In 1991, Prince released the album Diamonds And Pearls
. I can’t remember where I first heard it, but I do remember that the version of the cd I purchased had a pretty cutting-edge hologram on the front of it. It’s filled with great tracks, but my favorite is Money Don’t Matter 2 Night. Amazing groove, super message, vocals with a hint of distortion, and multi-layered backup harmonies all over the place. Here’s a video of the song that Spike Lee put together:
Enamored with this track, I went out and tried to totally rip it off. As it always goes, when I try to emulate an influence, I always end up adding my own perspectives and nuance. The end product for me, the song Just Another Girl is only slightly reminiscent of Money Don’t Matter. The beat is similar, and the backup vocals in the second verse try to capture that gospel feel (as best as a white kid from Deerfield can manage, anyhow).
The song ended up on my 1995 cassette, “Letters Never Sent”. Before you call the art police, let me share a great quote:
I have stolen all these great moves from all these great players. I just try to do them proud, the guys who came before, because I learned so much from them. It’s all in the name of the game. It’s a lot bigger than me. – Kobe Bryant
