July 7, 2023: All A Share Together Now

A digital single was released on July 7, 2023. It was initially part of the Celebration 2023 exclusive Vault Series Vol.1, where it was available in a lossy/digitally downgraded format. The separate single release was offered in both lossless and lossy quality, with the price remaining the same for both versions.

According to the information on the USB Drive given to Paisley Park Celebration attendees, All A Share 2Gether Now (or Together as they printed it) was recorded on September 4th 2006 and it gets its official release to streaming platforms on the 7th of July this year (we’ve already spoken at length about the significance of that date being 7-7-7 (2+0+2+3 = 7 previously)

It’s an interesting track and we may never know it’s full inspiration but let’s take a closer look.

Many comments have been made about the odd grammar of the songs title, with a seemingly unnecessary A as the second word. But listening to the track it’s definitely part of the lyric, and if “U Dig” a little deeper it does make sense.

Dig me

Like father teaches

Like son do

With each generation

The past improved

Wealthy, wise

& stronger still (Uh)

No generation taking more

Than their fill

Like an arm reaches

The baton passes on

The scriptures teach us

No matter how long

The debt of the ones b4 us

Must B paid

All a share 2gether now

Dig me now...

Dig me later...

What do you know about the Sharecropping system after the American Civil War?

Yes, it’s a history deep dive…

When the Civil War ended many freed slaves saw the “40 acres and a mule” policy as proof that they would finally be able to work their own land after years of servitude. Owning land was the key to economic independence and autonomy.

But in 1865 President Andrew Johnson ordered all the land be returned to its previous owner, under federal law.

Newly free men and women had to either sign labour contracts with planters or be evicted from the land they had occupied and worked. Those who refused or resisted were eventually forced out by U.S. Army troops.

And so with a lack of funds and with no independent credit system available sharecropping was born, with many black families renting land from white owners. Often freed men were forced by poverty or the threat of violence to sign unfair and exploitative sharecropping or labour contracts that left them little hope of improving their situation

Sharecropping is a system where a landowner allows a tenant farmer to work their land in return for a share of the crop, which sounds like a fair deal in theory, but in practice unscrupulous landowners meant that many tenant farmers were kept indebted to their landlords. Once it came time to settle up many landowners made sure that the figures were hugely in their favour. Often the landowners would insist that the farmer purchased his seed from them, along with leasing or renting farming equipment. Laws even prevented the sharecroppers from selling their crops to anyone but their landlord who dictated his own price. And being indebted to the landlord meant they could not move on but had to stay and continue working the land.

Now, look back at those lyrics…

Knowing Prince’s love of history and his fierce defence of social justice the connections are there to be made. Could this have been a harkening back to 2000’s cover of The Staple Singers When Will We B Paid?

Before we leave you to go download the track and listen for yourself lets take a quick look at one more lyric,

Let's work 2gether now

4 betterment

Call the brothers

& sisters 2

Under 1 God

The true God

All a share 2gether now...

Again Prince is reminding us that above all, Love4OneAnother is the most important message of all