Prince and post-civil rights era Black music aesthetics

Abstract

This article compares specific studio takes and live performances from the super deluxe Sign o’ the Times box set to argue that the ways Prince and his band integrate multiple styles and genres into their performances participate in the creation and development of a post-civil rights era Black popular music aesthetic. In particular, I demonstrate how the intellectual and physical labour of musical performance and sonic interaction found throughout the box set expands conceptions of what Black popular music should and could sound like. This article analyses four performances. It begins by examining two versions of ‘Witness 4 the Prosecution’. In version 1, Prince utilizes a more guitar-based rock sound, while the second presents a more synth-based approach that incorporates the new sound possibilities of music technologies. Through this comparison, I demonstrate how the way Prince works through these performances represents the kind of sonic freedom and flexibility that was a hallmark of his work. I then turn to a comparison between the original release of ‘Forever in My Life’ and the live performance in Utrecht. While the original release emphasizes Prince’s vocals and the drum part, the live performance becomes a vehicle for improvisation and interaction. By analysing the distinctions between the studio and the live performance, I argue that by incorporating elements like improvisation and call and response, Prince and his band situate their approach to post-civil rights era Black popular music aesthetics within the trajectory of Black music history.