I read the synpois of the article. It waa a nice read. Becoming a Prince fan is simple! Listen to his music, watch his movies and get the 411 on what Prince was all about.

I am from New Zealand, what does 411 mean. What is a 411, is it some form of weird slang?

411 is "urban slang". It means information. As popularized by Mary J Blige n her debut What's the 411?

Adorecream said:

I am from New Zealand, what does 411 mean. What is a 411, is it some form of weird slang?

https://www.urbandictiona...=The%20411

purplepolitician said:

411 is "urban slang". It means information. As popularized by Mary J Blige n her debut What's the 411?

While this is also true. Actually, "411" was the real phone number we (in America) had to dial to call the "Information Operator" back in the days before internet and smart phones.

[Edited 3/12/18 18:41pm]

Cool thanks guys - if that is the case the article has a decent amount of 411 for the complete newbie who has only heard a few of Prince's big 80s smashes. I am sure the number of people who have never ever heard 1999, When Doves Cry, Purple Rain, Kiss or U got the look would be limited and restricted to non English speakers, countries where American pop music was banned, deaf people, mutes and anyone over 80.

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Their choices of 6 Prince songs to start with are very solid. The 5th song is actually the one that made me a fan, and song 6 is probably the best entry point for anyone born after Batman was released (Then again Song #5 for those of us like me born after Watergate - see I do know some US history).

purplepolitician said:

purplepolitician said:

411 is "urban slang". It means information. As popularized by Mary J Blige n her debut What's the 411?

Uh...not quite. 411 has been around since the 1930s or so.

411 is what you dial on a phone for information. If you needed information in another town, city, or state, or just needed a quick reference to a phone number and didn't have a phone book, you dialed 411. An operator would come on, you'd ask them for whatever you needed, and they gave it to you. "Hi, I'm looking for the number to the Pizza Hut on Oak Ave." or "Can I have the number for Bob's Electric on Southwest 51st Street?" Eventually, they'd connect you to an automated response that sometimes had a quick advert from an advertiser, and it also offered to dial the number for you for free, or for 25¢ (something like that). 411 literally was information. It didn't mean information, it was the number to dial to get more information.

If you ever needed a number in another area code, you could dial 1.area code.555.1212 and be connected to information in that area code. So I was in Los Angeles but wanted a number in New York city area, I could dial 1.212.555.1212 or 1.718.555.1212 and get the information in that area. It was a clever idea and probably cleared up 411 operators to keep local calls coming in.

The N11 format was kept with things like the invention of 911 (emergency) in the U.S., 511 for travel information, 611 was to report a problem with a payphone, 711 is for the hearing imparied. 211, 311, and 811 are all different non-emergency services.

Mary J copied mother Bell, at best. She didn't popularize it by any means, not even as slang.

HatrinaHaterwitz said:

purplepolitician said:

411 is "urban slang". It means information. As popularized by Mary J Blige n her debut What's the 411?

While this is also true. Actually, "411" was the real phone number we (in America) had to dial to call the "Information Operator" back in the days before internet and smart phones.

[Edited 3/12/18 18:41pm]

Anybody remember party lines?

That is so funny, here 111 is the emergency phone number and 123 is directory assistance.

HatrinaHaterwitz said:

purplepolitician said:

411 is "urban slang". It means information. As popularized by Mary J Blige n her debut What's the 411?

While this is also true. Actually, "411" was the real phone number we (in America) had to dial to call the "Information Operator" back in the days before internet and smart phones.

[Edited 3/12/18 18:41pm]

And the phone you dialled it on had a cord and a big, round dial. This wasn't that long ago. Don't worry, you ain't old!

D

[Edited 4/15/18 11:50am]

D

[Edited 4/15/18 11:50am]

Nice article! Thanks Latin!

Anytime When You Were Mine is shown some love (as it is here), I am all over it.

Goddess4Real said:

Thanks.....interesting article

pinkcashmere23 said:

How to become a Prince fan:

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1. Start with "For You"...........then, work your way up to the cream.......HitNRunP2

HerecomethePurpleYoda said:

I could watch that for hours... well, not really. But for several minutes.

EddieC said:

HerecomethePurpleYoda said:

I could watch that for hours... well, not really. But for several minutes.