“Comeback” by Prince

Prince’s “Comeback” was his tribute to his late son.

One of the greatest multitalented musicians of the last 40-odd years, Prince, crafted a ballad titled “Comeback” following the death of his week-old son, Amiir, in 1996. The song, a poignant reflection of his grief, was made available only on a special fan club release.

“The first time I heard ‘Comeback,’ which he recorded at Paisley Park, my heart fell,” wrote Prince’s former wife and Amiir’s mother, Mayte Garcia, in 2017. “The beauty and power of the song deeply moved me but at the time, it was too raw and for me, too soon. Writing the song allowed him to grieve about Amiir in a way that was difficult for him to do in person, even with me, his wife.”

Nobody expects to say goodbye to a newborn, but “Comeback” is a fitting song for a child’s funeral, because Prince wrote the song about Amiir. The idea that spirits always come back can be comforting for bereaved family and friends.

Walking up the stairs

Just the afternoon

Sweet wind blew

Not a moment soon

(Hoo) I cry when I realized

That sweet wind was U

Spirits come and spirits go

Some stick around 4 the aftershow

Don’t have 2 say I miss U (don’t have 2 say I miss U)

Cause I think U already know

If U ever lose someone

Dear 2 U

Never say the words “They’re gone”

They’ll come back, yeah

They’ll come back, yeah yeah

They’ll come back

Tears go here

Tears go here

Tears go here

Bereaved family and friends often seek signs of their loved one’s continued presence.

“Comeback” is an achingly beautiful song for any funeral, because everyone wishes for a sign that their loved one is still near, blowing a sweet wind to say hello. It’s appropriate that Garcia referred specifically to this song in her essay, because while it was written for Amiir, it came to represent the grief of Prince’s family, friends, artistic collaborators and millions of fans worldwide, all hoping he was somehow still present. In a way, he is, for his massive, diverse body of work is and will always be meaningful to so many.

Some people promise their loved ones that they will “stick around for the aftershow,” as Prince put it, watching over them and guiding them. Some people wait their whole lives for that sweet wind; even those who don’t believe in spirits or an afterlife are sometimes surprised to experience those moments of connection between worlds. Prince’s song offers a ray of hope for loved ones wishing for a sweet wind.