Clearly, our favorite musician is in a new part of his personal life becoming a Jehovah Witness. But as a result, are his recent personal comments in the press and lyric changes in concert affecting how we are 2 continue relating 2 his lyrics/ p.o.v. on an emotional level?

For this is much more than a new hairdo or backing band. This is his moral view he wakes up with each day , goes 2 the studio with, etc. And 4 most JW's, there is RARELY any turning back! This would be next 2 impossible 2 happen. So then we must ask ourselves...are we ready 2 deal with Prince's JW agenda 4ever?

"Becoming"? Where have you been since, like, 1998?

pdubble said:

yes.

pdubble said:

He is just more focused in his beliefs. I don't think there is anything wrong with that.

You can't get more preachy than the 'God', or 'The Cross'.

I don't see this as a departure from how he's been other than the lack of cursing, and a few lyric changes.

I would still love to hear his songs with raunchy lyrics, but how many people really want to hear that kinda thing from a 45 year old. Its not old, but when is the cut off? Most of the public would start to think he is a joke if he kept going for too long with that. So instead, he is deciding when he should cut that out of his act. I'm sure he still likes most of that music, just doesn't feel it is right for him since he made those when he was so young. Most musicians don't even have a career long enough to have to wonder about that.

dealodelandron said:

You're absolutely right. I went to see BB King about 2 years ago, and Clarence Carter ("Patches") opened for BB. Clarence (who's in his 60's I guess) began singing about his big 12" and vaseline, etc. and it was pretty tacky - and I don't get grossed out easily.

All I know is I went to see Bowie a few months back and he was swearing and I didn't think he was washed up, creepy or should grow up and stop using profanity. Bowie's cool as fuck at 57. I really don't get how a bunch of man-made words get folks' panties in a bunch. It's all good for everyone til people reach a certain age? Please.


As far as the JW thing and Prince is concerned, we've treaded water here when it comes to that. If he's happy, then I'm happy for him.

Being a non-Christian I could never really relate to some of the songs from the "good old days" , for instance that whole " Jesus is God´s son " stuff, but sometimes you can still catch a drift of the spirituality going on in those songs, so to me , no , it doesn´t really bother me that he´s a JW these days. Unless he sings lyrics like "fly upon the wings of the New Translation " and so on. That´s not really my cup of tea and leaves little to the listener´s imagination, more like dictating his listeners what to read and what to believe in. ( I like TRC but can´t really get into that whole JW vibe, but it´s OK).
Talking about the lack of cursing..when I first got into Prince´s music cursing was totally unimportant and probably the last thing to make me like his music. Listen to the concerts from the PurpleRain, Parade, SoTT or Lovesexy era..the cursing was minimal and the music was still great, so I don´t really understand the blown-out-of-proportins discussion about Prince no longer cursing. I found his cursing a during the GOLD era a bit annoying ( with Sonny T., my bass favorite and dirtiest mouth ever in the NPG). I loved that era, but that whole cursing from ´91 til 96 was unnecessary.
Of course I´m totally against Prince censoring his old music, a little "shut up already-DAMN" or "Irressitible Bitch" won´t hurt anybody, nor would DMSR in it´s orignal version hurt anybody.

Prince
has
issues

It's no longer an issue with me, it wasn't really much of one anyway. I try to respect people's views and definately their Religions, even if don't go along with them myself. Live and let live.

Bottom line is Prince is happy, I'm happy for him.











































No re-recording the back catalogue though Princey, or there'll be hell on!

TheOrgerFormerlyKnownAs said:

I guess it's all about context, at least in my opinion. When Bowie was cussing at his show, it wasn't anything that anyone's dad wouldn't say at a family barbecue after a beer or two. "That's bullshit" or "fuck that", etc. ...just your regular guy talk. I think it would be kind of gross if Bowie (or anyone, really) started going off on a rip about his big twelve-incher and Vaseline and all that. Prince made that kind of thing work back in the day because he was of a certain age and in a certain mindset. When people get older, they get more refined. I mean, even Bowie isn't walking around in lipstick and skimpy little bodysuits anymore.

pdubble said:

I have no problems whatsoever with him being JW. His lyrics haven't really changed that much. I think we, as fans just need to except the fact that that is what he is.

Anxiety said:

Clarence Carter is known for his racy stuff. It never appealed to me. The song Strokin' always made me wanna hurl but that's Clarence's thing. If Bowie and Prince wanted to continue to do the androgyny thing, I would have no problem with that, if it was what made them happy. Prince, to this day is still wearing makeup and eyeliner. I just don't get the age is tied to a certain behavior thing.

KoolEaze said:

I was feeling you on a lot of your points, but the thing I don't understand is why people feel that he is preaching to them when he merely states what he believes. He's not dictating. When you preach, you direct it at someone. I've never felt that he was preaching.

i take it some of you on this thread have not seen the new show or read or seen any of his recent interviews.his religion is a 'personal matter'. the preaching is barely there. the only part of the entire show where there's "preaching" is when he suggests opening up your bible and let it guide you to the purple rain. out of the entire show, that's it. prince has always been prince. meaning, he will do whatever he wants to do when he wants to do it. he is NOT going to do anything (like cussing or performing darling nikki) just because some people want to hear that

Prince has been religious since the beginning. It has always been an influence in his music. I say let the genious do what he does best...make music.

It is an issue for fans.
[This message was edited Mon Apr 19 15:09:56 2004 by LovesexyIsThe1]

In 20 years of seeing Prince live in concert, his latest show is easily the least "preachy" I've seen him.

As far as his religion goes, although it is somewhat interesting, I never really looked to him for any kind of spiritual guidance so ultimately I could care less. As long as he's not urinating on teenage girls or molesting little boys at his ranch I could care less who he prays to or how he does it.

Since this topic has been broached here on the org ad nausem, what you'll probably find is there's a sizeable part of the fanbase that really misses the vague "spiritual but not really defined" religion that Prince seemed to espouse back in the day. IMO, that comes from some need to reconcile Prince's beliefs with the listeners. But that's just my opinion.

There are some who really dislike his particular choice of the JW faith who view it as a cult.

There are those of us who could care less.

Universaluv said:

PurpleKnight said:

Still
Love
him
too

no
matter
how
blinded
he
is

Novabreaker said:

I am listening to TRC as I write this. I love the album, but I kinda wish I could listen to P(rince) when I want and listen to P(reaching) separately. However, it's his prerogative. I don't want to censor him one way or the other.