I’d say these lines count as being about “social issues that still resonate”. I mean, I don’t think he’s offering the right answer, but he’s identifying problems
Ghettos to the left of us Flowers to the right There’ll be bread for all of us If we can just bear the cross Sweet song of salvation A pregnant mother sings She lives in starvation Her children need all that she brings
Flowers to the right There’ll be bread for all of us If we can just bear the cross
Sweet song of salvation A pregnant mother sings She lives in starvation Her children need all that she brings
No - you’re absolutely right. Only the title track. Suggests that he either only got as far as side 1 track 1, or that it’s a marketing spiel because ‘social issues’ are hot right now
Fair enough - that one verse of that song fits with the claim. I still think it’s a massive mischaracterisation of the album. I mean, all human life is in that record but trying to reduce it to a ‘social issues’ record is just absurd.
It doesn’t surprise me to hear Shaun Keaveny and Matt Everitt talking nonsense but I was surprised to hear the guy from the estate going along with it.
I knew it was going wrong when it started with Keaveny talking about the songs on the album and the first one he came up with was Housequake. Couldn’t help thinking he was just randomly picking one from the list in front of him and had never actually listened to any of them. I mean, Housequake is fine but no one thinks of Sign O The Times and goes ‘oh yes, thats the one with Housequake on’ do they?
If I’m totally honest it isn’t the first time I’ve heard something similar said about this album. Read a review or think piece or something that made out it was Prince’s answer to hip hop and the “street reporting” of groups like Schoolly D or Public Enemy, but thought exactly the same then as I did when I read your post about the 6Music guys - sounds like they’ve listened to the title track and pretty much nothing else.
This is it. Also one of the main reasons why it’s the greatest record ever made
I probably would, Housequake is in my top 5 Prince songs, think it’s phenomenal.
Top of my head top 5 Prince songs (no order):
When Doves Cry Housequake Controversy Let’s Pretend We’re Married And another Prince song, maybe I Wanna Be Your Lover?
^hip to the rare housequake
I’m happy with anyone that loves Prince, and Sign O The Times is a broad church for sure. There are no bad songs on it.
Housequake wouldn’t be in my top five songs on the album though, let alone in his career
The off-beat bassline, the pitched-up vocals, generally odd structure, I love it.
Fuck ever doing a Top 5 Prince Songs. Just tried doing it in my head too much pressure.
I’m not going to try to do that, but top five songs from Sign O The Times:
If I Was Your Girlfriend The Ballad of Dorothy Parker Sign O The Times U Got The Look Strange Relationship (or possibly The Cross, depending on my mood)
Head I feel for you Purple Rain Gold Nothing Compares 2 U
I think. Was hard leaving out anotherlover and the beautiful ones but I think that’s it
OHHHHH SHIIIIIIIIIIIT
Going to clock off early to listen to this.
Just got given a bag of Prince 12"s by my record man and was told by him to give him a fair price. No problem I say.
First one I pull out of the bag is a ‘Controversy’ reissue from Australia from 1987. Mint condition, sealed. There’s not even another sealed, unplayed one on Discogs. Could be worth anything from €50.00 upwards. FFS.
Here’s the ones I’ll be keeping. Needed another copy of ‘Partyman’ as the b-side on my original was scratched.
Been going through Prince’s back catalogue. I hear so many negative things about the ‘Batman’ soundtrack yet there’s so many bangers on there - ‘Partyman’, ‘Electric Chair’, ‘Trust’. It’s easily a top ten for me.
The b-side to ‘Partyman’ on the 12" is ‘Feel U Up (Long Stroke)’ and it’s a banger too.
Need to get a copy of the album, have never found one here. I’ll be skipping ‘Arms Of Orion’ though, that is shite!
