In the song "Morning Papers", Prince sings to Mayte on what they will do on their dates (hop on carousels, get silly in caves).

What are the morning papers that Prince is singing of? Is this just a Prince gimmick or it has some meaning? It could be a reference to tabloids and how they like to exploit celebrity relationships, particularly if there is a significant age gap.

What do you think?

SoftSkarlettLovisa said:

NorthC said:

What he means is we'll go out tonight and we'll be back home before the newspapers come out in the morning. In other words, we'll stay up all night and be back home just before dawn. [Edited 11/21/17 2:36am]

No, He is talking about the scandel of dating a young girl and how it would be in the moring papers. It also fits in with the 3 C hains of Gold story line.

Prior to the internet, most newspapers published around 6:00 a.m. As such, the term "morning paper" or "moring papers" referred to the newspaper(s). Also, in larger cites, as newspapers evolved, newspapers would publish a morning and evening edition, generally publishing at 6:00 am and 6:00 pm. Now, I think only one or two major newspapers publish a morning and evening edition as must stories/events/articles are merely updated online. Often, if you read a news item or article online during the morning and return to that article later that day, you'll see "updated" if more has been added to the story or article. So, again, "morning papers" is just another colloquial term for newspapers.

NorthC said:

^Yeah, that's what I was getting at. It simply means be back home before the newspapers hit the streets. You don't need a scandal to explain this line, firstly because the lyrics don't talk about a scandal and secondly because there never was any scandal surrounding Prince's relationship with Mayte. It wasn't like Jerry Lee Lewis marrying his cousin or anything like that. [Edited 11/21/17 9:49am]

Yet it was part of the whole Love Symbol concept.

I'm sure you remember the Vanessa Bartholomew character, and her interview about the "Princess of Cairo" being underage. And the mention of "scandal".
There is also "what is age more than a number", and of course the blatant "should we ask the man who wrote it there in the morning papers". The age difference is the subject of the song.

So I think Laura is right, and, in a typical Princey way, it's a double entendre.
What is brilliant with the whole concept of the Love Symbol, is the blurring between fiction and reality.
In truth, Prince has never been tabloid material, except in the eighties.
In the nineties, maybe a little article here and there about his extravaganzas, but he was not front cover material.

I always thought it's about Mayte. "Every schoolboys fantasy she was, that's why he had to wait."

bonatoc said:

Sure, still I think there's a double meaning. It fits in if you consider the track sequencing,
the segues (including the bootlegged ones), and "3 Chains o' Gold".

"My Name Is Prince" has "'Till I get your daughter I won't leave this town", even though it's not the main subject of the song.
"Love 2 The 9's" has "Age? « Jailbait »".

I mean, you have "Morning Papers", and most of the segues star a journalist?
Prince was going full self-mythology on this album.
The segue before "The Sacrifice of Victor" mentions "scandal",
but Mayte was kind of a brand new figure (except for the brief appearance
in the somewhat confidential "Gett Off" VHS and her sword dance),
so it's nearly impossible the press was in the know of Mayte's age at the time of the "Love Symbol" album release.

NorthC said:

^Yeah, that's what I was getting at. It simply means be back home before the newspapers hit the streets. You don't need a scandal to explain this line, firstly because the lyrics don't talk about a scandal and secondly because there never was any scandal surrounding Prince's relationship with Mayte. It wasn't like Jerry Lee Lewis marrying his cousin or anything like that. [Edited 11/21/17 9:49am]

It was a part of 3 Chains of Gold. The song is in the movie and the Symbol album follows the same story line. Prince is playing himself and Mayte is playing an arabian princess running from killers.

The song is about the scandel of the older rock star running off with the Princess.

We know it is not like Jerry Lee because the song is a work of fiction.

laurarichardson said:

NorthC said:

^Yeah, that's what I was getting at. It simply means be back home before the newspapers hit the streets. You don't need a scandal to explain this line, firstly because the lyrics don't talk about a scandal and secondly because there never was any scandal surrounding Prince's relationship with Mayte. It wasn't like Jerry Lee Lewis marrying his cousin or anything like that. [Edited 11/21/17 9:49am]

It was a part of 3 Chains of Gold. The song is in the movie and the Symbol album follows the same story line. Prince is playing himself and Mayte is playing an arabian princess running from killers.

The song is about the scandel of the older rock star running off with the Princess.

We know it is not like Jerry Lee because the song is a work of fiction.

*

Okay, so alllow me to clarify. In my orignal post, I was just answering the OP's question about the meaning of the term "morning papers." That is--the term "morning papers" refers to newspapers. However, I also agree that the song, itself, its meaning is about the fictional scandal between the protagonist of the Rock Soap Opera and the Princess, who, we are told, is fourteen. Based on the narrative of the album, the Princess is seeking the protagonist's help to save her from the seven men who murdered her father. In helping her, he falls in love with her as he is drawn to her and the Three Chains of Gold and what they represent. Thus, a romance between a grown man and a fourteen year-old would be scandalous. Yet, besides this somewhat creepy part of a grown man falling in love with a child, the narrative of the album is interesting in Prince's way of blending various mythical, religous, and historical imagery to make commengary about the need to overcome the physical and embrace the metaphysical or spiritual with love being the key/tool/power to man being able to complete the journal from the physical to the metaphysical/spiritual.

Sixteen, not fourteen.
Fourteen would be utterly gross, even by Dirty Mind standards.

bonatoc said:

ThatWhiteDude said:

bonatoc said:

erik319 said:

bonatoc said:

Sixteen, not fourteen.
Fourteen would be utterly gross, even by Dirty Mind standards.

What about 1990's standards? Schoolyard goes there

In "Schoolyard", he relates a story where he is sixteen and the girl is fourteen.
Sixteen and fourteen, I think we're fine.
Fourteen and thirty-three, not so much. I agree that sixteen should not be much different than fourteen,
but as far as adolescence goes, we all know there's a difference (or at least I hope so).

For having myself fallen in love with an animal half my age when I was 34,
before I could ask myself if this was reasonable, mutual passion took us by storm.
I can surely relate to Prince's situation.

Why are people making it more complex than it really is.

The line is what it is...he will have her home before the morning newspaper's are delivered

wich in my city is about 4:30 - 7am.Mayte even talks about how prince would pick her up and promise her parents he will have her home in time for school or at a reasonable time in her book...so that's where this song comes from.

.

[Edited 11/22/17 12:39pm]

darlingnikkkki said:

Star Tribune

Sid Hartman approves this comment

bonatoc said:

erik319 said:

bonatoc said: What about 1990's standards? Schoolyard goes there

In "Schoolyard", he relates a story where he is sixteen and the girl is fourteen.
Sixteen and fourteen, I think we're fine.
Fourteen and thirty-three, not so much. I agree that sixteen should not be much different than fourteen,
but as far as adolescence goes, we all know there's a difference (or at least I hope so).

For having myself fallen in love with an animal half my age when I was 34,
before I could ask myself if this was reasonable, mutual passion took us by storm.
I can surely relate to Prince's situation.

You shouldn't havesaid that, that's despictable.

Uh-oh. Here comes the McCarthism.

Given the recent news, I will tolerate your remark. Don't go suspiciously witch-hunting on me, your shocked reaction suggests you know nothing about what Prince sings about in this song.

If you had some kind of horrible experience with age difference,
I have nothing to do with it, nor does she. I'd suggest you listen to the song again.

Some of us age pretty slowly, and some grow pretty fast. It's not about the body, it's about the mind. Sometimes the two meet at mid-course. After all, we all know how to fuck, right? But falling in and making love comes from what's in your head and in your heart.

Again, with no one abusing no one.
It's a million light years from anything disgusting.
You'd better despise Prince too in this case, cause I've been where he has.

You read and seem to appreciate my posts for a while now. Do you really think an irrespectful, gross and violent man hides behind what I write? Maybe you think all young women are passive no-brains no-feelings victims. Some have extremely high IQs, adult desires, feel like they're frequenting child-like males and will come for you no matter what your first sane initial reaction of rejection at the situation might be.

Trust me when I tell you it felt exactly like the song's guitar soloes sound, and that we're still good friends. It was a two-year relationship, not a quick and dirty hotel room assault. No one was tricked or fooled. No one got hurt. Ask Mayte.

[Edited 11/22/17 16:16pm]

Or didn't you simply get the AOA's "Time" reference and think "animal" was sexist?

bonatoc said:

Uh-oh. Here comes the McCarthism.

Given the recent news, I will tolerate your remark. Don't go suspiciously witch-hunting on me, your shocked reaction suggests you know nothing about what Prince sings about in this song.

If you had some kind of horrible experience with age difference,
I have nothing to do with it, nor does she. I'd suggest you listen to the song again.

Some of us age pretty slowly, and some grow pretty fast. It's not about the body, it's about the mind. Sometimes the two meet at mid-course. After all, we all know how to fuck, right? But falling in and making love comes from what's in your head and in your heart.

Again, with no one abusing no one.
It's a million light years from anything disgusting.
You'd better despise Prince too in this case, cause I've been where he has.

You read and seem to appreciate my posts for a while now. Do you really think an irrespectful, gross and violent man hides behind what I write? Maybe you think all young women are passive no-brains no-feelings victims. Some have extremely high IQs, adult desires, feel like they're frequenting child-like males and will come for you no matter what your first sane initial reaction of rejection at the situation might be.

Trust me when I tell you it felt exactly like the song's guitar soloes sound, and that we're still good friends. It was a two-year relationship, not a quick and dirty hotel room assault. No one was tricked or fooled. No one got hurt. Ask Mayte.

[Edited 11/22/17 16:16pm]

Ok, i pardon you.

I don't need your pardon.
But I can understand a inter-generational love story can sound like science-fiction in a world with so much abuse.

dbpdexter said:

It's a newspaper being delivered. In the morning.

Did I miss a lyrical interlude that made this complicated or am I just old enough to remember when newspapers were delivered to homes in the morning? He's talking about Mayte being too young for him and having to enjoy thier romance or read about the gossip in "The Morning Papers".

bonatoc said:

Sixteen, not fourteen.
Fourteen would be utterly gross, even by Dirty Mind standards.

Or republicans from Alabama.

Truth be told, the Mayte courting and the age difference always struck me as a tad creepy and was very off putting to me for a long time. Still is to some degree. I feel the same way about Seinfeld, Ted Nugent, Jimmy Page and Woody Allen, etc. My (ex) wife was 9 years younger than me and I'm self aware enough to realize that a lot of that had to do with my maturity level, my experience, my fears and own control issues, but even still, she was 31 and I was 40.

The more I've learned about their marriage, the more it fits, because Prince was primarily into 1 thing beyond music: absolute control. I don't think it's a coincidence that his first wife was a beautiful, naive young woman who could be more easily controlled, told how to dress, what to do and when to do it than someone more his age who'd been around the block a few times and had seen the world. The early 90's also seemed to be "Peak Prince" as far as the controlling elements manifested by his ego and the process of exerting himself...or at least near the apex of it. The name change, "slave" and all that.

I think deep down, Prince was scared and masked it (very successfully) with his music and the persona he projected onto the universe of fame, ultimately inventing a rather uniqe way to handle it. A lot of artists are uncomfortable in the spotlight and feel out of control, unabel to control thier image and what people say. Some eat a gun, like Cobain or Cornell.

Prince built his own fairy tale universe to live in and constructed his own princess.