Prince

What deep joy to see Prince performing (along, be still my beating heart, with Wendy, Lisa and Sheila E) on the TV coverage of the Brits last night. He is truly better than everyone else put together - whatever I mean by that. Half the non entities in the audience should be forbidden from the stage in shame a la Montfleury.

I will clap my hands thrice, thus--full moon! At the third clap, eclipse yourself!

Everyone acknowledges the Minneapolis, mini funkmeister's musical gifts but he's also, and when he puts his mind to it, a fine lyricist (tho U must try 2 4give his spelling) as "Money don't matter 2 night" from Diamonds and Pearls demonstrates:

One more card and it's 22
Unlucky 4 him he didn't make it
He never had respect 4 money it's true
That's why he never wins
That's why he never ever has enough 2 treat his lady right
He just pushes her away in a huff
And says “Money don't matter 2night"


Money don't matter 2night
It sure didn't matter yesterday
Just when U think U've got more than enough
That's when it all up and flies away
That's when U find out that U're better off
Makin' sure your soul's alright
Cuz money didn't matter yesterday
And it sure don't matter 2night


Look, here's a cool investment
They're tellin' him he just can't lose
So he goes out and tries 2 find a partner
But all he finds are users
All he finds are snakes in every color
Every nationality and size
Seems like the only thing that he can do is just roll his eyes


And say that money don't matter 2night
It sure didn't matter yesterday
Just when U think U've got more than enough
That's when it all up and flies away
That's when U find out that U're better off
Makin' sure your soul's alright
Cuz money didn't matter yesterday
And it sure don't matter 2night

Hey now, maybe we can find a good reason 2 send a child off 2 war
So what if we're controllin' all the oil
Is it worth a child dying 4?
If long life is what we all live 4 then long life will come 2 pass
Anything is better than the picture of the child in a cloud of gas
And U think U got it bad

Money don't matter 2night
It sure didn't matter yesterday
Just when U think U've got more than enough
That's when it all up and flies away
That's when U find out that U're better off
Makin' sure your soul's alright
Cuz money didn't matter yesterday
And it sure don't matter 2night

Is each chorus an ironic counterpoint to the verse or vice versa? Discuss.