Prince Dead at 57

[BeauBenken]

Sang "Kiss" at karaoke last night.

Okay. So maybe I didn't sing it while on the mic, but I sang it loud and proud in the front of the crowd.

 

[ulukinatme]

Driving into work this morning, three different radio stations had Prince marathons going. He has over ten headlines on Drudge. A woman in the office was crying. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with it, I just didn't realize he was *that* big. I think he missed my generation because he was too recent for my dad to get into him and pass it down but too new for me to be into him on my own.

Prince was more my generation or just slightly before. Purple Rain came out just a bit after I was born. Never really got into him either, but honestly I always listened to more 60s and 70s stuff growing up. Tried to get into his music, never really could. The biggest impact Prince has had on my life was the Chappelle skit sadly.

By all accounts, Prince was a bit of a weird dude. I always thought this story was funny, if not a bit long:

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8LhcParuzpc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[wizards8507]

Fun fact, I turned on the radio today on my way to work and one of the Clear Channel stations was playing an unedited version of "Erotic City."

Someone's in trouble.

*Turns WiFi off on phone. Googles "Erotic City lyics" on 4G.

 

[woolybug25]

*Turns WiFi off on phone. Googles "Erotic City lyics" on 4G.

While that wifi is off, go ahead and Google the lyrics to Darling Nikki.

That song will give you a boner.

 

[gkIrish]

While that wifi is off, go ahead and Google the lyrics to Darling Nikki.

That song will give you a boner.

That was the song that led to Parental Advisory Warnings.

 

[IrishLion]

The more you know:

I just learned that "Erotic City" gets a pass on the radio because "f*ck" is supposedly "funk."

I feel like the real reason it gets a pass is "Because Prince."

 

[wizards8507]

The more you know:

I just learned that "Erotic City" gets a pass on the radio because "f*ck" is supposedly "funk."

I feel like the real reason it gets a pass is "Because Prince."

I think there might be two different versions.

 

[IrishLion]

I think there might be two different versions.

I don't think so, as it's already a B-side track.

At least my quick research didn't mention a different version of the song. It just said that the song gets a pass because enough people say that it says "funk" and not the alternative.

 

[Irish#1]

Watched part of an interview last night on the news. Apparently while he projected something of a weird or off-center image he was a pretty shy and normal guy while not performing. He kind of hid behind the outfits and acts. He was pretty uncomfortable doing the interview one on one and dressed in regular clothes.

 

[irishroo]

I'm pretty surprised at the reaction Prince's death is getting. I know he was hugely talented and influential, but I feel like we're seeing a Paul McCartney-caliber response.

Prince was a bit before my time but I don't think it's unreasonable to expect that type of reaction. To me, Prince was a genuine megastar, truly one of the all-time greats. I've always thought of him as in the same rarefied air as guys like Jackson, Jagger, Lennon, etc. Maybe I'm overrating him relative to the general populace's feelings towards him? It also may be a result of people around my age (24) being the driving force behind social media and relating to his music much more that some of the icons of old. We used to blast 1999 and Little Red Corvette at every party in college, didn't hear a lot of Yesterday or Hey Jude.

 

[irishnd31]

I'm pretty surprised at the reaction Prince's death is getting. I know he was hugely talented and influential, but I feel like we're seeing a Paul McCartney-caliber response.

I see what you're saying but I think Prince, during the 80s was one of those iconic figures in the sense that if you were to turn on MTV MJackson, Madonna, or Prince seemed to command a different level of respect than other performers. If there was a tiered system to all of this, in my opinion, Michael Jackson is up there with the loss of Lennon and Elvis. Next tier down would include Prince and Bowie with Prince above Bowie in my opinion.

 

[wizards8507]

Prince was a bit before my time but I don't think it's unreasonable to expect that type of reaction. To me, Prince was a genuine megastar, truly one of the all-time greats. I've always thought of him as in the same rarefied air as guys like Jackson, Jagger, Lennon, etc. Maybe I'm overrating him relative to the general populace's feelings towards him? It also may be a result of people around my age (24) being the driving force behind social media and relating to his music much more that some of the icons of old. We used to blast 1999 and Little Red Corvette at every party in college, didn't hear a lot of Yesterday or Hey Jude.

Yeah but we (I'm 26) were idiots back then. We blasted "Low" and "Cyclone" in college too, but that doesn't mean Flo Rida and Baby Bash are musical royalty.

I see what you're saying but I think Prince, during the 80s was one of those iconic figures in the sense that if you were to turn on MTV MJackson, Madonna, or Prince seemed to command a different level of respect than other performers. If there was a tiered system to all of this, in my opinion, Michael Jackson is up there with the loss of Lennon and Elvis. Next tier down would include Prince and Bowie with Prince above Bowie in my opinion.

Maybe I just have a penchant for dismissing 80s music off-hand. In my mind the 80s live in a cultural void that's too recent to be "classic" but too old to be part of my childhood experience.

 

[phork]

Outside of his own songs, he wrote a lot of great hits for other artists. I always thought he was the consumate artist, the anti current generation of Auto Tune and the like. While certainly not my top listening choice I do enjoy listening to his stuff.

 

[irishroo]

Yeah but we (I'm 26) were idiots back then. We blasted "Low" and "Cyclone" in college too, but that doesn't mean Flo Rida and Baby Bash are musical royalty.

Yeah but those were the songs of the day at the time. People our age don't generally play 30 year old obscure songs from obscure artists, they go back that far for great songs from iconic. College kids in 30 years probably won't be listening to Cyclone or Low but I bet they will be listening to Hey Ya and Seven Nation Army.

 

[Irish#1]

Every generation has their megastars and Prince was for those in the 80's. I wouldn't put Prince in the same category as Lennon/McCartney. Lennon/McCartney are widely known and recognized for changing music, much the same way Elvis (not a fan) did. Michael Jackson is at that same level. JMO.

 

[greyhammer90]

Yeah but we (I'm 26) were idiots back then. We blasted "Low" and "Cyclone" in college too, but that doesn't mean Flo Rida and Baby Bash are musical royalty.

Even when you're young you recognize the difference between catchy and good. You can enjoy both, but deep down you know when you're listening to fad versus listening to an artist.

 

[wizards8507]

Yeah but those were the songs of the day at the time. People our age don't generally play 30 year old obscure songs from obscure artists, they go back that far for great songs from iconic. College kids in 30 years probably won't be listening to Cyclone or Low but I bet they will be listening to Hey Ya and Seven Nation Army.

Good point. That would be an interesting conversation in and of itself... which songs from 2000 on will be the "classics" of tomorrow.

 

[ACamp1900]

We blasted Ruff Ryders like crazy in college... would never put myself through that mess now... haha

 

[irishroo]

Good point. That would be an interesting conversation in and of itself... which songs from 2000 on will be the "classics" of tomorrow.

I've actually been thinking about this recently, but more for artists than songs. In 20 years I think the artists from this current generation who will be thought of as iconic/revolutionary include Kanye, Eminem, Outkast, Jack White, Kendrick Lamar, Beyonce, Timberlake, and Taylor Swift. Others that I considered include Avicii (people will laugh, but Levels gave birth to an ENORMOUS musical movement), Chris Stapleton, Dave Grohl, and Marcus Mumford.

 

[ACamp1900]

That's like, a super cool list or amazing 'artists' you young bucks have there....

says the old guy in the back....

 

[irishnd31]

That's like, a super cool list or amazing 'artists' you young bucks have there....

says the old guy in the back....

Yeah. I've only ever heard of a few of them. Christ, and I'm only 41.

 

[irishroo]

Yeah. I've only ever heard of a few of them. Christ, and I'm only 41.

Which ones have you not heard of? Pretty much everybody I listed, with the exceptions of Stapleton and maybe Jack White, is among the most famous and popular musicians of the last 5-10 years.

 

[irishnd31]

I've actually been thinking about this recently, but more for artists than songs. In 20 years I think the artists from this current generation who will be thought of as iconic/revolutionary include Kanye, Eminem, Outkast, Jack White, Kendrick Lamar, Beyonce, Timberlake, and Taylor Swift. Others that I considered include Avicii (people will laugh, but Levels gave birth to an ENORMOUS musical movement), Chris Stapleton, Dave Grohl, and Marcus Mumford.

These^

 

[irishnd31]

The others like Kanye (douche bag) and Outkast I can't name any of their songs off of the top of my head (although I admit that I don't listen to or am into music like some of the die hards on this site)

 

[wizards8507]

These^

Christ Stapleton is trying to single-handedly save country music from the corporate crapfest it's become in the last ten years.

Jack White, of The White Stripes.

Marcus Mumford, of Mumford and Sons.

Kendrick Lamar dates one of the Kardashians.

Avicii is some electronic foreign electronic cat. He's garbage.

 

[Irish#1]

I've actually been thinking about this recently, but more for artists than songs. In 20 years I think the artists from this current generation who will be thought of as iconic/revolutionary include Kanye, Eminem, Outkast, Jack White, Kendrick Lamar, Beyonce, Timberlake, and Taylor Swift. Others that I considered include Avicii (people will laugh, but Levels gave birth to an ENORMOUS musical movement), Chris Stapleton, Dave Grohl, and Marcus Mumford.

You forgot Scott Weiland, Shannon Hoon, Eddie Vedder and Billy Corgan. Never got the Taylor Swift thing. She may be iconic today, but not revolutionary. All of her songs sound pretty much the same.

 

[ACamp1900]

Christ Stapleton is trying to single-handedly save country music from the corporate crapfest it's become in the last ten years.

Jack White, of The White Stripes.

Marcus Mumford, of Mumford and Sons.

Kendrick Lamar dates one of the Kardashians.

Avicii is some electronic foreign electronic cat. He's garbage.

LOLOL...

 

[wizards8507]

LOLOL...

Doesn't he?

 

[IrishLion]

Outkast is just flat-out good music.

Eminem will be remembered for his "don't give a f*ck" attitude, on top of being a good rapper, and how he mixed both so well and in such a self-aware way.

Kanye is a legend already *because* he's a douchebag, and because he pushes the experimental envelope (even if the results suuuuuuck).

Those are just the three from the above list that were unbolded. The problem is that these guys aren't complete, well-rounded artists. They don't sing, and play instruments, and write their own songs. And I think that hurts them in the eyes of older generations.

Some artists, like a Kendrick Lamar (or maybe even an Eminem, in my opinion) can transcend that lack of depth to their talents and become "All-Time Greats" some day, simply because of the impact they've had on society.

 

[IrishLion]

Doesn't he?

You're thinking of former NBA player and current in-the-gutter Lamar Odom.