit that swells Americans hearts and leads then to feeling they are 'the best'... And we all know what happened after 9/11.

Isn't it just a reminder to people everywhere (not just Americans) to enjoy their freedom? A comparison against living under totalitarian rule? What about it needs to be specifically American?

Free is loose enough a song to make war a metaphor for what prevents self-determination, there are barriers of all kinds not just ideological. If you read it as meaning "be glad you are free here in America", there's certainly some truth to that if you travel the world and see the restrictions in other countries.

No matter what: be glad you are free, there's many a man who's not.

I'm glad some fans took solace in this song.

Aerogram said:

I really don't see what's so wrong with the lyrics and the message Too often,we take things for granted.Prince is saying that we should value our freedom.Why is that such a bad message?

JudasLChrist said:

KingSausage said:

JudasLChrist said: Isn't it just a reminder to people everywhere (not just Americans) to enjoy their freedom? A comparison against living under totalitarian rule? What about it needs to be specifically American?

"we will fight for the right to be free"... A simple statement, but pretty loadeed for an American to be singing.

Tommorrow Belongs to Us was sung by the Nazis, but I suppose it could refer to any country, right?

The lyrics to that song are insipid, and politically dangerous in the wrong context, as evidenced by the response of the original poster.

[Edited 12/31/15 12:02pm]

I disagree totally. How can you listen to Prince's music from that time and get that concept.

Listen 2 Pary Up, listen to other songs that talk about the liberation/freedom he is talking about

There is no way this song is or can be dangerous

Make Love Not War Erotic City Come Alive

JudasLChrist said:

herb4 said:

I remember listening to "Free" shortly after 9/11 and really feeling it.

And that right there is why the lyrics suck. They are a call to a kind of American Nationalism. Trite bullshit that swells Americans hearts and leads then to feeling they are 'the best'... And we all know what happened after 9/11.

Seriously?

We don't give a damn, we just want to jam
Party up
(Party up, got to party up)
That army bag, such a double drag
Party up
(Party up, got to, got to, got to party up)

(Party)
Got to party down, baby
Revolutionary rock and roll
Goin' uptown, baby
How you gonna make me kill somebody, I don't even know?

They got the draft, I just laugh
Party up
(Party up, got to party up)
Fightin' war is such a fuckin' bore
Party up
(Party up, got to, got to, got to party up)

(Party)
Got to party down, babe
It's all about what's in your mind
Goin' uptown, baby
I don't wanna die, I just wanna have a bloody good time

Party up, got to party up
Party up, got to party up

Because of their half-baked mistakes
We get ice cream, no cake
All lies, no truth
Is it fair to kill the youth?
Party up

Got to party up, yeah
Got to party up, babe
Got to party up, yeah
Got to party up, babe

You're gonna have to fight your own damn war
'Cuz we don't wanna fight no more
I said we don't wanna fight no more
Gonna have to fight your own damn war
We don't wanna fight no more

JudasLChrist said:

herb4 said:

I remember listening to "Free" shortly after 9/11 and really feeling it.

And that right there is why the lyrics suck. They are a call to a kind of American Nationalism. Trite bullshit that swells Americans hearts and leads then to feeling they are 'the best'... And we all know what happened after 9/11.

Wolfie87 said:

How "Free" ended up on the album instead of "How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore" still boggles my mind. Absolute shit.

"How Come U Don't Call Me" is a nice song,but it would have sounded out of place on the 1999 album.It's too 'quiet' and demo-ish.

herb4 said:

Askani said:

what does that even mean?

Drums are a metaphor for a heartbeat.

I understand that, but what does the line mean? I know your heart is beating, my heart tells me so.

SoulAlive said:

Wolfie87 said:

How "Free" ended up on the album instead of "How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore" still boggles my mind. Absolute shit.

"How Come U Don't Call Me" is a nice song,but it would have sounded out of place on the 1999 album.It's too 'quiet' and demo-ish.

Free isn't?

JudasLChrist said:

herb4 said:

I remember listening to "Free" shortly after 9/11 and really feeling it.

And that right there is why the lyrics suck. They are a call to a kind of American Nationalism. Trite bullshit that swells Americans hearts and leads then to feeling they are 'the best'... And we all know what happened after 9/11.

I don't care for the song. It's generic. But that isn't what the song is about.

Askani said:

SoulAlive said:

"How Come U Don't Call Me" is a nice song,but it would have sounded out of place on the 1999 album.It's too 'quiet' and demo-ish.

Free isn't?

"Free" is more fleshed out,with background vocals and guitar.It fits perfectly on the album.

I like "How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore" but I can see why it was a B-side.

Askani said:

JudasLChrist said:

And that right there is why the lyrics suck. They are a call to a kind of American Nationalism. Trite bullshit that swells Americans hearts and leads then to feeling they are 'the best'... And we all know what happened after 9/11.

I don't care for the song. It's generic. But that isn't what the song is about.

It's crazy how some people are misinterpreting what "Free" is really about...smh

It's a very simple,direct song.The message is positive.

It probably is the most dislike song on 1999 by fans on the Org. I have always enjoyed it.

kewlschool said:

It probably is the most disliked song on 1999 by fans on the Org. I have always enjoyed it.

Me too I can never figure out why so many fans dislike it.To me,the 1999 album is perfect.There isn't anything that should be changed or removed from it.

SoulAlive said:

kewlschool said:

It probably is the most disliked song on 1999 by fans on the Org. I have always enjoyed it.

Me too I can never figure out why so many fans dislike it.To me,the 1999 album is perfect.There isn't anything that should be changed or removed from it.

We could always add the b-sides to the album, especially IB.

kewlschool said:

SoulAlive said:

Me too I can never figure out why so many fans dislike it.To me,the 1999 album is perfect.There isn't anything that should be changed or removed from it.

We could always add the b-sides to the album, especially IB.

Some fans think that "Purple Music" should have replaced "All The Critics Love U In New York".....lol....so many possibilities,but this is the one album that I love exactly the way it is

SoulAlive said:

kewlschool said:

We could always add the b-sides to the album, especially IB.

Some fans think that "Purple Music" should have replaced "All The Critics Love U In New York".....lol....so many possibilities,but this is the one album that I love exactly the way it is

For me the album is perfect until the last few songs pop up, Free and International Lover are not my cup of tea at all. I would have loved HCUDCMA, Purple Music or Irresistable Bitch to replace them.

KoolEaze said:

I have always liked it and still do, despite the blatant jingoism, naive patriotism and simple lyrics.

Listening to it decades ago on cassette on a walkman while travelling in a "not-yet-free" country made me appreciate the lyrics a bit more but at the same time it´s those lyrics that make me have mixed feelings about that song. But, like I said, I have always liked the song, its lyrics and the music, and the positive, uplifting lyrics and the motivational message.

Great song, great times, great album.

Yeah, that's pretty much how I feel about it. The verses I think are absolutely beautiful. Even the lyrics there are great. It's only on the chorus and middle-eight section that the trite patriotism kicks in. Still, I can enjoy it. I love the instrumental part at the end too.

I think those people who don't get the objection to the political naivete of the song are themselves politically naive. When the sheeple are being led to support insane wars in other peoples' countries it's exactly this kind of rhetoric of "freedom" that is used to pull off the trick.

But Prince was young when he wrote this so maybe we can cut him some slack.

For me "Free" is the only ordinary song on the entire "1999" double album. This album changed my life but I always skipped that song!

midnightmover said:

JudasLChrist said:

KingSausage said:

JudasLChrist said: Isn't it just a reminder to people everywhere (not just Americans) to enjoy their freedom? A comparison against living under totalitarian rule? What about it needs to be specifically American?

"we will fight for the right to be free"... A simple statement, but pretty loadeed for an American to be singing.

Tommorrow Belongs to Us was sung by the Nazis, but I suppose it could refer to any country, right?

The lyrics to that song are insipid, and politically dangerous in the wrong context, as evidenced by the response of the original poster.

[Edited 12/31/15 12:02pm]

I don't think Prince was going All-American here (although, mind you, just like Barney Hoskins who wrote Imp Of The Perverse, I also thought that 'America' was meant to be a satire...), but I agree that it's rather out of place on the album.
Moonbream Levels would have been too, though, that should have gone on Around The World or Sign O The Times.

Oh and 'tomorrow belongs to us' is a fake Nazi song...

KingSausage said:

midnightmover said:

Yeah, that's pretty much how I feel about it. The verses I think are absolutely beautiful. Even the lyrics there are great. It's only on the chorus and middle-eight section that the trite patriotism kicks in. Still, I can enjoy it. I love the instrumental part at the end too.

I think those people who don't get the objection to the political naivete of the song are themselves politically naive. When the sheeple are being led to support insane wars in other peoples' countries it's exactly this kind of rhetoric of "freedom" that is used to pull off the trick.

But Prince was young when he wrote this so maybe we can cut him some slack.

The song is very naive like almost all of Prince's lyrics, which is exactly why I don't get my panties in a bunch whining about foreign wars, jingoism, blah blah blah.

I don't think there are many other examples where Prince is regurgitating propaganda in such an unironic way. One thing a lot of people liked about Prince was that he was a bit subversive. A rebel even. But if you just heard this song you'd think the opposite. "America" is another example I guess. I can imagine Reagan bobbing his head to that one. (I like it though).

midnightmover said:

KingSausage said:

midnightmover said: The song is very naive like almost all of Prince's lyrics, which is exactly why I don't get my panties in a bunch whining about foreign wars, jingoism, blah blah blah.

I don't think there are many other examples where Prince is regurgitating propaganda in such an unironic way. One thing a lot of people liked about Prince was that he was a bit subversive. A rebel even. But if you just heard this song you'd think the opposite. "America" is another example I guess. I can imagine Reagan bobbing his head to that one. (I like it though).

Prince has been through some interesting phases throughout his career as far as nationalism and patriotism are concerned. On the one hand he´s been very much a staunch advocate of liberal ideas and has embraced utopian concepts but on the other hand he has written songs like Free and America or has expressed tongue in cheek support for Ronald Reagan (and his big balls) during the early 80s, and there was also an incident where he disliked the lack of patriotism of another rock group at some awards show ( I think that other group did something with the American flag that Prince disapproved of).

Later he used an alternate (gold colored) version of the flag during the Gold Experience phase, only to question patriotism and nationalism during later phases, such as the TRC phase and the ONA tour and all the conspiracy theories that followed. I still wonder if the line about changing the colors of the flag in the song Everlasting Now refers to himself or Sly Stone. I´d say it´s about himself changing the red white and blue to gold during the 90s.

[Bait snip - luv4u]

I think the 1999 album needed another "political" song as a bookend, even though it's not a proper end-of-record bookend.

1999 & Free are the two political/social songs on the album. Otherwise (with the exception of All The Critics Love U In New York), it's all sex and partying.

Askani said:

herb4 said:

Drums are a metaphor for a heartbeat.

I understand that, but what does the line mean? I know your heart is beating, my heart tells me so.

"I can hear your heart beat in time with the drum"
"As the drum beats, so does your heart"
"Your heartbeat is your soul. The drum beat is the soul of the music"

And so forth.

I don't think it's meant to be taken literally.