Idolator

Only Prince could totally invert the whole theme of the song and still make it awesome.

"You wish you were special... I think that you're special." What?

Way to turn the self-loathing into the best "I'm okay, you're okay" moment ever.

@Halfwit:

It's cool, and all, it's Prince, etc.

But it also sort of seems like he thought "What do you these dorky college people like, y'all?" and someone in his entourage hepped him to 1993, his band learned two progressions of the song and he just sorta winged it. Plus his sometimes Gilmour-esque lead tone [see "It," 1987] musta made Roger Waters all angry and tense.

Plus he shoulda done it in seguetastic version into TLC "Creep" into "Negative Creep" > "Scary Monsters (and Super-Creeps)" > "I Left My Wallet In El Segundo."

not only one of the greatest composers of the 20th century (regardless of genre), but also quite arguably THE most formidable/accomplished instrumentalist/performer of our times

in other words, he's got mo' than just a wallet that says BADASS M*THERF*CKER... dude's entire wardrobe/essence carries that tag... and more...

@NickEddy: I'll grant that it's probably impromptu (or at least slapped together, if not on the spur). Still, I don't think that Prince feels the need to pander to the crowd at Coachella (I mean, he clearly doesn't identify HIMSELF with the song's lyrics). Plus, I'd rather have this than yet ANOTHER "hey, we're ironic too" acoustic version of Toxic, Since You Been Gone, Hit Me Baby, et al

@NickEddy: That would have been amazing!

How's about telling those of us out here in Can't-Watch-It-At-Work-Land what fucking song he's doing?

@KingHater: He's playing Creep.
Prince is so badass. I'm downloading this video so I can listen to it even after he takes it down (you know the jackass will). Great cover, even with the bad sound quality.

it's "Creep". and it's pretty great. but i do think i liked the "best of you" cover from the superbowl better - no disrespect to this performance!

I'm not a big fan of the purple one...but I sat through most of his performance due to the fact that I was with a gaggle of Big Beautiful funk loving women who need a little more to get the *ahem* "vibes" out of their system.

But this song. God it was the most self indulgent piece of garbage. He RUINED it in my opinion. I can only assume that he played the song enough in rock band to figure he could fudge his way through it.

But god it was painfully PAINFULLY bad.

I wonder if he was being ironic...like...these hipsters waited for months to buy tickets hoping that radiohead would show...I've got their radiohead.

I will say that the guy can dance given his new titanium hips...