Latest update April 28th, 2026 12:30 AM
BILLY AND PRINCE
Two musical superstars died this past week. The world is in mourning over the deaths of Billy Paul and Prince. They both belonged to different generations. Billy Paul was 81 years old. Prince was 57.
Guyanese have a way of latching on to trends in the world. This week a number of Guyanese were singing the praises of Prince. I would not be surprised if there is some local tribute to Prince held locally.
Prince is the buzz in the country. He has gotten more fans in Guyana now that he dead than when he made his blockbuster hit, Purple Rain, a song about global cataclysm. Purple Rain was never a number one hit in the US even though it earned Prince a Grammy. But guess what? It has soared to the top of the charts now that he is dead.
His best musical days had long passed, but he was still an instrumental figure in the music industry, because he was into many aspects of music – producing, writing, and even did a little acting.
I overheard one person saying what a great singer Prince was. I asked the person what made Prince so great. The response was that he was one of the greatest singers ever.
This was taking it too far. It shows how little many of the persons who have overnight become fans of Prince know about him. Prince was a good singer, but he was an even more fantastic musician. He could make a guitar talk. This was his phenomenal strength. His greatness was not so much in his voice as it was in his command of the music, musical instruments and the business of music.
Prince’s greatest contribution to music was, however, the system that he used to protect himself from exploitation by the music industry. He was one of the most astute businessmen in the music industry, and it was strange to read reports – at this stage mere speculation – that he may have been in financial problems.
Prince was a rich man. Billy Paul who also died this past week was not a rich man. He was the ultimate singer and Prince the ultimate guitarist. Billy Paul acquired fame for his 1972 hit “Me and Mrs. Jones.” But anyone who has heard his music recognizes that he was not one-hit wonder. He was versatile as they came.
Prince and Billy Paul were different artistes in different eras. Their music will live on for all time, not because their songs transcended their eras but because they defined that era. “Me and Mrs. Jones” was a celebration of the breaking with sexual taboos, a new form of sexual liberalism. Prince’s music was more eclectic. It had its own fans and it made him a lot of money, but by 1990 Prince’s music had lost its sting. Except for the money he continued to make, his music was all but finished.
The world was finished with Billy Paul long before it dumped Prince. But people still remembered Prince. Ask young Americans if they knew Prince and they will confirm that they did. Ask them about Billy Paul and they will mix him up with Paul Simon. Ask them about “Me and Mrs. Jones” and they will ask “Mrs. who?” They remember Mrs. Robinson though, the theme hit from the movie hit, ‘The Graduate’.
Rest in Peace Prince and Billy Paul!
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