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Prince reveals ‘Baltimore’ lyrics, announces ‘Dance Rally 4 Peace’ at Paisley Park tonight

by Jay Gabler

May 02, 2015

Yesterday, Billboard revealed that Prince has recorded a new song dedicated "to all the people of the city of Baltimore." Release plans for the song have not yet been announced, but Prince shared the artwork for the song—above.

Now, Prince has announced a "Dance Rally 4 Peace" tonight at Paisley Park. He shared the news with FOX 9 reporter Iris Perez when he invited her to Paisley Park to hear a rehearsal performance of his new song, titled "Baltimore." The news has also now been shared via the quasi-official Prince-affiliated Twitter account @PURPLESSENCE.

Perez described the song as very moving, and she's shared the lyrics, which begin,

NOBODY GOT IN NOBODY'S WAY

SO EYE GUESS U COULD SAY

IT WAS A GOOD DAY

AT LEAST A LITTLE BETTER THAN THE DAY IN BALTIMORE

DOES ANYBODY HEAR US PRAY?

4 MICHAEL BROWN OR FREDDIE GRAY PEACE IS MORE THAN THE ABSENCE OF WAR

The song concludes, "It's time 2 hear/ the guitar play!" When Prince performed the song for Perez, he ended with "a tear-evoking electric guitar solo," she wrote.

In conversation with Perez, she writes, Prince expressed his sadness at recent events in Baltimore as well as at ongoing concerns about the health of Joni Mitchell, an artist he deeply admires. "With everything going on" this week, said Prince according to Perez, "I had a lot I needed to get out."

Prince also told Perez that "Baltimore" marks the first time he's ever recorded a song live on the Paisley Park soundstage, and mentioned that he's planning to approach Jay-Z about streaming "Baltimore" on Tidal.

Tonight's Paisley Park event starts at 9:30, with a cover charge of $30. Attendees are being asked to "wear something gray."

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This activity is made possible in part by the Minnesota Legacy Amendment’s Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund.