No 80s without Prince

I’ve had younger people ask me what it was like being a teenager in the 80s.  Although my experience is singular it’s probably fairly representative of my generation.  Just like generations before me and after music was the tapestry of our daily lives.  There were so many musical influences in the early to mid-80s.  I loved the diversity of music.  We had rock music in AC/DC, Van Halen and Def Leppard.  Wide variety of 80s Pop music in Duran Duran, Madonna and hundreds of one hit artists.  Then there was one very unique and special artist who was around for these formative years -  Prince. 

What do I remember?  I remember taking the bus downtown and walking up and down the nearly deserted streets of what was then the 4^th Street Mall.  There was a collection of wig shops and a couple of record stores.  We would run into the wig shops for our cheap big earrings and cool brooches.  The record stores had posters stapled all over the walls and ceilings and stand-up cardboard cutouts of artists.  Pretty much everyone at this time fled to the safety and blandness of the suburbs.  We lived closer to the city than those shiny malls so it’s what we got.  But, I’m glad for it because it exposed us to a larger world. 

These weren’t the best of times although we tend to get a little nostalgic.  We worried a bit about the future.  Especially whether there would be one or not.  We were under a constant state of worry that the bomb was going to kill us at any minute.  Prince’s song Ronnie, Talk to Russia from the Controversy album sings to this concern.  That is also probably why a song like 1999 was so popular.  Part of us didn’t really think we were going to make it to see 1999.  People like to say that things are bad in our country now.  I think they are full of shit.  After Nixon (Watergate), Vietnam, the gas shortage and the Iran Hostage Crisis it felt like a dark cloud was stationed right over our country.  I only have vague memories of most of these events.  But, you could feel the after shocks.  They were always there.  Then in the 80s we had all those horrific murders of black children in Atlanta, John Lennon being murdered, the attempt on Ronald Reagan’s life, Challenger disaster and AIDS.  We started the decade with the whole who shot J.R. on Dallas cliffhanger and we were obsessed with General Hospital’s Luke and Laura.  The marriage of a rapist and his victim and we thought that was so romantic.  What the hell?!?!

MTV came on the scene pretty early in the 80s.  We could now see our favorite artists.  The rocket would go up at the top of the hour letting us know what videos were going to show that hour.  It hooked us.  We couldn’t look away.  In the morning before school we would gather at a friend’s house to walk to school.  Waiting until the last minute that damn rocket would go up and announce a video that we didn’t want to miss but we had to leave.  Our teachers wouldn’t be amused in Home Room if we told them we were late because we needed to see the latest video.  MTV showed us how our favorite artists dressed and how they wore their hair and we went off to imitate their styles.  Prince for his part was a trailblazer.  Period.  He didn’t ride the wave of the latest fashions.  He created them.  He was the style maker of the 80s.  Period.

Back then we were trying to figure it all out.  Make our way in the world for as long as we could. Prince came to our attention in the very early 80s with the Controversy album.   It wasn’t his first album and I was familiar with at least some of his earlier work at the time but not really knowing who he was.   Our music, clothes and attitude back in the 80s was a bit like we really didn’t give a shit.  I think we did give a shit we just didn’t feel like anyone was listening.  Here was this guy singing the song Controversy about breaking down stereotypes and expressing the whole stupidity of it all.  I can’t say that I became an enlightened person after hearing this song.  But, what I know is that by creating and recording a song like this he did plant a seed in my awareness of diversity.  The 80s were a strange time.  We don’t like to talk about how different it was.  There are still attitudes that prevail but back then gay people were really in the closet.  It was a really big closet and it wasn’t until Rock Hudson died from AIDS that gay people had the attention of the nation with this health crisis.  There was a lot of pointing and blaming but it was at least being talked about.  Starting the conversation was the first step in a long journey.  I also wonder what our parents thought of us obsessing over a  black artist.  We didn’t really think anything of it ourselves.  I don’t remember thinking that Prince was black.  I mean I'm sure it didn't escape me but we just thought he was putting out great music that we could relate to. It was the beginning of the lines being blurred.  Maybe in some way that’s why 25 years later we went for it and voted for the best candidate in 2008 for President.  That might be in part the legacy of Prince. 

Prince’s 1999 album was released pretty close to the Purple Rain Movie and album.  1999 is the quintessential party song.  Its reckless abandonment and fatality at its finest.  We used to sit around and talk about where we be in 1999…in our early 30s…we’d be so old.  If the bomb could just hold off that is.  There is also D.M.S.R. a great dance song, “Everybody get on the floor what the HELL did you come here for?”  One of my favorite songs from 1999 is Free.  An anthem for how to respect the life we have been given in this country of ours.  It’s about appreciating what we have.  It’s not about accepting limitations but instead using this freedom as a platform to shatter any misguided notions.

The Purple Rain album was packed full of memories for me.  Line dancing to I would die for U & Baby I’m a Star to Let’s Go Crazy…another anthem about life and death.  I’m far from a religious person but it’s obvious despite Prince’s love of sexual innuendos he was a man of great faith.  This song is about having a good time while we are here on the earth and to not let the failures of life keep us from enjoying ourselves.   We should push ourselves to have a good life and know that when we go there is a place waiting for us. At least that is what he thought and I will respect his wishes.  The fact that he might have actually died in an elevator in his home brings new light to the line “when an elevator tries to bring you down go crazy hit the high floor” It makes you wonder, doesn’t it? Prince hit the ultimate high floor.

The song Purple Rain with our hands in the air moving back and forth singing this song about the longing of a lost lover.  We tried to make this our Prom theme song (1985) but the class voted for some stupid song from Days of our Lives I think…sure the hell don’t remember that song but I certainly do remember Purple Rain. 

As the years past and I began college I drifted away from Prince and his music.  There would be the occasional song that would grab my attention but in college my music tastes moved in other directions.  But, Prince was always there. He was like a friend I thought fondly of and would always defend him against any criticism might come his way. I took him for granted and I'll always regret that. 

My hope is that his music and life will continue to live on in us and future generations of music loving kids.  Prince is the legacy of our times.  Without Prince the 80s would not have been the same.  None of us would be.

R.I.P. my friend.