The 80s

Prince's Purple Reign

The filthiest rock 'n' roller ever to prance across the stage," fumes Dan Peters, 33, a minister at the interdenominational Zion Christian Center in North St. Paul, Minn. For five years Dan and a brother have been kindling an antirock crusade by crisscrossing the country urging youngsters to destroy offending albums. At the moment the brothers are particularly incensed about a new song called Darling Nikki, in which Prince sings, "I am fine, fine because the Lord is coming soon." "Kids come up to us and say, 'See, that shows he is a Christian,' " sputters Dan. "And I say, 'As far as we can tell from listening to the lyrics, his Lord is a penis.' "

Yet Prince's songs, which include themes of lost love, politics and gun control, seem to mirror the concerns and anxieties of a sexually precocious, socially aware generation. "I guess if there's a concept, it's freedom—personal freedom—and the fact that we all have to do what we want to do," Prince said of his music in my interview with him in 1981. A swaggering conqueror onstage, he seemed vulnerable in person, speaking in short, grudging bursts of words that nevertheless revealed more than he wanted me to know. Denying that he wanted to shock or outrage, he insisted, "I think I say exactly the way it is. I don't particularly think what I sing about is so controversial. My albums deal with being loved and accepted. They deal with war. They deal with sex. When a girl can get birth control pills at age 12, she knows just about as much as I do. My mom had stuff in her room that I could sneak in and get...books, vibrators. I did it. I'm sure everybody does...It could be that I have a need to be different."

The difference began in Minneapolis, where Prince was born to Mattie and John Nelson, who already had seven other children from previous marriages. He was christened Prince after his father, a jazz pianist whose stage name was Prince Rogers. He was a man whose musicianship—and possibly arrogance—Prince admired. His songs were different, "unique," Prince said. "He doesn't listen to any other music. I respect anybody who doesn't try to copy other people."

I closed the magazine and placed it on my bath tray. I didn't even try to fight the giant smile spreading across my face. Prince is taking over the world right now. This is the 7th article on Prince that I read today. He's on the cover of everything I read now.

Michael is out on tour with his brothers and after going to literally every single event with Michael. I can say that i'm tired out. The Grammys, American Music Awards, even the White House. You would think that being the hottest female artist dating the most powerful man on the music scene would be the greatest thing in the world. Don't worry it is. But every now and then it's great to relax and decompress in a nice lavender bubble bath. Michael bought it for me, he said he wanted me to stay as relaxed as possible after my whole fainting episode a couple of years ago. He takes me to the spa for a regular deep tissue massage and he even got oil diffusers installed in the walls of my home recording studio. I love that man, he loves me so much and isn't afraid to show it. He spoils me endlessly. I don't even ask him to do things for me he just does them. He's a once in a lifetime guy I tell you and I got really lucky.

I stepped out the tub and wrapped up in my towel. I walked over to my closet to pick out something to wear today, on my way I turned on the radio and guess what I heard. When Doves Cry. This song was my jam. No bass? Genius. I turned it all the way up and had a tiny concert in my closet.

I was having a great time until I heard a loud knock on my door.

"I'm coming." I ran towards the door and almost opened it, then I realized I had on a towel. I quickly ran and put on a t-shirt and some shorts. Then opened the door.

"Hello I'm sorry for the w-"

"What took you so long I could've died out there." Hannah pushed the door open and walked past into my room.