My review of the Prince Tribute

In response to Maggie’s fun writing challenge were she gives you a few “gifts” to choose from and you craft a fun or uplifting story, I wanted to amend my earlier comments (not mentioned on my blog, just to some friends and family) and say I might have misjudged the whole Prince Tribute that aired on CBS a few nights ago.

This morning, after being awakened by a severe thunderstorm with marble to golf ball sized hail, at 4:20 no less, I decided to finish the parts of the tribute I had not seen. The talent that was put together for this show was truly amazing, several surprises too, like the performance by Maya Rudolph (Princess), and Wendy from the original Prince and the Revolution band were awesome in their effervescent vocals and spot-on guitar riffs by Wendy; even if her choice of resplendent hot pink pantsuit left much to be desired in the way of fashion, she can still shred that guitar like nobody’s business!

Then there was the surprise of a Christian song I had never heard of called The Cross, what a shocker that was! I think it is especially poignant and important for the world to hear that song during these unprecedented times, so I will try to share the video here, and present you with the lyrics:

The Cross by Prince Rodgers Nelson

Black day, stormy night

No love, no hope in sight

Don’t cry, He is coming

Don’t die without knowing the cross

Ghettos 2 the left of us

Flowers 2 the right

There’ll be bread for all of us

If we can just bear the cross

 

Sweet song of salvation

A pregnant mother sings

She lives in starvation

Her children need all that she brings

 

We all have our problems

Some BIG, some are small

Soon all our problems

Will be taken by the cross

(Repeat entire song)

 

On the other end of the spectrum was the Foo Fighters smoking rendition of Darling Nikki, Dave Grohl screaming and flailing his guitar while the band whooped the crowd into  frenzy. That’s another thing, the crowd was so obviously enjoying the show while being respectful and adoring with no histrionics or political statements being shoved down our throats. It was simply a wonderful tribute by the incomparable Sheila E. and several others who most certainly “worshipped at the alter of Prince” and his quintessential music and undeniable talent.

You can revisit what parts of the show you’d like to by going to this link.

Finally, the Prince’s favorite soul/gospel singer, Mavis Staples sang Purple Rain the best she could deliver it, while Wendy once again played the song she wrote and her performance was so heartfelt and beautiful it almost brought me to tears, but I was smiling too much to cry. It was very uplifting, from Beck to Morris Day and The Time, they all came together to honor the man who became a legend…Prince.

Here is a list of all the performers that shared their talent for this tribute:

Beck, Gary Clark Jr., Common, Earth, Wind, and Fire, Foo Fighters, H.E.R., Juanes, John Legend, Chris Martin, Morris Day and The Time, Princess, Sheila E., St Vincent, Mavis Staples, Miguel, The Revolution, and Usher. Misty Copeland did a beautiful ballet performance also during H.E.R.’s performance, let’s not forget about that.