poppys said:

Poetry sparks each individual's interpertation. I thought he may have been talking about his detractors in The Breakdown. Even the ones that loved him. All that social pressure was surely exausting. It's a great song.

[Edited 7/26/19 10:53am]

i definitely considered this too, we now know how much he perused the org here, god knows why, and it was filled with vileness. I even think it could be a combination of things, god, a lover, a disease, the fans,even his own conscience, it's anything but clear and a fine job as a songwriter. One thing for sure, it's a sincere apology and that goes a long ways for me as a fan who always thought he did some mean stuff to his own circle. I wish I could tell him that he wasn't alone, many people have horrid things they've done that they feel badly about, whether it's treatment of family, treatment of strangers or what have you.

[Edited 7/26/19 12:30pm]

I just listened to his performance of this song at the first P&M show at PP January 2016.

*

He sang, "There's a door that you can walk through baby, where there used to be a wall. Ask me anything, as long as you catch me girl, whenever there's a fall, whenever there's a fall. I don't expect there will be...not anytime, not anytime soon (oohs and screeches)...down, down, down...ask me anything, I know you want to ask me...anything...whatever it is, the answer is YES."

*Edited for more detail...

[Edited 7/26/19 15:41pm]

PeteSilas said:

poppys said:

Poetry sparks each individual's interpretation. I thought he may have been talking about his detractors in The Breakdown. Even the ones that loved him. All that social pressure was surely exhausting. It's a great song.

i definitely considered this too, we now know how much he perused the org here, god knows why, and it was filled with vileness. I even think it could be a combination of things, god, a lover, a disease, the fans, even his own conscience, it's anything but clear and a fine job as a songwriter. One thing for sure, it's a sincere apology and that goes a long ways for me as a fan who always thought he did some mean stuff to his own circle. I wish I could tell him that he wasn't alone, many people have horrid things they've done that they feel badly about, whether it's treatment of family, treatment of strangers or what have you.

Yes, many human roads in that song. The delivery is so forceful and direct, yet packed with quiet anguish and longing.

LovePaisley said:

Revolution81 said:

I think the lyrics are cheesy and probably the lamest song on the album. Not a patch on “way back home” IMO I do wonder about some of the places he woke up that we “wouldn’t believe” tho, like on the ledge of a tenth floor Vegas hotel balcony or a beach surrounded by mutilated corpse’s

I dunno. Considering that he also mentions a "journal full of notes" that he used to go thru--1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7-- I've always wondered if waking up in places you never would believe might be about waking up in a pile of women? He certainly could've if he wanted to. Makes more sense than blackout drunk. And the scream. I may be in a minority, but I'd call it a screech and I think it ruins the song and possibly even made a perfect song to memorialize him on the radio after 4/21, unplayable. Don't get me wrong, I love his screams--none better-- but not that one. [Edited 7/22/19 15:27pm]

It's one of my all-time favourite screams, by anyone. Makes the hair stand up on the back of my neck every time.

the drunk portion of the song certainly did not sound like what we all knew of the man, songwriting is often fiction pointing to a truth though, that's how I see art.

Genesia said:

That's the great thing about Prince songs - or any good writing or poetry. It doesn't mean the same thing to everyone.

People relate on their own levels, without someone else telling them the definitive meaning. Pretty much the whole point of making Art in the first place.

Genesia said:

PeggyO said:

He cried at the end of the song in Montreux (2013). He seemed very sad and one thing he mentioned was he wanted more time here. I feel he was too sad for it to be anything other than a serious chronic or acute illness.I feel he was asking God to "catch him" if he fell during this scary process.

I think he was upset with himself for wasting precious time on superficial as well as harmful pursuits.

Re: the show in Sydney, I think sometimes Prince mentioned attraction to women in his songs/performances as a cover for other, perhaps deeper and more vulnerable feelings. He could not directly tell us that he was very ill as it would have caused a media circus.

I think he was saying good-bye for a couple of years. The album, Art Official Age was a farewell in IMO. Took alot of courage.

I have said from the beginning that The Breakdown is about his relationship with God - and not just as it relates to his addiction. When he says, "There's a door that you can walk through where there used to be a wall," he is saying, "Yes, my God - I accept you wholeheartedly and trust you to catch me if I fall." God has broken through the walls Prince put up in his life. He's put his journal (his reliance only on himself) away and is trusting a higher power to guide him. "Every book I read said that I would meet somebody like you" - he's talking about the books of the Bible. But he's acknowledging that he didn't really accept the teachings the way he should have - he continued in the same way he had before. God finally "broke him down" and found a way into his heart.

I agree with you 100% on this. Was wondering when someone else would understand this, thanks!

Yeah, luckily Prince was so good - even a woman or a heathen can get something out of it. (sarcasm)

Prince was way less dogmatic in general than many of his fans - from what I can tell.

Art is not something that can be nailed down the way many here always try to nail it down. Prince said most of the fan "theories" were wrong. A work of art can be more than ONE THING.

the one issue i have with it being god, or just, is that it's not like spirituality was anything new for Prince, he had been spiritual all his life. also, as someone pointed out, the darling, baby, that he used could just have been a songwriters device for his subject. It's anything but clear.

PeteSilas said:

violetcrush said:

Prince stated, “if you want to know about my life listen to my music. It’s all there.” Prince told his own life stories and also expressed his views on love, sex, politics, religion, and race through his songs. His genius was that he could do it so creatively and artistically which resulted in fans deriving their own meaning and/or relating it to their own lives. * He also repeated some of the same stories through the years - Still Waiting says the same thing as Still Would Stand All Time. Sexy MF, P Control, and Greatest Romance - as Prince himself stated - are saying the same thing, but with new lyrics and music. He said, “What people get out of it is what they get out of it.” * Again, his genius was using clever and unique phrasing to tell common or often simple stories.

[Edited 7/28/19 17:41pm]

poppys said:

The journal full of numbers is not about women's phone numbers, I think it is about the "numbers" he used in his songs.

[Edited 9/2/19 21:44pm]

ISaidLifeIsJustAGame said:

When I first heard the song, it didn't really do much for me, but after a second listen, I was like "wow, so beautiful". Kinda sad though.

feeluupp said:

TheTruth123 said:

feeluupp said:

Umm... A few members messaged me about that snip, as they were shocked why it got snipped...

My exact post about was the song sounded a bit flat.

Have no idea why you snipped that.

Yes I felt his vocal range and the overall sound of the song sounded flat.

Yes. His performance of this at Montreux 2013 was the only time I heard him sing flat. I think the emotion wasn’t there as strongly as when he wrote it.

He was crying at the end of that song at Montreux 2013.

violetcrush said:

TheTruth123 said:

TheTruth123 said:

TheTruth123 said:

Exactly. I think “someone” had walked away and when that happened that is when Prince would pursue. I don’t consider this love.

I don’t think he really wanted to remain with that someone. But when she played games and acted like she didn’t care, she knew that was the way to get Prince. That’s why she’s been so quiet. She doesn’t want to be blamed. I’m saying this because I’m beyond sick of her attention-getting social media. And how she doesn’t say anything but does say a lot about P, passive aggressively. One other thing. When I saw the title of this thread, I knew it was bait To bring up that subject again.. It’s not the first time that’s happened.

Andy worked on this song with Prince.

PeggyO said:

He cried at the end of the song in Montreux (2013). He seemed very sad and one thing he mentioned was he wanted more time here. I feel he was too sad for it to be anything other than a serious chronic or acute illness.I feel he was asking God to "catch him" if he fell during this scary process.

I think he was upset with himself for wasting precious time on superficial as well as harmful pursuits.

Re: the show in Sydney, I think sometimes Prince mentioned attraction to women in his songs/performances as a cover for other, perhaps deeper and more vulnerable feelings. He could not directly tell us that he was very ill as it would have caused a media circus.

I think he was saying good-bye for a couple of years. The album, Art Official Age was a farewell in IMO. Took alot of courage.

I need to find that performance, its a heavy song to listen to along with "Way Back Home". You guys gave different & great perspectives, but one thing in common is how emotionally charged both songs are.

TheTruth123 said: