I have to admit that my fear was that along with his growing theological conservativism, he would also go that way politically and perhaps fully become a Bush-embracing, bomb-loving Republican. This song makes it clear his concerns for the poor and people of color, and his anti-war stance, are totally intact. Best lyric on the album in my opinon.

noflashagain said:

Totally relieved, especially after that line in the LA concert about "Close your mind. Open the Bible," the one sour note in an otherwise glorious show.

This whole ablum really makes me feel more comfortable with his politics. For the most part, he seems to have stuck the JW stuff on the backburner in favor of good ol' humanism.

Ever since 'The War' I think it's clear which side of the bread Prince's butter is on.

I must admit that with each album this is the type of song I'm really looking forward to on each album. It started with Judas Smile from the NPGMC downloads. Then there was Family Name on TRC. Then Avalanche from ONA. And now Mr. Man on Musicology. Lyrically he has been so on point with those songs and they are way more ... well I don't know the exact word but for now I'll just say "thought-provoking" than previous attempts like Superhero, Color, Race, Sign O the Times etc. I can't wait for the next helping.

I love Mr. Man... it's clever. Somebody (obviously someone who is uninformed) had the nerve to call Dear Mr. Man "album filler". Album filler??? you have to be kidding me! There's only 12 songs on Musicology, so why in the world would Prince need "filler" in the first place? It's obvious that each song was carefully selected to be included on the album... and with only 12 tracks selected, filler could not possibly have been an option. It's the lyrics that sets this song apart and makes it special.

Glad to see that other fans can recognize that.

MendesCity said:

How is a simple reference to the Bible a "sour note"? I am not even religious and I can appreciate his freedom - and right - to express his spirituality. That is what Purple Rain and many other Prince songs are about in the first place. There was no preaching during the entire show. In fact, there was no preaching on the last tour - I saw 5 shows on that one. I personally dont care for it. I dont go to church but I do believe in God. But I dont see how an intelligent person can let thmselves be so bothered by some spiritual words. It is not as if he stops playing and singing and preaches like some evangelist.

Sometimes, the anti religious bent of some fans makes tem simply sound unenlightened and close minded. YOu dont have to accept the ideals - just try to be intelligent enough understand and dig the spirit in the music. It feels so much better that way.

newwave said:

-----
Co-Sign. It should be obvious that everybody has the right to express their beliefs and I don't think Prince has every done it in an offensive manner.

psykosoul said:

Huh? Race vs. Avalanch - lyrically I'll take the attitude in Race any day. In fact, Avalanch is one Prince song I just can't listen to.

I have decided that I absolutely love Dear Mr Man.

MendesCity said:

Why is that a sour note?

alandail said:

Different strokes...for different folks...and so on and so on...

That "bible" thing bothered me too - and I am almost never bothered by his references to religion or Jehovah or anything - nothing in The Rainbow Children bothered me. But when it's directed AT ME, that's when it comes off as preaching and it bothers me.

Funny you ask that, cuz hours before this thread the word "relief" came to mind in connection with this song, both about the music and the lyrical content. It owes much to Gaye's Mercy Mercy me and Inner city blues musically and to What's Going On thematically. I was relieved because I hate bad "message" songs -- memories of bad rap records come to mind -- and there's nothing worse than a so-called commentary that feels like yet another pose. Dear Mr. Man is darn good song and it works thematically.

It's one of the pillars of this album. The Dolphin-esque songs is for me the least interesting part at this point. I haven't decided about Life O' the Party -- that's also another theme that can fall flat on its ass. No feeling of "relief" so far, so it bodes ill.

I'm not like you guys -- the Seabiscuits of record listening. I need a week to make up my mind.
[This message was edited Tue Mar 30 16:58:14 2004 by Aerogram]

Believe me Republican's hate the JW's. I was on the Ted Nugent message board, and every one of those gun nut God heads said the JW's were a sick cult, and subverted the bible.

The JW's are against voting, saying the Pledge Of Allegience and celebrating holidays. They believe that God runs America, and that democracy is of the devil. They are against the American Flag, because they believe it is a graven image, which the bible forbids. They don't do blood transfusions either. No patriotic Bush lover would go for that.

f
[This message was edited Tue Mar 30 18:49:08 2004 by MendesCity]

newwave said:

"CLOSE your mind. OPEN the bible." Those are commands, and that's preaching in my book. I have no truck with open-minded brands of Christianity, but telling someone to close their mind when dealing with religion gets a little too close to fundamentalism to me, and as a gay man, who sees so many problems in this world as a result fundamentalism, be it Christian, Jewish, Muslim, I gotta problem with that. I love his funk, I like a lot of his political views, don't like some of his political views, and quite frankly, think he's comfortable enough with what he believes in to think he'd rather have us discuss the things he's saying in his art.
[This message was edited Tue Mar 30 18:51:01 2004 by MendesCity]

MendesCity said:

Obviously, he must not mean to "stop thinking for all time and forever", otherwise he wouldn't be writing the song. I don't have the full lyrics, but this probably refers to meditation/contemplation.

MendesCity said:

Well to be fair, the part about "closing your mind" has been there since 1984, so that really shouldn't be a problem at this point.

As far as the opening the bible part goes, I actually suspected that he might change the lyric about "let me guide you" cause it just seems inconsistent with his beliefs right now. If that offended you then I can't see that you've been to a Prince concert in the past 20 or so years cause frankly that show was the least preachy he's been in a long time (remember him asking the audience in 1984 "Do you believe in God?")

Oh well, to each his own..

alandail said:

Thats pretty much the whole TRC album for me (pearls before swine is also a pleasant song...basically a big FU to everyone who went to the celebration and was a bit disturbed with the content)....thank god that chapter is over for now, although I suspect after this tour he could go back to his hating ways...

I Dear Mr. Man!!

2freaky4church1 said:

Really! You have made my day. I feel special now!

Most seriously.

Actually, we don't at all believe God runs America... wouldn't America be in MUCH better shape?

All governments are "of the devil," as you put it. haha. "Of the devil"... that was amusing to type.

on tavis or leno he said something like, "there are a lot of conflicts that have been going on for a long time that we probably should not get involved in." i think that states his position pretty clearly.
[This message was edited Tue Mar 30 23:20:05 2004 by comeon]

Dear Mr MAn is the classiest track on here....

I love the lyrics, but the music is just sooo cool....

BRAND NEW HEAVIES EAT YA HEARTS OUT...

It's smooth...real cool for our man

Art comes from a person's inner self, so for Prince to express himself by talking about the bible, shows who he is as a person.....but as far as this thread goes, Dear mr. man is a cool song. so far i LIKE the whole album, on my way to loving some songs.

I don't know if this has been mentioned, but, Dear Mr. Man is very similar to a song on Ben Harpers Album "Fight for Your Mind" called Excuse Me Mr., I noticed it the first time I heard it. Also, I don't know if anyone brought this up but I think maybe prince has watched School of Rock with Jack Black . Hence the Musicology (school of music?) and a song about the man....lot of talk in that movie about the man.

Universaluv said:

Co-sign. He actually changed the lyrics to "I think u better close it, and let the son of God, Jesus Christ, guide u 2 the Purple Rain" on a couple of shows in the 1985 PR tour!! Anyone who saw him on that tour, or the "Lovesexy 88" tour, heard a fair deal about God and spirituality (far more than the one line he said the other night) Also, I never took the line as saying that you should close your mind. The lyric says

"You say U want a leader,
but U can't seem 2 make up your mind
I think U better close it, and let me guide U
2 the Purple Rain"

Now, you can interpret it that way, but I always thought he meant you should close the argument with yourself. He changed it to "close it, open up your Bibles" the other night. That is, by comparison, far less preachy than what he has said on many of his concert tours in the past.

Besides, the song has always had a spiritual angle. "Purple Rain" itself implies a kind of spiritual cleansing (purple being associated with royalty, and is frequently used in churches as a symbol of God's majesty, coupled with the cleansing of rain, and the implication is there of God washing sins away).

Just my two cents.

jarod71 said:

I would definitely say that "Dear Mr. Man" has some Ben Harper influence, as well as the aforementioned Marvin Gaye inspiration. One of the best songs on the album, no doubt.

I just hate when he preaches and it's not subtle, like an Annie Christian, Ronnie Talk to Russia and Sign O' The Times! I wish that he would not preach in a cheesy sort of way like he's doing. The music on the song is great, but he ruins it with the Matthew 5:5 stuff...

It's not subtle enough.

Also, I never questioned whether or not he is conservative. If I had to classify Prince (impossible) in political terms, I would say that he's an Independent or a Nader-type guy. Just like people continue to see him as homophobic. I never had an issue with that. I never believed that he's homophobic or misogynist. Since he's a JW, chances are he'll not vote and doesn't become involved in politics although he might have some strong ideas. My guess that he never voted. Don't see him as the type of person that would, now or before.

Dear Mr Man is a good track indeed. It would be great if it could become a hit from the album.

>>He actually changed the lyrics to "I think u better close it, and let the son of God, Jesus >>Christ, guide u 2 the Purple Rain" on a couple of shows in the 1985 PR tour!!

I STILL find those words above LESS PREACHY than what he said Monday night. The above is still within the context of the song and the "U" in the song is some woman (or somebody, I don't know) who he is talking to. It doesn't bother me a bit.

Monday night he said "Open your bibles" and since it was plural, it was clearly directed at us, the audience. There's a difference.

Anyway, enough nitpicking for now.