I was just at Amazon.com

and going thru Prince songs there

and they have certain songs and albums as EXPLICIT

yet the particular song isn't at all

or songs that could be considered explicit aren't labelled as such


Purple Rain album [Explicit]

Controversy album [Explicit]

Gett Off The Very Best Of Prince Not listed as explicit

Erotic City ( LP Version) The Hits/The B-Sides 3 not listed as explicit

Cream (LP Version W/O Rap Monologue) not listed as explicit
Diamonds And Pearls

Batdance ( LP Version ) [Explicit] Batman [Explicit]
Adore ( LP Version) [Explicit]


I think Prince music has been unfairly judged in this way

2 me most of Princes music isn't 'explicit' especially in a direct way

I think most of his 80's work was pretty radio friendly



Nothing about the album purple rain is explicit outside of Darling Nikki talking about a girl masturbating

Batdance album Explicit?

the song Adore Explicit?

Much of Prince's music was considered explicit back in the day.

Dayclear said:

I know, yet it really wasn't

the 1st 2 albums weren't
I'll say Dirty Mind was
Controversy: outside of Jack U Off and the ending of Do Me Baby was pretty 'safe'
1999 had songs that were covered in shadow and analogy: Let's Pretend We're Married, the ending of International Lover, the sex scene in Lady Cab Driver
But the rest of the album was 'safe'
Purple Rain was really radio friendly outside of Darling Nikki
non of the other songs could be considered Explicit
ATWIAD: safe, there are people who are just finding out what Tamborine is about,and Temptation is just what it sounds like
Parade seriously safe

Seriously how old are you?

Are you forgetting Little Red Corvette is explicit? The heavy breathing part?

When I'd listen to the radio as a young girl the radio would cut out that part of the song at certain times of the day. Then play the unedited version with the heavy breathing part at night. Where were you in the 80s?

Prince was famous for subliminal messages in his songs.
[Edited 3/10/09 23:27pm]

let's stay on topic and not ask peoples their ages



anyway Purple Rain explicit




blah edit
[Edited 3/10/09 23:52pm]

Leave the moding to the mods PEJ and I was staying on topic tyvm.

Computer Blue is explicit as well(the spoken part by Wendy and Lisa) Referring to 2 lesbian and or partners about to be intimate. I caught that when I first heard it(then again so did my mother).

Darling Nikki of course that is a no brainer

Some lyrics of Let's Go Crazy-"call the old lady for a friendly word.....(heavy breathing) is all I heard"

I'm sure there is more I will think of

Im pretty sure Prince was 'generally' labelled without them actually listening to each track. The xplicit labels were a new thing along with parental advisory labels as there was no rating for music, as if hearing explicit content would ruin your life.

funny they never censored books in this way!


oh BTW most of Ps music in the 80s was not radio friendly. This is why just the same old songs get any airplay in the UK. again its a farse when so many songs are edited to play on the radio. We dont censor books and black out the rude bits!!! magazines are censored in their positioning for sale ie top shop



funny how christina gets to say 'i'm your super bitch' on air in her song
[Edited 3/11/09 3:55am]

Purple Rain was one of the albums that the PMRC targeted and presented to Capital Hill as unfit for consumption by minors. Darling Nikki was the poster child for the PMRC and it's efforts that lead to Parental Advisory stickers.

Amazon.com may base it's "explicit" labeling on the Parental Advisory Warning voluntarily applied to the recording's packaging or marketing literature.

From the RIAA:

Uniform Guidelines for Determining Whether a Sound Recording Should Use a PAL Notice

Participant record labels and/or artists should use the following guidelines to determine whether any particular sound recording contains strong language or depictions of violence, sex, or substance abuse to such an extent as to merit parental notification, as described in more detail in these Standards. Strong language or depictions of violence, sex, or substance abuse to such an extent is referred to herein as “PAL Content.” Only the record label or artist that owns and/or distributes the particular sound recording may determine whether the sound recording contains PAL Content and warrants the use of a PAL Notice.

A determination that a sound recording contains PAL Content is not a statement as to whether the sound recording is or is not suitable for particular listeners. Nor is the absence of any notification that a sound recording contains PAL Content a statement that the sound recording is completely devoid of all references to strong language or depictions of violence, sex, or substance abuse. Rather, it is utilized to (i) provide parents, consumers, and companies within the sales or distribution chain notice that parental discretion is advised when purchasing the particular sound recording for children or when listening to the sound recording with children present; (ii) guide the labeling, marketing, and distribution of the sound recording; and (iii) provide notice whether an Edited Version (defined below) of a sound recording exists. A record label or artist determination that a sound recording contains PAL Content shall result in the use of PAL Content indicators, as more fully described in these Standards, to provide notice of the PAL Content. Such indicators are referred to herein as “PAL Notices.”

It is obviously not possible to define each individual situation in which a record label or artist should determine that a sound recording contains PAL Content. In making such a determination, however, record labels and artists should consider:

1. that contemporary cultural morals and standards should be used in determining whether parents or guardians would find the sound recording suitable for children;

2. the context in which the material is used, as some words, phrases, sounds, or descriptions might be offensive to parents if spotlighted or emphasized, but might not offend if merely part of the background or a minimal part of the lyrics;

3. the context of the artist performing the material, as well as the expectations of the artist’s audience;

4. that lyrics are often susceptible to varying interpretations, and that words can have different meanings and should not be viewed in isolation from the music that accompanies them (i.e., lyrics when accompanied by loud and raucous music can be perceived differently than the same lyrics when accompanied by soft and soothing music);

5. that such a determination requires sensitivity and common sense, and that context, frequency, and emphasis are obviously important; isolated or unintelligible references to certain material might be insufficient to warrant labeling a particular sound recording as containing PAL Content;

6. that these Standards apply to the case of a single track commercially released as well as to full albums (whether released in the form of a CD, cassette or any other configuration); and

7. that a sound recording may contain strong language or depictions of violence, sex, or substance abuse, yet due to other factors involved, may not merit a designation as containing PAL Content.

The record label or artist determination that a sound recording contains PAL Content shall affect the marketing, sale, and distribution of such sound recording, as described in greater detail throughout these Standards. For purposes of clarification, only the applicable record label or artist shall determine whether any particular sound recording contains PAL Content, and all other Participants shall abide by the applicable record label or artist’s determination.

thats very interesting thanks squirrel

'contemporary cultural morals ... should be used'



does a PAL content label stay for ever with the music? or can it be withdrawn


ie old tracks which were demed PAL content back then by todays standards are not thought so bad, could they get the label retracted?

syble said:

I have no idea where you are syble, but Im in the USA.even in different part of the USA stations were different and im ONLY speaking from when I was growing up and the station that used to play the songs. So I hope I dont offend you in that way. If I did it wasnt my intentions and do apologize.

They say lots of stuff on TV NOW then back in the 80's. They used to bleep out words like "bitch" "hell" and many others. NOW they dont, I have heard them use "tits" "ass" "son of a bitch" along with others.

They did the same with words like that on the radio as well.AND certain parts of songs as I described above.

You can thank Tipper Gore for those nic eblack and white stickers you see on albums/CD/cassettes and that. Makes me wanna go back in time and Tipper. It has been discussed before to us kids back then and maybe NOW in these days, its a huge "BUY ME I HAVE EXPLICIT LANGUAGE ON MY TRACK/TRACKS!!" to kids today. I knew back then it screamed it to me lol Made me wanna buy it more, it was like a attention getter sticker lol.

( sorry for the caps was speaking like the sticker may have wanted to)

toots said:

Heavy breathing?
That's not explicit, there are and were a lot of music in the 80's with heavy breathing

Yes Prince subliminal or disguised songs were famous, which means it could be played on the radio

You singled out Little Red Corvette, where I'm from the song would be played fully, DMSR as well.

What I'm trying to say is there is an assumption that Prince music is explicit, when a lot of it isn't: Pussy Control (just for that word) would label it explicit, but ADORE is according to AMAZON.com

toots said:

Computer Blue as a song is not explicit, especially since most of it is instrumental
Nothing obvious or overt about the opening to that song
I didn't even know they were lovers until years years later, I doubt a lot of people did. Of course the opening is sexy but not explicit. In the 80's the radio stations played most of Purple Rain, Darling Nikki got air play late at night, everything else was played

OldFriends4Sale said:

In my area the stations concidered the heavy breathing explicit until late at night they (the station) WOULD NOT play the unedited version til AFTER a certain time frame. SO yes in my area IT WAS explicit.

As I said WHERE I AM FROM they didnt play LRC in full like they did in ur area, every area is different.

Everyone is singling songs out including you and albums.

Just because it was disquised ( a subliminal message/heavy breathing) in a song dont mean ALL radio stations play it/them.It depends on the radio stations that is their call. They NEVER played DMSR her ein my area the first time I even heard it or my friends was on the cassette.

My point is: ALL radio stations were different on what they wanted to air and what they did not. Same as websites now.

i never heard darlin nikki on air, yes toots i am in london, uk.

i dont think there was that much of prince played on air in the 80s here, obviously the purple rain stuff like doves cry was all over the place and the videos on shows like top of the pops.

Words get cut here too on some stations, but theres some london stations like kiss fm who dont play the radio edits but the proper version.

I dont think music should be censored like that for language. its easier for them surely to control at what time its played so as to not reach young ears.

however i have to say when stan came out from enimem i did worry about my kids listening to the end part about tying the girlfriend up in the trunk etc as they were little at the time.

OldFriends4Sale said:

As I said NOT where I am from. Darling Nikki got NO air play casue of the lyrics. Computer Blue NEVER played either cause of the first part of the song. Sorry but it does differ from area to area. And Im ONLY speaking from my area.

syble said:

I disagree that most of Princes music was explicit in the 80's I would say the 90's had more explicit songs

I don't think just because we as fans may breakdown a song and figure out what he's talking about makes it explicit. A lot of the soul singers of the 50's & 60's did the same thing Prince did in covering up the message with analogies:Tamborine for example

If you go thru the list of songs on each album you'll find way more radio friendly songs. Just because they didn't get played didn't make them explicit.

I mean SUGAR WALLS was played all the time, not censoring and we know what that song is about, that got played anytime in the day.

And NASTY GIRL was seriously played, and I don't remember any editing

Dirty Mind(album) I'll right off as Adult(not radio friendly)
Uptown was probably the most played song from the album

Controversy, Private Joy, Do Me Baby, Let's Work received regular airplay
Ronnie Talk 2 Russia didn't because it just didn't

Purple Rain: picked up the phone dropped it on the floor ___ ___ is all I heard... what's explicit about that? Let's Go Crazy was a song that got regular airplay Take Me With U, the Beautiful Ones, Computer Blue, When Doves Cry, I Would Die 4 U, Baby I'm A Star, Purple Rain
17 Days Another Lonely Christmas(during the holiday season) & Erotic City (the f word was edited for love or scratched) got regular airplay

Around the World In A Day: 8 Songs 3 B-sides non explicit (Tempation being the exception)

Parade: what is explicit on Parade or even the B sides

SOTT: If I Was Your Girlfriend got regular airplay as a single, they just didn't play the ending -same as Do Me Baby
nothing else 'explicit' on side 2
Housequake had a curse word 'damn' that was nothing, it wasn't edited out especially by 1987, It(could be considered explicit) but what else from the album?

Lovesexy was a pretty 'clean' album

Batman album 'radio friendly' non explicit
[Edited 3/11/09 6:32am]

syble said:

The label is, and has always been a voluntary system, so the label could be withdrawn at any time. Should an explicit record without the PAL be placed in stores that specifically ask for content disclosure, probably not. Early on, tests were done by certain record companies where the same CD was issued with the sticker and without. Marketing with the PAL was many times more successful than without it.

There may have been records put out with the warning label in which the content did not at all fall under the explicit guidelines, just for the sake of reaching a demographic target.

There are cases in the Prince catalog (and many others) where Edited copies were issued without the label such as CDs for Best Buy, Target, Walmart, BMG and promotional-only copies. These were sold along side the Explicit copies at stores that would accept both.

There are some funny songs that Prince did for these Edited CDs... "Sexy mutha Ooooahhhh..." comes to mind .

syble said:

What I know and from my area that was played in 80's here:

Contraversy
Sexuality( after late hours on one station cant remember the name)
1999
LRC(unedited after late hours, edited during daylight hours)
Free( couple times)
Delirious
Lets Go Crazy
When Doves Cry
I Would Die 4 U
Take Me With U
Purple Rain

After that cant really think. But those are the ones played in my area at the time of the 80's when I was a young pup. If I think of more ill edit posts.

OldFriends4Sale said:

IMHO some of those were ONLY played in ur area not in all as I described above in my post. So really you cant say what songs got "regular airplay" all over the country/states/cities. You speaking for your area ONLY, not for mine. What may be popluar or played in LA may not be played in NYC or Chicago.

toots said:

TOOTS get off the defense, I'm talking about what was played on the radio station where I'm from, I thought that would be pretty clear I'm talking about what I heard on the radio. I'm not telling you this is what was played all over or in your area.

Alot of Prince's songs are explicit, directly or indirectly, sexually or otherwise.
Explicit doesn't only mean sexual.
Plus, Prince himself was explicit in dress, action & performance.
I'm guessin those were the reasons.

Its all relative, what is classed as "explicit" in contemporary music would be "outrageous" in the 80's, the bar has been significantly raised.

JayJai said:

actually according to definition: A lot of Prince music is covered up in analogy which make it non explicit.

I really got this topic from reading thru what AMAZON.com labelled explicit
Do you really think Adore could be considered explicit?

http://www.dictionary.net/explicit
1. Not implied merely, or conveyed by implication; distinctly stated; plain in language; open to the understanding; clear; not obscure or ambiguous; express; unequivocal; as, an explicit declaration.

The language of the charter was too explicit to admit of a doubt. --Bancroft.

2. Having no disguised meaning or reservation; unreserved; outspoken; -- applied to persons; as, he was earnest and explicit in his statement.

Syn: Express; clear; plain; open; unreserved; unambiguous.

Usage: Explicit, Express. Explicit denotes a setting forth in the plainest language, so that the meaning can not be misunderstood; as, an explicit promise. Express is stronger than explicit: it adds force to clearness. An express promise or engagement is not only unambiguous, but stands out in bold relief, with the most binding hold on the conscience. An explicit statement; a clear and explicit notion; explicit direction; no words can be more explicit. An explicit command; an express prohibition. ``An express declaration goes forcibly and directly to the point. An explicit declaration leaves nothing ambiguous.'' --C. J. Smith.

OldFriends4Sale said:

I wasnt on the defence Read your posts prior and you will see why I was saying things. I was being civil as possible. No need to jump my ass for NOTHING. Sounds like you got ur panties in a bunch.

If you didnt want to discuss such topic why even start the discussion.

Back in the 80's mom had a friend in radio, she would tell us WHY some song could not be played I even asked her about Computer Blue and DMSR she said for DMSR just the word "sex" in the title got the station managers pants in a bunch so they never played it, even upon request.Computer Blue jsut for the simple fact of the 2 girls at the beginning talking like they were. They were hard asses like that back then. they refused to play Sugar Walls even. Just so you may know.
[Edited 3/11/09 6:56am]

toots said:

OldFriends4Sale said:

You keep referring (post 11) that "everything was played" you are missing my point "everything' was not played and for what ever reason rather be a word or explicit language or lyrics radio stations didnt have to play a song ONLY for that reason(s).Parents could of written to the websites( we didnt have this back then) and said look these/this is NOT suitable for kids please put a warning or red flag on this item/product. Parents are doing this like fire ants crawling up their legs these days. I really am not trying to start a fight with you honestly I am not. Syble even said songs were not played in her neck of the woods either and she wasnt defensive about it and neither was I but yet Im the one is supposedly "defensive"? Sorry but I am not. Im explaining to you things that dotn have to be or can be explicit for a radio to play songs or certain songs to NOT have airplay.

toots said:

Will U please let it go,
I got U, What was played in my city wasn't played in yours
please, let it go

OldFriends4Sale said:

Didn't read the very fine print did you?
[Edited 3/11/09 7:45am]

OldFriends4Sale said:

yeah heavy breathing ain't explicit

the song adore on the other hand has Prince saying "I ain't fuckin just for kicks"

OldFriends4Sale said:

seriously, some people won't let it go til they get the last word