If I Was Your Girlfriend

Just an appreciation thread for "If I Was Your Girlfriend".

Of all the songs Prince has written, I think I find this to be his most complex and affecting.

To me, it encapsulates what Prince is (or perhaps was) all about. Prince's willingness to challenge the accepted standards of gender roles is such an integral part of his artistry. As a straight man, he was willing to dance around the stage in his underwear, even cross-dress (circa SOTT and Lovesexy), confident in his sexuality and identity. He was able to make grown straight men admire his strident presence as well as his artistry; challenging the archetype of what a "rock star" could be.

And while his lyrics may initially sound silly and flimsy to the unaccustomed, Prince's sexual poetry is Hemingway-esque in its directness as well as multi-faceted in its simplicity.

His lyricism seems to find its apex in this song, in which he imaginatively muses on the possibility of becoming his lover's girlfriend to know her better; to brush her hair, make her breakfast, e.t.c...

When you think about the situation, it is an enthralling concept, and ultimately an affecting one; Prince's desire to know his lover is so great that he should want to become someone else, as well as their best friend simply to become closer to them.

Musically, it's an odd song. About as minimal as it gets, backed with a simplistic beat. It's a mid-tempo song that seems to lazily revolve around a keyboard riff, matched to one of Prince's most heartfelt Camille deliveries. The beginning transposition of a slowly tuning orchestra Mendelssohn's "Wedding March" with the shouts of a salesman ("Look at the bargains over here ladies!")... there is a pressure immediately applied to the song, a pressure that seems to boil within a series of pleas ("Could I see you naked then?...Laugh and Laugh Laugh...Together we'll stare into the silence),until the synth seems to emulate a kettle boiling over. At this, Prince offers one of his most lyrically evocative moments; "we'll try to imagine what silence looks like"

In all, its an amazing song, and perhaps my most favorite of all Prince songs. What do you think?
[Edited 6/30/09 13:32pm]

amazing song.

One of my favourites this one. Love it.

shonenjoe said:

Very nice right up, so nice I'm envyous Depending on my mood this song is #1 or 2 for my all time fav's. Prince has a good way of working that concept. He also does it briefly in his song Witness (not again). I think he says something like "In school I once traded chairs." "If I couldn't be near you," "If I couldn't feel you" "I wanted what was yours." "Now I just want you
to care." What a way to feel close. To have a crush on the person of your affection in school is one thing, but to write a lyric about switching chairs with that person to feel close to them is profound. Back when SOTT first came out "if I was your girlfriend" made the album complete for me.

i think its his most perfect song.the music is sexy let alone the lyrics.

...this song is art to me...art is the true mirror into the hearts and minds of people in the past..and what makes art so fasinating is that it provides a window into THE SOUL OF THE CREATOR..
..mzsexybaby

such a good song! love it!

shonenjoe said:

brilliant song

Hello... I'm Come funkateer 'Danceelectric'
from Housequake.com

...i have always been fascinated with how powerful the mind can make us F-E-E-L and how FAR the inner self can be pushed...and this song pushes me to the limit..I L-O-V-E IT!!..
..mzsexybaby

brilliant song..from a fantastic album.
SOTT has aged amazingly.

Fuck the funk - it's time to ditch the worn-out Vegas horns fills, pick up the geee-tar and finally ROCK THE MUTHA-FUCKER!! He hinted at this on Chaos, now it's time to step up and fully DELIVER!!

KrystleEyes 22/03/05

Master Piece

zucris said:

Master Piece

My favorite song..it was so clever..and from the perspective that he sung the song was so amazing..brilliance..never had a song had my mind spinning...trying to figure it all out..and i damn near wanted to slap TLC for remaking MY favorite song..lol

Luv it! I so get it.

Beautiful.

I will never never get tired of this. Music and lyrics in perfect unison.
I cant even speak about this song, i just shake my head and say 'Damn!'

What attracted me to this song originally, was the title.

Ive said it for years and years , IMO it is HIS MASTERPIECE .

It always has been and always will be my favourite prince song

Muciscally it may not be his best effort but it's definately amongst his best lyrics ever. As said above, it's got many layers and is very thought provoking. I love the way the song describes the hunt/yearning for REAL intimacy, longing for the intimacy as it (appears? to) exist between women in a man-woman relationship...

Nice also that's it's follwed by Strange Relationship, which seems to describe exactly such a relationship
[Edited 6/30/09 2:47am]

The more I listen to it, the more little touches I find in it. The keyboards during the kettle build up part are really intricate, and I hadn't really paid them much attention until I spent some time listening to this song on some really nice headphones.

I consider Dorothy Parker to be a musical companion-of-sorts to this song.

p.s. anyone notice on Dorothy Parker, during the part: "So I went back to the violent room" that the word "back" comes from another recording/voice? Creepy.

Probably my fave Prince song. Always think "Nobody else could've wrote or performed that"

I dig this song on so many levels. Dang...I'm going to listen to it tonight. On repeat.

total brilliance! this song always perplexed my friends and just cemented in their minds he was gay.they thought he was singing from a girls perspective and singing in the camille voice didn't help my arguement.they all hated it and never gave it a chance. if they would of listened to the lyrics, they would of understood the point he was making.one of my favorites.

Usually the unacquainted get pretty uncomfortable during the "can I see it?" bit.

I'm always waiting to get an interesting facial expression or chuckle.

saundo11 said:

"would u let me kiss u down ther,u know, where it cums, I'll do it so good, I swear I'll drink every ounce....."

Seriously, one of my favorite Prince songs. I could listen to it over and over and over.