How can I feel sad that I was privileged to live in the same time Prince did? That I was there to glimpse the heart and soul of an extraordinary human being through his magnificent art? That I was in the same room, breathing the same air and (once) singing into the same microphone he did?

If I am sad, it is because of me - and my own speculation as to what I will miss because Prince is no longer here. But I am happy he is out of pain and grateful for everything he left for us to remember him by.

Prince was some kind of culture to me, so his passing was not the same as some other artist dying. I have certain ones that have hit me hard. But Prince was something different. So I accept it, and let it naturally rise and fall in my soul. I don't try to deny the sadness, I don't try to live in it either.

Genesia said:

I was playing his music just the other day, and started to feel sad and teary. Sometimes I can play it and be just fine, but at other times, I hear it and remember that he's really gone, and it makes me sad all over again.

I have good days and I have not so good days. The good days are when I listen to his music, still feel his presence and truly appreciate his existence. The not so good days are when I see the reveling in the shitshow full of foolishness surrounding the circumstances of his untimely demise. They're talking about Prince damn it and HE deserves much fucking better!

I've been lurking this site for 7 months now and this post prompted me to finally make an account.

I've been really sad about it lately. Downright upset, actually. This is embarrassing to admit, but I wasn't a huge Prince fan until last year... before that I was always a casual fan. My "excuse" is that I was born in '96. Since I got into him late, I'm doing my grieving now, and honestly, I don't know how to make sense of it; both his death and the circumstances surrounding it. Just the way it all happened is so grim. I'm grateful for all the wonderful music he left behind, but I feel this deep regret for not embracing it earlier, when he was still alive.

Please excuse my lamenting, I just needed to get this out.

[Edited 4/1/18 14:11pm]

[Edited 4/1/18 14:12pm]

[Edited 4/1/18 14:40pm]

farnorth said:

MaryGoRound said:

Last week I found out about a Pretenders show here in Boston. I was bummed, because I love the venue. My friend said, that he regretted not seeing Prince before he passed. I have been in a bit of a funk since.

I turn 50 this year, another friends mom is going to pass any day now, and it's snowing in April right now.

Prince used to say about playing live, 'it's gotta be better than record!'

I miss the surprises at shows and on the records.

Rev said:

Last week I found out about a Pretenders show here in Boston. I was bummed, because I love the venue. My friend said, that he regretted not seeing Prince before he passed. I have been in a bit of a funk since.

I turn 50 this year, another friends mom is going to pass any day now, and it's snowing in April right now.

Prince used to say about playing live, 'it's gotta be better than record!'

I miss the surprises at shows and on the records.

Your friend is the one that should be in the funk. Because he missed out on seeing the BEST entertainer performance in history.

yes, I still miss him, tears can still come up at weird times. It gets intense when I hear some new leak or like now when I am planning my Celebration trip. The excitement of new music is still the same, until I *remember*.. and then it is a crash. Getting excited to go to Celebration and see my purple friends from all over the world and go to all the shows, events, going to the symposium.. it is all so engergizing. Until I *remember*.

I miss sharing the planet with him. I miss the the twitter & instagram notifications.. hearing it, rushing to get it screenshot before he deleted it because I knew it would crack me the fuck up every time I looked at it.

Sometimes it just hits me in traffic, when I am going in hard on a tune and then all of a sudden, I'll *remember*

Things REALLY are not the same without him, not being melodramatic.

I miss what could have been.

I think the bio would have tamed the diva for good.
It would have been sincere about his experiences.

Maybe the biggest shift seen in Prince in a while
was mostly because of him starting to write about himself.

"The Breakdown" is heartbreaking because of that.
It really is his plead to being forgiven for all the groupie-fucking (nonsense, he ain't got the time),
the millions spent in clothes, and his Big Jamie ego that would seduce you,
bring out the best of you, then leave you for another fool, yes a fool.

He was sorry for many years about Wendy and Lisa,
but they made peace. And I think the process of the book was about to,
as his history would have been laid down, continue and support his will to make peace
with everyone that may have been hurt during his crazy ride of a lifetime.

Jill and others noticed the recent Prince's desire to get back in touch.
So I miss what could have been.



U can still see the picture upon the wall
One eye staring at nothing at all
The other one trying 2 focus through all your tears

Was the writing of the bio unearthing some regrets of time spent
doing some shitty commercial when he could already have done
Hit'n'Run part XVII by then? Or any more meaningful thing
than stuff revolving around his ego? Yeah, your butt looks nice in yellow too, what's new?

U surrounded yourself with all the wrong faces
Spending your time in all the wrong places
Puttin' your faith in things that only make U cry



Thing is, when you're driving Prince's big yellow bus,
you gotta focus on the road, pick and drop the scholars,
that's your job and you don't have time to really be pal with the kids, y'know?
How many pals? How many friends?
Just the Good Book, really?

Was the bio waking regrets of not having the leap of faith to leave WB straight after 1987,
even if left broke for contract breach?
Not trusting Paisley Park Studios could be self-sustainable?
Not trusting fans to feed him till the grave?

But yah, you know, "Eye needs my money".
Prince was adamant not to smell McDonald's from across the street ever again.

"Yo baby" my behind, I need my money
Say, Brother Carothers [possibly a crossed reference
between Lenny Waronker and the french slang term carotteur, which originates from carrott,
making the Bugs Bunny link and the nod to Warner undisputable],
can I get some credit?
No? Much money I done spent in this nasty joint [with Purple Rain]?
U need to be slapped!
Darling, shall we leave now?
Go to Hades, Warner!



Was the book inevitably make him speak about Amiir? Denise?
Tyka's years in dope? His parents?
Times spent in the pits of self-pity depression?
Times when people say they love U and they wanna help,
but U can't cuz U can't help yourself?

The more they say they loved U, the more U just wanted 2 die
So here we go again, the self analysis
Have another pill and uh.. forget this



I miss what could have been.

I miss Paisley Park Studios turning into a music school,
with Prince and his bands members giving masterclasses. Proms.
Dig if you will the picture of a Prom night in Paisley Park.
Alumni ceremonies and all that shit.
In Music! Lights! Cameras! Scenes!



At sunset, he would walk through the halls,
lock his Arts School's many doors like the janitor,
would run through his e-mails like the principal (James can be the president).
Then turn the lights off, get in his canary jammies,
strum some on the acoustic like the teacher and get some happy sleep.

At dawn he would open the gates again.

And the next day.
And the next day.
And the next day.


"Don't forget 2 bring your apple."
I would have had some slogans, already, damn!

[Edited 4/3/18 12:29pm]

Its sad for me because its been a mystery and not knowing what really happened, no closure.

bonatoc said:

I miss what could have been.

I think the bio would have tamed the diva for good.
It would have been sincere about his experiences.

Maybe the biggest shift seen in Prince in a while
was mostly because of him starting to write about himself.

The Breakdown is heartbreaking because of that.
It really is his plead to being forgiven for all the groupie-fucking (nonsense, he ain't got the time),
the millions spent in clothes, and his Big Jamie ego that would seduce you,
bring out the best of you, then leave you for another fool, yes a fool.

He was sorry for many years about Wendy and Lisa,
but they made peace. And I think the process of the book was about to,
as his history would have been laid down, continue and support his will to make peace
with everyone that may have been hurt during his crazy ride of a lifetime.

Jill and others noticed the recent Prince's desire to get back in touch.
So I miss what could have been.



U can still see the picture upon the wall
One eye staring at nothing at all
The other one trying 2 focus through all your tears

Was the writing of the bio unearthing some regrets of time spent
doing some shitty commercial when he could already have done
Hit'n'Run part XVII by then? Or any more meaningful thing
than stuff revolving around his ego? Yeah, your butt looks nice in yellow too, what's new?

U surrounded yourself with all the wrong faces
Spending your time in all the wrong places
Puttin' your faith in things that only make U cry



Thing is, when you're driving Prince's big yellow bus,
you gotta focus on the road, pick and drop the scholars,
that's your job and you don't have time to really be pal with the kids, y'know?
How many pals? How many friends?
Just the Good Book, really?

Was the bio waking regrets of not having the leap of faith to leave WB straight after 1987,
even if left broke for contract breach?
Not trusting Paisley Park Studios could be self-sustainable?
Not trusting fans to feed him till the grave?

But yah, you know, "Eye needs my money".
Prince was adamant not to smell McDonald's from across the street ever again.

"Yo baby" my behind, I need my money
Say, Brother Carothers [possibly a crossed reference
between Lenny Waronker and the french slang term carotteur, which originates from carrott,
making the Bugs Bunny link and the nod to Warner undisputable],
can I get some credit?
No? Much money I done spent in this nasty joint [with Purple Rain]?
U need to be slapped!
Darling, shall we leave now?
Go to Hades, Warner!



Was the book inevitably make him speak about Amiir? Denise?
Tyka's years in dope? His parents?
Times spent in the pits of self-pity depression?
Times when people say they love U and they wanna help,
but U can't cuz U can't help yourself?

The more they say they loved U, the more U just wanted 2 die
So here we go again, the self analysis
Have another pill and uh.. forget this



I miss what could have been.

I miss Paisley Park Studios turning into a music school,
with Prince and his bands members giving masterclasses. Proms.
Dig if you will the picture of a Prom night in Paisley Park.
Alumni ceremonies and all that shit.
In Music! Lights! Cameras! Scenes!



At sunset, he would walk through the halls,
lock his Arts School's many doors like the janitor,
would run through his e-mails like the principal (James can be the president).
Then turn the lights off, get in his canary jammies,
strum some on the acoustic like the teacher and get some happy sleep.

At dawn he would open the gates again.

And the next day.
And the next day.
And the next day.


"Don't forget 2 bring your apple."
I would have had some slogans, already, damn!

[Edited 4/3/18 3:29am]

This a more detailed answer and I agree. Not sure if the memoir was the catalyst, but he was making strides to re connect.

I'll go with "memoir",
because "bio" always reminds of "The Flow"’s "nigga please!",
which is not very nice.
He did in fact go places some of us never go.

It hits me every once in while that I'll never see him live again or never get that thrill of hearing a brand new Prince song etc.

Was hoping that the Revolution tour would hold me over at least from the sense of sharing the experience with other Prince fans but I saw them up in Westchester NY and the show was not well attended and Wendy was not really all that into it. By the end she was like "Go get some rest" to the crowd. Not sure what that was all about.

No illusions that the family be able to keep the legacy and community alive for very much longer. Even this chat board is probably on its last legs.

So yeah, I'm still sad.

Sometimes I do. Other times when I am hurt; Prince comes to me in my dreams. It like all of the Insidious movies. Where the son and father visit the afterlife. Or the netherworlds. It's like that with me and Prince.

I'm still sad. Two years is coming up and I don't feel any closure; it's going to take time to heal. We can all honor him by listening to his music, because that was his gift to us, and that is what made him happy.

GrayDorian said:

Tilikum1983 said:

Do you? Feel as though u are still not "ok" with his passing death wahtever I have good and bad times days but lately has been particularly not so swell just wondering if i am alone in this?

Yeah, I still feel very sad too. I’ve yet to be convinced that you ever really get over the passing of a loved one, or find ‘closure’, whatever that may mean.

I don’t think that I’m ever going to stop missing dearly departed loved ones, whether that’s a huge star like Prince or my dear Dad.

Today’s the 5^th anniversary of my Dad’s passing, and whilst I’m not nearly as distraught as I was when he first passed, I still miss him terribly.

In my personal experience bereavement kinda feels like losing a part of yourself, where you’re suddenly left feeling bereft, as though there is an irrevocable imbalance in your life (I suppose maybe kinda like yin without yang?).

I find for myself that it’s an ongoing process trying to adjust over time to living with the grief, pain and loss of my loved ones, but I am no doubt always going to miss them sorely, so I am not in the least surprised to read that you (and others here) too are also missing Prince.

I don’t know whether this would be of any help to you, but I told myself I was going to carry a tiny piece of my Dad in my heart ‘til I see him next, and then I did likewise with Prince. That helps me cope with their loss a lil’, though admittedly of course there may very well be no literal truth in it.

In a strange kinda way I think we do carry a piece of our passed loved ones with us in our memories of them.

In any case, I think that their influence on our lives is assured, as they have helped shape who we are today. Well, that’s how I look at it, anyway.

Speaking of memories, I have found that dwelling on a happy memory of a loved one can sometimes help ease the pain of loss a lil'.

When at the graveside this morning, I was remembering how Dad would let me stand on his shoes and dance slowly, whilst I was balanced precariously on his feet. Then he would gradually speed up, and I would try to hang on, ‘til eventually I inevitably came off. That sure was a lot of fun, when I was a tiny kid.

And those memories then made me think of how I would giggle whenever Dad would suddenly get animated and dance about in the kitchen, much to my Mom’s annoyance, especially if she was trying to cook for all us kids. Very happy memories of good times with a good man and a very good father.

I miss him.

One thing I did learn from Prince’s shocking, sudden passing (as Morris Day emphasized himself very recently) was not to forget to share with my Mom and wife that I love them as often as I can, and give them big hugs whenever I get a chance.


I haven’t extended that to friends or siblings though, in case they think I’ve gone crazy. (Too late! ) I suppose that perhaps even from the very worst, most miserable landmarks in our lives, something good may still somehow come of them, however tiny a consolation that ‘silver lining’ may be.

.

I'm sorry about your Father. Losing a parent is the toughest thing to go through. It's been 4-years since I lost my Mother. You try to carry on as best as you can. I don't look too far into the future anymore; it's too exhausting for me -- I just take each day as it comes now.

.

I miss Prince and 2-years later, and I can't say I feel any better.

I admit I still feel sad some days too and miss him & I am coming to accept that is just how it is going to be from now on