I just received one of my frequent iTunes new music alert emails and of course I went running due to the release of a new Prince single entitled F.U.N.K. Of course I hit the sample button but it didn't matter to me. It was Prince.

While the sample was playing I scrolled over as expected and hit the "Buy" button. That was a no-brainer. While this was all going on and the download had commenced i then glanced up to the section on the Store where you can see the rating and initial comments section. I was shocked! Only a 2-star rating. I had to read more.

Out of the first 3 or 4 pages of comments I scanned through I would say that probably 60 or 70% of the comments were highly negative. Things like "singing on helium," "what is he thinking?" and the sorts. I didn't understand it. Nothing that I had on during the preview seemed completely out of sorts to me. What was I missing? I had to go to my Library and listen to the whole song to find out what all of the hub-bub was all about. Surely it can't be that bad.

Low and behold it wasn't that bad. Sure Prince came back with his Chamille persona, which for those who are true Prince fans you know what I am talking about. And the music was a serious return to his Funk driven bass lines of the Sign-O-The-Times era. There was also this added twist once into the song that added a latin flavor to the whole mix. A very smooth non-offensive blend of funk as only prince can do funk. The other bit in towards the beginning of the song that I found particularly interesting was the undertow rhythm reminding me of the "Nasty Girl" melody from Apollonia 6. It was all there dragging me back to the early to mid-'80s when Prince was at, what I would say his finest musically.

So why was it then that so many people were so put off by this track. The only thing I can say is that those were individuals who were introduced to his music during this century (2000~). To understand this new song, you need to go back.... way back 20-plus years to understand where he is coming from with this track. If you want to "get" what he has done, you have to hear his early music. Not just the Purple Rain soundtrack either. Dig into "For U" "Dirty Mind" and "Controversy." Skip over Purple Rain, everyone gets that album and head right for "Under the Cherry Moon" (Movie sucked, album rocked), the "Batman" soundtrack, "Lovesexy", "Around the World in a Day" and "Sign-Of-The Times." Then and only then will you begin to get into this newest addition to his catalogue.

Even if you don't get it, give it a while, as is with a lot of his music after the 3rd or 4th listen you begin to "Feel It." And even then if you don't........

"Shut Up Already! Damn."