Saturday's PhotoHunting: Party Time (Happy New Year!)

As another year comes to an end, I tend to get very reflective (hence this very long blog post) and this week's theme made me think about the many parties that I've attended over the years, from Birthdays to Retirements and everything else in between. There are holiday parties like Halloween, Christmas and New Years Eve parties. And there are themed parties like Tupperware and Superbowl parties. And then there are activity parties like bowling parties, Poker Night, and more recently I attended a very fun Go-Cart party where we went around the track racing each other.

It was kind of funny because "everyone" passed me not once but twice.  And to be honest, it didn't really bother me, because I have never been the kind of person who has to finish the fastest, jump the highest or come in first at everything I do. Like with many of the things I do in my life, the only thing I really care about is that I do my best and that I have fun doing it.  And let me tell you, this was a fun party!

But from all the wonderful parties that I have attended over the years, I would have to say that my most favorite party of all time has to be the one thrown by the Cool One himself, Prince. In 2011, Prince performed a Welcome 2 America 21 Night Concert series which was held at the Los Angeles Forum.

I was able to attend 8 of those concerts and I wrote about it on My Purple Funky Town Experience post.

Among the many, many hits his Purpleness (thanks again for the cool nick name Annie: Churches in Venice) sang KISS, Adore, Insatiable, Purple Rain and what I consider the best party song of all time, 1999! Listen to some of the lyrics.

I was dreamin' when I wrote this

Forgive me if it goes astray

But when I woke up this mornin' 

Could of sworn it was judgement day . . . 

The sky was all purple 

There were people runnin' everywhere

tryin' to run from the destruction

You know I didn't even care . . . 

I was dreamin' when I wrote this 

So sue me if I go to fast

But life is just a party

And parties weren't meant to last . . . .

They say two thousand zero zero

Party over oops out of time

We're runnin' outta time

So tonight, we gonna, 

we gonna party (tonight I'm gonna party like it's 1999)

There is some debate about the meaning/message behind the lyrics of his song. Some say the lyrics were influenced by his opposition to nuclear weapons development. Some think he was writing about the end of the world.

So what do I think?  Well, I think like Prince himself, there are many layers to what may have influenced the lyrics to his song.  I would say that the message that I get, is that partying is a metaphor for life and that we have to live life to the fullest and enjoy each and every day.

But aside from the friendly debate generated by what may have influenced his lyrics, no one can deny that when they hear 1999 being played that they aren't up off their feet and dancing, doing the head bob or at the very least moving and swaying to the rhythm of the beat.

I'd like to share what happened on one of the nights which I happen to record. During the intro to his Controversy & House Quake set, Prince asked that the lights be turned on so he could have a conversation with us.

Now, you'll have to imagine the song Controversy playing in the background as I'm not able to include the actual recording. :)  

Prince:  Listen.  If you got a cell phone, check it out. Everybody!  Let me see them. 

Fans:  Whoo Hoo! Fans, hold up their cell phones!

Prince: We got the Old School in here. See the Old School didn't pull their cell phones out.  They're just clapping their hands up in the air. They don't know nothing about Tweet.   

Fans: Whoo! (Everyone is going nuts)

Prince: Stop Tweeting and be HERE! 

Fans: Whoo! (Everyone is up and dancing)

Prince: Clap your hands! 

Fans:  Screaming and clapping!

Prince: Old school I want you to make some noise.  

Fans:  Whoo!

Prince:  Now listen. When we drop this thing in, all you young people hold your cell phones up in the air and sway from side to side. 

Fans:  Whoo! Everyone is up on their feet holding their cell phones up in the air and swaying from side to side.  It created a cool lighting effect around the forum. 

Prince:  Los Angeles, are you ready!

Fans: Whoo! By this point, everyone is in a frenzy and the entire forum are up off their chairs, dancing and screaming! 

Prince:  Sings a great set of Controversy when he sings House Quake he gets everyone up off their chairs and jumping up and down.

What can I say! Prince rocks!  

It's hard to believe that another year has gone by and that this is our final PhotoHunt post for 2013.  I want to thank Gattina from Keyhole Pictures so much for hosting Saturday's PhotoHunting and for giving us a forum along with some fun themes to play with. I want to thank my fellow PhotoHunters whose amazing photos and informative and creative takes I've enjoyed reading throughout the year.
  

And finally I want to thank Prince for being my final PhotoHunt post and for giving us the music and the message to live our life in the moment, to the fullest and with peace, love, funk and soul in our hearts.

My apologies for the extra long post, but it is my final post of the year, my final PhotoHunt post and well I can go on and on when it comes to talking about his Purpleness. :)

Wishing all my family, friends, fellow PhotoHunters, Blogging Friends and Readers a very  Warm, Safe, Healthy & Happy New Year.  

To see more PhotoHunters, you can visit Gattina's Keyhole Pictures website HERE!