jayseajay said:

CalhounSq said:

jayseajay said:

I've been thinking about this a lot - because man, this shit is hard - and I think it's a whole bunch of things, many of which have been mentioned, but with P, it's all of them at once...

- The world is getting more and more commercialized and trashy, and P represented the importance of realy, authentic music, and the type of community that could create, as opposed to it being all about brands and image and bullshit...

- Almost no-one could channel energy/love the way he did, he could just open himself and out it came, and that is incredibly rare and precious, and I can't think of anyone else who can do it...and its just such a phenomenal loss...

- It's a dark year in general, and everything seems to be getting way darker and he knew that, and saw it coming, and told us we all needed to stick together, and now he's not effing here...and we need him...

- I think for a lot of us middle aged women, he was really tied up with our sexual awakenings, and losing him has taken us back to that, and what he represented for us then, and y'know, to think about the difference between how we felt when we were 14 or whatever, and the real life and real men that came after that...which was not always quite so sexy...

- There was the human bit of P (which as we know, was as human as everyone), and then there's the artist, and what he could do, and the fact that there is something just so otherworldly and transcendent about it...and it feels like that can't and shouldn't and won't die, and at the same time, he's dead and it makes no sense at all...

- The way he died was awful and shocking and tragic and confounding and so so wrong for someone who lived the kind of life he lived, and it's not okay, and it's just really really hard to come to terms with...

- And it also I think, really stimulates the protective part of us, because we realize now there was something really not okay with him, and we want to be able to do something about it and help him or get someone to help him, and we can't and we never will and it's too late and that just totally sucks...

So yeah, lots of stuff...

Wow... I'm teary eyed & speechless after that, well said

Go back and look at the Do Me Baby gif again, I'm over there swooning with you

Nodin said:

EmmaMcG said:

Nodin said:

My son just asked me why Prince makes me cry. I was watching Prince sing on the Musicology DVD tour and was reduced to tears. I said that to make a young woman cry ( I was one once so I remember), just about all you need is a pretty face and a slow song. He said you mean like Justin Bieber (who he is not a fan of )? I said yes like that (no offense to the young folks who are here who like him). To make a 50 plus women sob, takes soul and groove and words that fill you to the brim and then overflow. Prince stands alone in that category for me. My sweet 11yr old boy then sat and held me. I love my son for understanding and I miss Prince in my world.

I'm young and the only thing about Justin Beiber that makes me cry is the idea that that talentless little runt is making money hand over fist.

Yeah, that's pretty much how my 11yr old feels too. He just shakes his head when he sees him.

CalhounSq said:

jayseajay said:

I've been thinking about this a lot - because man, this shit is hard - and I think it's a whole bunch of things, many of which have been mentioned, but with P, it's all of them at once...

- The world is getting more and more commercialized and trashy, and P represented the importance of realy, authentic music, and the type of community that could create, as opposed to it being all about brands and image and bullshit...

- Almost no-one could channel energy/love the way he did, he could just open himself and out it came, and that is incredibly rare and precious, and I can't think of anyone else who can do it...and its just such a phenomenal loss...

- It's a dark year in general, and everything seems to be getting way darker and he knew that, and saw it coming, and told us we all needed to stick together, and now he's not effing here...and we need him...

- I think for a lot of us middle aged women, he was really tied up with our sexual awakenings, and losing him has taken us back to that, and what he represented for us then, and y'know, to think about the difference between how we felt when we were 14 or whatever, and the real life and real men that came after that...which was not always quite so sexy...

- There was the human bit of P (which as we know, was as human as everyone), and then there's the artist, and what he could do, and the fact that there is something just so otherworldly and transcendent about it...and it feels like that can't and shouldn't and won't die, and at the same time, he's dead and it makes no sense at all...

- The way he died was awful and shocking and tragic and confounding and so so wrong for someone who lived the kind of life he lived, and it's not okay, and it's just really really hard to come to terms with...

- And it also I think, really stimulates the protective part of us, because we realize now there was something really not okay with him, and we want to be able to do something about it and help him or get someone to help him, and we can't and we never will and it's too late and that just totally sucks...

So yeah, lots of stuff...

Wow... I'm teary eyed & speechless after that, well said

Ditto!

sonshine said:

He's ruined me for other music and musicians. No one will ever be able to take his place. I basically grew up with him. His music was always the perfect back drop for my life at the time. He was constantly evolving and perfecting. You can't help but fall madly for someone who still manages to thrill you even tho you're watching the 30th youtube performance in a row today. He had amazing talent and charisma. I cry over the emptiness his passing has left behind. [Edited 8/11/16 0:16am]

The level of charisma is what drew me in from the start. That young man I saw on Dick Clark playing coy, was only 2 years older than me and I was mystified. Where did men like this live? Where can I find them? Well not down in South Florida, that much I knew for sure. On a side note, I was never much of a youtube fan before his passing, but now I've become an addict. Who knew such treasure was hiding out there in video land?! I thank the youtube gods daily.

fen said:

Nodin said:

My son just asked me why Prince makes me cry. I was watching Prince sing on the Musicology DVD tour and was reduced to tears. I said that to make a young woman cry ( I was one once so I remember), just about all you need is a pretty face and a slow song. He said you mean like Justin Bieber (who he is not a fan of )? I said yes like that (no offense to the young folks who are here who like him). To make a 50 plus women sob, takes soul and groove and words that fill you to the brim and then overflow. Prince stands alone in that category for me. My sweet 11yr old boy then sat and held me. I love my son for understanding and I miss Prince in my world.

Hi Nodin,

It's not just middle aged women, but jaded and world-weary near middle-aged men as well. For me, it was watching his performance of “All The Critics Love U In Montreux” from 2009 a few weeks after his death. The whole performance is euphoric, but the moment that really got to me takes place around the 4:15 mark, when the camera briefly cuts away to a young girl sitting on somebody's shoulders. It was just the look of sheer joy and exhilaration on her face - it brought home to me exactly what we'd lost. It's also quite wonderful when the crowd bursts into the “Forever In My Life” chant, apparently unprompted and in perfect time. I believe that there are many great artists in the world capable of moving us with their music, but who else can do precisely what Prince did at his best?

Yes, Montreux 2009 is another masterpiece.

ceilidh said:

I put my Musicology CD on last week while running errands in town. About an hour before, I thought well I am still sad but not crying anymore. Then comes on Call my Name. So this 50+ lady was crying once again. I think I have to wait a while before I listen to that song again.

Everytime I hear Call My Name, I think maybe he's like Tinkerbell. If we all call his name together, he'll come back right?

Nodin said:

fen said:

Hi Nodin,

It's not just middle aged women, but jaded and world-weary near middle-aged men as well. For me, it was watching his performance of “All The Critics Love U In Montreux” from 2009 a few weeks after his death. The whole performance is euphoric, but the moment that really got to me takes place around the 4:15 mark, when the camera briefly cuts away to a young girl sitting on somebody's shoulders. It was just the look of sheer joy and exhilaration on her face - it brought home to me exactly what we'd lost. It's also quite wonderful when the crowd bursts into the “Forever In My Life” chant, apparently unprompted and in perfect time. I believe that there are many great artists in the world capable of moving us with their music, but who else can do precisely what Prince did at his best?

Yes, Montreux 2009 is another masterpiece.

It really is, whenever anything or everything gets too much, Empty Room or When Eye Lay My Hands on U somehow pretty much sorts me out every time...

Nodin said:

ceilidh said:

I put my Musicology CD on last week while running errands in town. About an hour before, I thought well I am still sad but not crying anymore. Then comes on Call my Name. So this 50+ lady was crying once again. I think I have to wait a while before I listen to that song again.

Everytime I hear Call My Name, I think maybe he's like Tinkerbell. If we all call his name together, he'll come back right?

Well, since "all the world's a stage", maybe we should try : he did always come back for an encore when we all called his name together...

It's so comforting to read that (regardless of age or gender) there are people who feel exactly like I do.

I was not prepared for Prince's death, I was definitely not expecting it to leave me completely devastated. This was someone I had never really met. Now I find myself crying in the same way I did when my father passed away.

I'm tired of crying, I'm tired of feeling so desperate about a future devoid of the magic Prince brought into my life. But when someone tells me I should move on, I just think : believe me, I wish I could.

Ever since I first fell for Prince (more than 30 years ago) I have always had 1 dream : that one day I would meet him. I always thought this was very unlikely but not completely impossible (I mean, some of the people on the org met him ). When I recently came across this saying that "it is never too late to follow your dreams", I just felt like screaming : but sometimes IT IS TOO LATE !

Prince coloured my world with his music, his live performances, just by being who he was.

I wish he was still here so we could enjoy everything this amazing person could do and feel happy, I wish he was still here so he could enjoy every amazing thing he could do - and feel happy.

Starlit said:

Nodin said:

Everytime I hear Call My Name, I think maybe he's like Tinkerbell. If we all call his name together, he'll come back right?

Well, since "all the world's a stage", maybe we should try : he did always come back for an encore when we all called his name together...

It's so comforting to read that (regardless of age or gender) there are people who feel exactly like I do.

I was not prepared for Prince's death, I was definitely not expecting it to leave me completely devastated. This was someone I had never really met. Now I find myself crying in the same way I did when my father passed away.

I'm tired of crying, I'm tired of feeling so desperate about a future devoid of the magic Prince brought into my life. But when someone tells me I should move on, I just think : believe me, I wish I could.

Ever since I first fell for Prince (more than 30 years ago) I have always had 1 dream : that one day I would meet him. I always thought this was very unlikely but not completely impossible (I mean, some of the people on the org met him ). When I recently came across this saying that "it is never too late to follow your dreams", I just felt like screaming : but sometimes IT IS TOO LATE !

Prince coloured my world with his music, his live performances, just by being who he was.

I wish he was still here so we could enjoy everything this amazing person could do and feel happy, I wish he was still here so he could enjoy every amazing thing he could do - and feel happy.

700 more encores please!

[Edited 8/11/16 6:33am]

ldmendes said:

Prince was part of my youth..fun, exciting, freedom, party, innocents, fantasy..I am not only saying goodbye to Prince, but my youth. Sucks being a grown-up.

This!! I was comparing the profile of Prince at the piano at one of his most recent concerts, and the same view from a video taken in Tokyo. It's terrifying that I'm just a few chapters behind him.

I was sad about MJ and Whitney Houston, but a part of me felt like I lost them years ago. The Prince I knew was still here. In my heart, Prince wasn't "tainted."

One of my first memories was sitting in the passenger seat prattling on about something, when my mom, who was driving screamed "be quiet," while turning up the radio. Elvis had just died. Despite being only three, I remember thinking God help me if I ever behaved like that when a musician croaked that I grew up with. So far, I've had to eat crow with Gatorade (MJ), Zero (Whitney) and most recently orange juice (Prince). I don't think I'll ever be able to drink orange juice again.

During a trip to visit my cousins, they took me to see Purple Rain. I felt so sophisticated. Like something was beginning, in the world and in my life.

And I STILL don't get Elvis.

Nodin said:

This is a great topic. For me the loss really hits when I realize how much he made me love myself and opened my eyes to my potential as a female. I came from a very conservative family and he was so open in his lyrics and it enabled me to see that I could be and feel certain ways without being ashamed. I will forever be thankful for this.

XxAxX said:

ldmendes said:

Prince was part of my youth..fun, exciting, freedom, party, innocents, fantasy..I am not only saying goodbye to Prince, but my youth. Sucks being a grown-up.

i get that. it feels though a part of me passed along with him that day.

Yes! 47. I don't have any other middle-aged women around me to talk to about this experience. (Over and over--I need to talk about it). That's why I come here. I wish I could have a big potluck with all of you and we could actually have a shared grieving experience, in person. I'm having a really hard time.

emby said:

Yes! 47. I don't have any other middle-aged women around me to talk to about this experience. (Over and over--I need to talk about it). That's why I come here. I wish I could have a big potluck with all of you and we could actually have a shared grieving experience, in person. I'm having a really hard time.

Would it be totally bizarre to create a Prince Grieving Meetup?

Something else that scares me is that I'm alone and lonely. It seems like Prince was also. Didn't he ask at a recent concert if he had any friends there? If someone with millions of fans and the ability to buy as many sparkly toys as he wants is lonely, what hope is there for me?

I joined Prince.org after he passed away. Just yesterday, I realized I had basically missed his entire life. I look at photos of him through the years and I don't remember him at all. But, any announced television show appearance was a big deal and I would watch for him because he was PRINCE. His death hit me very, very hard. It was heartbreaking, and all I could think of was him for months. Every day. And I cried for him, a lot. It was as if he was in my heart, in my DNA ... he was a part of my soul. I should change that tense: he IS a part of me, and always will be. I honestly feel like I was in love with him, and I don't know when that happened. It feels as if he was "the one" that got away all those years ago, and I never got over him. I do recall, when I got engaged back in the last 70s, that I thought my fiance was the same size as Prince. But that engagement ended, and the years passed, and here we all are. Thank you for being a place where both longtime and newer fans can speak openly about this wonderful man and his marvelous music.

I am male, what is my excuse?

leadline said:

I am male, what is my excuse?

Mens can have mad love for him..no shame!

Sometimes I think I understand him..and perhaps I could have helped him. It upsets me that dispite all the calls for help, the emergency, calling doctors, he was all alone. That makes no sense. Did he not trust anyone?..makes me sad.

leadline said:

I am male, what is my excuse?

This is what is so great about the org. Just when you're tearing all up again, someone makes a comment like this and I just crack up laughing! Thank you. Leadline, hope it was ok to laugh. Please org don't go away. I can't laugh or cry about this with any one else. Had to stop talking about it.

leadline said:

I am male, what is my excuse?

No excuse needed, glad to find out so many men loved him too. I was just trying to explain to my preteen son why mom was crying so much. He seemed to really want to understand what it was about this man that could hurt his usually strong mom so much. He loves him too and was drawn to his showmanship (or swagger as he calls it) from the 1st time he saw a video, but puberty is just starting to hit him and he knew Prince had something special about him, he just couldn't express it yet. There so much to learn from our boy!

Waiting4Fall said:

Something else that scares me is that I'm alone and lonely. It seems like Prince was also. Didn't he ask at a recent concert if he had any friends there? If someone with millions of fans and the ability to buy as many sparkly toys as he wants is lonely, what hope is there for me?

I think he was lonely too, and until his death I didn't realize how lonely I was.

Nodin said:

Waiting4Fall said:

Something else that scares me is that I'm alone and lonely. It seems like Prince was also. Didn't he ask at a recent concert if he had any friends there? If someone with millions of fans and the ability to buy as many sparkly toys as he wants is lonely, what hope is there for me?

I think he was lonely too, and until his death I didn't realize how lonely I was.

This. There's something about losing him, and remembering how special the love he made was, and how much we loved him for it, that's really brought some stuff home for me...about how much time we spend just getting by, and not expecting too much...and not taking risks when its easier not to, and how short life is. It's really made me clear out some emotional cupboards, and want more, and to remember more is a thing worth wanting. He just keeps on giving that one...I think he always will.

Neal Karlen related how Prince would call him in the middle of the night because he was sad and lonely. I know Neal made some flippant comments about Prince's letters, but I think he was the one journalist who seemed to pierce the facade and talk about the real person behind the mask. I don't think that lost little 13-year-old boy ever recovered from what his parents did to him.