Just a random thought, I always think that Prince was a different person in 86. He was so happy-go-lucky, approachable, smiled, laughed, and joked a lot. What/who made him so jovial that whole year? Or he was just completely being Christopher Tracy for a year?

He was pretty much at the height of his powers as a songwriter, performer, etc. And he was sitting on a mountain of cash from Purple Rain era. It probaby put him in a good mood.

[Edited 5/28/16 0:05am]

He was ready for change at that point. The smiles were likely very honest and genuine of a man happy to be in that particular moment.

[Edited 7/11/20 22:07pm]

If I had been Prince in 1986; I would have been happy as hell, too!

[Edited 5/28/16 7:22am]

I love the Parade era, he looked utterly fine and was really growing into himself as an artist.

The Parade show always made me feel happy, the pace and energy of it, the fun interraction with Jerome and the other dancers, the band etc.

I agree, in 1986 he was so carefree and happy. A lot like he was in this clip.

computerblue77 said:

I agree, in 1986 he was so carefree and happy. A lot like he was in this clip.

I like how INXS "What You Need" was playing in the background later in the clip. Imagine the music Prince & Michael Hutchence are making in Heaven!

ReddishBrownOne said:

Cuz he woz bangin' Susannah.

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Yeah but he was banging hot chicks all the time, so unless she was especially amazing, that doesn't explain it.

FunkiestOne said:

kapo74 said:

FunkiestOne said:

He was pretty much at the height of his powers as a songwriter, performer, etc. And he was sitting on a mountain of cash from Purple Rain era. It probaby put him in a good mood.

[Edited 5/28/16 0:05am]

Exactly right. He had everything going for him at that time. We all have our peaks in life and the trick is to be at that peak for as long as you can, just stay in the flow. But one miserable tiny little thing goes wrong and you're up shit creek trying to reach that peak again. Then life becomes a struggle. I wonder at what point he just lost his mojo. Somewhere in the black album days, I guess. [Edited 5/28/16 2:15am]

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Prince never lost his live concert mojo but he lost his songwriting mojo slowly but surely after that peak in 83-87. But like you said, no one can stay at the top of their game for that long. Michael Jordan can't dunk very well now either.

FunkiestOne said:

computerblue77 said:

computerblue77 said:

I agree, in 1986 he was so carefree and happy. A lot like he was in this clip.

This is so good, it hurts. I also loved reading Lisa Barbers comments on her date, now that he passed away. She never had another man, as she was still waiting for her Prince to return. An obvious lie, but a very sweet one, since ol' P was so very nice to her that day.

"I feel with my hands, Martha." Love it!

FunkiestOne said:

Two reasons he was happy in 86

[Edited 5/28/16 5:33am]

I also think he was happy because he was in a good place in his relationship with his father. I think also his relationship with Susannah was going well at this point. He seemed to bedepseratey in love with this woman during the Around The World In A Day and Parade time frame.

I think it was a good combination of things.
In a 1999 interview he said what he had during those years was a 'Community' that's what he called it. When you look at 1983-1986 and see who was in his life and the familial connections, we can see why there was such an explosion of music and art coming out of the camp.
He was still reaping the benefits of the 'purple rains' and had accomplished what he wanted. Now the music was flowing ina way that probably has never since. He had 'love' in his life ie community ie family: his father was back in his life in a big way, the band members and protege members were cool with his father, just about everyone around at the time had family in the camp and people who were friends. So that sense of grounding and realness easily extends to envelope Prince. These were people who for the most part were there before the PURPLE REIGN superstardom and that sense of 'why are you here' was probably not an issue for Prince as a result. Later after the 1988 years he had to contend with that 'why are you here' 'business aspect

But in his camp in 1986 was John L Nelson Susannah Melvoin Lisa Coleman the lady who in 1980 used to live with him do his laundry with hers and make him sandwiches, Brown Mark was on stage with him having garbage thrown at them, David Z -brother of Bobby Z who was drumming 4 him sing 94 East years who said I could devote my whole life career to this man whose wife was also a part of the camp, Wendy Melvoin who people observed he had a big brother little sister relationship with who made him smile and look alright in the eys of others, Dr Fink who was there since the beginning going to the gym together (when they all used to ride bikes nude around Minni -symbolism) Sheila E who he started a flirty friendship with since 1980 and her brother Juan Escovedo, her highschool friend Miko Weaver and other Bay area friends in her band, Eric Leeds brother of Prince tour manager Alan Leeds since 1981/82 Jerome Benton the last remnant of the Time since 1981 Jill JOnes David Coleman brother of Lisa Coleman Jonathon Melvoin brother of Susannah & Wendy Melvoin engineers like Coke Johnson & Susan Rogers... I could go on with the connections. So when Prince explained it in 1999 of thos years being a community. Understand all the benefits of having community, we can understand what Prince was so happy about in 1986

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It's not surprsing that during the LotusFlow3r period onward into the 3rd Eye Girls years Prince used a lot of symbolism and imagery from the Parade era

A lot of orgers, and that includes me, think that Prince was in his prime in 1986. There was a topic on this recently.

Susannah Melvoin was very cute back then. She was arguably the prettiest girl he's been with.

Being in his 20s?

I think we are overanalyzing...Life just gets serious, heavy, more distractions, people, obligations, etc for all of is..Including Prince.I don't think it had to do with the girlfriend, Purple Rain etc...as someone said..He was in his 20s...it's probably just as simple as that.

He was 'new' to alot of people so maybe tabloids, etc weren't trying to knock him down yet. He didn't realize his 'art' was not really his art. As life goes on, he just became more insulated..Alot of us do that as we get older. Not that you mean to..You just want your 'peace' sometimes but it does not mean you are not jovial, etc behind the scence.

[Edited 5/28/16 9:50am]

ReddishBrownOne said:

FunkiestOne said:

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Yeah but he was banging hot chicks all the time, so unless she was especially amazing, that doesn't explain it.

There are hot chicks, and there are beautiful women. Susannah is the latter.

Agreed. Who do you think is prettier though, Susannah or Wendy?

toshi said:

ReddishBrownOne said:

FunkiestOne said: There are hot chicks, and there are beautiful women. Susannah is the latter.

Agreed. Who do you think is prettier though, Susannah or Wendy?

Definitely Susannah. Look at her, she is on the left, the picture is probably from the Anotherloverholenyohead video. She was da bomb.

pyramidseye said:

toshi said:

ReddishBrownOne said:

FunkiestOne said: There are hot chicks, and there are beautiful women. Susannah is the latter.

Agreed. Who do you think is prettier though, Susannah or Wendy?

One can't be prettier than the other; they're identical twins.

vandeluca said:

I think we are overanalyzing...Life just gets serious, heavy, more distractions, people, obligations, etc for all of is..Including Prince.I don't think it had to do with the girlfriend, Purple Rain etc...as someone said..He was in his 20s...it's probably just as simple as that.

He was 'new' to alot of people so maybe tabloids, etc weren't trying to knock him down yet. He didn't realize his 'art' was not really his art. As life goes on, he just became more insulated..Alot of us do that as we get older. Not that you mean to..You just want your 'peace' sometimes but it does not mean you are not jovial, etc behind the scence.

[Edited 5/28/16 9:50am]

Agree with you. And I just have to say that I'm tired of all the focus on women in Prince's life as being the reason why he was happy/sad/distracted/distanced/etc... A person with that kind of talent isn't as easily distracted from his primary focus as many of us are. I don't think any of the women he was involved with caused any lasting effects on his psyche, his primary focus wasn't there, it was on his art. His music.