masaba said:

anc282 said:

Of course, those of us who were around at the time know that it's actually about Jonathan Melvoin, Wendy's brother who was the drummer in the Smashing Pumpkins. He died of a drug overdose back in '95 or '96. It even says in the booklet that it was "Written 4 a lost friend."

He was the keyboardist, actually. The drummer was there too coincidentally, and got fired from the band as a result. BEAST drummer though, Jimmy Chamberlin.

Oh, thanks for the correction.

emesem said:

The humanity that infuses this song is something special. Out of all his gospel flavored/social commentary songs this seems the most mature and developed. I get chills when he says "put down the needle, put down the spoon" Buried at the end of Emancipation this one doesn't get the love it deserves..

I agree mostly with the first part of what you wrote. As for being underrated, I am not so sure. Maybe because it was not released as a single and was not put forward by a powerful record company, the song never got much attention from the general public. But it sure got all the love and attention it deserved from Prince himself, and through his magnificient live performances it did get a growing amount of love from the fans, most of whom had already found their way to the saluted Emancipation album.

Not sure what you mean about hypocritical. He seems to have a lot of compassion and nonjudgemental (which for Prince is rare) sympathy for the person he's asking to "put down the needle, put down the spoon".

In retrospect was he somehow singing to himself? (although dont get the impression his opioid issue was present in 1995/6). Did he have some sense that he was suseptable to this illness too?

coldasice said:

& you really have no clue what it's about do you? It's a little hypocritical considering the way things ended. I'd put it up there with My Little Pill.