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Thread started 06/29/19 10:05am

AvocadosMax

Last Perfect Pop Song (that we know of) — FREE URSELF

Free Urself is probably Prince’s last perfect Prince track. At least in terms of tracks be officially released. Some fans like it so much that they say “well this has got to be a lost track from the vault Prince re-recorded!! Sounds so good and fresh”
Others don’t like that kinda talk because they think it takes away from Prince’s creativity at an old age. I don’t think so. In fact, I entertain the ideas of ‘this being from an old track and Prince reworked it to fit today’

Perhaps ‘Free Urself’ could be an earlier track than we think it is? I mean at the end of the day, only he and maybe some close to him around that time really knows, but what if something turns up in the vault and they decide to release it? That way we could know.

But what is ‘Free Urself’ itself about? One word I can think of is MOTIVATION. Which leads me to believe maybe he wrote the lyrics at least in the mid to late 70s? Though, the line “how did we get here? How did we get this far?” could mean it was later on in his career. Or maybe he changed up the lyrics to fit where he was up until that point. (For example, he wouldn’t sing “i ain’t got no money” if he released ‘Baby I’m a Star’ in lets say 2010 or whatever)

Or perhaps it was indeed a new song and he the magic happened so quick. Yet around these last two years of his career it seemed he was looking back (rerecording of ‘If Eye Could Get Your Attention’, P&aM was as I stated before like his memoirs) so that’s why I entertain this idea or theory especially with this song. And with a songwriter and musician as prolific like Prince, the possibilities are endless, as proven with other ‘new’ tracks he released that were actually older songs.

What do you think? Are you in some ways in agreement like “oh yeah that makes sense. I could see it,” or whether if you’re going “ok guy you’re really just over-analyzing and over-thinking this entire thing,” let me know
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Reply #1 posted 06/29/19 10:15am

antonb

Free Urself doesnt get enough love thats for sure, its a great song and one of his last songs recorded proving he still had plenty to give. Maybe going to end up on Black is the new Black. Please estate, put that album together and release it next!

[Edited 6/29/19 10:16am]

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Reply #2 posted 06/29/19 10:51am

EmmaMcG

That song gave me real hope for his next album. I hated HitnRun Phase One and loved Phase Two so I wasn't sure what way his next album would turn out. But Free Urself made me really enthusiastic for it. It was (presumably) new but felt like classic Prince. The kind of pure pop song that he excelled at. Which makes it all the more disappointing that we've yet to hear anything else from his final months. I mean, the Purple Rain remaster was nice enough and Originals is an interesting project but from the very beginning, all I wanted was Black Is The New Black or Phase Three or whatever he was working on in his final months/year. It's would be our last chance to say that we're getting a "new" Prince album and the fact that they could market it as Prince's last album means that there's more potential for high sales than another reissue or random collection of vault tracks from the 80s.
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Reply #3 posted 06/29/19 1:34pm

antonb

adrian Crutchfield just gave an interview saying they recorded 8 or 9 tracks for the album and its great. a fusion of different styles . So want to hear it.

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Reply #4 posted 06/29/19 2:41pm

dodger

Great song and along with Revelation show he still had it to the very end.
.
It does have that classic Prince sound and of course it's possible it's an old track from the vault but the Fox journalist Iris Perez claims she witnessed him start to create it
.
It sounded great on the P&M tour as well, with the 'free, free yourself, you've got to free yourself' chant
.
Be interesting to know what album it was going to end up on. At one point it looked like it could have been the name of a new album with the Free Urself merch and single release.
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Reply #5 posted 06/29/19 3:10pm

AvocadosMax

dodger said:

Great song and along with Revelation show he still had it to the very end.
.
It does have that classic Prince sound and of course it's possible it's an old track from the vault but the Fox journalist Iris Perez claims she witnessed him start to create it
.
It sounded great on the P&M tour as well, with the 'free, free yourself, you've got to free yourself' chant
.
Be interesting to know what album it was going to end up on. At one point it looked like it could have been the name of a new album with the Free Urself merch and single release.

I remember he said on Twitter that it sounded good together with ‘Ruff Enuff’ which is a ‘Black is the New Black’ track. Hopefully Jay Z finds a way to release that one

And I never heard about Iris Perez. I’ll have to look that up. Thanks
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Reply #6 posted 06/29/19 3:16pm

AvocadosMax

dodger said:

Great song and along with Revelation show he still had it to the very end.
.
It does have that classic Prince sound and of course it's possible it's an old track from the vault but the Fox journalist Iris Perez claims she witnessed him start to create it
.
It sounded great on the P&M tour as well, with the 'free, free yourself, you've got to free yourself' chant
.
Be interesting to know what album it was going to end up on. At one point it looked like it could have been the name of a new album with the Free Urself merch and single release.

You sure you didn’t confuse the story with the ‘Baltimore’ track? She was present when Prince and the band did that recording
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Reply #7 posted 06/29/19 3:20pm

dodger

AvocadosMax said:

dodger said:

Great song and along with Revelation show he still had it to the very end.
.
It does have that classic Prince sound and of course it's possible it's an old track from the vault but the Fox journalist Iris Perez claims she witnessed him start to create it
.
It sounded great on the P&M tour as well, with the 'free, free yourself, you've got to free yourself' chant
.
Be interesting to know what album it was going to end up on. At one point it looked like it could have been the name of a new album with the Free Urself merch and single release.

I remember he said on Twitter that it sounded good together with ‘Ruff Enuff’ which is a ‘Black is the New Black’ track. Hopefully Jay Z finds a way to release that one

And I never heard about Iris Perez. I’ll have to look that up. Thanks


Yes I remember he said that about Ruff Enuff but then RE was credited to MonoNeon so it was all unclear, as it often was
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Reply #8 posted 06/29/19 3:21pm

dodger

AvocadosMax said:

dodger said:

Great song and along with Revelation show he still had it to the very end.
.
It does have that classic Prince sound and of course it's possible it's an old track from the vault but the Fox journalist Iris Perez claims she witnessed him start to create it
.
It sounded great on the P&M tour as well, with the 'free, free yourself, you've got to free yourself' chant
.
Be interesting to know what album it was going to end up on. At one point it looked like it could have been the name of a new album with the Free Urself merch and single release.

You sure you didn’t confuse the story with the ‘Baltimore’ track? She was present when Prince and the band did that recording


http://www.fox9.com/home/...6300-video
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Reply #9 posted 06/29/19 3:45pm

Moonbeam

avatar

One of the most emotionally potent songs he ever did for me. I heard it for the first time at the Piano & a Microphone shows I attended and then after he died, I heard the studio version for the first time and was a weepy mess.

It's one of my top 25 Prince songs, and I really hope it gets a proper showcase from the Estate.

Feel free to join in the Prince Album Poll 2018! Let'a celebrate his legacy by counting down the most beloved Prince albums, as decided by you!
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Reply #10 posted 06/29/19 6:10pm

mynameisnotsus
an

Free Urself was definitely the highlight of the Sydney Opera House shows for me - with the whole crowd on their feet singing and him jumping up to sit on the piano to drink it in. Blessed to have that for a memory.
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Reply #11 posted 06/30/19 4:32am

novabrkr

Yeah, it's a good one. It really does sound like a Prince song and nothing else. Haven't listened to it in a while.

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Reply #12 posted 06/30/19 5:02am

toejam

avatar

I absolutely love "Free Urself".

Toejam @ Peach & Black Podcast: http://peachandblack.podbean.com
Toejam's band "Cheap Fakes": http://cheapfakes.com.au, http://www.facebook.com/cheapfakes
Toejam the solo artist: http://www.youtube.com/scottbignell
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Reply #13 posted 06/30/19 11:41am

Strive

I'd argue that If Eye Could Get Ur Attention is the better pop song. Short, sweet and insanely catchy.

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Reply #14 posted 06/30/19 2:59pm

antonb

I'd argue with you that that is an old song my friend, reworked.
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Reply #15 posted 06/30/19 3:20pm

Strive

antonb said:

I'd argue with you that that is an old song my friend, reworked.


It's wildly different than previous versions.
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Reply #16 posted 06/30/19 3:46pm

TheBigBang

avatar

Strive said:

antonb said:
I'd argue with you that that is an old song my friend, reworked.
It's wildly different than previous versions.

The previous versions sounded better, imo.

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Reply #17 posted 06/30/19 5:12pm

emesem

Forgot about this song. Not great, sorry. The last "perfect" songs he's done, ironically he didnt write:

"What if" and "Anotherlove"....before that, the last "perfect" Prince song IMHO is "Future Soul Song".

[Edited 7/1/19 10:16am]

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Reply #18 posted 06/30/19 7:01pm

macaylasdad

Studio version is eh.... live version is all that!

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Reply #19 posted 07/01/19 1:12am

grantevans

avatar

mynameisnotsusan said:

Free Urself was definitely the highlight of the Sydney Opera House shows for me - with the whole crowd on their feet singing and him jumping up to sit on the piano to drink it in. Blessed to have that for a memory.

yeahthat
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Reply #20 posted 07/01/19 7:56am

Genesia

avatar

I can't believe I just switched away from Hovhaness's sixth symphony to listent to that mess. disbelief

We don’t mourn artists because we knew them. We mourn them because they helped us know ourselves.
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Reply #21 posted 07/01/19 8:11am

AvocadosMax

Genesia said:

I can't believe I just switched away from Hovhaness's sixth symphony to listent to that mess. disbelief


“Mess”??
Bruh.
I listen to it at least like twice a month to stay inspired

It’s like the best song ever.

It’s ok, everyone’s entitled to their own opinions, music is subjective



.....but you’re wronng



Jk
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Reply #22 posted 07/01/19 8:18am

Genesia

avatar

AvocadosMax said:

Genesia said:

I can't believe I just switched away from Hovhaness's sixth symphony to listent to that mess. disbelief

“Mess”?? Bruh. I listen to it at least like twice a month to stay inspired It’s like the best song ever. It’s ok, everyone’s entitled to their own opinions, music is subjective ..............................................but you’re wronng Jk


Honey, if you think that is "like" the best song ever, you need to get out more, music-wise.

But I suspect you're just trolling.

We don’t mourn artists because we knew them. We mourn them because they helped us know ourselves.
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Reply #23 posted 07/01/19 8:53am

spelchek

My absolute favourite post 2010 Prince song.So good Ifelt i had heard it before.

Weird but true-I had a vivid dream that Troy Gua(sp?) had made a heavily CGI'd promo of numerous era little Princes dancing in unison to it!

Let me tell you it was better than the Manic Monday promo... wink

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Reply #24 posted 07/01/19 9:12am

AvocadosMax

Genesia said:



AvocadosMax said:


Genesia said:

I can't believe I just switched away from Hovhaness's sixth symphony to listent to that mess. disbelief



“Mess”?? Bruh. I listen to it at least like twice a month to stay inspired It’s like the best song ever. It’s ok, everyone’s entitled to their own opinions, music is subjective .....but you’re wronng Jk


Honey, if you think that is "like" the best song ever, you need to get out more, music-wise.

But I suspect you're just trolling.


Trolling? I was kidding WITH you! That’s not trolling dude
I do like it enough to be in my ‘top 10’ favorite personal songs, i was kidding with you when I said you were wrong
[Edited 7/1/19 9:14am]
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Reply #25 posted 07/01/19 9:13am

AvocadosMax

I call almost every song I love “like the best song ever” lol
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Reply #26 posted 07/01/19 10:15am

Se7en

avatar

AvocadosMax said:

dodger said:
Great song and along with Revelation show he still had it to the very end. . It does have that classic Prince sound and of course it's possible it's an old track from the vault but the Fox journalist Iris Perez claims she witnessed him start to create it . It sounded great on the P&M tour as well, with the 'free, free yourself, you've got to free yourself' chant . Be interesting to know what album it was going to end up on. At one point it looked like it could have been the name of a new album with the Free Urself merch and single release.
I remember he said on Twitter that it sounded good together with ‘Ruff Enuff’ which is a ‘Black is the New Black’ track. Hopefully Jay Z finds a way to release that one And I never heard about Iris Perez. I’ll have to look that up. Thanks


If you read the articles about Originals, they've mentioned a few times that the Tidal contract is pretty much wrapped up now. Tidal's contract was for 3 albums.

I don't know if Sony (or WB) would choose to work with Tidal again if they're not legally obligated to?

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Reply #27 posted 07/01/19 2:43pm

icecreamcastle
777

This song is dope. music

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Reply #28 posted 07/03/19 11:15pm

Moonbeam

avatar

Just checked my list to confirm, and indeed, "Free Urself" is my favorite Prince song of the 21st century.

Feel free to join in the Prince Album Poll 2018! Let'a celebrate his legacy by counting down the most beloved Prince albums, as decided by you!
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Reply #29 posted 07/04/19 1:22am

TheEnglishGent

avatar

Free Urself is a fantastic track. Love it.

RIP sad
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