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Happy Birthday Prince! We still miss and love you
Graffiti Bridge (1990)
PRN
Everyone. This is the full Do Me Baby clip from the 1990 Japan Nude stop. We’ve all seen the gifs. We all were in bliss. This full clip though…just…with Miko’s guitar intro…prepare yourselves. Have a cool drink nearby. I…just…
Deserves to be reblogged quarterly.
I’ve evolved since I first posted this.
Lies.
Repost ! But … OMG ! this intro and …..so sexy …so erotic. ….so georgeous. ….Oh yes ! Do me baby ….🎶😍💜❤❣💝☮⚤🕊🌹🌷💋
Repost FOREVER
“Dolphin” is one of my favorite Prince songs ever! I don’t think this song gets enough credit honestly.
Prince always knew how to make it funky and he always had the best bands to help create that funky sound
He had the most sultry eyes 😍😍😍😍
3 Chains O’ Gold
Released August 16, 1994
If you haven’t seen 3 Chains O Gold, I’m going to need you to seek it out immediately because it is one of Prince’s most glorious accomplishments. Released in 1994, it expands on the Love Symbol album and attempts to give us Mayte’s back story, I guess? Either way it’s a real treat, so lets get right to my attempt to break down what’s going in this beautiful mess.
Opening Credits First of all, I wanted to make this not too terribly long and include only events relevant to the plot, but it’s worth noting that the “Warner Reprise Video” is arguably the MOST DATED LOGO IN HISTORY. If this doesn’t scream 1994 at you, I guess you weren’t alive then. If anyone from the future is like “what were the 90s like?” just show them this 10 second clip.
We open with the credits over several clips of what I’m confident is a show on the Paisley Park soundstage, with Prince in a glorious halter top backless jumpsuit, but that’s not important right now - we cut to Princess Mayte in Egypt doing her thing, which I guess is skinny dipping with four nameless women who call her Mai Tai? Either way, full nudity right out of the gate, interspersed with clips of who we find out is her father being stabbed. She holds him as he dies of one stab wound, which I guess you would if no doctor was called. Oh well, dead forever, so she grabs her title 3 Chains O Gold from a vault and we go from Cairo, Egypt, to Minneapolis, Minnesota! Unclear where Mayte is now staying, but it appears to be a small barren room with only candles and a small tv, which is playing Kirstie Alley reporting on a riot in the same alley where conveniently half of Graffiti Bridge takes place.
My Name is Prince The chain hat is here! As is an extended rap from Tony M, while Prince dances atop several cars in an inexplicably damp alley. He’s so stompy! Mayte has apparently seen this on the news and made her way through the crowd to hand him a bedazzled VHS case containing what is revealed to be the actual tape of her performance on That’s Incredible AS AN 8 YEAR OLD. This is problematic at best, but he’s interrupted by Tony M’s insistence that they have a car party to attend to.
Sexy MF The car party turns out to be the members of the NPG playing cards in the smoke filled garage of Paisley Park, and their involvement is that Prince shows up, demands 3 women leave with himself, Tony M and Kirky J, and then ridicules the rest of his band for a little bit. Kind of an asshole, but also… have you seen him in this?? Looking like a real snack. Forgiven. Moving on. My favorite thing about all Prince stories is that it’s like, Prince wants the girl, Prince gets the girl, and this is no different. Prince and his gold gun microphone want Troy Beyer in her pearl cage dress (can you call that a dress?) as they make out in various hotel hallways. They go to the movies and make out for a bit and engage in some heavy petting, but Troy knows something is up and that there’s someone else (spoiler alert, it’s Mayte), and he responds with a very intent Purple Rain-esque moody stare.
Love 2 the 9s Mayte gets a card slipped under her hotel room door with audition times for the NPG, so I guess Love 2 the 9s is her audition?? But wait, some of the NPG guys are in jail slash Prince’s office at Paisley. This is like… the Hard Times, if the Hard Times had a budget? Anyway it would appear that the audition is a photoshoot, with Prince in the highest of high waisted red pants and an open lace bolero top. Again, he looks DECADENT. I digress. Tony M proceeds to interview Mayte with some inane questions, until she is is finally permitted to make the booty boom. Thank god. Sidebar: her makeup!!!!! So perfectly 90s, complete with a brown lip and thin eyebrows. Perfection.
Morning Papers Cut to the zoo! Why?? I DON’T KNOW. Here’s P and Mayte walking through the zoo hand in hand, being real sweet paired with a song that makes the whole thing problematic, but again, choosing to overlook the whole “why is age more than a number” with a shot of Mayte riding on a carousel. YIKES. Cut to Paisley Park where P is dressed in white pants, white heels, a floor length white trench coat, and a SLEEVELESS PLAID FLANNEL SHIRT unbuttoned all the way down to his waist. This is a GOOD. LOOK. Someone has been working out, and he is eager to show it off. Ugh back to the carousel for some kind of trippy sequence involving Mayte whispering into a mirror in a Blossom hat.
The Max Dramatic cut to footage of what I’m pretty sure is one of the 1993 Radio City Music Hall shows from the Love Symbol tour mixed with some backstage footage and whatever was shot at Paisley. Prince’s ability to create euphamisms and use them like literally anyone else in the world would ever even bother never fails to amuse me. He’d like to “shuffle the cards in that stack!” …. okay. Before or after you drive me/us/Mayte to Tennessee? Anyway I guess this is to show she did indeed get the job? Here’s a picture from one of the Radio City shows because one I can’t get a good screen cap, and two it’s important for…. reasons.
Blue Light I’m not sure whose bedroom we are in, but Prince is sitting there I guess waiting for Kirstie Alley to call so he can hang up on her. You can tell this video was shot later than most of the other footage as his typhoon is really out of control here and reached peak mushroom, but it’s fine since it’s mostly face close ups of him and Mayte as they roll around on a bed while she rejects his advances. Girl. Get your shit together. Also he’s wearing light pink silk pajamas. Or it could just be a regular suit he wears on stage, jury still out, either way it looks comfy af and I’d like one.
I Wanna Melt With U Aw man. Mayte falls asleep, while Prince packs a suitcase with all his essentials for a tour (chains, a chain hat, and one shirt) and sneaks out. This is my favorite thing, omg. So Mayte has fallen into a fitful sleep and is currently having a sexual nightmare about her flirtatious encounter with P that involves a lot of naked ladies distorted in funhouse mirrors and Prince wearing maybe boxer shorts?? Umbros??, a black and white vertical striped robe, and ROLLER SKATES. Not only roller skates, but knee pads as well because even when you are haunting someones dreams in a sexual way, safety first. Oh also flashbacks to dad. There is SO MUCH GOING ON HERE, my god. I would pay good money to be haunted by Prince on roller skates and safety pads in my dreams, I tell you what.
Sweet Baby Mayte wakes up from her nightmare to realize P has left her with a note that says only “Sweet baby don’t cry.” Wait I thought she was in the band, but he went on tour without her? From Minneapolis, to Japan, by train? Unclear. Anyway she packs her bags and stands despondent, weeping on some train tracks for the duration of the song until she hops on a plane back to Egypt to be a princess again.
The Continental Prince arrives by train in Tokyo, where he is visibly distraught and his band starts talking shit about him as they have a pre-show gambling sesh? The Ghost of Mayte shows up to haunt him during soundcheck where he is again very Purple Rain levels of pensive and moody, but NOT IN THE SHOW! The Continental is 3 Chain’s O Gold’s Darling Nikki - overtly sexual, many thrusts incorporated into the dancing, lots of face touching with finger flutters, proving he doesn’t require his main love interests attention, he can get it from anyone anywhere, and they’ll thank him for it. Ok so here we have two seemingly concurrent events happening I think? One is Mayte dancing in Egypt, while Prince gets some in his chain hat. This is legit a porn at this point, wait why does he have a sword??? Anyway so again with the making out and the heavy petting, but right as it gets started, Mayte has been overcome with… I don’t know, but she collapses, and Prince is simultaneously unable to perform sexually. I think to show they are spiritually connected??? Do I GET Prince’s visions now?????? I am so proud.
Damn U Back in Egypt, an old man tells Mayte she looks like a girl he used to bang. Okay. Prince has returned to Paisley Park where he is performing a one man show for a dinner party in the sound stage, I think. Again, a real treat. Black jumpsuit with a white collared shirt & white tie, yes this is a good look. Oh Tommy Barbarella must have gone on a cruise to the Bahamas on the way back, he has some hair wraps and braids now. Ugh that baritone. Damn U, damn me, this song is so good. Here’s a screen shot that could double as his Bar Mitvah photo.
Mayte has received a letter!! It’s the lyrics to Damn U. Her reaction is to go to her dress maker to get a fancy coin dress, and then hop on the next flight to LA, where they will be shooting the 7 music video, but not before there is a 5 minute segment with members of the NPG talking shit about Mayte. No, really. First up is Tony M and his date, who is Mayte? Where did she come from, what did she do? The rest of the NPG is in the gym, also talking shit about her??!! WHY IS THIS INCLUDED. I guess to show he loves her in spite of his entire band hating her? Michael Bland wants to know “What is her purpose, what does she do?” Honestly. What is this doing here. And it goes on for SO LONG!!!
7 Maybe my favorite Prince music video??? So we see past versions of Prince trapped in a time traveling cryogenic tube… The Continental yellow suit is here, the chain hat, the Morning Papers Sleeveless Grunge Shirt, some insane bolero top with a cowboy hat that unfortunately is not seen in its full glory.. each of them is electrocuted to show that he has no past, he has sown all his oats and he is ready to be faithful to Mayte and maybe now she will reciprocate his sexual advances. Also there are seven pairs of TINY CHILDREN PRINCE AND MAYTES WIELDING SWORDS AND COIN DRESSES IT IS VERY ADORABLE!!!! God he’s so intense. Oh and the “one day all 7 will die” is in reference to the 7 men that killed her father, whom he has casually assassinated by his bodyguards as he and Mayte waltz off into the sunset/another smoke filled room at Paisley Park.
End Credits Mayte calls Kirstie Alley to finally grant her long sought after interview with him, which was clearly written by him. Most of her responses are “oh.” I think this is the letter he wrote as her as his press release for why he changed his name? Again, UNCLEAR. Anyway, we’re left with shots of Prince making some kind of business deal in a smoky conference room, and then he ends up signing a contract written in Japanese with the Love Symbol. Dramatic cut to a cemetery, where we see a shallow grave containing the chain hat and the 3 chains o gold.
THAT’S IT! That’s all! Really! Any questions? I HAVE SEVERAL.
100 BEST MOMENTS IN PURPLE RAIN
Someone bet me I couldn’t and I’m a real jerk, so I did.
DISCLAIMER: I made most of these gifs but not ALL and tumblr search is legit terrible so I am super super sorry in advance if I used your gif, if I did let me know and I will credit you.
HOLD ONTO YOUR BOOT CHAIN AND SINGULAR RED EARRING, HERE WE GO:
1. I KNOW WHAT I WANT.
2. The boot grab in Darling Nikki
3. The sad face he makes at the puppet.
4. 80s Dorito bag with the chip window.
5. Splits bounce in “I would die 4 u”
6. “Don’t get my seat all wet.”
7. Lace veil in Computer Blue
8. This dance:
9. The shimmy into crotch rub in i would die 4 u
10. The look and point directly at the camera in baby I’m a star
11. when he puts on the hat in Baby i’m a star
12. Purify yourself in the waters of lake minnetonka
13. Wendy’s literal interpretation of “die” as a gun in i would die 4 u
14. Jerome throws that poor woman in the dumpster (Y THO)
15. foot piano playing/jumping in Let’s go crazy
16. Smashing all mom’s spaghetti sauce in the basement with a hockey stick (very Minnesota authentic)
17. apollonia’s titty cape
18. fire hazard clown basement
19. “man I just got my coat out the cleaners!!!”
20. “Whatsa matter your shoes on too tight?!? Let’s gave some action. I need some asses wiggling. I WANT some perfection!!!”
21. The unneccesary spin during “ANSWER ME MOTHER FUCKER!”
22. here take my costume jewelry, we’re dating now
24. the arm stroke in darling nikki
25. choreographed guitar playing at the beginning of computer blue
26. this look
26. Francis L having major issues about the house being clean (maybe if there weren’t all these broken jars of spaghetti sauce lying around….)
27. computer blue power slide beej
28. Mrs L never getting to have any fun
29. The backwards roll into/out of the splits in baby I’m a star
30. regrets montage to doves cry
31. Having a job where you play one song a night with 2 other bands and thats it forever, and then at the end you win getting to keep your job
32. Morris day announcing last call during “the bird” (so is it doors at 7, the time at 8, last call at 8:15?)
33. this line dance in i would die 4 u
34. Pensive Prince Pre Purple Rain
35. synchronized guitar jumps in lets go crazy
36. when he goes to commune with nature and wears black studded pants a black studded bedazzled jacket and a scarf to hang out by a lake and strikes a curious pose
37. the “eww!” signature prince grunt as he is tossing all the sheet music
38. “i don’t have anybody right now” therefore we’re together
39. literally finding a phone number on the stairs in darling nikki
40. COME BACK NIKKI COME BACK!!!!! (yes, okay, fine, whatever you want, honestly its fine)
41. YOUR DIRTY LITTLE PRINCE WANNA GRIND!!!
42. Apollonia’s job application is “Apollonia, 5'6”“. End of list.
43. amplifier dry hump
44. Lisa being real tired of the Kid’s shit and saying “fuck it wendy” and walking out.
45. Wendy’s deadpan “but I’m here to tell you… there’s somethin’ else.”
46. the doctor always being dressed like a doctor, but like an OR doctor with a surgical mask, not some pedestrian physician or something.
47. OR DO YOU WANT ME??? (yes)
48. Morris’s window not working
49. Jerome with the mirror on stage during jungle love
50. Morris day vacuuming his apartment before the show in a trademark prince turban!
51. When he leaves the stage after Darling nikki and is bouncing off the walls as he walks in the hall of pipes
52. the jump down from the impossibly high stack of monitors in baby i’m a star!!!! my knees hurt every time i watch that!!!
53. The jungle love dance
54. The Bird.
55. purple rain guitar solo
56. The microphone under the leg juggle in Baby I’m a star
57. the stanky little side shimmy in baby I’m a star
58. FUCK OFF!
59. I mentioned it earlier but that was just the splits, so this one is his face during the splits in I would die 4 u.
60. The end of the beautiful ones where he’s laying on the ground omg
61. I tried to stop you.
62. The amount of pleather Apollonia has to remove to purify herself in the waters of what is not actually lake minnetonka.
63. When morris day exits the car and puts both feet on the ground at the same time, which is not a way any human exits any vehicle.
64. Computer blue guitar spin
65. When Apollonia waves at him from the stage after “sex shooter” and he’s like, naaaaah.
66. “Next thing you know, she’ll want to borrow your motorcycle!”
67. What’s the password, onion head??!!!
68. And the nominees for best actress are….
69. If we get married….. Would that be cool??? (god yes)
70. the phallic guitar at the very end jazzin’ all over first avenue
71. When apollonia sells her boot chain.
72. When he plays the guitar she bought him in purple rain.
73. “What do YOU dream about ?”
74. Computer blue guitar three way circle jerk
75. “This is a bidniss!”
76. Chalk outline of a not dead body
77. Take a picture sweetie, I ain’t got time to wait!!!!!
78. Morris day and Jerome jamming out in the crowd
79. The trust fall into the crowd!!!!!
80. Giant bug eye mirrored sunglasses
81. Dropping apollonia off in full Ruffled shirt regalia instead of like, throwing on some sweats or something.
82. Where Lisa and Wendy at? *silence*
83. The backlit part in lets go crazy
84. “Hi!” “Hi.” *weeps*
85. The balcony dancers in parachute pants and cop hats
86. Piano top guitar shred in lets go crazy
87. The Doctor talking about how God got Wendy’s periods reversed (IT MAKES NO SENSE, MATT FINK)
88. When apollonia says she’s from new ORleans and then proceeds to speak with a minnesotan accent (furst avenew)
89. “No, nooooo, you looked greeeeeat.”
90. Wendy’s THICK ASS Minnesota accent and extremely hard R’s despite growing up in LA.
91. (Brings guitar shaped box) “what is it??”
92. When the faces watch them trade earrings in the clown basement.
93. The rag tag trio that is apollonia 6
94. “I’m gonna be honest with you, I think you’re being full of shit.”
95. Billys velour sweatsuit and briefcase.
96. “Where’s Jerome?” “IN EES SKEEEEIIIN!!” (A joke used AGAIN in under the cherry moon!!)
97. “I have something for you. ” “what, a subpoena?”
98. Double spin in I would die 4 u
99. Synchronized squat spins in Baby I’m a Star
100. WHEN HE PLAYS PURPLE RAIN
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Prince On Every Tour: Parade
Alright peoples. It’s been a little bit since the last POET post (heh, I love that the acronym for this series is a real word). I intended to watch and rate my enjoyment today, but last night I somehow ended up watching the entire show. If you happen to be one of the few who pay attention to anything I do here (and I LOVE you for it because honestly, I am a real mess), you’ll know that I also just watched the Detroit ‘86 birthday show at the Cobo Arena while physically in Detroit this past Friday. Two shows in one. With that, here we are. Our next stop(s) on the POET train:
PARADE. DETROIT/STOCKHOLM. JUNE 7/AUGUST 22, 1986. LET’S GET INTO IT.
Overview: Oh Parade Prince. Probably amongst the most infuriating iterations of our beloved Prince. He is so unapologetically arrogant and there is nothing any of us can do about it. He changed up on us in a major way after cutting the PR tour short and putting out ATWIAD so quickly afterwards. 11 months after that, this man has another album AND feature film. Visually, he has forgone the curls that are near and dear to my heart for short, slickback that I cannot argue with. And it might have left some of us confused, shocked, wondering why he would take a complete left when the PR era was still in full swing. It’s because he could. He’d made it to megastardom and afforded him the flexibility he needed to REALLY throw us for some loops. This was the time for him to push the boundaries of his creativity in his music and his visual presentation of himself without too much worry of how it would be received. He already had us, and he knew it.
Parade Prince is that guy that knows he’s fine, that knows YOU know he’s fine, and will exploit it to no end. Because no matter how much you might protest to his face, the reality is this: the the moment he makes eye contact with you during that particularly rude rendition of Do Me, Baby, you both are fully aware that you will be patiently waiting for him in his limo at the direction of his security guard after the show. Against all better judgments. And he delights in the fact that you (try to) resist him. He loves the conquest, especially when he knows he wins. It’s fine. Let him win. Enjoy the life changing. Cherish it for the rest of your life thereafter.
ESSENTIALLY, that is what the entire Parade era is. Prince having a grand ol’ time as he quite literally does whatever he wants with no regard for our sanity. Meanwhile, we just try to pick up the pieces of our life as he continues to ruin it with each new era he ushers in. He’s running around looking like a vision out of a 1940′s noir, giving us new music that is very different but oh so great, throwing hip chains into a crowd of unsuspecting onlookers after what might be the most infuriating performance of Head known to us, and we are expected to deal with it. As if Purple Rain didn’t just take place. And no matter which side of the spectrum we fell on when it came to this new era - utterly opposed or completely on board - we were still here for it in some way, willingly or begrudgingly. Just like he knew we would.
Prince starts these shows shirtless, so you know you’re in for a ride. ATWIAD is GREAT live and a great song to open up with. It set the pace for the rest of the show: fun and full of grooves. And he does not hesitate to get into them. Christopher Tracy’s Parade, New Position, I Wonder U, Raspberry Beret are all in the first 15 minutes. We get songs spanning his entire career up to that point in both shows, and he is well aware of the fact that he has HITS ya understand?
His confidence has transformed into unabashed cockiness ( *sings* I ain’t go no money - THAT’S A LIE). It’s in the way he moves, the way he sings, the way he plays with the audience, everything. I’m frustrated just sitting here thinking about it all. And yet, here I am, unable to resist the overwhelming charm of Parade Prince. One, because his face. Two, he’s earned it if we want to be 100. The boy has put in insane work, and it finally skyrocketed with PR. Now he gets to enjoy it all. He deserves to be gassed. We’ll allow it.
Boyfriend didn’t get sloppy or plateau here either when he probably could have gotten away with it. A true professional, after having reached that level of stardom but deciding not to just phone it in or coast. Production value is still great, although less busy than the PR tour. No poles to slide down on, no bathtubs to take a shower of pearls in. Costumes are still great, albeit, again, not as busy as PR. Band is even tighter now with the expanded Revolution. Their sound is more dynamic with the addition of Eric “Sith” Leeds, Atlanta Bliss, and Atlanta’s God-awful ponytail. He was playin’ tho, so I’ll relax about it. They have proven that when it came time to execute on stage, they could handle the constant changes in sound and personnel quite well. But again, testament to his leadership and dedication to excellence.
Then there is the addition of official dancers in Jerome, Wally, and Greg. I know some may have felt “but why” about them, but man, do they add a really fun element to the show! We have full on routines now folks, and there are few things I love more than to see Prince work it out on stage in a routine. Yes, we saw some minor coordinated steps previously, but we hadn’t really had routines. With these three though, we see choreo that gives the show some more life, Prince being part of some of them (the 1999 album medley in which they did the PR balcony dance to Lady Cab Driver is A+), and even incorporating the band into them. It’s a real treat.
Favorite Number: There are a few numbers I love from this tour. Detroit clearly has some great ones. Controversy/Mutiny is ALWAYS a fave, if not for the fact that they are good songs, then for the dancing during those numbers. Head…for very obvious reasons. It is already a jam, and Prince decides he has to one up himself every time he decides to perform it live. Of the four Parade shows I’ve seen, Detroit’s Head is by far the best. Paris gets an honorable mention though because there is a breath hitch that stopped me cold in my figurative tracks. It was…so authentic. Even if it wasn’t. Life Can Be So Nice was also another jam from the Detroit show, which was a nice surprise for me because it isn’t my fave from Parade. In the end though, I can confidently say that Pop Life is my favorite number from this show. I adore the live arrangement of this song so much. And he is incredibly cute during that performance, so there’s that. Stockholm’s lineup is very similar to this one. But instead of Mutiny (sad about it), we get 17 Days, which, surprisingly I really enjoyed. 17 Days is one of my favorite songs ever, but it’s one of the few I prefer the studio version over the live version. It’s perfect the way it is, and for some reason, to me, the live versions don’t really capture the magic of that song for me. However, this one came close. And throwing in the I Wanna Be Your Lover instrumental at the end was a nice touch. However, vocally, visually….Do Me, Baby wins. It’s a song that P can never not SANG on, so it usually wins vocally for me. But then the addition of the horns and the breakdown at the end just really pushed me over the edge.
I would like to give a shoutout though to that 1999 album medley I mentioned earlier because it JAMMED and I might have yelled when I heard Automatic. Also Anotherloverholenyohead from this show was phenomenal and deserves to be mentioned. Lisa unleashed an insane piano solo that really showed off her skills. The girl is bad.
Favorite Outfit: While I do love Prince in a crop-top, I am a huge proponent of the suits from this era. Even the unforgivable shoulder pads aren’t enough to deter me. Something about Prince in a tie….. The yellow suit from Detroit is iconic. Period. In Stockholm we were greeted with a nice blue one. Both 100 cuts above. Honorable mention to the polka dot vest from both shows. The man looks like a 5 course meal in polka dots.
Still Would Rating: Angrily. Begrudgingly. Without a shadow of a doubt and no hesitation, honey.
Overall Rating: If you’re looking for something to lift your spirits and also groove extra hard to, either of these shows are what you need. His carefree spirit during them is contagious, and you can’t help but share in the joy he puts on display. He’s serving us some LOOKS, some ridiculous and quite frankly irresponsible onstage antics, and some of my favorite music from him (I adored both ATWIAD and Parade). As the creator of the gif directly above so eloquently put it: “ Yellow suit and the band were rocking. What’s not to like?” Indeed.
PREVIOUSLY, PURPLE RAIN NEXT UP, SOTT
Prince On Every Tour: Sign O’ The Times
Good morning children. Jk, it’s not morning. It is very much night, but I’m currently jamming to The Dance Electric as I type this and I love the way he says that. ANYWAY. It has been quite some time since the last POET post. We last visited Parade Prince which was a TIME. It was the culmination of what felt like at least 2 or 3 months of being very much swept up in that era. But now we’re here. To my favorite album. Favorite rehearsal show. Second or third favorite era because he and Parade Prince consistently fight. There is no circulating tour footage outside of clips which is A CRIME AGAINST PRINCE-MANITY, but I have hope that we will get at least one concert from this tour. Just like we’ll get Second Coming. We’re gonna get these things guise. We will. Anyway, while in Detroit, my mom and I watched SOTT so I may throw a bit of that in, but I just finished Valium, which will be the focus. So, without further ado…
SIGN O’ THE TIMES. FIRST AVENUE. MARCH 21, 1987. LET’S GET INTO IT.
Overview: Welp. It’s happened. That thing that we all knew was gonna happen. That thing that probably hurt a few folks hearts. I know it hurt mine. Prince gave up the signature Parade slickback. Just as we were getting used to it. The 1999 curls that I LIVE for were stolen, and he lulled me into a false sense of security when I finally accepted the short, suave ‘do. But in true Prince fashion, he swapped it out for something JUST as fabulous: another set of wonderful curls with just enough to put into the world’s most unnecessary ponytail and what @the-beautiful-1 refers to as the fishing tackle braid. It’s all very glorious. He’s ditched suits for the most part for crop tops with matching pants and jumpsuits with ridiculous cutouts that would get any normal man sideeyed to death, but gets Prince these draws praise and adoration for the slayage. Valium starts with something everyone needs: Prince in a polka dot suit with a pair of glasses (which I would very much like to have for myself) looking like an entire Thanksgiving feast. He talks to the crowd, lets us know this show is basically a rehearsal we’ve been invited to. We don’t care. We know it’s going to be fantastic. Especially because of the getting got that will take place afterwards when you see him in the final number outfit. For my peace of mind, this person I’ve created in this series through which any of us can live gets got and lives the dream forever. Amen. Moving forward. We are joked with a bit, introduced to his new friends, some old friends, and my favorite friend: the polka dot suit. He also reminds us that if we don’t know who he is we MUST be on some type of drug. Daddy. Where the concert film opens up with a wonderful rendition of the titular song, Valium wastes no time in the edge-snatching and gets right into Housequake. How jarring it must have been for the still screaming crowd to hear “SHUT UP ALREADY, DAMN,” not knowing that it was the beginning of a song that would incite some of the hardest dancing of their life. He probably thought it was hilarious. Daddy.
This setlist is short, but sweet. We get some (then) upcoming SOTT album stuff, but a couple old gems with Girls & Boys and Kiss. The show is just over an hour and it does not let up at all, even when Prince disappears and let’s his band get some shine. Which brings me to my next point. This band. Now, I love The Revolution just as much as the next opera bloused, curly haired, fake moled 80′s enthusiast with lace gloves on, and am fully aware that much of SOTT was tracked with them. However, I cannot imagine this music being played by them. Not in it’s final form. The SOTT band is a band full of insanely talented musicians, and they executed a sound that was absolutely incredible and sounded a lot more….idk mature? Polished? I can’t put my finger on it. Not to take anything at all away from The Revolution because they too were insanely talented. The SOTT band just offered an element that the previous band couldn’t. If they could, Prince would’ve kept them around. He was exploring new sounds, therefore needed new inspiration. It’s why we love him. During the band’s solo’s, there wasn’t a single person that I wasn’t completely in awe of. Levi and his crazy bass solo was funky and in the pocket, Fink sounds the best he’s ever sounded on the keys, Atlanta Bliss and his God-awful ponytail are still puttin’ it down on the horn, my man Sith Leeds (soon to be) is KILLIN’ that sax, and Sheila. Miss. Sheila. What a legend on the drums. Miko is a wonderful guitarist, which we learned on the last tour, and Boni has some PIPES you hear me? And of course, I cannot forget about Cat. Technically the first REAL dancer to join the band, Cat brought an energy to the gang that really rounded out these shows for me. She put her ALL into those dances, and she even forced boyfriend to step up his moves imo. I would argue that this tour is the most he’s danced so far, and it’s absolutely delightful. Honestly, what is better than any dance he does during Hot Thing on the concert film? Precisely. Nothing. Thanks for agreeing. We also get the fantastic dancing during Housequake in both shows, and Beautiful Night on the concert film that warrants mentioning.
Favorite Number: This is the easiest pick of all the tours, however, let’s start with some honorable mentions.
Housequake: It’s a funky groove that you cannot escape. Be prepared to dance to it for the rest of your life no matter how many times you’ve heard it within a 5 day span. You’ll be fine, trust me. This number was a fave of mine in both shows.
Slow Love: First, it’s Slow Love. Second, during both shows it’s one of my top vocal performances. I love it when he sangs ya’ll. Third, shirt rip on the “shut the door, baby” during Valium. He also ripped his shirt a bit after that same line in the concert film. Never change, boyfriend.
Hot Thing: CUTOUTS. “COM’ERE BAAAAYBY, I WANNA TALK TO YA.” CUTOUTS. FACE DURING ORGAN PLAYING AT THE OPENING OF THE NUMBER. CUTOUTS.
Forever In My Life: The breakdown during both shows is funky as all get out. Another song on which he was SANGIN’, especially on the concert film. The “I gotta tell ya” screech? How do you not throw it back after that? Like….
Favorite of all though: Strange Relationship. Hands. Down. Disappointingly not in the concert film, this 12min funk marathon is rivaled by none, other than the very same song from the rehearsal boot. Maybe. I say maybe only because this version includes the simplest but greatest chord progression before he let’s Boni do her thing (Whatchya sayin’ Boni?!) for a little bit that I rewound a good 35 times when I first saw this show. Idk what it is, but it’s just right in the pocket and it gets me every single time. I love the little stuff like that. We also get the playful fake radio station with DJ Prince shoutout, and the always welcome Squirrel Meat groove. It’s the obvious winner. Even boyfriend knew it was too funky.
Favorite Outfit: WELL. SOTT is ripe with wonderful outfits. I’m even okay with the egregiously large-shouldered leather jacket that opened the concert film. I hope he burned it though. Or at least de-shouldered it. I’m a huge, HUGE fan of Prince in suits, especially polka dot suits as you will hear PLENTY of in the next POET post. And the Valium polka dot suit is a doozy. As is the crop top in that shade of blue that makes him look absolutely STUNNING in the final number during Valium. Hang it in a museum. Please. It wins as favorite outfit from Valium.
I also am a huge fan of the tasselled white number he’s in during Beautiful Night in the concert film. And the Orange cutouts he graced us with during I Could Never. And his adorably fine self in the black cutouts with the hat during Forever In My Life/It. However, Hot Thing cut out wins the concert film war. Because….I mean…like….
Still Would Rating: SOTT Prince fights for second place with Parade Prince constantly. It’s a fight I do not mind at all. Swoop me, the both of you.
Overall Rating: Overall, both of these are absolutely amazing shows. Well, one is an amazing show, one is a concert film made UP of what I am sure are amazing shows (audio) strung together with one heck of a visual performance that sure did fool me for years and years. Could’ve been a tour filmed for all I knew. Valium is a rehearsal that might as well have been an official tour show if you ask me. Even without the full production of the official tour, that show for 1600 people at First Avenue holds up to any of the other previous shows. Whether in a small club or a stadium, boyfriend slayed regardless. Daddy.
PREVIOUSLY, PARADE NEXT UP, LOVESEXY