RIP Prince!

Prince, legendary musician, dies at 57

Legendary musician Prince — one of the most popular, inventive and influential recording artists of his generation — died Thursday morning at his suburban Minnesota compound, his publicist said.

“It is with profound sadness that I am confirming that the legendary, iconic performer, Prince Rogers Nelson, has died at his Paisley Park residence this morning at the age of 57,” publicist Yvette Noel-Schure said in a statement. “There are no further details as to the cause of death at this time.”

The Carver County’s Sheriff’s Office said the musician was “found dead at Paisley Park Studios.”

“We are investigating the circumstances of his death,” the sheriff’s office said.

Prince — an eccentric and eclectic singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer and arranger — became one of pop music’s leading icons in the 1980s, a towering figure who found enormous critical and commercial success.

“Perhaps more than any other artist, Prince called the tune for pop music in the Eighties,” Rolling Stone declared.

His epochal 1984 album, “Purple Rain,” featuring a string of hit singles including “When Doves Cry” and “Let’s Go Crazy,” sold more than 13 million copies, according to the Recording Industry Association of America, and is regarded as one of the greatest recordings of the decade.

The Minnesota native was inducted in 2004 into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, which noted that when Prince first arrived on the scene in the 1970s, “it didn’t take long for him to upend the music world with his startling music and arresting demeanor. He rewrote the rulebook, forging a synthesis of black funk and white rock that served as a blueprint for cutting-edge music in the Eighties.”

“Prince made dance music that rocked and rock music that had a bristling, funky backbone. From the beginning, Prince and his music were androgynous, sly, sexy and provocative. His colorful image and revolutionary music made Prince a figure comparable in paradigm-shifting impact to Little Richard, James Brown, Jimi Hendrix and George Clinton.”

Wendy Melvoin and Lisa Coleman — former members of Prince’s band, the Revolution — said in a statement that they were “completely shocked and devastated by the sudden loss of our brother, artist and friend, Prince. … We offer our love, support, and condolences to our extended family, friends and all fans of our sweet Prince.”

Recording Academy President Neil Portnow referred to Prince — a seven-time Grammy winner — as “one of the most uniquely gifted artists of all time.”

“Never one to conform, he redefined and forever changed our musical landscape,” Portnow said in a statement. “Prince was an original who influenced so many, and his legacy will live on forever. We have lost a true innovator and our sincerest condolences go out to his family, friends, collaborators, and all who have been impacted by his incredible work.”

Despite his iconic public persona, Prince was known for being a deeply private individual.

When speaking to journalists Prince forbid his voice from being recorded and refused to answer questions about his private life.

Even in 2004, after nearly two decades in the public spotlight, the musician was keenly aware that he’d reached pinnacles that would be difficult to continue topping.

“Once you’ve done anything, to do it again ain’t no big deal, you feel me?” Prince told The Post. “I was on the cover of Rolling Stone with Vanity, I was on the cover of Rolling Stone when I didn’t even do an interview, when I wouldn’t talk to them. Once you’ve done something like that it’s like, okay, what’s the next thing?”

“Times were different back then,” Prince explained. “I wouldn’t stand out today if I was brand-new and came like that. But see, back then nobody else was doing that, and I knew that would get me over. I didn’t dress like anybody, I didn’t look like anybody, I didn’t sound like anybody. We still try to do that. Why do what everybody else is doing?

“Bowie and Madonna, even if it wasn’t good, we still talk about it because it was something new. That’s a beautiful word.”

Musicians who worked with Prince came away stunned by his near-maniacal work ethic and rare energy. He was known for only needing about three hours of sleep a night. After finishing multi-hour shows on tour, he would peel off to a local club and continue playing until nearly dawn. It’s one reason, he told reporters, that he handled so many of the instruments on so many of his albums — he’s the only guy up at 5 a.m. recording.

“The curse part of it is that it physically drains you,” Prince told The Post in 2004, “when you try to do everything that comes into your head. Like right now, I could write a song. If I go over there,” he said, gesturing toward the instruments, “and start noodling around, I’ll write a song. Because I hear stuff all the time. I can make something out of nothing.”

RIP Prince.

source: The Washington Post

Let’s listen to one of his most famous songs.

“Let’s Go Grazy”

Dearly beloved

We are gathered here today

2 get through this thing called life

 

Electric word life

It means forever and that’s a mighty long time

But I’m here 2 tell u

There’s something else

The afterworld

 

A world of never ending happiness

U can always see the sun, day or night

 

So when u call up that shrink in Beverly Hills

U know the one – Dr Everything’ll Be Alright

Instead of asking him how much of your time is left

Ask him how much of your mind, baby

 

‘Cuz in this life

Things are much harder than in the afterworld

In this life

You’re on your own

 

And if de-elevator tries 2 bring u down

Go crazy – punch a higher floor

 

If u don’t like the world you’re living in

Take a look around u

At least u got friends

 

U see I called my old lady

4 a friendly word

She picked up the phone

Dropped it on the floor

(Sex, sex) is all I heard

 

Are we gonna let de-elevator

Bring us down

Oh, no Let’s Go!

 

Let’s go crazy

Let’s get nuts

Let’s look 4 the purple banana

‘Til they put us in the truck, let’s go!

 

We’re all excited

But we don’t know why

Maybe it’s cuz

We’re all gonna die

 

And when we do (When we do)

What’s it all 4 (What’s it all 4)

U better live now

Before the grim reaper come knocking on your door

 

Tell me, are we gonna let de-elevator bring us down

Oh, no let’s go!

 

Let’s go crazy

Let’s get nuts

Look 4 the purple banana

‘Til they put us in the truck, let’s go!

 

C’mon baby

Let’s get nuts

Yeah

Crazy

 

Let’s go crazy

 

Are we gonna let de-elevator bring us down

Oh, no let’s go!

Go crazy

 

I said let’s go crazy (Go crazy)

Let’s go, let’s go

Go

Let’s go

 

Dr. Everything’ll be alright

Will make everything go wrong

Pills and thrills and daffodils will kill

Hang tough children

 

He’s coming

He’s coming

Coming

 

Take me away!