Prince. The beautiful death of the beautiful one
Some people think it’s sad how Prince died. But I think it was beautiful.
In his last 7 earthbound days, Prince did three of the things he loved most…
He played a concert. With just a piano, a microphone, his voice and soul. His songs stripped down to their very essence. He spoke of his father teaching him piano. He even had to leave the stage for a moment, explaining “Sometimes I forget how emotional these songs are.” One last time Prince gave himself to the audience he called friends, not fans. One last time he asked them to sing with him. How bittersweet that at this, his final concert, Prince sang the songs that started him out on his epic journey. (Even his hair was, after three decades of iconic styles, back to where it began — an awesome fro.) It seems somehow sacred and destined that Prince didn’t sing Purple Rain twice that night. He didn’t perform Purple Rain at the earlier 8pm show — but saved it for his farewell performance at 10pm. That was Thursday, April 14.
On Saturday, April 16 he threw one more dance party at Paisley Park for his family of fellow Minnesotans. Prince loved his hometown. And he loved to get people dancing. He even tweeted out a photo — Paisley Park was packed that night!
But just a few nights later, the building would stand empty and quiet. Waiting for Prince to come home. And when he did, around 8pm, then it was just the two of them — Prince and his Paisley Park.
On Wednesday night, April 20… on what would be his last night on earth — someone dropped Prince off at Paisley Park. The epic building empty that night but for its creator. The recording studios, the soundstage, dance studio, wardrobe room, vault, and labyrinth of corridors all silent yet echoing with 30 years of music. His music. Let’s think about it… Prince spent his last night in the place he loved to be. In the place where he brought so much to life. I have a picture in my mind of Prince that night, doing what he was so known for… staying awake deep into the black velvet hours to work — to create, compose, write, sing, record. Did he write a new song that night I wonder? Did he record anything in those last few hours? I imagine Prince doing his thing — there in his magic music factory — and then around 3:00 in the morning, finally, finally heading off to bed. I can see Prince walking to the elevator with his cool cat step… The way he walked over to his bike in Purple Rain… The way he walked off the stage after his ‘While My Guitar Gently Weeps’ solo. Did his soul step into the elevator that night? Before Prince can turn around to “punch a higher floor,” the doors close behind him... so I don’t get to see his face one more time. I don’t get one more look at those eyes.
One last concert for the people he loved.
One last party for the hometown he loved.
One last night to himself in the place he loved.
What could be a more beautiful way to leave this earth than that?
Some people say it’s sad that Prince “died alone in an elevator” but he was such a private man — and what is a more personal, private moment than your own death? Besides, Prince may have been alone in those last few hours, but that doesn’t mean he was lonely. He had to know he was so loved. By man. By God. That elevator didn’t bring him down… it just took him to the highest floor!
The last line on the credits scroll in Purple Rain reads… “May u live 2 see the dawn.” Prince believed there is a dawn after death. And on Thursday, April 21, just hours after his death was made known to the world, a rainbow appeared over Paisley Park. …I’m taking that as a sign.
So yeah, some people think it’s sad how Prince died. But I think it was lyrical, powerful, profound, public and private, even cinematic. The sadness and loss is really ours. Not his.
(Besides, Prince is just WAY too sexy to be a 90-year old man!)
Prince performed the greatest, most electric, impassioned show ever — his own life. And then he walked off the stage. His life was a thing of beauty. And so was his departure from it. See you in the Afterworld, Prince Rogers Nelson. See you in the purple rain.
May we all live 2 see the dawn.
PS. Watch the final song in Purple Rain again… BABY I’M A STAR. It’s such an incredibly joyful performance. Prince breaks the ‘fourth wall’ in that song and looks right at you. He KNEW we would all know one day. And oh boy, do we ever.
PURPLE REIGN. He gave it his all
^^^PRINCE IS ON ANOTHER PLANE OF EXISTENCE DURING THIS PERFORMANCE OF PURPLE RAIN. *** THIS IS JUST A CLIP — IF YOU CAN EVER FIND THE FULL PERFORMANCE — DOWNLOAD IT ASAP! IT IS RARELY ON YOUTUBE FOR LONG BEFORE BEING REMOVED :(
Sometimes the world feels like an empty room without Prince. But then we click ‘play’ and crank up the sound, and he is here with us…. Empty Room Montreal 2009
PRINCE SAYING GOODBYE? ‘Don’t Talk 2 Strangers’…
Motherless Child SEPTIMO. Just WOW!!!!!!!!
U GOT THE LOOK, PRINCE!
HIS HEART…
The Love We Make NSJ 2011 / North Sea Jazz festival 2011
THE FIRST TIME PURPLE RAIN WAS PLAYED FOR A LIVE AUDIENCE!!!! INCREDIBLE PERFORMANCE!!!! ‘THE MAKING OF RAIN’ you can buy a copy from sales@kvideodvd.com tho. I did!!!
FOR THREE DECADES IT NEVER LOST ITS MAGIC….
SUPERBOWL… the only ‘special effects’ Prince had is pouring rain…
“Whatever was going on with him that night, he clearly wanted to be alone.” — R. Roberts
HOT!!!
LAST PERFORMANCE, BEAUTIFUL MOMENT….
LAST PERFORMANCE, 2 VIDEOS
“The flame that burns Twice as bright burns half as long.”
― Lao Tzu, Te Tao Ching
nobody burned as bright as Prince:(
THE BEAUTIFUL ONES
WHILE MY GUITAR GENTLY WEEPS, THE SHOW STARTS AT 3:29
LITTLE RED CORVETTE
THE CROSS — from SIGN OF THE TIMES CONCERT MOVIE (get it!)
OH MY LORD! WATCH THIS ‘CONCERT’ PERFORMANCE ON A TALK SHOW! HE POURED HIS WHOLE SELF OUT ON EVERY STAGE — I DON’T KNOW HOW THIS MAN WASN’T COMPLETELY EXHAUSTED…
PRINCE BEING PLAYFUL WITH HIS AUDIENCE…
Prince — MTV Unplugged -The Art of Musicology Special Mtv 2004
PRINCE, GENTLEMAN…
AMERICAN WOMAN with LENNY — ROCKIN!
MOUNTAINS (I CAN’T GET ENOUGH OF THIS SONG)
CREAM (LOVE THAT HE WROTE THIS ABOUT HIMSELF!)
A MESSAGE ABOUT PRINCE AND HIS PURPLE ARMY, THE STORY OF ‘SOUL SANCTUARY’ AND A GORGEOUS TRIBUTE….
PURPLE RAIN, THE MOVIE!
ICONIC HAIR
BABY, HE’S A STAR! Buy it. Rent it. He looks right at you in that last song :)
HE TOOK HIS LOVE AWAY…. Luv the live performance where the crowd carries him over their heads. He is floating on his own song. Nothing compares 2 Prince singing with Rosie Gaines
FOR ALL THE LADIES TO SWOON TO…
WHAT’S IN THE VAULT?
PEACEFUL PRINCE…
I AM #TRANSFORMED
