1. America

2. Money Don't Matter 2night

3. Love Sign

4. Live 4 Love

5. Free

mediumdry said:

So... do you want to talk about the song being good or the lyrics? I mean, I love America, but the lyrics should have the last line of every verse removed to be acceptable. Sign Of The Times is a good song as well, but the lyrics don't make sense (from weed to heroin? Gateway drug is a lie.. from an exploding rocket to flying? Let's compare walking to flying as well.. same difference, nevermind that flying is statistically one of the safest modes of transportation. Since there's a poverty problem in the US, the first thing to take money from is from space exploration and all of the benefits that the science developed for it gives? etc...) Let's not even talk of the War, which I like as a song, but the lyrics go even further out there.

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Prince had a social conscience. I'd even go as far as saying he was a good man. But, even though he could turn a phrase and had lyrical abilities, he never really was able to apply that to his politics and social conscience. He tended to be way to heavy handed, like in Baltimore. One of the few times it mostly worked, to me, is Money Don't Matter. But generally it worked better if it was more in the background and seeped through as a kind of outlook on life instead of trying to teach. (same for his religious views, by the way)

america is a good song/jam, the lyrics are not politically consistent though. but its an accurate reflection of his politics at the time. so even if i dont really GAF about lines on the threat of communism (cant tell if he really thought this, or was just pandering to conservative americans), the song is musically good.

SOTT, lol, i dont think the impact would be there even if started citing stats. ill give him a pass on not reading surveys on gateway drug patterns.

the prob with the war, and days of wild, and we march too, i that in the 90s prince just started getting really preachy. part of that was macho bullshit strut, church preacher aspirations, and thinking he should give chuck d or ice cube a run for their money, albeit in his own slightly askew way. regardless, prince getting preachy is rarely ever a good look.

thats why for my money, his 'political' songs are generally those where its just a few lines, or a little more oblique, rather than him trying to tackle something head on. i respect the sentiments of songs like when will be paid, black muse, or family name, i just find myself flinching a little when hearing them. mayb thats co thats not what i expect from prince, or its just that i dont think that way of writing worked for him. he should have taken a cue from the guys influenced by him, like dangelo on devils pie, or erykah badu's other side ofthe game. or his heroes george clinton or sly stone who were clever with it.

prince had a soul/funk heart, not a rapper's one, but that didnt stop him trying too hard at times. he prob felt he might have looked like a sell out early in his career so was trying to make sure no one thought that later on.