I know that this is one of the songs that is discussed rather often. But it wasn't until lately that this song really got me, now I find myself really into this song.
If you like to, please share your views about the song here. I remember that Organgrinder had some really beautiful things to say about this song.

My favorite song by far. Can I just say it's personal and he sends me!

That's why one can NEVER count any of Prince's songs out. Because, you never know when it's going to hit you, you never know when that light in your head is going to go on and then one day WHAM! the song clicks and you feel it in a way that you never have before.

The thing about Joy in Repetition is how there are so many subtle but important sounds going on throughout the entire song. I love the part near the end where the guitar solo is blaring but in the background vocals Prince says something like "I like to go way high and say 'LOVE ME'" which when he gets to the "love me" part he sings in a real high falsetto. It's like... only Prince would take the time to tell himself to sing a part in the song in a high falsetto, then go sing the part back to himself in a high falsetto.

It's just an amazing song with some very uniquely Prince type things going on. It's one of those Prince songs where you say to yourself "only Prince could create that song".

Every time I hear this song it puts me in a place that is hard to define. It's a place where the music invades your being and completely takes you over. I loved this song from the very first instant I heard it. I will never forget the day I "got" this song. I was sitting and listening in my bedroom. I had just partaken of a little "herb" and was just chilled out in front of my speaker when Joy came on. Every time before this I really only concentrated on the music and never really paid attention to the words (even though I memorized them all and knew them by heart). This time was different. No matter how mesmerized I was by the music, I could not ignore the words and it was this listen that burned this song into my soul. With my eyes closed, I sat as the music enveloped me. Immediately I was transported into that club, watching the band perform "Soul Psychodelicide".

"Talking to no one in particular, they say the best I am tonight
4 letter words are seldom heard with such dignity and bite
All the poets and the part time singers always hang inside
Loud music from a band plays a song called soul psychodelicide
The song's a year long and had been playing for months when they walked into the place
No one seemed to care, that introverted (this is it) look on most of their faces
Up on the mike repeating 2 words, over and over again
Was this womanhehadnevernoticedbeforehelosthimselfinthearticulatedmannerinwhichshesaidthem
These 2 words, a little bit behind the beat, I mean just enough to turn ya on
For every time she said the words another one of his doubts were gone
Should he try to rap to her, should he stand and stare?
Noone else was watching her, she didn't seem to care
So over and over she said the words till he could take no more (no more)
He dragged her from the stage, together they ran through the back door
In the alley over by the curb he said 'Tell me, what's your name?'
She only said the words again and it started to rain (rain rain rain)
2 words falling between the drops and the moans of his condition
Holding someone is truly believing there's joy in repetition..."

And then after you have lived in this dreamscape for the last 3 minutes you are now slammed with the most kick ass guitar solo. Listen to the solo and let it live in you like the story just lived in your mind. It's amazing how the guitar ACTUALLY puts feeling into the whole scene that went down between this stranger and the woman who effortlessly bought his soul with her pleadings of love. How exciting to be either participant, the woman who with 2 words caused a helpless man to snatch her in hopes of fullfilling his desire or the man who could take no more.

I decided to use the the whole point of this song as my signature. Holding someone IS truly believing, there's Joy in Repetition...

truly one of my favorites

The version from the afterparty at THe World in NY from April this year absolutely rocks!

My favorite Prince song hence the name I use. Prince shows true genius on this song. It's a shame that it was left off SOTT and not released a single. The song has number 1 written all over it. I also wished Prince kept the lone drum beat in the beginning, it was so hypnotic. The segue crowd noise didn't do the song justice. However it's the best Prince song to me by far that he's ever created. I also dig Big Tall Wall too. All the songs Prince created during the summmer of 1986 i.e. Camille, Crystal Ball, SOTT, Black Album are the peak of Prince's musical career. He truly reached the pinnacle of his gift of making music.

Oh Yes yes yesss...Joy N Repetition my all time favoraite Prince song!!!
I was sooo excited to have finially heard it live last year.
Oh so many years I have waited to hear this one live.
and since that 1st time I have now heard it bout 5 more times live
Prince is really playin this one alot now.

I drifted into another world when Santana came out on stage in DC and did Joy N Repetition with Prince
yeahhh
i was really feeling that nite.

I just have one small complaint bout the way he sings Joy N repetition of the year Y2k...
the line of "4 letter words are seldom heard with such dignity and bite"..has now changed to.."4 letter words will not b heard on this stage tonite"

Prince Prince Prince no no no please dont mess with this song...
its perfect just the way it is...
now if u wanna add more to the story and make it like a 10 min song then go head ...
I like it when Prince tells me a story.

His Y2K version of changing the song just that little bit is a great example of how religion is fucking up his music. In the original song the 4 letter word he sings about is "LOVE"!!! Damnit, I hate that he would change the song to make such a fucking stupid point about cursing.

If you like to, please share your views about the song here. I remember that Organgrinder had some really beautiful things to say about this song.[/quote]

This is one of the most discriptive songs by far
and most romanticly vivid.

I did a story board animatic to it for a class
assignment.

2 words falling between the drops
and the moans of his condition.
holding some is truly believing
there's joy in repetiton

I live by those words man!!

from the moment i heard it, i knew that it would be THE ONE
for me.
i never had a problem FEELIN IT...
it took me back to little wings, and so many other timeless
hendrix joints.
it hit me the way (as i said)
little wings
voodoo chile and
hey joe, hit me
like MAGGOT BRAIN!!!
you know once you hear those songs,
you'll always hear music, different.
'over and over again'

Didnt he do this one at a ONA aftershow? I have a feeling he will be using this song as part of his future repetoire just like he has rediscovered Annastesia...

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

I always thought too that the four letter word Prince originally meant was 'love'. That is why I don't understand why he chaged the lyrics on some of the ONA conerts I've heard.

My #2 fav. song of all time

I love Joy In Repetition.
It's definitely one of those songs that sneak up on you.
When I first heard it, it was on bootleg in '97,
and I have to admit that it didn't really grab me at first.
Over the years it really grew on me, I loved the hypnotic
groove and the way the song slowly builds.
I remember seeing the tracklisting for Graffiti Bridge
a few months before it was released and thinking
'fantasic, he's finally gonna officially release Joy In Repetition',
but then when I heard the album, I was somewhat disappointed.
Why did he segue it out of We Can Funk like that!
I won't as far as saying it ruined the song, but
it came close. I mean, what was he thinking? When he edited
those first 30-40 seconds off the beginning of the song, a
lot of the atmosphere of the song went with them. I assumed
it was like that because that's how it appears in the film,
but then I saw the film, and he used the proper intro in that!
(albeit somewhat edited). I much prefer the version with
the full intro. I didn't even mind the version that segues
out of The Ball (it still managed to retain it's atmosphere)
, but the Graffiti Bridge segued version really annoyed me.
He could have at least put the unedited version on the b-side
to one of the Graffiti Bridge singles.
Anyway, that's my rant for the day,
I'll shut up now.

Thanks to anyone who commented!
...I agree with those who say that this song is "descriptive" and "visual". Perfect song for a video. Or a short musical film like Thriller.
[This message was edited Thu Aug 1 10:30:30 PDT 2002 by calldapplwondery83]