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Prince’s 1987 double album distilled his restless musical experimentation
Prince’s 1987 double album *Sign o’ the Times* is presented as a defining record from the height of his creativity, bringing together his restless experimentation and wide musical range. A new book by John McKie examines how Prince channelled a period of personal and professional change into music, and why the album remains a landmark in his career.
The article describes an 80-minute collection that grew out of several possible projects, including a triple album and a record centred on Prince’s alter ego Camille, before his label rejected the triple-album plan. Its songs span funk, Christian rock, jazz-influenced pop and power pop, while the title track addresses gang violence, HIV/AIDS and nuclear fears; Prince used instruments including the Fairlight CMI sampler and Linn LM-1 drum machine. McKie interviewed more than 100 people for the book, but says Prince’s intentions were often hard to pin down and that his music offers the clearest clues.
In short
- *Sign o’ the Times* captures Prince’s creative range at a pivotal point.
- The 80-minute double album blends sharply different styles and themes.
- John McKie’s new book traces the record’s creation through more than 100 interviews.
Explained simply
Prince released Sign o' the Times as a double album in 1987, during a creatively prolific period in his career. The 80-minute collection showcased his ability to work across multiple musical genres—funk, Christian rock, jazz-influenced pop and power pop—establishing it as one of his landmark works.
The album took shape through an unusual creative process. Prince had originally planned it as a triple album or as a record centred on his alter ego Camille, but his record label rejected these more ambitious proposals. The final double-album format brought together material from these various abandoned projects.
A new book by John McKie examines how this album reflected a period of personal and professional change for Prince. McKie interviewed more than 100 people associated with Prince, though he found Prince's own intentions difficult to pin down through interviews alone. He argues that the songs themselves, which address gang violence, HIV/AIDS and nuclear fears, offer the clearest insight into what Prince sought to express.
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Originally published by The Guardian as “‘A genre-defying monument’: how Sign o’ the Times captured Prince at his creative peak”.