Like many of us, I've been watching some of the concert footage that was previous unknown to me and I smirk every time I hear the audience, which sounds like a shwarm of 12 year old girls (even though I'm sure it's not alllll), those young voices shouting out the lyrics to Darling Nicky at the top of their lungs, or 'Do you get enough head?' back to him.

Don't get me wrong, I was singing to Erotic City, Cream, & Get Off, etc at the age of 11. Thank goodness my mom didn't care what I was listening to back then. Just got me curious, how old were you when the lyrics to the more salacious songs of Prince infiltrated your ear drums? Did you pay attention to the lyrics at that age? Or just sing along mindlessly to those lyrics? Did they influence you in anyway?

Nowadays I think kids 8 years old are singing lyrics they so probably shouldn't be. Sign o' the times, it seems. I'm not a parent so would also be interested in whether the parental orgers allow their kids to listen to Prince lyrics (or other artists with explicit).

[Edited 8/7/16 14:39pm]

ForeverPaisley said:

Like many of us, I've been watching some of the concert footage that was previous unknown to me and I smirk every time I hear the audience, which sounds like a shwarm of 12 year old girls (even though I'm sure it's not alllll), those young voices shouting out the lyrics to Darling Nicky at the top of their lungs, or 'Do you get enough head?' back to him.

Don't get me wrong, I was singing to Erotic City, Cream, & Get Off, etc at the age of 11. Thank goodness my mom didn't care what I was listening to back then. Just got me curious, how old were you when the lyrics to the more salacious songs of Prince infiltrated your ear drums? Did you pay attention to the lyrics at that age? Or just sing along mindlessly to those lyrics? Did they influence you in anyday?

Nowadays I think kids 8 years old are singing lyrics they so probably should have. Sign o' the times it seems. I'm not a parent so would be interested in whether the parental orgers allow their kids to listen to Prince lyrics (or other artists with explicit).

I'm not a parent, but I'm an old school fan, and can weigh in on this. Lol.

I was a kid when Do Me Baby came out, and my mother would NOT let me listen to it, I had to sneak and press my ear against the big old speakers to try and hear it. I recall my mom saying,

"TURN IT OFF! THAT'S MUSIC FOR YOUNG ADULTS!" She also wouldn't let me go to his concerts when I was in middle school. All my friends went, and she pulled the classic, "I don't care if so and so is going to see Prince, YOU will not be going!" She wasn't having it. Years later she attended two P. concerts with me, and we rocked out together! I respect her for making those choices for me, I'd do the same thing...

LOL!

.

Great thread!

.

I can't say my Mum or Dad paid attention to the things to which I listened...However, I can assure you that I wouldn't have blasted 'Darling Nikki' et al on one of our long car journeys - oh no, I had enough sense (and embarrassment) to keep those sorts of things well and truly to the confines of my bedroom!

.

Having said all of that, I am now a parent myself and have an 11 year old son to whom I have been introducing Prince - and the car, where he is a captive audience, is proving useful.

.

I currently have 'The Hits / The B-Sides' playing. His favourite track is 'Sexy MF' but he maintains that it is because of the 'HORNS' (stand please) and he refuses to sing along with the F-word, hahaha! In fact, he gives me a look of unmitigated disapproval when I sing 'that word'.

.

He is also, bless him, a lot more innocent / oblivious to the salaciouness of many of P's lyrics than I ever was and either just takes zero notice of all the sexual content or is blissfully unaware of what any of it means - at least for now! He starts secondary school in September and I'm quite sure he is about to change, big-time!

Interesting questiosn. I was already grown when I bought Dirty Mind the year it was released. However, I did witness what you said when I went ot the Purple Rain Tour and saw a lot of people well under 18 yelling the salacious lyrics.

AS a parent, I have introduced to my 10 year old twins to Prince but I am selective. I don't feel extreme about it, but I already feel that too much sexualized stuff is being pushed at them while they are still in elementary school. However, most of the hits seem fine, as I figure if they get all the double entendres in songs like LRC then it's too late for me to do anything about it.

When I was growing up it wasn't until I was a teen that I understood the sexual content of songs like Satisfaction and The Rapper (though I did accidently call it The Raper at the dinner table and my parents were horrified).

[Edited 8/7/16 6:39am]

I was listening to Prince from a fairly young age, and my mother wasn't bothered by the lyrics at all. We lived in a rough neighborhood, and she was sure I'd heard much worse on the street anyway, so she was hardly worried about anything Prince was singing about, including sex.

I'm not sure Prince would have approved of a 12 year old knowing Darling Nikki, but oh, well. TOO LATE, BRAH.

It's funny when you're a kid and singing "Do me Baby, till I just can't take no more"..in the car with my Mother..she never said anything, it was just innocents, teenage crush..I don't know what it is now..adult lust I guess.

SpookyNopetopus said:

AnnaStesia91 said:

SpookyNopetopus said:

I was listening to Prince from a fairly young age, and my mother wasn't bothered by the lyrics at all. We lived in a rough neighborhood, and she was sure I'd heard much worse on the street anyway, so she was hardly worried about anything Prince was singing about, including sex.

I'm not sure Prince would have approved of a 12 year old knowing Darling Nikki, but oh, well. TOO LATE, BRAH.

Yea that's basically my story [Edited 8/7/16 8:22am]

Indeed. And about those fingers in... interesting places in Purple Rain? You already know I knew what was going on. I admit I also kind of rolled my eyes like "Whatever, brah." but I still knew.

perfume said:

ForeverPaisley said:

Like many of us, I've been watching some of the concert footage that was previous unknown to me and I smirk every time I hear the audience, which sounds like a shwarm of 12 year old girls (even though I'm sure it's not alllll), those young voices shouting out the lyrics to Darling Nicky at the top of their lungs, or 'Do you get enough head?' back to him.

Don't get me wrong, I was singing to Erotic City, Cream, & Get Off, etc at the age of 11. Thank goodness my mom didn't care what I was listening to back then. Just got me curious, how old were you when the lyrics to the more salacious songs of Prince infiltrated your ear drums? Did you pay attention to the lyrics at that age? Or just sing along mindlessly to those lyrics? Did they influence you in anyday?

Nowadays I think kids 8 years old are singing lyrics they so probably should have. Sign o' the times it seems. I'm not a parent so would be interested in whether the parental orgers allow their kids to listen to Prince lyrics (or other artists with explicit).

I'm not a parent, but I'm an old school fan, and can weigh in on this. Lol.

I was a kid when Do Me Baby came out, and my mother would NOT let me listen to it, I had to sneak and press my ear against the big old speakers to try and hear it. I recall my mom saying,

"TURN IT OFF! THAT'S MUSIC FOR YOUNG ADULTS!" She also wouldn't let me go to his concerts when I was in middle school. All my friends went, and she pulled the classic, "I don't care if so and so is going to see Prince, YOU will not be going!" She wasn't having it. Years later she attended two P. concerts with me, and we rocked out together! I respect her for making those choices for me, I'd do the same thing...

At first glance of the replies, it seems that many parents were unaware of the lyrics. I wonder if my mom actually heard the lyrics if she'd have a similar reaction, or if she'd just shrug and move on.

Love that you got to share in the experience and the music with your mom.

.

I was a sophomore in college when Purple Rain came out so my mother never had a say in whether or not I listened to Prince.

But I was listening to ChangesOneBowie when I was 12, and all of the Led Zeppelin, and they never said anything about it.

I think that they would have let me listen to Prince.

I am actively trying to expose my twelve year old daughter to Prince, but I am starting with the G and PG rated stuff.

If she gets into Prince, I'll let her listen to any Prince song she wants.

.

[Edited 8/7/16 15:30pm]

anangellooksdown said:

I'm not sure that my parents were that aware of what I was listening to, or doing half the time for that matter. I used headphones in the den with the door shut. They saw the record album but they were so busy trying to support us and working on other projects, they missed a lot that was happening. We were latchkey kids. I do remember at 11 or so they wouldn't let me see "Jaws". PR came out when I was 18 though. It was my first experience with Prince. I think I knew the lyrics were racy but there was so much wild stuff going on in the 80s that this was just another thing; we all just kind of accepted it. Things were getting racier and racier anyway and I think I sort of remember that just when we thought one thing was shocking in society sexually etc., something else would come along and outdo it by being more shocking. The effect was that no one was surprised. [Edited 8/7/16 4:16am]

I know what U mean about the latchkey notion and parents being preoccupied with working and taking care of the bills/fam everything to really pay attention to what the kids were listening to. With a single mom, I was left on my own often, but late 80s/early 90s... I think a lot of us were.

I kind of wish I was in my teens when Purple Rain came out so I could have experienced PR in it's mayhem (and being allowed to attend the concert). Would have been even more mindblowing.

Dibblekins said:

LOL!

.

Great thread!

.

I can't say my Mum or Dad paid attention to the things to which I listened...However, I can assure you that I wouldn't have blasted 'Darling Nikki' et al on one of our long car journeys - oh no, I had enough sense (and embarrassment) to keep those sorts of things well and truly to the confines of my bedroom!

.

Having said all of that, I am now a parent myself and have an 11 year old son to whom I have been introducing Prince - and the car, where he is a captive audience, is proving useful.

.

I currently have 'The Hits / The B-Sides' playing. His favourite track is 'Sexy MF' but he maintains that it is because of the 'HORNS' (stand please) and he refuses to sing along with the F-word, hahaha! In fact, he gives me a look of unmitigated disapproval when I sing 'that word'.

.

He is also, bless him, a lot more innocent / oblivious to the salaciouness of many of P's lyrics than I ever was and either just takes zero notice of all the sexual content or is blissfully unaware of what any of it means - at least for now! He starts secondary school in September and I'm quite sure he is about to change, big-time!

thanks! Watching those vids, I've been curious for some time, but last night those voices sounded extra young screaming Do U Get Enough Head? Just cracked me up!

Props for introducing your son to Prince music - in an environment that enourages active listening like that! Gotta pass on the music to next gen so it keeps on keeping on after all.

love the image of him sending you a scornful glance at those lyrics. Hopefully he stays as groovy during his upcoming high school years too

anangellooksdown said:

Sex was a big deal - but it wasn't a big deal.

So true!

I was in my 20's when I got into Prince so it wasn't an issue for me. My oldest son is 11 now and Prince is his favourite artist and I've never tried to censor any of the songs for him. Any swearing isn't in the old songs isn't anything he hasn't heard at school and he's going to go on another voyage of discovery over the next few years as he realises what Prince is actually singing about most of the time


This thread made me remember an early incident when he was 4 years old and we were walking around the shops when my wife turns to me and asks, "What's he humming?" I replied, "Errr, Jack U Off"

SpookyNopetopus said:

I was listening to Prince from a fairly young age, and my mother wasn't bothered by the lyrics at all. We lived in a rough neighborhood, and she was sure I'd heard much worse on the street anyway, so she was hardly worried about anything Prince was singing about, including sex.

I'm not sure Prince would have approved of a 12 year old knowing Darling Nikki, but oh, well. TOO LATE, BRAH.

Sounds like many of us were listening to those lyrics quite young

I kinda feel like younger Prince wasn't as worried about who was singing what lyrics of his, as compared to Prince of later years. I mean, it's not like he just sang those lyrics on stage; so much...simulation accompanied those words.

But Prince of later years, like that memory Questlove shared about the whole swearing thing, with him saying 'You are the one who taught me swear words.' And Prince looking completely mortified.

gandorb said:

Interesting questiosn. I was already grown when I bought Dirty Mind the year it was released. However, I did witness what you said when I went ot the Purple Rain Tour and saw a lot of people well under 18 yelling the salacious lyrics.

AS a parent, I have introduced to my 10 year old twins to Prince but I am selective. I don't feel extreme about it, but I already feel that too much sexualized stuff is being pushed at them while they are still in elementary school. However, most of the hits seem fine, as I figure if they get all the double entendres in songs like LRC then it's too late for me to do anything about it.

When I was growing up it wasn't until I was a teen that I understood the sexual content of songs like Satisfaction and The Rapper (though I did accidently call it The Raper at the dinner table and my parents were horrified).

[Edited 8/7/16 6:39am]

That would have been an interesting experience as well, to actually be at one of those shows as an adult and watching/hearing all the youngens belt out these lyrics! Awkward.

I love Prince's use of double entendres, but you are probably right, if a tween already sees the meaning behind them, then kind of too late to reel it in.

OMG The Raper...yeah that would cause some worry! Probably funny after the fact, but not when the words were uttered!

ldmendes said:

It's funny when you're a kid and singing "Do me Baby, till I just can't take no more"..in the car with my Mother..she never said anything, it was just innocents, teenage crush..I don't know what it is now..adult lust I guess.

Car singing is the BEST!! Your mom sounds like my mom!

Actually it sounds like a lot of our parents just rolled with it. I remember one night, not long after snagging D&P, putting the headphones on and belting out the lyrics to cream, get off, insatiable. ...My mom came in the room, having to flicker the light to get my attention and the only thing she said was...it's a little late for that, don't you think? Not concerned at all with the lyrics.

Lust is good word for it. Amongst other things

LBrent said:

I think I was around 16 when I heard Soft & Wet, but I was a good kid. Plus, I had graduated from high school and was working so I spent my own money. I don't remember my Mom bothering me because I don't remember being a jerk to her by flaunting the song. My Dad passed away from a heart attack that year anyway so everyone sorta tiptoed around me.

You made a great point about flaunting the songs or not. I mean, that would be one way TO have parents start taking notice when they previously weren't concerned.

P.s. sorry to hear of your loss.

clairew1975 said:

I won't play 'Head' or 'Sister' when my 11 & 15 year old are around, not getting into those questions lol! The first track that made me 'aware' of Prince was 'U Got The Look', I was 12. I had no idea what the lyrics meant but I played that over and over...

I think that is a wise choice regarding those songs. If you are introducing Prince music to them, and they continue on as a fan, they can discover those ones on their own

U Got The Look - had no idea the lyrics either. Then again I was 8, I just liked singing the chorus

TheEnglishGent said:

I was in my 20's when I got into Prince so it wasn't an issue for me. My oldest son is 11 now and Prince is his favourite artist and I've never tried to censor any of the songs for him. Any swearing isn't in the old songs isn't anything he hasn't heard at school and he's going to go on another voyage of discovery over the next few years as he realises what Prince is actually singing about most of the time


This thread made me remember an early incident when he was 4 years old and we were walking around the shops when my wife turns to me and asks, "What's he humming?" I replied, "Errr, Jack U Off"

That made me laugh out loud!!

Love that Prince is your sons favourite artist!! So true, he will have those same 'wait, is he singing about...' moments that we all had. Kind of fun that he has that ahead of him still!

QueenofCardboard said:

.

I was a sophomore in college when Purple Rain came out so my mother never had a say in whether or not I listened to Prince.

But I was listening to ChangesOneBowie when I was 12, and all of the Led Zeppelin, and they never said anything about it.

I think that they would have let me listen to Prince.

I am actively trying to expose my twelve year old daughter to Prince, but I am starting with the G and PG rated stuff.

If she gets into Prince, I'll let her listen to any Prince song she wants.

.

[Edited 8/7/16 15:30pm]

I was thinking of Bowie's lyrics too for those in the 70s...some of his songs...

That's a good idea. Hope she does get into Prince! So nice to hear how many people are introducing Prince to their kids! Long Live the Legacy

ForeverPaisley said:

SpookyNopetopus said:

I was listening to Prince from a fairly young age, and my mother wasn't bothered by the lyrics at all. We lived in a rough neighborhood, and she was sure I'd heard much worse on the street anyway, so she was hardly worried about anything Prince was singing about, including sex.

I'm not sure Prince would have approved of a 12 year old knowing Darling Nikki, but oh, well. TOO LATE, BRAH.

Sounds like many of us were listening to those lyrics quite young

I kinda feel like younger Prince wasn't as worried about who was singing what lyrics of his, as compared to Prince of later years. I mean, it's not like he just sang those lyrics on stage; so much...simulation accompanied those words.

But Prince of later years, like that memory Questlove shared about the whole swearing thing, with him saying 'You are the one who taught me swear words.' And Prince looking completely mortified.

Yeah, I would have felt bad for him and been like, "Weeeelll, you see, my mom gave us a very decent sex education well before I heard those lyrics, so I already knew I should NOT emulate you in that way at that age. And believe me, once you've seen your first dead person at ten (which my mom WISHED she could have hid from me), some dude talking about masturbation in a hotel lobby was really pretty innocent.... "

I was in my 20's when I became a real Prince fan, so up until then it was only the hits I was exposed to, starting with When Doves Cry, and up until Cream and Gett Off there was nothing too crazy going on with the lyrics. When those two songs were released, we had just returned from living overseas and my father decided for some odd reason that we would not get cable, so I saw MTV in very small doses here and there at friends' houses, hardly at all. At the same time, I went through a phase where I listened to older music for the most part and did not keep up with current music to a large degree. In 1992, I saw the VMA's while visiting my cousins and the video for Cream was nominated, so I saw/heard a snippet of it and fell in love. Went out straight away and bought the cassingle lol. BUT, I was such a sheltered teen and fairly naive , I had no idea that Cream had a double meaning. Had I seen the entirety of the video, that might have helped clear things up for me, but as it was I had just seen the few seconds clip at the VMA's. So I keep singing this song and saying how much I love it until one day a friend pulled me aside and asked me if I had any idea what that song meant? Ha!

The most shocking lyric-related moment in my childhood was courtesy of Madonna, when I was singing "Like A Virgin" while visiting relatives and my uncle turned to my mother and said "WHAT did she just say?!"

I'll never forget... although my parents COMPLETELY indulged my fascination w/ the dude and his music... there was this time that I was BLARING "18 & Over" while we all ate dinner.

My Dad repeated "BONE RANGER, Hmmmm? How about U throw some gospel records on!" LMAO. I did not. Kept it playing.