Ever since Prince’s wife bought a multi-million dollar mansion in Toronto, we’ve been trying to claim that lil’ purple sexpot as an honourary Canadian. While none of us have actually seen Prince struttin’ down the streets of Toronto in his high heel boots, we feel like his aura hangs over the city.

Apparently, if you look at the clues hidden in his new album, Musicology, Prince may feel the same way too. Rather than simply secluding himself in his Paisley Park to record the disc, Prince hoofed it out to Mississauga’s Metalworks studios to record a portion of the album. Dude owns a house in Canada and recorded here? Hell, he almost qualifies as CanCon.

But it doesn’t stop there. Among the astoundingly sexy photos in Musicology’s sleeve notes is a pic of Prince meditating (or, alternately, taking an impromptu nap) on a patio chair in front of a city skyline. Looming above his head is the glowing red beacon of the Canada Trust building.

There’s also a fair amount of anti-war sentiment on the album, including the song "Call My Name," which, if you’re willing to work with us here, could be a sign that Prince intends to spend more time in Canada. The song, a sexy slow jam, mentions the artist carrying his beloved "thru the bridal path door," a clear reference to the Bridle Path, the affluent Toronto neighbourhood in which Prince’s mansion is located. Later in the same song Prince moans some mumbo jumbo about how his lady’s sweet lovin’ would be enough to make the powers that be forget about war, adding "Land of the free? Somebody lied!/They can bug my phone/Peep around my home/They’d only c U and me/Makin’ love inside."

OK, so the guy likes to get some with his old lady — but the combination of the T.O. reference and the smattering of anti-Americanism only can spell one thing: Prince wants to be a Canadian.

Maybe we’re jumping the gun a little bit here, but Prince’s constant presence would sure make this city a whole lot sexier. But before you go redecorating your home in purple velvet just in case the singer drops in to borrow a cup of sugar, keep in mind that even if Prince does decide to make T.O. his primary home, he won’t be around a whole lot. He’s just started touring behind Musicology and has publicly declared that his world tour may stretch out over a couple of years. In the meantime, Torontonians can catch him at the Air Canada Centre on July 27.

Prince’s Musicology hits stores today.

Oh you wannabe French bacon-eating bastards! No you cannot claim Prince, he's an American!

i dont think JW's recognize countries

bananacologne said:

Aboot
[This message was edited Tue Apr 20 16:47:48 2004 by Universaluv]

Another Canada reference : Next to the lyrics of If I Was the Man in Ure Life, Leonardo's famous drawing has a maple leaf hiding the genitalia... a rather big leaf I might add.

I agree that much of the anti-war sentiment and the "Land of the Free? Somebody lied!" line fit canadian culture. It could also fit British culture mind you, but it's still possible Prince is getting a bit canadianized. I'd love to say that's an affront to his Minnieapolis roots, but I'm a Torontonian, so....

Don't worry. We're letting him out of the country. We're not greedy.
[This message was edited Tue Apr 20 16:56:37 2004 by Aerogram]

I have to admit, that article makes some good points that are difficult to dispute, though I personally hope he'll eventually settle down back home in MPLS.

I'd worry when he starts wearing a tuque and telling people to "take off, eh!"

...or when the next album starts off with "Kooooo loo koo koo koo koo koo kooooo!"

When you hear "bridal path", does anyone else think of the bridle path in Anne Rice's infamous Sleeping Beauty books?

Okay, just me then.

Didn't you figure this out back when he was singing, "God Bless Canada, home of the brave!"?

theblueangel said:

When was that?

Naaaa in my opinion, i think he is still the same cat and only one famous one claiming lake minnetonka!!!

Aerogram said:

On the live version of Days of Wild that was given out at the Xenophobia Celly and later sold online.

CandaceS said:

It looks more and more like Prince is cutting his ties to Minneapolis. With both his parents gone, there's no real reason for him to stay there. He's not close to his sister.