Prince Taught Me a Whole New Love Language
“Sign o’ the Times” is candy for a cute little he/they like me.
In 1982, three years before the RIAA would slap Parental Advisory labels on LPs, Prince made a song called “Let’s Pretend We’re Married,” where he screams out: “Look here, Marsha, I’m not sayin’ this just to be nasty / I sincerely wanna fuck the taste out of your mouth / Can you relate?” If you can imagine a slender man performing those lines in the most fashionable piece of purple, colonial chic, then you may also feel hopeful that you, too, despite the uncertain chemical mock-up of your own awkward body, can enjoy the riches of intimate bedroom liaisons.
Sign o’ the Times
Sign o’ the TimesSpinChicago Sun-TimesPurple Rain Purple RainPurple RainSign o’ the Times
Dirty Mind ControversySign o’ the Times
and Sign o’ the Times
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Sign o’ the TimesLovesexySign o’ the Times
Matt Mitchell is a poet, music critic, and essayist from Northeast Ohio. He writes for Pitchfork, MTV, Bandcamp, Paste, Literary Hub, and elsewhere. They are the author of The Neon Hollywood Cowboy (Big Lucks, 2021).
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