But, I am not sure how to. It is really NOT important what I think but personally, I feel awkward about this. I have loved his music for such a long time & when I was younger I thought Prince seemed to be this amazing legend, like Michael Jackson I suppose(untouchable).
Now I know that feeling goes as you get older but what I am left with over Prince is the sense that I am being cheated from the REAL Prince.
I know ppl grow & change but when I listen to the Chocolate Invasion & Slaughterhouse & he has censored his own songs, I feel cheated. If he doesn't feel the need to use certain words now that is one thing but to try & change where he was when he recorded some of those songs is wrong. The thing is, we all know what the words are, even if we haven't heard the songs before, we hear the lyric in our head & sing it, is that wrong ?
Am I wrong, or is there no wrong answer to this, just an opinion. I don't like censorship as an adult, I want to listen to what I want to listen to, If a board decide that I can't hear something on the radio I can buy it but when artists censor their own music ?????
It seems like Prince feels above those songs & MANY of his previous albums but there is nothing to be above, just many AMAZING moments to be truly proud of, & I mean TRULY proud, I would love to have created 0.01% of what Prince has.
If I'm being stupid please try not to be too nasty to me, I want to know what fans genuinely feel about the 'Swearing' issue. Of course, many may feen that it is not important, my point is that it is not important so why bring so much attention to it by editing tracks so that the 'so called' BAD words are even louder.

Jolajeph

jolajeph said:

Basically, just an opinion. I certainly wish that he didn't edit some of his songs, and I wish that he didn't decide to not sing certain songs anymore. But, what can ya do, but to just enjoy what he's doing now. It's all good.

Of course you are entitled to your opinion. Just as Prince can do what he wants with his songs. He can't take your memories from you.

If we already know the words he won't say, then how is he really able to censor anything? We all sing it dirty style anyway...so if Prince wants to think that he's protecting our sweet little virgin ears...then that's good for him. We all know the originals!!!

If Prince had kept his whole JW showcase on the DL and hadn't made such a big deal about the whole four-letter-word issue over the past few years, would anyone even notice that there's no profanity on the new album?

i'm not sure if i would say he is censoring himself as mush as I would say he is just expressing himself in a way that agrees with where he his mentally and spiritually as a man and a musician.

the "clean" versions of songs used to bother me a great deal but the more i listen to prince the less it matters. the essence of the song is still there for me.

i hear you. it's extremely strange to watch the man whose groovy naked album cover once caused a scandal (remember tipper gore? ) censor even bad words these days. ..

it's been a weird ride watching prince go through such drastic changes these last few years.