I've been wondering what to say about Prince since his death.
And I've decided to say this.
I'm a writer, a songwriter, a poet. I don't pretend to be exceptional.
But I can appreciate great writing when I see/hear it.
And for 30 years now I've thought this was one of the most brilliant lines ever penned for a popular song:
"Ain't no particular sign I'm more compatible with/I just want your extra time, and your/Kiss."
I loved and respected Prince, even though his music was like nothing else I typically listened to.
It was just that good.
I'm sorry he's gone.
It's better to burn out than to fade away.
The death of Prince is one that reminds me that I don't have to be a fan to be in awe of how amazingly talented someone is. There's something else, though. Yesterday I heard an appreciation by a critic who said Prince's talent was "so enormous, so self-contained that often there wasn't room for the audience". He performed in his own world, apparently unaware of the people enjoying his music, until recently. The critic then played some recent clips of Prince talking to an audience and laughing with them.
ReplyDeleteTo me his older performances and the recent ones show a performer who was only just beginning to understand how much he was appreciated. Better to burn out than fade away? Perhaps. I just hope he got back some of the joy that he gave others.