The first time I heard this song was April 1, 1985 during the last week of the Purple Rain tour — just before the release of the Around the World in a Day album from which it came. Prince was writhing as the freaky Beefheartian sax solo wailed. It rocked my little hillbilly world for sure.

Besides "Temptation," other particularly relevant songs wrestling with the reconciliation of flesh and spirit from the Prince catalog would include "Anna Stasia," "Lovesexy," "Let's Pretend We're Married," and a personal later favorite "Dig U Better Dead."

Anyhow, seems that the religious side is controlling his soul more these days, at least publicly. He's supposedly a Jehovah's Witness, and said to be sited handing out Watchtower tracts door to door, but maybe that's just rumors.

In any case, it's interesting to see him wanting to become less sexually explicit. The whole culture could use some of it at this point. Besides, James Brown managed to be all that sexy without ever really saying anything that would be really bad for children to hear - not even on "Sex Machine."

Personally, though, I'd be a little more impressed with Prince's claims about "I just want to be the best human being I can be" if weren't hearing stories like this, from as recently as December 2003. Having your bodyguard steal some kids' camera - and then suing him - because he dared to take your picture in an airport does not strike me as exhibiting any kind of, shall we say, newfound Christian humility.

Ah well, that's our Prince.