also, my name is prince.

he felt under assault, and like people no longer thought he could bring the funk, but he made this song, said 'and i am funky' in an attempt to battle his vulnerability that was so wounded by the haters.

gandorb said:

Prince had such a swag, charisma and musicality that vulnerability isn't the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about his music. However, there are some songs that do show a vulnerable side of him. Which are your favorite examples of this type of song? I will just list a couple so that others can add their selections as well..

Condition of the Heart - His vocal here is so tender and plaintive.

Wally - His pain seeps through despite his humor.

"Dark"

"Space"

The entirety of Disc 2 of EMANCIPATION. The man was never as vulnerable and in love, before or after.

Beautiful songs picked. Here are a few more:

Live 4 Love: "Don't nobody know the trouble I've seen."

Solo "So low, I feel like I'm going insane."

Letitgo: "All my life I've kept my feelings deep inside, never was a reason 2 let somebody know."

Lavaux: His feelings about a place that had a profound effect on him.

The Question of U: "Which way do I turn when I'm feeling lost? If I sell my soul, now what will it cost?"

To reiterate others who have said Emancipation-- he is vulnerable in so many of the songs:

Somebody's Somebody: "It's 2:05 in the morning and I got no one to call."

Courtin' Time: "All the friends I thought I had, found out they're not at all."

White Mansion: "Spirit so low reachin' up for ground, One day I'm gonna make it in this lonely town...Hoochies, they all want to do me, But am I really happy?"

My Computer: "I can count my friends with a peace sign: 1, 2."

(Of course this is if we are to believe that a lot of his songs are autobiographical).

Noon Rendezvous

Musze said:

The entirety of Disc 2 of EMANCIPATION. The man was never as vulnerable and in love, before or after.

4 sure. "Baby" was probably the deepest look we've had into his vulnerability.

Lady Cab Driver

The Beautiful 1s

Wally

Solo

[Edited 12/24/20 8:10am]

RJOrion said:

ANOTHERLOVE

I love this song! His version is incredible!

funkbabyandthebabysitters said:

He didnt He was guarded, or aloof, even singing ballads. Adore even is full of him preening. Anna stesia is beautiful but hardly expressing his vulnerability. The lyrics are too dense to really extrapolate much that is clear If I was your gf is the closest to revealing some vulnerability Maybe empty room On the whole though, prince was not kurt Cobain He was fine exposing anger or hurt at others treating him badly But never exposing much self reflection or self blame at all [Edited 12/12/20 2:09am] [Edited 12/12/20 2:10am]

"Breakdown"

gandorb said:

Prince had such a swag, charisma and musicality that vulnerability isn't the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about his music. However, there are some songs that do show a vulnerable side of him. Which are your favorite examples of this type of song? I will just list a couple so that others can add their selections as well..

Condition of the Heart - His vocal here is so tender and plaintive.

Wally - His pain seeps through despite his humor.

Wally!

TrcikyChristopher said:

funkbabyandthebabysitters said:

He didnt He was guarded, or aloof, even singing ballads. Adore even is full of him preening. Anna stesia is beautiful but hardly expressing his vulnerability. The lyrics are too dense to really extrapolate much that is clear If I was your gf is the closest to revealing some vulnerability Maybe empty room On the whole though, prince was not kurt Cobain He was fine exposing anger or hurt at others treating him badly But never exposing much self reflection or self blame at all [Edited 12/12/20 2:09am] [Edited 12/12/20 2:10am]

"Breakdown"

Does lyric below play much into your thoughts? I've wondered if it could have been written both with thoughts of being more vulnerable to nonhuman forces, and also with thoughts of no longer being quite so closed off interpersonally. But who knows? P would probably laugh if he could read this attempt to think about his lyrics. I'd like to think he'd enjoy it a lot, too, as he loved to keep 'em guessing and confused. : )

"there's a door that U can walk thru where there used 2 b a wall"

Also, do you have any thoughts on this song's party reminiscences? Asking because it seems that P loved to sing about, and literally throw, big parties. It's just that for some reason, this song's description seems like that of someone immersed in the center of the parties he threw.

From a lot of what I've read, P threw amazing parties, but also spent lots of time not at the center. He'd be on stage, up above the crowd. Or at the fringes of a club/party, checking out how the dance floor responded to his music. Or retreating to his quarters, maybe with a friend in tow.

I gotta laugh, because all my thoughts are based on assuming the song is autobiographical, at least in part. Never the best idea to assume.

Anyway, since you highlighted Breakdown in particular, while I had no discipline and listed Breakdown along with way too many other songs, you're the unlucky recipient of the third degree. Would be interested to hear your thoughts if you have the time and inclination. : )

[Edited 12/30/20 14:56pm]

gandorb said:

Prince had such a swag, charisma and musicality that vulnerability isn't the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about his music. However, there are some songs that do show a vulnerable side of him. Which are your favorite examples of this type of song? I will just list a couple so that others can add their selections as well..

Condition of the Heart - His vocal here is so tender and plaintive.

Wally - His pain seeps through despite his humor.

-

To answer your question:

there's only one song for me:

"Reflection"

-

As known, he communicated almost exclusively through his lyrics.

That was at least what he wanted us all to believe, and is mostly true.

But his lyrics were often riddles and filled with ambiguities and unlcear mysteries.

It's pretty obvious he wanted to communicate, but somehow lacked to make that clear in his lyrics.

The only song that is simple and straightforward to me is therefor "Relfection".

It speaks for itself, without the usual poetic embelishments.

The heart of a man at his age speaks very clearly.

That's what I think of it.

-

[Edited 1/2/21 0:34am]

Vannormal said:

gandorb said:

Prince had such a swag, charisma and musicality that vulnerability isn't the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about his music. However, there are some songs that do show a vulnerable side of him. Which are your favorite examples of this type of song? I will just list a couple so that others can add their selections as well..

Condition of the Heart - His vocal here is so tender and plaintive.

Wally - His pain seeps through despite his humor.

-

To answer your question:

there's only one song for me:

"Reflection"

-

As known, he communicated almost exclusively through his lyrics.

That was at least what he wanted us all to believe, and is mostly true.

But his lyrics were often riddles and filled with ambiguities and unlcear mysteries.

It's pretty obvious he wanted to communicate, but somehow lacked to make that clear in his lyrics.

The only song that is simple and straightforward to me is therefor "Relfection".

It speaks for itself, without the usual poetic embelishments.

The heart of a man at his age speaks very clearly.

That's what I think of it.

-

[Edited 1/2/21 0:34am]

Interesting choice. I will have to go back and listen to it.

Vannormal said:

gandorb said:

Prince had such a swag, charisma and musicality that vulnerability isn't the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about his music. However, there are some songs that do show a vulnerable side of him. Which are your favorite examples of this type of song? I will just list a couple so that others can add their selections as well..

Condition of the Heart - His vocal here is so tender and plaintive.

Wally - His pain seeps through despite his humor.

-

To answer your question:

there's only one song for me:

"Reflection"

-

As known, he communicated almost exclusively through his lyrics.

That was at least what he wanted us all to believe, and is mostly true.

But his lyrics were often riddles and filled with ambiguities and unlcear mysteries.

It's pretty obvious he wanted to communicate, but somehow lacked to make that clear in his lyrics.

The only song that is simple and straightforward to me is therefor "Relfection".

It speaks for itself, without the usual poetic embelishments.

The heart of a man at his age speaks very clearly.

That's what I think of it.

-

[Edited 1/2/21 0:34am]

So cool to hear thoughts on Reflection! There sure was, IMO at least, a straightforward side to reflection that stands apart from many of P's lyrics that were, as you say, "often riddles and filled with ambiguities and unlcear mysteries." Love your descriptive words there.

that first line, though

"2 sevens 2gether like time, indefinite"

[Edited 1/4/21 8:46am]

But then later in Reflection, there's these lovely, simple, evocative, relatable details. Some, very specifically memorable to those who were around back in that day. : )

"Did we remember 2 water the plants 2day?
I 4got 2 look up at the moon because
I was 2 busy, said I was 2 busy
I was 2 busy lookin' at U, baby"

and

"Remember all the way back n the day
When we would compare who's afro was the roundest

Mirrored tiles, huh, above the bed
Fishin' nets and posters all over the walls"


Very touching parts, like when P ways how long he is drawn to "lookin' at U, baby," and goes on to say,

"Still it's nice 2 know that uh...
When bodies wear out, we can get another
What does that 1 thing have 2 do with the other 1?
Oh
I don't know, I was just thinkin' about my mother"

Hadn't really thought before about how P can make himself more vulnerable by decreasing the mist of those "poetic embelishments" you describe. Such good point!

[Edited 1/2/21 15:02pm]

you can name damn near 100s of Prince songs that best express his vulnerability...if you go by the definition of the word... "vulnerability"

but any of them moreso than "Thieves In The Temple"?

[Edited 1/2/21 12:30pm]

-

So I listened to the song again today. (Reflection)

Read some again on Princevault about it...

-

And, speaking of vulnerability, in a striking gesture...

-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTjXjQc-Yqc

-

Remember all the pain he caused to 'the girls', specifically what he said about Wendy and Lisa...

Well, here it semms he pulled himself together, and invited Wendy to come and play an accoustic version of this very personal song with him on The Tavis Smiley Show.

Yes this was a new song to Wendy, but I belive he chose this to clean up something, as if he wanted to make peace in public.

(Which I can imagine is not an easy thing for him to do tbh.)

This modest performance had both of them dressed in black (with same guitars), both on equal footing as it seems.

And Prince without his usual eye-catching details and glitter.

He only looked at her for a very brief moment. But all was in the words and that performance.

He also did not outshine her. The sound mix was equal for both and we clearly hear who plays what.

I love that sort of respect.

-

They could've played it with a band, that would made Wendy a part of the stage and band.

No he wisely decided and have both of them shine in simplicity,

on sililar black accoustic guitars - this song, these lyrics, as a sort of 'i'm sorry'.

-

As far as I know Prince never showed that publicaly and openly about a known dispute he had

with one of his former band mates (and there were several disputes).

He tried to show the respect (at least to us, the public), and the heartfelt honesty to do this.

Personal I believe he succeeded in that.

But somehow he closed himself again later on.

Possibly even more... as if he (again) fled into his so called safe haven of religion.

-

Some will say my view on this might be wrong.

But we all get from Prince what we feel is needed and enjoy.

I just simply love him here the most.

-

Vannormal said:

-

So I listened to the song again today. (Reflection)

Read some again on Princevault about it...

-

And, speaking of vulnerability, in a striking gesture...

-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTjXjQc-Yqc

-

Remember all the pain he caused to 'the girls', specifically what he said about Wendy and Lisa...

Well, here it semms he pulled himself together, and invited Wendy to come and play an accoustic version of this very personal song with him on The Tavis Smiley Show.

Yes this was a new song to Wendy, but I belive he chose this to clean up something, as if he wanted to make peace in public.

(Which I can imagine is not an easy thing for him to do tbh.)

This modest performance had both of them dressed in black (with same guitars), both on equal footing as it seems.

And Prince without his usual eye-catching details and glitter.

He only looked at her for a very brief moment. But all was in the words and that performance.

He also did not outshine her. The sound mix was equal for both and we clearly hear who plays what.

I love that sort of respect.

-

They could've played it with a band, that would made Wendy a part of the stage and band.

No he wisely decided and have both of them shine in simplicity,

on sililar black accoustic guitars - this song, these lyrics, as a sort of 'i'm sorry'.

-

As far as I know Prince never showed that publicaly and openly about a known dispute he had

with one of his former band mates (and there were several disputes).

He tried to show the respect (at least to us, the public), and the heartfelt honesty to do this.

Personal I believe he succeeded in that.

But somehow he closed himself again later on.

Possibly even more... as if he (again) fled into his so called safe haven of religion.

-

Some will say my view on this might be wrong.

But we all get from Prince what we feel is needed and enjoy.

I just simply love him here the most.

-

I think there was some context to Prince inviting Wendy to play with him.

Though I am relying on memory, I believe Wendy and Lisa wished to be invited

to a Prince event/party and were not included.

I believe Prince felt badly about this and called Wendy to play with him on Tavis's show soon after.