290: Dig U Better Dead

Chaos and Disorder (1996)
The vaguely cryptic lyrics powering this dark horse are battery-acid thrown in the face of Warner Bros, with a pH level that varies with your interpretation. The death in question could refer to the singer’s killing-off of his birth-name in 1993, or an accusation that his actual demise would be celebrated as a boon by the label, sadly topical in this posthumous era of remasters and anthologies. People have claimed that the first verse refers to negotiations leading up to Prince’s independent release of Most Beautiful Girl in the World. Possibly. Although being “a long time ago” I think we’re instead hearing about his first contract in the 70s, with the subsequent “experiment” being WB’s initial gamble on his career. Who knows. What isn’t in question is Prince is pissed! Whereas Face Down handles the subject with humour, Dig U Better Dead literally yells an incredulous “WTF!?” at those who hold his masters. In life there may always be “peaks and valleys” but this brickbat breakbeat is a steady, unrepenting javelin of righteous anger hurled at an insulting offer of “a toke or 2” from the fat profits cigar.