Hello org, I'm very new to this site, although I've browsed the forums for years. Anyway to cut to the chase, I was online researching various Prince songs, and I happened to come across one of his older cuts, Pussy Control. Needless to say, I was both disappointed and embarrassed that such a profilic artist would stoop to such a low level. While I consider myself a diehard Prince fan (I was born the year Purple Rain came out), I've heard about the song, but never had a chance to listen it thoroughly until today.

So my question is, when did this song come out (i.e. year, album period), and was Prince going for shock value when he recorded this? I realize the latter question may be difficult to answer, but all feedback is welcome.

Lastly, was it just me or was I the only laughing Prince's use of profanity throughout the song? It's almost as if he was trying to be something he wasn't, a hip, young and exciting artist.

Again, I'm interested to hear everyone's feedback...

Nice erotic song

i love it. and it's one of the few songs from the last 15 years that non-fans know and love.


so props to it. it's a novelty tune, but it kicks ass

errant said:

I agree

But I can't get over the fact that it sounds well, goofy, lol. It's corny like alot of his songs during the 90s, and his symbol period,,

Educated313 said:

yeah, it's supposed to. it's very tongue-in-cheek and is meant to be humorous.

i love that song!!!!!

Dont diss it too hard. This song regained my purple faith after having to deal with Come and Chaos n Disorder. I thought Prince was dead until this one started up when I put in the cd.

However: I do understand you sentiment in 'sort of' going for the lowest common denominator to express feminism. Because I had to run and slam the ipod off when it came up on 'shuffle' while at a conservative place.

Which coincides with how I feel Prince feels now. That some of his stuff that he wrote was vulgar and beneath a man of his talents. Yes some call him ribald and bold aka rock n roll in the day. And now he is ahem..respectable...aka 'zzzz' to some. But would you go around singing Pussy Control in public?

Having said that, I enjoy Madonna branching out with Frozen and Ray Of Light maturity and Prince with Rave, TRC and beyond. But there are times when I want to see that bitch slither on th e road and sing burning up for yur love and for prince to hump a speaker again. But I understand they are on a higher level now artistically, emotionally, and spiritually.

THE INTRO I had to bolt over to change it quick

what's that other one,POOM POOM 13 x

xlr8r said:

Yeah I can dig what you're saying. It just sounds so goofy to me, lol Don't know why, but it just does. But you like you said, I'm sure Prince probably looks back at this, and shakes his head. But I guess he's human, and we all make mistakes..

The first track off of the Gold Experience.
It's not a derogatory song. It's actually about women who are in control of their lives and situations with men. Hence the title "Pussy Control". It was very popular when it came out and he even performed it on VH-1's Fashion Awards. it also got remixed specially for Gianni Versace (The Versace Experience). As he says on the remix "Don't be a victim of the 30 second byte!"

I don't care what U've been told, Pussy got U in control!"

Educated313 said:

you have to understand, that at the time... the opening 1-2-3 punch of Pussy Control, Endorphinmachine and Shhh on that album made fans (and the public, I guess) jerk their heads around and look at their speakers and say "WOOOHOOOO! HE'S BACK!" after 3 years of relative bullshit from Prince. oh, remember when battles with WB, slave-on-face, low-key releases like Come, name-changes and retirement announcements were what we though of as bullshit? how i long for those halcyon days

HonestMan13 said:

OK after reading your post, I'm starting to understand this song and his reason behind. Like I said although I consider myself a huge fan, I didn't become one until maybe 5-6 years ago, and when he was the "symbol" he was more or less a laughing stock to me and my friends, lol. But I do hear where you're coming from.. thanks!

The goofiness is part of its charm I think. You can't take a song like that too seriously, you just gotta go with it and have fun.

It's a stone-cold jam. But ya like what ya like.

xlr8r said:

The Gold Experience, which Pussy Control comes from, came out BEFORE Chaos & Disorder!!!!

r u kidding ?
i that song

It would be cool to hear him rework this song with different styles if he ventured there...

rofl its da geigh

maybe to u but I love it

And you call yourself a diehard?

squirrelgrease said:

SG, Did you ever hear the astoria boot from the mid 90's? He is jamming on Pussy Control with the NPG and Eric Leeds is guesting. During a breakdown which has Eric riffing on his sax Prince begins to build a musical tension and says 'Take me into G fellas' and the band drop the groove by a semi-tone as they kick back in and Eric tears it up on his saxaphone. Totally inspired and absolutely Flawless. It probably one of the funkiest things i have ever heard Prince do. It's fuckin' incredible. Arguably one of my favourite boot moments.


Its actually the 'Emporium 22nd' show and not the Astoria edit.
[Edited 8/13/09 4:15am]

Pussy Control is the shyt!!

So what if my sisters are triflin?
They just dont know
She said mama didnt tell em what she told me
girl, u need pussy control


and yes I have sang Pussy Control in public

errant said:

Agree.

Educated313 said:

Evidently not if you can't even consult a discography.

P.Control is corny as hell, it's Prince in his 'gangsta rap' phase, when he was trying to incorporate swearing and rapping in his music, as per the trends at the time. But like 'Days Of Wild' and 'Now', 'Face Down' and even 'Acknowledge Me' - it actually works, not in a 'wow Prince is a hardcore MF', but just in a good pop song kinda way. Some of this era reminds me of an updated MPLS sound, as if he'd put a post-New Jack Swing stamp on it.

NouveauDance said:

Do you really think he tried so hard to reflect what was "hip" at that time? I doubt it, his overall attitude back then just suggested that he didn't give a fuck about it, neither he did about anything that had to do with record companies and all that. He kind of stepped away from his Christian religion, too and somehow made the NPG his "new religion", which I dug very much. I think he just tried to free himself in every possible way and he succeeded and songs like P Control were the outcome.

Dave1992 said:

I think he was trying to incorporate these strains of Black pop music since Graffiti Bridge. I don't know if it's about appearing "hip" as such, but he wanted to either experiment with that sound, or liked the exposure and sales they were getting.

You admitted that you're new to Prince (to me, if got hip to him during the symbol days,you're new)..but either way, in the midwest before your were born, that was a common saying..not corny at all..the exact opposite..In these days and times, you BETTER tell your daughter to have pussy control..and it was hot track in the clubs too..

I love this song!

And you'd be amazed at the kind of people that dig it. For instance, I have a bodybuilder friend who would give anything to pose to it in a contest.

And there's a group of country-western late-40's girls I know that adopted this as their theme song. Some even use it as their ring tone!

Dave1992 said:

ummm... you were 3 years old

This is one of my favorite songs of his in the 90's. A slammin track that made me dance my ass off! I still love it to this day. It was a great way to open one of his best CD's, The Gold Experience. I can't believe it was 14 years ago when that was released. Time definately flies.