Prince: “How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore”
Abstract
This essay was originally published in the online journal The Fader the day after Prince’s passing; then reworked into a performance synced to the playback of “How Come U Don’t Call Me Anymore.” The essay weaves a close reading of the song together with theories of the blues to frame the track as a guide to mourning. I suggest we hear “How Come,” in the wake of Prince’s death, as a tragicomic blueprint for his fans’ collective grief.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Music History and Culture
Musicology and Musical Analysis
Death
Funerary Practices
and Mourning
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Duke University Press eBooks
- Pages
- 292–294
- Publication date
- 7 March 2026
- Language
- EN
- Document type
- Book chapter