I think this is one of the last few STUNNING, thought provoking pieces of music/poetry/sermon or whatever Prince has created in years!

Musically it is sparse but when the guitar kicks in around the 18 minute mark, the hairs on the back of my neck just stood up.

It's a slow and steady groove throughout but its the vocal delivery that aareally kicks.

I know most of it is pseudo-silly Prince rhetoric, but it's more centred around stuff people can relate to and I don't feel he's trying to segregate anyone, but instead really unify us as people against unnatural forces...the same could be argued about TRC but I feel that was a more blatant example of labelling, grouping and pointing fingers at fellow human beings. Whereas this performance is more targeted at changing the system that we created and has now failed us. The government, the consumption of natural resources, greed, etc. can't argue with that.

Anyways, it's been a while since I heard this and thought I'd share with y'all

Later

'micro chip in ure neck!!'
i love this too but do find the preaching stuff a bit of a joke.
is love quantative?

great song regardless

monte said:

Oh I know, very little serious work Prince does can be free of laughable embarassing rhetoric, but he does sound like he's having fun with it at times

too right. funkk as all hell

"Your Saturday morning cartoons await. If you do not wish to be challenged... you best leave now!"

You gotta love that line.

Where the hell can I get this?

Harlepolis said:

Probably only from another Prince fan. "The War" was actually given away for free to members who pre-ordered Crystal Ball. The release and distribution of Crystal Ball turned into such a fiasco that Prince decided to give away a song for free as a goodwill gesture (at least that's the way I remember it). But it was released on cassette tape.

The War was later available on CD through the club, but in extremely limited quantities. So chances are that you'll only find copies available, but not an original at this point.

This must be the wildest guitar solo ever recorded by Prince.

Harlepolis said:

You gotta join the club!

abucah said:

sweet
i got an original cd version.
only listened 2 it once tho...

Check ebay. I have a sealed cd I might put up later this weekend.

i have trouble making out some of the lyrics. does he say "u give me aids, your history...when it comes to mine...another day" or perhaps "your goverment aids your history, when it comes to mine...another day?

or is it neither?

I saw it played live at The Hippodrome aftershow in 98 and it rocked big time.
Hadn't heard it B4 at that point and was like WTF!!
Really atmospheric tune. Great guitar work 2.
The War

Harlepolis said:

$7.00

http://stores.musictoday....555&sfid=1

The War is some of the best Prince guitar work.

Harlepolis said:

If you were a NPGMC member from day one - like me - you would have gotten this tape for free! Another one of those things that the club does for memebers that the haters dont count when they are crying about not getting a new free album every week

Jestyr said:

god DAMN! thats steep for a cassette!

Stunning is the word.

Thank You 1-800 New Funk For The Cd And Tape Copies,I Love Them,Billy 1,2 The Evolution Will Be Colorized:)

Who wants to burn me this track? ( I know I've asked a lot recently

LaMont said:

'The War' was circulated to people on cassette tape and made available for download via NPGOnline Ltd before the NPGMC was established. It has only been available to NPGMC members on the website in return for a further payment. NPGMC members did not receive this tape for free as a result of them being members.

You give me A's ,yo history .
When it comes to mine another name.
Many died ,this is true.
Red,Black,Yellow, even Jew.
Claiming God was backing you on a cross
Whatta fool.

This is some deep ass shit.
If you do not wish to be challenged leave now .

He was getting us ready for TRC,The Christ, and the events of 9-11.(Osama Bin Laden gettin ready to bomb.)

If you dont believe go get everything after The War and listen.
Scary,deep ass shit that also kicks much ass !

Weren't we allowed to distribute this amongst fans.

As far as I recall, it was given to a number of "key" fans. Then other fans could approach them for a copy, on tape or CD-R.
Once you'd got your copy, you were supposed to send Prince $1.

He called it The Xperiment, right?

(I still owe him $1)

Free the music!
As far as I'm concerned then, this is the one track we can legitimately pass around.
I've got it on tape - if anyone wants a copy orgnote me, you can send me an envelope (with stamps on) and a tape and I'll do you a copy (UK only!) Don't forget to send him $1 though

1p1p1i3 said:

Never been a member (no cable yet) but i got The War on tape! I'm a KEY-fan. Wow! thnx. I DO have all his albums... I'm gonna change my signature in2 key-fan!