Annie Chrsitian, Anti Christ/Until U're crucified/I'll live my life in taxi cabs

Anyone care to take a shot at that one for me?

The taxi cabs line, I believe, was meant to say he'd rather live his life in obscurity, as opposed to bringing attention to himself in such a crazy way.

I have never really taken the time to figure this song
out but I think I'll give it a try now

I agree with the others. The transience and anonymity of the taxi cabs is a form of security for Prince. He's rather live on the fringe and subtract himself from an evil society.

He also uses the taxi cab metaphor similarly in Lady Cab Driver. The world is rough, unfair, evil. He feels sad and alone and seeking the comfort of the cab.

I think I ´ve mentioned it before that I once got into a music discussion with a taxi driver two years ago. We talked about the deeper meaning of Prince´s use of taxis in his lyrics.

Maybe the taxi stands as a metaphor for the safety, security and anonymity that riding aournd in cabs brings you.A taxi gives you that extraspecial anonymity that you don´t have when driving around in your own car.
It also functions as a barreer between you and the outside world since the cab driver is usually the one who stays in contact with the outside world since he´s the one who has to observe traffic, follow instructions, react to traffic lights etc.

And he´s the one who has the responsibility.

The taxi makes the protagonist less vulnerable and acts as a vehicle to change location, i.e not really having a home, as said in the previous post.

"Not having a place to go" can also be heard towards the end of Lady Cab Driver.

And don´t forget the taxi scene in Joint 2 Joint...the situations have similarities, the protagonist relies on the driver and seems a bit confused and vulnerable.
The taxi is a comfortable safezone that protects the narrator of the song.

Oh,I was still writing my post when SynthiaRose posted hers !

I agree with you, as you can see in my post above.

Annie Christian
Lady Cab Driver
Joint 2 Joint
101 (well, in a different context)
Style (also in a different context)

How many other times has Prince mentioned taxis in his song ?

Yeah, I forgot to mention Joint 2 Joint.


Can anyone think of other taxi/cab references in Prince songs? I think there's one in Lovesexy, but it's used differently.

SynthiaRose said:

Lady Cab Driver

Taxicabs have always been a shell to hide from the world in 2 Prince, what he maybe saying is whilst fucked up people like Annie Christian run around doing crazy shit, Prince wants no part of it and and uses the taxicab/shell metaphor as a way to declare his anomynity.
Yes I know in other songs he uses it as asex analogy but I am sure in Annie Christian sex is the last thing on his mind, even if it is between Lets Work and Jack U off!!!

Cool, I figured as much that it had something to do with his being "secure" and such. Thanks 2 u all that have responded.

yep, it's about hiding out

I'm not sure how it is everywhere, but in this city on cold or rainy nights homeless people have been known to get together in small groups and pool together any money they have and ride around in taxis all night for shelter.
I once had a friend who's not a fan listen to this song and Lady Cab Driver, and after listening to it was quiet for a while, thinking. He then asked if Prince had ever been homeless or been in foster homes, or if he'd lacked a steady home or security in some other way growing up, and that if he had, might he have tried the literal use of a taxi as shelter, as some homeless people do?

Something to think about it.

Shouldn't it be more like "Lady limo driver"
"I'll spend my life in Limos"

Only limos can provide the saftey, security and annonymity from the world that he's seeking.

Lady cab driver does sound sexier. Although, the limo would have given him much more room to "show her what this is for..." and "That is what that is for".
See a limo would have worked. Hell make it "Lady Hummer Driver" more than enough innuendo there. Slap one of those Parental Advisory stickers on that bad boy.
[Edited 1/2/06 23:45pm]

so, you sayin' your head don't turn when you see a limo?
taxis drive by all day long without no one giving a care
but lots of people wonder who's there in that limo going by

Snap said:

Unless you have x-ray vision, one cannot see into a limo. If you're looking for someone, even though there are more cabbies, there glass is not tinted. Every thing he did to the ladycab driver would be viewable. And as for hiding from Annie he would be found easily, just a matter of time. If I'm looking to hide I'll take the limo. And at the end if I'm got by Annie then at least I go out in style.

setyrmindphree said:

Even so, a limo draws attention to you, which goes against the paranoid, panic ridden side that Prince is expressing in the song. He wants to disappear into the crowd, be constantly on the go. A limo still stands out too much. That's not what Prince is desiring to do in this song.

PurpleKnight said:

Did I say Limo, I meant a rickshaw. Now, no-one would expect to find P in one of those..

i thought it meant always on the go... always on the run.

setyrmindphree said:

talk2bill2 said:

yep, "on the run" too

talk2bill2 said:

Yes, I believe it's a metaphor for anxiety and paranoia; a life lived on the run.