30 yrs ago 2day (3/31/87), #Prince released the double album Sign O’ The Times during a pivotal turning point in his career. #Princerversaries
Prince was a star since the day he debuted. His aura: radiant. His musical & sartorial experimentation: boundless.
His abilities as a composer, producer AND musician surpassed most of his peers. His inventiveness surpassed them all.
But no one can deny that his star was shining brighter than a supernova during "The Revolution Years". This is why his 1st solo album post-Rev was monumental.
What would, not one, but TWO albums sound like without his famous pop/rock band? Was he headed in (yet another) new direction?
Curiosity killed the cat, but it only strengthened the intensity of Prince's allure. Some wondered what happened. Prince replied with gold. Better yet, platinum.
Actually, he replied with the "peach & black" masterpiece: Sign O' The Times.
The Revolution era had officially passed & Prince returned 2 solo status with a bang. 2 albums FULL of bangers, in fact.
I happen to adore (pun intended) the WHOLE album. It makes the house quake or can serve as a backdrop to your strange relationship.
But 4 some, there r "skippers". (PS: I've always found it funny that Skipper was Prince's nickname, but he didn't have many in his catalog.)
Nonetheless, the album cover for Sign O’ The Times knocked it out of the park in terms of its power to draw the beholder into a purple puzzle.
People wondered: What was going on in the picture? Why was Prince out of focus & almost out of the shot? Was he walking away from The Rev?
In truth, I believe that Prince was walking away from EVERYTHING. His band, his UTCM look, his Parade sound & his restrictions.
Although most importantly, he was walking away from his cares (about criticism).
Case in point, he only toured this album in Europe because he didn't like its reception in the states. For many, that'd make em beg.
If u aren't buying the music, some artists will jump through through hoops to morph into the person you want them to be.
Not Prince. He just walked away. You don't get it? Then you don't GET it.
He went to Europe. And then he went to his soundstage to complete his concert movie (but more on that in November).
He hit the studio (& the vault) and assembled a package of songs that criss-crossed through every genre & back again.
He played with texture (Girlfriend) and celebrated mistakes (Dorothy) and shed a light on the truth (Sign).
He spoke of hurting and loving and living and praising and fighting and dancing and suffering and sexing and confessing.
He presented a "new" version of himself that in some ways combined every element of his "old" self. A nostalgic reinvention.
Sign O’ The Times is a cohesive collection of crazy sounds and comforting melodies.
Sign O’ The Times is still relevant [and still better than most music released] today.
Sign O’ The Times could stop you in your tracks or it could persuade you to delve deeper into your own psyche.
And it was a gift from Prince to the world, then, now & forevermore.
- Miss TLC