Can someone explain the meaning of this song?
What's up with the scarry voice?

Prince's attempt to mock Gangsta rap. Then he realized that he would alienate himself worse than Michael Jackson did with Bad from the "Black Community" and he pulled the album.

The album was raunchy, mysogynist, drug laden...and that's just 3 songs on the album I remember at the time, people were mildly impressed by it, and danced to Superfunkicalifragisexy in the clubs a bit. But hell, people were still just getting to dancing to Housequake and Hot Thing (which was a HUGE sleeper hit in the clubs).

The Black Album was doomed. I'm glad he pulled it.

GrecianGoddess said:

How about the Imagary Prince Portrayed in this song in concert? He was a Pimp and Cat was the Prostitute or Whore. He was very Cunning whilst performing it with his Dragon emblazed Black Satin Coat and Rhinestone Glasses. He's talking to Cat and Saying Who gave you that and Who Bought you that? At the End he shoots her with his Microphone "Gun" then the Cops come to his Door he tries to run away ,but They Got him and he tries to stage a Shoot-out with them. He Prays to God and says he'll be Good. The Cops end up shooting him at the end. The way Prince Performed this Song at the Lovesexy Concert was one of the Highlights of his Shows. Chilling Song.

I really can't even visualize "Prince" when hearing the voice of Bob George. I see some big, dark, and scary black man -- Joe Frazier like -- and then the lyric that seals the dichotomy:

"Prince? that skinny motherfucker with the high voice?"

Brilliant darkness... indeed.

kmc said:

I saw the lovesexy tour,
Add 2 your mental image a nasty pimp furcoat and Huge weird sunglasses... (kinda like bootsy collins meets Caveman)yup U got the picture... it was kinda weird 2 see Prince dressed that way indeed, but it did kinda fit within the show, the love, the sin and finally the redemption part...
hmmm was one of my favorite tour actually...

[This message was edited Wed Sep 11 0:22:14 PDT 2002 by johnny]

johnny said:

i'm sorry i missed all that! as for the song itself, i find it has a certain goofiness similar to "tricky." in fact, aren't one or two of the same insults used in both?

GrecianGoddess said:

Well, it is parody. There is a man who is fighting with his wife/girlfriend. She's the little squeaks that you hear. (She may or may not be cheating on him, but he is very abusive.)

I think it's really funny, (although I know I shouldn't.) The man is portrayed as an oaf. Combine that with a woman who is denied a "voice" and it is hard for me to be offended by it. The bottom of that song is pure funk - just nasty and fun.

teacherlady88 said:

This didn't translate well. Let me explain. The song is too over the top not to see that the man is joking. There we go.

Dauphin said:

I don't think Bob George was mocking gangsta rap...I don't think gangsta rap existed in '87, did it? I think it just was supposed to be a parody of a pimp and his girlfriend and that was it...as, that has been already said, he protrayed in the Lovesexy concert. Dead On It was the mocking of rap...but it was more of a mockery of Run DMC and The Fat Boys...and that era of rap. But I do agree THAT song would have been an embarrassment if it was released back in '87, but the album as a whole I think is pretty good...though not great.

I have always loved Bob George though...anytime I played it back in the day at house parties people would always crank it and JAM to it, having no idea it was Prince. I thought it was dark and rude as well as fun and funky.

This song is one of the reasons I love Prince.