Sign O' The Times

Sign O' The Times is the album that really really got me in2 Prince. Back in the mid 80's when we played vinyl albums, my older sister and her best friend were always listening 2 two songs on this album, "Housequake" and "Adore." With records, U had 2 put the needle on at the location of the track, so from time to time the needle would land a little too soon before the song started. Or, after the song was finished, U'd hear a little bit of the next song. Before Housequake, U'd hear the end of "Play in the Sunshine," and right before Adore, U'd hear the end of "It's Gonna Be a Beautiful Night." Even the snippets were intriguing. I got 2 wondering what these other songs were all about. It was just enough to spark my curiosity. Well the rest is history. Lots of fans would agree with me that Sign O' The Times is Prince's best album.

As far as the song, the lyrics are timeless. 2day, the message is still relevant over 20 years later. [Wow, I'm old. ] Prince tackled issues that plagued mankind back then such as AIDS, drug abuse, gangs, death caused by natural disasters, poverty and war.

Memorable Lyrics:

Hurricane Annie ripped the ceiling off a church and killed evryone inside/U turn on the telly and every other story's telling U somebody died/My sister killed her baby 'cause she couldn't afford 2 feed it and we're sending people 2 the moon/In September my cousin tried reefer 4 the very first time/Now he's doing horse...it's June

Wow...powerful stuff...even 20 years later. Of all the music I own, the S.O.T.T. album is #1. Hands down.

Reflection

This is a great acoustic track from the Musicology album. Musicology was the highest grossing concert of 2005.


The song reminds us 2 just stop and think sometimes, recollect, take a breather. Prince makes a reference 2 his mom who passed away. It's a straight forward song- just vocals, guitars and drums.


Memorable lyrics:


Did we remember 2 water the plants 2day?
I forgot 2 look up at the moon because
I was 2 busy, said I was 2 busy
I was 2 busy looking at U


In the summer of 2005 when I was first hired as a new AP, I went 2 the Musicology concert 3 times. Needless to say, it was 3 of the best nights of my life. I was particularly enamored by the show at Madison Square Garden because we were in the 4th row. Prince and his band were awesome. Actually, it was my first time seeing him in concert although I'd been a fan since Purple Rain. At the Nassau Colliseum show, he did an acoustic version of Black Sweat which would later show up on the 3121 album. Jill Scott opened the Philadelphia show, which was a pleasant surprise. U could say Musicology was the 1st in a line of "new school" Prince albums that disappointed some longtime fans yet satisfied others. This was right after The Rainbow Children, but that's another topic for another post.

Elephants and Flowers

Prince fans will recognize the title of this blog right away. For those of U who aren't diehard Prince fans, this is the title of a song from the Graffiti Bridge album of 1990 which was kinda supposed 2 be sort of a Purple Rain Part II, but that's a story for another post.

Each post will share a title with a Prince song and will include commentary, a lyric or 2 perhaps and relevant connections.

The song Elephants and Flowers explains that the power of God is such that He created all things, big and small, delicate and powerful.

This blog is dedicated 2 the Artist and his work from 1978 to current day.