Hi there,

I'd like to discuss the single (now streaming on all digital platforms), not the whole album...

IMHO, this is not really an exciting track. Doubt this will raise any interest outside the die-hard fans.

For me, the intro is great - I expected something to happen, a beat to set in, something - but then it is basically just Prince rambling on, some singing, a bit of improvising musically. A bit up and down, as in many P-funk songs, but not as funky.

For me, musically a bit too bland. Does not grab me. I understand why he never released this back in the day...

Well, to each his own, but not really my cup of tea.

The lead single from WELCOME 2 AMERICA of the same name is now streaming everywhere. Here it is on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/w...JtxSdTL488

like someone else said, it sounds like an intro, not a proper song.

so its strange that its getting a proper single release, gold vinyl even!

its cool, one of prince's talkathon songs, like the war, prince in preachy mode.

not my favourite style of his, hes not gil scott heron or george clinton to sustain that kind of thing.

but hey ho, it is what it is.

def cant imagine hearing this and thinking 'wow, prince was still doing great stuff in the 2010s!' though.

its more for completists.

[Edited 4/8/21 9:50am]

Definitely not a radio "hit", but I love the song and love the lyrics. Super excited for the album!!!

It's less a single, more an intro - but I get why they've put it out first. Fits the strategy of framing W2A as a 'political' album, which indeed it may be - for Prince - but such a warning flare sends a forboding signal to those of sound mind that they risk their testicles retracting into their belly in all out cringe at anti-evolution/anti-democracy/anti-choice/pro-God-will-sort-it-all-out-u-hellbound-sinner-MFs fully-certified insanity in the lyrics. But I guess - to my perception of reality - this one doesn't embarass itself in terms of its manifesto. Less a song more of a bassline cuing vocal riffs and runs. Nice mellow electrofunk vibe sweetened by the three part harmony choral line - but I'd prefer it being a bit more claustrophobic - meaning, Prince doing all those parts himself. The words he gives others often sound clunky as all fuck, only he can pull them off. The fact 'God is coming like a dog in heat' ever eminated from Mavis Staples' mouth should shame us all as a species. However, the wee Shelby scat bit can stay, that's seriously cool and quirky, but let's hear the original track before these overdubs which no doubt was far superior and edgier sonically. Fuck the Sly vibe, I'm here for Prince. And the 'no arguing with the book' bit does my head in, he can shove that book up his arse until it papercuts his tonsils, no-one sane goes to Prince for revelatory analysis of theology and the enduring mystery of homosapians' elevated conciousness. I go to him for unsettling oddness, idiosyncratic sonic anomolies and his humourous vibe of wry awe at his own freakish musical proficency - pimping himself out, essentially. And there's a wee bit of that here. So, bring it on, I'm ready. 1000 Light Years From Home and When She Comes are worth the trip alone. Hot Summer is an atrocity that should have seen him in the The Hague, however.

[Edited 4/8/21 10:23am]

ive no idea what the message is meant to be in this song.

sounds like a random list of different issues but in princes typically cryptic, not really making it clear, might be saying something, might not, way of approaching these subjects.

but then im not really a fan of political prince post-1991 or so.

SOTT for NOW...

funkbabyandthebabysitters said:

Number23 said:

It's less a single, more an intro - but I get why they've put it out first. Fits the strategy of framing W2A as a 'political' album, which indeed it may be - for Prince - but such a warning flare sends a forboding signal to those of sound mind that they risk their testicles retracting into their belly in all out cringe at anti-evolution/anti-democracy/anti-choice/pro-God-will-sort-it-all-out-u-hellbound-sinner-MFs fully-certified insanity in the lyrics. But I guess - to my perception of reality - this one doesn't embarass itself in terms of its manifesto. Less a song more of a bassline cuing vocal riffs and runs. Nice mellow electrofunk vibe sweetened by the three part harmony choral line - but I'd prefer it being a bit more claustrophobic - meaning, Prince doing all those parts himself. The words he gives others often sound clunky as all fuck, only he can pull them off. The fact 'God is coming like a dog in heat' ever eminated from Mavis Staples' mouth should shame us all as a species. However, the wee Shelby scat bit can stay, that's seriously cool and quirky, but let's hear the original track before these overdubs which no doubt was far superior and edgier sonically. Fuck the Sly vibe, I'm here for Prince. And the 'no arguing with the book' bit does my head in, he can shove that book up his arse until it papercuts his tonsils, no-one sane goes to Prince for revelatory analysis of theology and the enduring mystery of homosapians' elevated conciousness. I go to him for unsettling oddness, idiosyncratic sonic anomolies and his humourous vibe of wry awe at his own freakish musical proficency - pimping himself out, essentially. And there's a wee bit of that here. So, bring it on, I'm ready. 1000 Light Years From Home and When She Comes are worth the trip alone. Hot Summer is an atrocity that should have seen him in the The Hague, however.

[Edited 4/8/21 10:23am]

"And the 'no arguing with the book' bit does my head in, he can shove that book up his arse until it papercuts his tonsils, no-one sane goes to Prince for revelatory analysis of theology and the enduring mystery of homosapians' elevated conciousness." WTF is wrong with you?! You do know the year is 2021, Joe Biden is President Of The United States and Prince has been dead for 5 years. Why are you damn worked up over Prince's lyrics? Prince in the afterlife has more common sense than people alive with working brain cells or at least some brain cells.

The title track, "Welcome 2 America", is completely forgettable (to me, at least), but this album is what I wanted, and I 'm sure the rest of it will be far better.

SantanaMaitreya said:

Loving it

SantanaMaitreya said:

Yawner, musically.

The lyrics are lazy, chemtrails-style Prince, which is basically Prince at his worst.

The ladies actually do more airtime when counting....

At one point I was humming:

Make my funk the P-Funk
I want my funk uncut (make mine the P)
Make my funk the P-Funk
I wants to get funked up. (wants to get funked up)
I want the bomb,
I want the P-Funk (yeah)
I want my funk uncut. (make mine the P)
Make my funk the P-Funk
I wants to get funked up.

-----

Makes me think of United States of Division. Feels like the same vibe.

*

Enjoyable intro to a period of his work, I'm sad to say, I know little/can remember little about.

Sounds like it's going to be more of his Alex Jones-inspired nonsense like some of the stuff on 20TEN. Sounds like the Rainbow Children except instead of muddles half-remembered ideas about religion it's muddled half-baked ideas about politics and finance. With Tal Wilkenfeld it's gonna be awesome musically, so there's that.