Happy Birthday Prince
Since we are in the birthday wishing mode, we might as well wish Prince a Happy Birthday. He turned 50 on June 7th. We were watching the French news and they were doing a profile of him. I had lost track of whether or not he was still a symbol or back to the name Prince. The news said he went back to calling himself Prince. I was always a closet Prince fan. Even when I was into punk and all my friends eschewed all things commercial, I still snuck a listen to Prince now and again, don’t tell. I’ve lost track of him stylistically but last I heard his songs sounded more distinctly R and B like James Brown.
DOes anyone remember thinking how far away 1999 sounded when the song came out? I can’t believe it is 2008 now! A generation before mine I guess they thought that about George Orwell’s 1984, mine we thought about 1999, what does today’s generation think of dates in the future? Are there any markers? Well it wasn’t 1999 but 2000 when Jean-Jacques and I partied like it was 1999, we were in Paris on New Year’s when 1999 became 2000. No Y2K and no “the Algerians” didn’t take over, who says the US has a monopoly on fear mongering? I leave you with a little Prince, le petit prince. Oops, but he is stuck in old media days, he doesn’t allow any videos on Youtube, so a search for his videos only brings up drag queens, karaoke, and bad covers, well that is how some remember him anyway. Is this an acceptable substitute?
I think the years have been thrown out the window Owen. Now they listen to lyrics where undefined happenings presage the end of the world. Something along the lines of The End of the World (told you) by Armor for Sleep. It’s a great song by the way. Check it out on youtube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNw1bLb3oQ8
I’ve never read The Little Prince. I’ve been meaning to read it for a couple of years (I’ve downloaded it to my PC), but I just never seem to get around to it. As for Prince, I was highly amused when he decided to be a symbol. And equally amused when he changed back, probably because of falling record sales.
I like this video. The guy really works out, doesn’t he? I lked that he sng it in two languages, also.
That was an interesting song, I liked it. I think you are right about the concept of numbers and years not defining the time anymore. 2000 was so clear in my head and even when Reagan was shot in 1981 or the Berlin Wall or the first Gulf War, all defined by years and what was happening globally in those years. I guess I won’t have a gauge soon.
Alienating your fans by refusing to show your videos is not likely to resurrect CD sales. I almost wish I hadn’t looked into him after the news. I’d prefer to remember him solely for his music and my memories of it.
Went to see Prince “Purple Rain” in 1984. I think he a genius in many ways. I believe he changed to a symbol to “stick it to” the record label he was contracted to at the time. Then when he was free of that he went back to the Prince name. I remember also 1999 being so far away that it would never come. Dang! where did it go.
You saw Prince in concert or the movie? I have no idea where the time went. For people who were born closer to the millenium, I don’t think they imagine 200? to be odd at all. I don’t know where the time went, can you send it back to me if you find out?
Both. At the concert he descended from the ceiling in a bath tub.