This month, all my A to Z Challenge posts will feature a song that is on my personal list of “deep cuts.” These are songs that my husband often razzes me about, that there’s no one else who has ever heard of them or is listening to them, or they’re songs that possibly are just not that mainstream. If we are of the same era or run in the same musical taste circles, none of these may seem that off the beaten path, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t fun songs! Enjoy!

My song choice for this post is one I am guessing all but the most hardcore Prince fans aren’t familiar with but should be. Prince was a groundbreaker his whole career, everything from his style to his music not fitting neatly into any single genre to being apologetically sexual to reinventing himself over and over again as time and society required and still staying relevant to talking social issues. My favorite Prince song is one his most popular, “Little Red Corvette,” but one of his most thoughtful songs is this one.

“Welcome 2 America” is an uncomfortable commentary on everyday life in the United States. If it makes you cringe, I think it’s supposed to. If it makes you angry, I think it’s supposed to. It it offends you, I think it’s supposed to. If it makes you pause and think, I think it’s supposed to. He drops truth nuggets throughout the song. Things like being distracted by our phones, having an app for literally every situations, losing actual physical human contact to virtual contact, digs at Google, taxes, modern music, the ignoring of truth, education, social media celebrity, and hosts of other topics. He’s not kind, and that’s okay. I think a lot of Americans need a little tough love, and Prince delivers it.

Take a breath, and take a listen.