Hey just wondering what my fellow orgers think about this.

Do you think Prince's music is autobiographical or not?

I cannot help but think he is talking about himself or his own experiences when I listen to some of the songs on Planet Erath, or when I listen to his love songs I immediately jump to the conclusion that he is in love and that is what he is talking about-his own personal feelings.

Plus it kind of makes me feel better to think I can get to know him by listening to what he's going through/feeling.

Obviously Im not suggesting all songs are autobiographical but I think there is an elemnt of art imitating life when it comes to his music.

Prince's stuff is very autobiographical. He says it himself, regarding why he historically never gave many interviews: whatever he has to say is in his music.

You must realise that Prince doesn't write about himself, he merely writes about an entity that could or could not be Prince... Any and every experience Prince has had and any and every ethereal experience Prince has had. We can't surprise him, he's so intellectually beyond us... accept the fact that all you're doing is following... though following the most interesting musician in decades... makes it worth it somehow...huh?

Yes, mostly.

poor you? us?

Prince is as much a part of this world, and has an equal compassionate approach
for those he shares the world with. "For You." is generous lyrically, and
"SOLO" is more of a private emotion.

Girl, unless he's written a song about narwhals of course they aren't autobiographical.

Except the ones that are..

Absolutely. From day one, I have believed that the majority of his music is about him, based on personal experiences, things he has seen, and ideas he has thought up which his imagination runs away with him, somewhat distorting the reality it in.

I'm not quite sure who said it in Prince of Paisley Park, but she said that each song he writes a little piece of him, so he's really sharing himself with the world in his songs.

He gave me no reason to doubt his songs are autobiographical. But in some ways all of his songs are because they all come from his heart. Can't get more autobiographical than that. If he felt it at one time within his heart, it's a part of him.

And I think its simply amazing how a man can write so much about almost everything. Sure, mostly about sex and things 2 related sex (like love). It never seems like he's running short on things to write about.

Even more amazing is when he takes something that's troubling him, put his own spin on it (channel anger and sadness thru his instrument of choice, usually ), and even make it funny for himself so it rolls off him like water off a duck's back.

I most likely will comment more later, but I think this is a good start.

Prince has stated that both 'Purple Rain' and 'Another Lonely Christmas' are fiction-based songs.

langebleu said:

Purple Rain: the story itself is fictional. It didn't feel an experience like that happened to him where he had to apologize to someone and wished them well.

I think he wrote it to have a huge hit. To come up with a compelling message that people would react to and forever remember him for. But I think it is based on some of his personal beliefs in God and the "purple rain" itself.

I think they are, yes.

DreamyPopRoyalty said:

Then again it's easy to argue that most of the threads you post are about you.

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[Edited 10/16/07 1:32am]

I believe so. It seems that it would be difficult to write with such clarity (touching all of our souls) without having personal experiences to draw from. Isn't it true that in the past he's written about people that have been in his life? If so, then it is reasonable to assume that he continues in that vein.