this article taken from today's (4-30-04) newspaper, the Atlanta-Journal Constitution:http://www.accessatlanta....rince.html" target="_blank">
http://www.accessatlanta....rince.html

By PHIL KLOER
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 04/29/04

Could any more contradictions be bundled into a smaller package than Prince? The business decisions both canny and bizarre, the never-ending peekaboo game with fame — and most important, the internal tension between the sexual and the sacred that's been present for years but is now front and center.

Suddenly Prince is as ubiquitous as he was 20 years ago, when the movie and soundtrack of "Purple Rain" were dual No. 1s at the box office and on the Billboard charts. His new round of accessibility includes opening the Grammy Awards with Beyoncé; entering the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame; sitting down with "Today's" Matt Lauer; releasing a new CD, "Musicology," that has people paying attention again; and selling out a national tour that pulls into Philips Arena tonight.

There hasn't been this much engagement between Prince and his court of fans in ages; "Musicology" sold 192,000 CDs in its first week, more than any CD he's released in years. (Prince is giving the CD away to everyone who attends his concerts, which bumps the sales figures somewhat.)

On his concert tour, he jams and struts and sings like a man possessed for two hours. But because he's now a Jehovah's Witness (a faith he's been interested in for years), he's literally cleaned up his act. He doesn't perform some of his earlier, more sexually explicit songs such as "Darling Nikki," "Sister," "Dirty Mind" and "Sexy MF," and he's been changing the lyrics of "Purple Rain" to "Say you can't make up your mind? I think you better close it and open up the Bible." He brings the funk and the faith both.

Prince called into Frank Ski's morning show on radio station V-103 last week and talked about not playing some of his dirty-minded classics.

"I've taken them out 'cause you've got children coming to the concert," he said. "For an artist not to be responsible and care about those children and how they first hear the music, that says a lot. Anybody missing those songs, you really want to ask yourself why you miss them, 'cause I think it says more about you than it does about me."

He gave Newsweek a slightly different explanation about dropping his provocative songs.

"It's not me anymore," he said. "Don't follow me way back there. There's no more envelope to push. I pushed it off the table. It's on the floor."

In neither case did he mention his religion as a factor.

"His greatest music was animated by themes of sexual freedom. But he became extremely conflicted about that, until now he's really a very conservative fellow," said Alex Hahn, author of the 2003 biography "Possessed: The Rise and Fall of Prince."

"He's extremely pro-monogamy and a practicing Jehovah's Witness. I've talked to associates who felt he was pressuring them into converting. That tension was very interesting. At some point that tension disappeared, and he's gone the religious route."

This battle — little devil on one shoulder, little angel on the other — runs through contemporary rock and soul. Elvis Presley liked to stage wrestling matches between young women in Graceland as well as sing the gospel songs his mama loved. Little Richard, Al Green, Curtis Mayfield and Maze have all been through it. Marvin Gaye, in particular, was a precursor of Prince's sacred/profane struggle, a gospel-trained singer who wrote both "Wholly Holy" and "Sexual Healing."

"It's not limited to African-American music, although it's more visible. Historically, African-American music and gospel music have overlapped," says Tricia Rose, author of "Black Noise: Rap Music and Black Culture in Contemporary Culture."

"There's a fundamental contradiction between Christianity and a sexual freedom that's open-ended, exploratory and very physical," she adds. "But they're expressing the tension among many people — the very same people who are out shaking their groove thing on Saturday night and going to church on Sunday morning."

The tension runs through many of Prince's best-known songs. In the apocalyptic "1999," he dreams that "judgment day" has come. In "Let's Go Crazy," he starts off sounding like a preacher — "Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today . . ." — and fades out singing "He's coming, he's coming." But though both songs look to an afterlife and use religious imagery, their bottom line is that for the here and now, it's time to party. He still does both songs on this tour.

None of this should imply that Prince has taken a vow of chastity. He also still performs "Little Red Corvette," his car-as-girl metaphor that is, as the song says, "on the verge of being obscene," without being as explicit as some other earlier work.

"Musicology" still has plenty of smoldering desire ladled into its funk grooves.

You can tell he still has sex on the brain, only now, he's 45 and married. When he spots a sexy woman in a concert crowd on the new song "What Do U Want Me 2 Do?," he tells her "Shame on U baby, can't U see this ring?" Whereas the old Prince would have told her, well, something else entirely.
>>>>>
ATL represent!!!!!

So what version of Musicology do this cat have? Seem to be full of sexy songs to me. For one, check these lyrics:

Sure U know he got plenty lyrics, yeah, up his sleeve
and after he got what he want he just go up and leave
and sunday chocolate on the roof right after his game
he like the Lakers but the Sixers on when he came
If he's with another now U best believe the party's crackin
Ur getting played girl, U better get your mack on
and do onto others as they do onto U
U call me on the day that U and him r just 2 through



God 4bid if U belonged 2 another Eye'd have 2 steal U
Eye'd have 2 take U from Ur man
Eye might b tempted 2 break the law round here
Because Ur beauty, it gives 1 pause
It slows me down

Come on, baby
Don't make me sleep on the couch
Love Jones is on the TV again, baby
Eye wanna go down south, yeah

As long as she's providing chips and whips
We can do this funky thang
As long as she was playing the host
He figured he would make the most of them hips and lips
He hooked her up, rocked her coast 2 coast

Great article...but something about the following quote bothers me:



I wish Prince would address the fact that children have always gone to his concert. I was in the 5th grade when I saw him in concert with Rick James, which was during the Dirty Mind era. My mother had no idea that he was going to perform in nothing but bikinis, a trench coat, black thigh highs and high-heel boots. If he thinks it's irresponsible of artist to sing raunchy lyrics then he should at least acknowlege that, yes he once did it, but he NOW chooses to be responsible in what he sings about and how he performs.

I wish Prince would address the fact that children have always gone to his concert. I was in the 5th grade when I saw him in concert with Rick James, which was during the Dirty Mind era. My mother had no idea that he was going to perform in nothing but bikinis, a trench coat, black thigh highs and high-heel boots. If he thinks it's irresponsible of artist to sing raunchy lyrics then he should at least acknowlege that, yes he once did it, but he NOW chooses to be responsible in what he sings about and how he performs.[/quote]


But I think he has: "It's not me anymore," he said. "Don't follow me way back there. There's no more envelope to push. I pushed it off the table. It's on the floor."

Personally, I think it'd be a little strange for a man that's creeping up on 50 to be on stage in bikini underwear singing "Head."

mochalox said:

so, whats that saying about parents that listen to prince's old stuff that have kids ? and i REALLY WISH he would stop that comment about "it says more about you than it does about me". we grew up listening to that music man, thats how we all fell in love with you -- to take out the old nasty music, which WAS who you were and how you got your name, would be to erase not only important parts of your life, but also memories that we all have of OUR lives.



OK, thats just cute

nakedpianoplayer said:

co-sign

nakedpianoplayer said:

That's exactly the issue that I have with Prince when he attempts to explain why he won't perform his raunchy songs. Those kind of statements have the potential of alienating some of his older fans that fell in love with his music because of those songs. He makes it seems like there is something with a person that wants to hear him sing 'Erotic City' or 'Head'....a little judgmental IMO.

Personally, I think his decision to remove some songs from his repetoir respectable. I don't think he is saying you shouldn't like these songs, or you shouldn't listen to these songs....just be wary of who else hears them because they aren't for everybody's ears. Not to mention it's who he WAS not who he is. People change....just because you haven't doesn't mean he can't. As for there being children in the audience then and now.....sure there was.....but when you are 20 someodd years old, you are as much a kid as they are. Responsibility is the last thing on your list. Prince is older and wiser now. He see's the onslaught of blatant sexuality in EVERYTHING. Since when was Prince "mainstream"? If he played some of these songs he'd be just like everybody else.....now how much fun would that be? With that said...maybe he'll have an over 21 only concert....

PurpleCharm said:

i wish we could look at it as the art that it is...i mean, the lyrics are not telling you to go 'do' those things, its just about the music, i think we are all old enough to handle the words and what they mean -- i mean really, does he truely believe that we are no longer the freaky prince people we once were just cuz he wont play the stuff anymore ??

PurpleHeeler said:

On point.

PurpleHeeler said:

k, i am gonna use my best judgement here, and let you know politely how that comes out, cuz, if i were to tell you what first comes to mind, you wouldnt so much like me so, here goes..

are you saying that i (we) are the same as we were back in the day when this music first came out ?? let me tell ya something sweetie, i am a single mom, i work my ass off to provide for my children, i am always giving my time to others needs, with very little time to myself...so, dont judge others on what they do/dont do, cuz for the most part, you know very little about anyone here. and truth be told, if i wanna listen to HEAD as loud as i can possibly get it --- well then thats on me ! my life has completely changed, and i carry incredible responsibility in life just as i am sure that all the prince loving folks on here do so, dont come at me (us) with that crazy stuff

PurpleHeeler said:

No one said it wasn't respectable. It's very admirable and makes total sense that he chooses to not sing the risque lyrics and songs, but this line right here is what get's me:



There is nothing wrong with me because I want him to sing songs that made me fall in love with his music.

PurpleCharm said:

very very well said

PurpleHeeler said:

Good point. I've never once heard Prince denounce those songs, or tell his audience to throw out those records. Every performer with a large back catalog will make choices on what they will and won't play (I'd love to hear Bowie play some of his earlier gems but it aint too likely). I don't know how many Smiths fans are on this board, but for years Morrissey would not sing any Smiths songs in his concerts, again for personal reasons. Getting back to Prince, there are several other non "sexy" songs (the term "sexy" kind of makes me laugh cause some of those songs are almost pornographic - hey, no judgment here ) that he doesn't play in concert anymore. Why aren't people making as big a deal about those? I can respect him as a performer deciding not to play certain songs, for whatever personal reason.

suedehead said:

agreed !! there are many songs i would love to hear him play, BUT the problem comes in when he makes the comments about those of us listening to them not growing up, changing or however he worded it its all the same when you hear what hes sayin

nakedpianoplayer said:[quote]

suedehead said:

I feel you - that is a little condescending. It probably comes from the exhaustion of getting asked about it so often.

suedehead said:[quote]

nakedpianoplayer said:

yep. it has nothing to do with me. i loved the songs, still do. he's the one who changed and my asking to hear the songs doesn't really reflect on me at all. more on his changes. ..

XxAxX said:

PurpleHeeler said:

I absolutely agree with this.....I went to my frist Prince concert in 1980 and I was a high school kid then

Prince had to grow up before the public and went through all the changes and transformations we all go trough in the public eye

You have to remember that a lot of us who were fans and supported his music from the start have kids now and I applaud him for be conscious of that.....

Besides when your over 40.....

I wish Janet Jackson would do the same thing

nakedpianoplayer said:

nakedpianoplayer,
I'm sorry if I offended you. It was certainly not my intention. You are correct in stating that I know little about anyone here. I do not by any means claim to know you or your situation, nor do I intend to judge them.
However, I never suggested you not play these songs, by all means play them as loud as you dare.....I do. I play the raunchiest Prince songs in the catalog as loud as possible with no regard for who is around (save perhaps my grandmother).
Personally, I think it is the responsibility of the parent to regulate what is appropriate for their child (and no this is not suggesting you stop playing Prince in front of your child), and not the responsibility of society. However, society has been so inendated with things considered "inappropriate" for children under X age, it is difficult for a parent to completely monitor what their child sees and hears. I think Prince is just trying to do his part to "clean up", if you will, what essentially he started.
Prince is the reason we have warning labels on albums (my mother, a complete and utter dead beat...whole other story....purchased the Purple Rain album for me for my birthday when I was 5....yes, I listened to Darling Nikki....I think I was 12 before I ever realized what he was saying). For the most part (I said MOST, not ALL) his music was not blatantly sexual. It used a lot of inuendo, metaphors, double entendres (ok, so it didn't take a rocket scientist to figure them out). Music today have become a lot more visual. MTV, VH1, televised concerts, music is integrated into everything in TV. The music is rarely anymore suggestive, but obvious. Britney strips to nearly nothing (all the while underage even), Janet's boob makes a special appearance, the Red Hot Chili Peppers play concerts clothed in only socks, the list goes on. What started as suggestive is now "in your face"...in more ways than one.
So, IMPO...I think on some plane Prince holds himself somewhat responsible for the current state of music and sexuality in music and he isn't happy with what he sees. I think he is trying in his own way to effect a change, or perhaps, at least clear his conscious.
As for the "it says more about you than it says about me comment"...I can somewhat agree with that. It would be like him saying he doesn't want to wear purple anymore and there being all this hoopla over his not wearing purple. What is so incredibly important about his wearing purple? Doesn't he look just as good in all the other colors? You can still wear purple, it isn't being banned from the rainbow. I can also understand that he is tired of constantly having to defend his decisions.
So, for all that care.....thats my $1.05