I guess every one knows this already so sorry for stating the obvious:

Dorothy Parker was a writer.

Mahler's Symphony No. 3 is mentionned and quoted in Good Love and of course there are numerous other times when quoted other pieces of pop music in a song. Maybe less known is the fact that, according to Dr. Fink, many songs on Graffiti Bridge feature numerous samples taken from classical music pieces, but distorted to a point that they're impossible to identify.

The Transmississipirap in It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Night is a poem by Edward Lear.

The Godfather is being sampled between tracks on 16.

Back To The Future is sampled in House Of Brick (Brick House).

I've heard that "I Love U in Me" was recorded after he listened to some Richard Marx songs.

LOTS of references to the bible, arguably the best piece of literary fiction ever!

The name "Appolonia" was copped from the "Godfather", if I"m not mistaken.

"America" jacked prtions of "America, the Beautiful".

Several references throughout his carreer to the film "Barberella".

"Superfunkycalifragisexy" is a reworked title of "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" from "Mary Poppins".

"Van Gogh" name checks artist Vincent Van Gogh.


To name a few...

Jerky said:

Which Prince songs have a direct reference to Great poetry, literature,film etc... I'll start the ball rolling "All that glitters is not Gold" - William Shakespeare

*

"Gold" also seems to be a semi-response to Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven," which states "There's a lady who's sure that all that glitters is gold./ And she's buying a stairway to heaven./ When she gets there she knows, if the stores are all closed/ with a word she can get what she came for./...and she's buying a stairway to heaven," and "Gold" states "There's a lady, 99 years old./ And if she led a good life, heaven takes her soul./ Now that's a theory and if you don't want to go/ Step aside and make a way for those who want to go./Everybody wants to sell what's already been sold/...All that glitters ain't gold"

I've always felt that "Friend/Lover/Sister/Mother/Wife" was inspired by Mac Davis's "Friend/Lover/Woman/Wife" - at least the title was. It's not great poetry but it's a connection that most people might not know about.

Head - Deep Throat ?

EyeHatechu said:

iZsaZsa said:

"Chocolat" and "Forrest Gump", but I don't remember where. Oops.

Good ones! The film you mentioned is found in "Mr. Goodnght": "We can watch 'Chocolat' on the big screen / Before we convene in the pool."

[Edited 7/29/14 23:49pm]

databank said:

Bluu said:

databank said:

I guess every one knows this already so sorry for stating the obvious:

Dorothy Parker was a writer.

And as Wendy and Lisa pointed out, Prince didn't know who she was. He just liked her name. As someone who has read Dorothy Parker I can tell you that he would be even less impressed with her than he was with Sinead O'Connor not acting like a 'woman'.

steakfinger said:

databank said:

I guess every one knows this already so sorry for stating the obvious:

Dorothy Parker was a writer.

And as Wendy and Lisa pointed out, Prince didn't know who she was. He just liked her name. As someone who has read Dorothy Parker I can tell you that he would be even less impressed with her than he was with Sinead O'Connor not acting like a 'woman'.

Wasn't it Susannah (sp?) that introduced him to Dorothy Parker?

iZsaZsa said:

Bluu said:

. Keeping in spirit with stating the obvious, the album Kamasutra was clearly inspired, to some degree, by The Kama Sutra Indian text on sex & love.

U know the Kama Sutra? I could re-write it with half as many words "We Can Funk".

.

I forgot about WCF!

Bluu said: