“The Lyrics of Prince is a thorough analysis as well as an enjoyable read. As a researcher, I know that the time and commitment dedicated to this work is phenomenal. The observations are thoughtful and highly enlightening. The political edge that permeated the entire work is subtle, but sharp!”
Kevin E. Taylor, Researcher and Record Liaison
Black Entertainment Television
“A Literary Look is the most serious study of the Minneapolis artist’s body of work since Dave Hill’s Prince: A Pop Life. McInnis brings passion and insight to his writing that provides a new context to Prince’s place in pop-music history, as well as African-American history. A Literary Look is a refreshing reminder of ’s genius, past and present.”
Jim Walsh, Music Critic, St. Paul Pioneer Press
“A very impressive book. Stimulating and enlightening! It’s about time someone has taken the time and effort to study Prince’s lyrics in depth. Full of research and insight, it is an important work which deserves attention.”
Per Nilsen, Senior Staff Writer, Uptown (Swede)
author of Prince: A Documentary
“The Lyrics of Prince puts in perspective the tremendous role that Prince has played in expanding and evolving the imagery and doors of creativity of African Americans in popular culture in the twentieth century.”
Dr. Marie O’Banner-Jackson, Prof,
Jackson State Univ.
“The Lyrics of Prince is a very important work because it looks at the work of an American genius.”
Nikki Giovanni, Poet/scholar/activist
Prince is one of the most creative and influential artists of the twentieth century. He has consistently found a way to push and challenge the standards and ideals of popular music which has had a profound effect on popular culture. Additionally, his career has been the representation of the African American individual of Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man, attempting to reconcile the dual themes of self and group identity. In doing so, Prince has continued the work of Paul Lawrence Dunbar, Jean Toomer, Langston Hughes, Little Richard, Chuck Berry, Jimi Hendrix, James Brown, and George Clinton, fighting to keep the doors of opportunity and diversity open to African American artists. On various levels (race, gender, and religion) Prince’s career has represented the problem of otherness in America. For all of this, his work deserves to be studied and preserved as essential American artistry. With meticulous research, C. Liegh McInnis has put together a work worthy to be considered an excellent and profound academic dissertation.
ISBN: 0-9655775-0-3