Sign O' The Times

Sign o' the Times" (also spelled "Sign "☮" the Times") is the lead single off Prince's classic album of the same name, and was released on 18 February 1987. The song is a holdover from both the Dream Factory and Crystal Ball projects, promoted to the title track of the 1987 release. Prince performs the entire track except for some backing vocals by then-girlfriend Susannah Melvoin. "Sign o' the Times" was written on a Sunday, when Prince usually wrote his most introspective songs. The song proved popular upon release, topping the R&B chart, and reaching #3 on the Billboard Hot 100. Rolling Stone ranked "Sign o' the Times" #299 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. The song was constructed by Prince almost entirely on the Fairlight sampling synthesizer, which provides the primary keyboard riff and sampled electronic bass sounds heard on the track. Unlike some artists, Prince did not program new sounds for this song. He simply used the stock sounds the Fairlight offered, including the famed "orchestra hit" towards the end of the composition. The single marked a shift from those pulled from the Parade and Around the World in a Day albums, with a spare, electronic-based arrangement, simple drum machine hits and minimal stacked synth patterns, as well as a bluesy, funk-rock guitar part (cut from the single edit of the song). The record was noticeably bluesier and more downcast (both melodically and lyrically) than any of Prince's previous singles, addressing various socio-political problems including AIDS, gang violence, natural disasters, poverty, drug abuse, Iran-Contra, the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster and impending nuclear holocaust. The single's cover features new band member Cat Glover posing with a large heart covering her face, and on the back of the cover, posing with Prince's guitar. Many people incorrectly thought it was Prince in drag. The B-side was the funk-oriented "La, La, La, He, He, Hee" Steven Wilson have a cover of this song titled Cover Version V on his Cover Version-album.

[Intro] Oh yeah [Verse 1] In France a skinny man died of a big disease with a little name By chance his girlfriend came across a needle and soon she did the same At home there are seventeen-year-old boys and their idea of fun Is being in a gang called The Disciples, high on crack, totin' a machine gun Time, times [Verse 2] Hurricane Annie ripped the ceiling of a church and killed everyone inside You turn on the telly and every other story is tellin' you somebody died My sister killed her baby 'cause she couldn't afford to feed it And we're sending people to the moon In September my cousin tried reefer for the very first time Now he's doing horse, it's June Times, times [Chorus] It's silly, no? When a rocket ship explodes And everybody still wants to fly Some say a man ain't happy Unless a man truly dies Oh, why? Time, time [Verse 3] Baby make a speech, star wars fly Neighbors just shine it on But if a night falls and a bomb falls Will anybody see the dawn Time, times [Chorus] Is it silly, no? When a rocket blows up And everybody still wants to fly Some say a man ain't happy, truly Until a man truly dies Oh, why? Oh, why? Sign o' the Times Time, time [Outro] Sign o' the times mess with your mind Hurry before it's too late Let's fall in love, get married, have a baby We'll call him Nate, if it's a boy Time, times Times, time