DarylB said:

How about the estate releasing footage from the Controversy Tour with sets from Prince,The Time and Zapp and Roger Troutman in one package?

That wud b LEGENDARY

Rolling Stone magazine's 4-star review of Prince's 'Controversy' album

by Stephen Holden

Controversy - Rolling Stone

It should come as little surprise that on his fourth album, Prince has made his inflammatory and explicit sexuality the basis of an amusingly jive but attractive social agenda. Once you’ve exalted brother-sister incest (Dirty Mind‘s “Sister”), not to mention nearly every other sexual possibility, how else can you get people’s attention?

Prince’s first three records were so erotically self-absorbed that they suggested the reveries of a licentious young libertine. On Controversy, that libertine proclaims unfettered sexuality as the fundamental condition of a new, more loving society than the bellicose, overtechnologized America of Ronald Reagan. In taking on social issues, the artist assumes his place in the pantheon of Sly Stone inspired Utopian funksters like Rick James and George Clinton. I think that Prince stands as Stone’s most formidable heir, despite his frequent fuzzy-mindedness and eccentricity. A consummate master of pop-funk song forms and a virtuosic multiinstrumentalist, Prince is also an extraordinary singer whose falsetto, at its most tender, recalls Smokey Robinson’s sweetness. At its most brittle, Prince’s voice sounds like Sylvester at his ironic and challenging best.

Controversy‘s version of One Nation under the Sheets is hip, funny and, yes, subversive. In the LP’s title track — a bubbling, seven minute tour de force of synthesized pop-funk hooks — Prince teasingly pants, “Am I black or white/Am I straight or gay?” This opening salvo in a series of “issue”-oriented questions tacitly implies that since we’re all flesh and blood, sexual preference and skin color are only superficial differences, no matter what society says. But Prince eventually brushes such things aside with hippie platitudes. Along the way, “Controversy” flirts with blasphemy by incorporating the Lord’s Prayer. The number ends with the star’s punk-libertine chant: “People call me rude/I wish we all were nude/I wish there was no black or white/I wish there were no rules.” Though hardly inspiring, it’s fitting that the Constitution of Prince’s polymorphously perverse Utopia should be written in childish cant.

The strutting, popping anthem “Sexuality” elaborates many of the points that “Controversy” raises, as Prince shrewdly lists gadgets (cameras, TV, the Acu-Jac) that cut us off from each other. “Don’t let your children watch television until they know how to read,” he advises. Who would disagree? “Ronnie, Talk to Russia,” a hastily blurted plea to Reagan to seek disarmament, is the album’s weakest cut. “Let’s Work,” a bright and squeaky dance song, and “Private Joy,” a bouncy pop-funk bubblegum tune with baby talk in the verses, show off Prince’s ingratiating lighter side. “Jack U Off,” the cleverest of the shorter compositions, is a synthesized rockabilly number whose whole point is that sex is better with another human being than with a masturbatory device.

Prince’s vision isn’t as compelling as it might be, however, because of his childlike treatment of evil. “Annie Christian,” the one track that tackles the subject, turns evil into a bogeywoman from whom the artist is forever trying to escape in a taxicab. Though the song lists historical events (the killing of black children in Atlanta, Abscam and John Lennon’s murder), it has none of the resonance of, say, “Sympathy for the Devil,” since Prince, unlike the Rolling Stones, still only dimly perceives the demons within himself.

After “Controversy,” the LP’s high point is an extended bump-and-grind ballad, “Do Me, Baby,” in which the singer simulates an intense sexual encounter, taking it from heavy foreplay to wild, shrieking orgasm. In the postcoital coda, Prince’s mood turns uncharacteristically dark. He shivers and pleads, “I’m so cold, just hold me.” It’s the one moment amid all of Controversy‘s exhortatory slavering in which Prince glimpses a despair that no orgasm can alleviate.

Despite all the contradictions and hyperbole in Prince’s playboy philosophy, I still find his message refreshingly relevant. As Gore Vidal wrote in The Nation recently: “Most men, given the opportunity to have sex with 500 different people, would do so gladly. But most men are not going to be given the opportunity by a society that wants them safely married, so that they will be docile workers and loyal consumers.”

Prince, I’m sure, would agree.

DarylB said:

How about the estate releasing footage from the Controversy Tour with sets from Prince,The Time and Zapp and Roger Troutman in one package?

Commercial is an unreleased track recorded in early 1981, at Prince's KIOWA TRAIL HOME STUDIO, (during the same set of sessions as BROKEN). -PrinceVault

Here we are in this big ol' empty room
Staring each other down
You want me just as much as I want you
Let's stop fooling around
Take me, baby, kiss me all over
Play with my love, ooh
Bring out what's been in me for far to long
Baby, you know that's all I've been dreaming of
Do me, baby, like you never done before
Ooh, give it to me 'til I just can't take no more
Come on and do me, baby, like you never done before
Ooh, I want you now, I just can't wait no more, can't wait, oh
Here we are looking for a reason
For you to lay me down
For a love like ours is never out of season
So baby, please stop teasing me
Ooh, what you do, I can never love no other
You're the best I ever had, ooh
Whenever we're not close to one another
I just want you so bad
So do...(do me, baby) do me, baby, like you never done before
Ooh, give it to me 'til I just can't take no more
Come on, do me, baby, like you never done before
Ooh, I want you now, I just can't wait no more
I said, "Ooh...ooh...ooh...ooooh!" (Do me, baby)
Yeah (Do me)
Do me, baby, honey, yeah (Oh, give it to me)
Oh, oh, oh, oh! (Do me, baby)
(I want you now)
Yeah, yeah, yeah, ...!
(Do me, baby)
(Oh, give it to me)
(Do me, baby)
Do me, baby, don't want to do it all alone (I want you now)
Yeah!
(Do me, baby)
(Oh, give it to me)
Oh yeah
(Do me, baby)
This feeling's to strong
You make me wait to long
(I want you now)

Oh, your not leaving me no choice
OK, what are you gonna do?
You just gonna sit there and watch?
Alright, ooh, mm
Are you sure you don't want to close your eyes?
Well, isn't it supposed to take a long time?
I'm not gonna stop until the war is over
Ooh! Help me! Oh! Ooh!
There...OK...OK
Uh... oh!
I'm so cold
Just hold me, oh

I ICONIC multicolord scarf

The Second Coming Lyrics:

It won’t be long
All of God’s children must learn 2 love
It won’t be long (I said it won’t be long)
Before the Second Coming, yeah
It won’t be long, no, it won’t be long

How many more good men must die before there’s gun control
U’ve got 2 love your brother if U want 2 free your soul (Soul, soul, soul)

It won’t be long (It won’t be long)
All of God’s, all of God’s children must learn 2 love.

SoulAlive said:

https://www.rhino.com/art...GPdaIcHIuH

September 1981: Prince Releases CONTROVERSY Single

By the year 1981, Prince had established himself as an emerging force in the music world. His 1980 album, Dirty Mind, obliterated genre lines to blend rock, funk, R&B, and pop into a streamlined and minimal masterpiece. When it came time to follow it up with his fourth studio effort, the artist was ready to turn everything up to an even more intense--and controversial--pitch.

"Controversy" was the first single from Prince's 1981 campaign, released as a single on September 2, 1981. The song brought that same genre-defying energy to its lyrics, with the artist openly mocking the swirling rumors about his identity to hammer the point home: "I just can't believe all the things people say/Controversy/Am I black or white?/Am I straight or gay?/Controversy/Do I believe in God?/Do I believe in me?"

The track was a smash on the dance and urban charts, peaking at #1 on the Billboard Hot Dance Clubs Songs chart, and #3 on the Hot Black Singles chart. Over on the mainstream Hot 100, it peaked at #70 for the week of November 21, 1981. The #1 song in America that week: Olivia Newton-John's "Physical."

TrivialPursuit said:

SoulAlive said:

The look of misery on his face...

The look of I'm going to kill it very soon...

fmarasco said:

TrivialPursuit said:

The look of misery on his face...

The look of I'm going to kill it very soon...

Yeah, as in, "I'm running the fuq out of here and leaving everyone else behind...twice."

I remember Wendy telling the story about how she was watching the show then she just sorta saw a blur run by her, and it was Prince getting the fuck out of there.

This is such a great thread and it really makes the case for a Controversy SDE.

That album and that era was an important one.

SoulAlive said:

https://www.rhino.com/art...GPdaIcHIuH

September 1981: Prince Releases CONTROVERSY Single

By the year 1981, Prince had established himself as an emerging force in the music world. His 1980 album, Dirty Mind, obliterated genre lines to blend rock, funk, R&B, and pop into a streamlined and minimal masterpiece. When it came time to follow it up with his fourth studio effort, the artist was ready to turn everything up to an even more intense--and controversial--pitch.

"Controversy" was the first single from Prince's 1981 campaign, released as a single on September 2, 1981. The song brought that same genre-defying energy to its lyrics, with the artist openly mocking the swirling rumors about his identity to hammer the point home: "I just can't believe all the things people say/Controversy/Am I black or white?/Am I straight or gay?/Controversy/Do I believe in God?/Do I believe in me?"

The track was a smash on the dance and urban charts, peaking at #1 on the Billboard Hot Dance Clubs Songs chart, and #3 on the Hot Black Singles chart. Over on the mainstream Hot 100, it peaked at #70 for the week of November 21, 1981. The #1 song in America that week: Olivia Newton-John's "Physical."

The songs/message were strong enough on their own. BUT I do wish the promotion was just a little more defining. I definately wish he used more B sides for this album. Instead of scrapping the 2nd Coming film he should have used some of the footage in a video, maybe introduced the Hookers or Susan and Kim in parts during the tour or a show @ First Avenue

QUESTION: at the end of Do Me Baby, what do/did you believe was happening?

OldFriends4Sale said:

QUESTION: at the end of Do Me Baby, what do/did you believe was happening?

I have no idea that part is strange

"I'm so cold"....wtf?!

OldFriends4Sale said:

SoulAlive said:

https://www.rhino.com/art...GPdaIcHIuH

September 1981: Prince Releases CONTROVERSY Single

By the year 1981, Prince had established himself as an emerging force in the music world. His 1980 album, Dirty Mind, obliterated genre lines to blend rock, funk, R&B, and pop into a streamlined and minimal masterpiece. When it came time to follow it up with his fourth studio effort, the artist was ready to turn everything up to an even more intense--and controversial--pitch.

"Controversy" was the first single from Prince's 1981 campaign, released as a single on September 2, 1981. The song brought that same genre-defying energy to its lyrics, with the artist openly mocking the swirling rumors about his identity to hammer the point home: "I just can't believe all the things people say/Controversy/Am I black or white?/Am I straight or gay?/Controversy/Do I believe in God?/Do I believe in me?"

The track was a smash on the dance and urban charts, peaking at #1 on the Billboard Hot Dance Clubs Songs chart, and #3 on the Hot Black Singles chart. Over on the mainstream Hot 100, it peaked at #70 for the week of November 21, 1981. The #1 song in America that week: Olivia Newton-John's "Physical."

The songs/message were strong enough on their own. BUT I do wish the promotion was just a little more defining. I definately wish he used more B sides for this album. Instead of scrapping the 2nd Coming film he should have used some of the footage in a video, maybe introduced the Hookers or Susan and Kim in parts during the tour or a show @ First Avenue

Another thing I would have liked to have seen.....the song "Private Joy" released as a single.

It's a fun,bouncy,highly danceable track.I am sure it would have been a big hit,even with the pop crowd.

Y'all are forgetting about the icing on the cake- that poster of him in the shower that was included with the album!

SoulAlive said:

OldFriends4Sale said:

QUESTION: at the end of Do Me Baby, what do/did you believe was happening?

I have no idea that part is strange

"I'm so cold"....wtf?!

They were fucking (or he was jerking off in front of her?), he's cold because he finished and his body is sweaty and now its no longer doing all that activity.

That he wants his woman to hold him is what's funny to me.

[Edited 9/8/21 16:20pm]

kingricefan said:

Y'all are forgetting about the icing on the cake- that poster of him in the shower that was included with the album!

I don't know if it was included or bought seperate, but I remember a neighbor said the one he and his sister had included the poster with Prince & Dez in the shower space

LoveGalore said:

SoulAlive said:

I have no idea that part is strange

"I'm so cold"....wtf?!

They were fucking (or he was jerking off in front of her?), he's cold because he finished and his body is sweaty and now its no longer doing all that activity.

That he wants his woman to hold him is what's funny to me.

[Edited 9/8/21 16:20pm]

LOL he's jerking off (what are U just going to sit there and watch? ok)

lol a Prince fan friend and I talked about this lol he thought Prince got the girl, but was messed up when he realized what was happening

Prince actually expresses this a lot in his songs (the LONELY COLD)

Men will understand, I don't know how women feel, but it's like a drop when done

lol yeah the hold me part always made me laugh, and that chatter sound as if he is cold

.

Oh, your not leaving me any choice
OK, what are you gonna do?
You just gonna sit there and watch?
Alright, ooh, mm
Are you sure you don't want to close your eyes?
Well, isn't it supposed to take a long time?
I'm not gonna stop until the war is over
Ooh! Help me! Oh! Ooh!
There...OK...OK
Uh... oh!
I'm so cold
Just hold me, oh

SoulAlive said:

OldFriends4Sale said:

The songs/message were strong enough on their own. BUT I do wish the promotion was just a little more defining. I definately wish he used more B sides for this album. Instead of scrapping the 2nd Coming film he should have used some of the footage in a video, maybe introduced the Hookers or Susan and Kim in parts during the tour or a show @ First Avenue

Another thing I would have liked to have seen.....the song "Private Joy" released as a single.

It's a fun,bouncy,highly danceable track.I am sure it would have been a big hit,even with the pop crowd.

That is the song that could have included some of those dark 2nd Coming video images

I agree, that is the radio hit

thanks 4 posting this

SoulAlive said:

The Second Coming Lyrics:

It won’t be long
All of God’s children must learn 2 love
It won’t be long (I said it won’t be long)
Before the Second Coming, yeah
It won’t be long, no, it won’t be long

How many more good men must die before there’s gun control
U’ve got 2 love your brother if U want 2 free your soul (Soul, soul, soul)

It won’t be long (It won’t be long)
All of God’s, all of God’s children must learn 2 love.

5. 24. 1982 @ the Prom Center St.Paul.Minnesota
Minnesota Music Awards