Sorry, I'm not having it. You don't have to be a full time twitter SJW to realise that threatening rape was not OK in 1982, and it isn't OK in 2019, even if it is done 'playfully'.
I never interpreted those "sexually daring" lyrics as threatening rape. Thank god the estate is not censoring anything. And I welcome the decision to include the original version of Extraloveable & Lust U Always on the 1999 deluxe as well.
Maybe I am being too literal, but lines like 'I'm sorry, I' m gonna have to rape you' and 'I'm on the verge of rape' are threatening rape.
Only if you take it out of context (as you know, the song is more than 7 minutes long and quite verbose). To add a little bit, I'm not saying this won't cause any controversy. Some are going to say it's inappropriate or even unacceptable. I just don't agree with them. I think everyone should be given a chance to listen to the track so that they could make up their own mind.
I like the song Extraloveable overall. I just think that bit goes too far. And I think it would be wise to leave it out. A recent parallel might be last years Guns N' Roses boxset, which covered every song from Appetite For Destruction and G N' R Liees except for One In A Million. They knew that putting that song out again would overshadow the rest of the box, and also that not all publicity is good publicity. Now we all know how outraged people seem to get about songs that are supposedly 'rape-y', so don't be surprised if the same happens if Extraloveable and Lust U Always are released uncut. Then again, the 'woke' mob don't go after every artist who releases songs with 'abusive' lyrics, so the estate might get away with this.
On the one hand I'm really happy at the prospect of them releasing the uncut Extraloveable for so many reasons. On the other hand I hope they also release a tasteful edit because the full version is not something I really want to hear again, and definitely not one for heavy rotation.
I'm against all edits, especially posthumous ones, and I'm all for artistic freedom. Tool just released their Opiate EP (in fact, their whole back catalog) digitally, and the title track's chorus is; "My God's will becomes me. When he speaks, he speaks through me. He has needs like I do. We both want to rape you". Of course when they perform it live the lyrics are changed. But if that song can be released without any edits and reach iTunes top 10, I don't know why Prince estate should edit out the lyrics "I'm on the verge of rape".
I don't see what all the PC fuss is about. It's art and it's not meant to be always pleasant. The song depict a character's feelings. Do you PC people think that Prince wanted to go around raping people or wanted to incite people to rape others? Do you think that some people who hear the song might hear the song as a validation to commit rape?
Does anyone remember when rock and roll used to be rock and roll? We should also censor Mick Jagger's jailbait reference in "Stray Cat Blues" and Robert Plant's in "Sick Again" etc. etc.? ad infinitum ... this country has turn woosified with their safe spaces and MeToo mentality . . . art is art. (note: this isn't an indictment against the poster I am quoting, but of current society in general)
Oh wow- I know peoples tastes wildly vary but these two as forgettable? Holy hell! Two killer Prince songs IMO!
One thing this censorship conversation reminded me of is all of Michael Howe's talk about honoring what Prince would do and/or approve of. I didn't know that Howe was instrumental in the Purple Rain Deluxe release while he still worked for WB. We got a lot of sexually explicit material on that release. Do you think Prince would approve? I don't think so. Howe is reading from cue cards. Then there is Tyka. So far all signs point to her wanting the world hear the many sides of Prince. She's a little edgy. I hope she keeps it up.
From the New Yorker - interesting reading by the man who was co-writing Prince's memoir. The Book of Prince
I agree.....not very inspired. Clapton looked tired. Earlier in this thread, there's Bruce Springsteen version of "Purple Rain", with Nils Lofgren on the solo.....that was great!
Was the full 13 minute version of this performance ever released or is this VHS sound quality still the best we have?
This has never been officialy released anywhere, only as a bootleg. This legendary show is something that they must shurely release at some point though.
If I remember correctly the Estate published a snippet of it on Twitter, it was being restored but not ready for inclusion on the PR set. Been a while since then...
@schnitzerphilip: If you want to see the whole show try searching for Making of Rain. I'm not sure where it was originally posted or by whom, but this is the same video on Facebook in this post, it's still up: New Prince: 4Ever (2016) & Purple Rain Deluxe (2017)
No. But I think it's OK to comment that he made an exceptionally poor choice in writing/singing those lyrics. Although the music in both tunes is pretty interesting (especially if you like that period of Prince), those lyrics most certainly diminish the value and success of the songs. Not every idea Prince had was good. I'll take severe issue with his interpretation of the Bible (even acceptance of it) and his use of it to justify is early 2000s lyrics about the place of women. [We don't need to discuss this deeper per Forum rules.] I'll take issue with the almost embarrassing sentiments in "Tell Me How U Wanna Be Done" and similar. Feel that way about "Crystall Ball," which is otherwise one of his best musical tracks. Then he would turn around and write stuff like Resolution or The Holy River or others that were really solid.
Wouldn't it be better to start a new Prince appreciation thread and lock this one? Seems kind of tasteless to keep an RIP thread going for years.
Thank you, 99. Definitely will. What I'm really interested in, and I'm sure I'm not alone, is the day that the full 13 minute performance of Purple Rain is released in clear, wonderful, remixed, stereo, digital quality. I'm hoping that his heirs are on that. And it's not because the edited verse was good; it's because you literally see him dreaming up and creating the repetitive guitar licks at the end and the amazing "woo-hoo's" at the end. IMO, not another piece of tape could ever more perfectly demonstrate the genius of the man and it's long overdue.
