vivid said:

Not sure about either of those songs. However, wasn't it "Condition of the Heart" that Susannah thought Prince was writing about another woman, because she wasn't aware of who Clara Bow was, and Susannah got upset (not screaming or anything, but just 'concerned') w/ Prince and quizzed him about who it was he was talking about. So not sure if COTH is about Susannah fully, but perhaps she is reference in the song, because Prince compares her giggle and smile to Clara Bow's.

I never felt IIWYG was a song about Susannah. But I think it's a safe assumption (and it's documented, I believe), that "Strange Relationship" is about his relationship w/ her. I could be wrong on that one.

ernestsewell said:

I remember reading somewhere that the line 'How was I supposed to know that she would wear the same cologne as you and giggle the same giggle that you do' was directed at Wendy after meeting Sussanah.

The above I think came from Wendy, and I think she is also on record on saying that IIWYG is Prince voicing his envy at the closeness of the twin sisters.
[Edited 11/19/09 8:57am]

ernestsewell said:

Yes, it is documented and the line "...for you I will dance a ballet naked." was supposedly inspired by Susannah´s interest in ballet.

KoolEaze said:

Yes, it is documented and the line "...for you I will dance a ballet naked." was supposedly inspired by Susannah´s interest in ballet.[/quote]

I re-bolded how my statement was meant.

vivid said:

That sounds familiar. That's probably what I was thinking.

RodeoSchro said:

true, but a lot of them are: Vanity, Susan Moonsie, Sheila E. Susannah Mayte Jill Jones

ernestsewell said:

Great follow up E

She's also on Rock Hard In A Funky Place [Black Album]

I still remember the rumor back then that Prince & Wendy were dating, not realizing that it was her twin sister.

OldFriends4Sale said:

More of them are not, though.

nurseV said:

hmmmm I think NurseV is a bit jealous?? lol just kidding

Susannah is a natural beauty, the Melvoin sisters have sexy mouths, beautiful smiles,

KoolEaze said:

My favorite version is actually the unreleased on, that had much more instrumentation. It has a strong Purple Rain era vibe, reminds me of God the Love Theme & Alexa de Paris

ernestsewell said:

I agree

From what I remember, Condition of the Heart was like a lyrical screenplay of the movie Under the Cherry Moon

ernestsewell said:

Of course, many are fictional, but to downplay the muse affect isn't realistic.

Many of the songs are fictional or about someone elses relationship or a combination of the two

OldFriends4Sale said:

That last statement says that Prince's use of women in his songs isn't unique, but rather a normality in music. Of course people use their experiences as a muse for the music. Prince certainly has, but it's not a special circumstance, anymore than a generic song about fucking. In the end, every musician has a muse. It's just that we know most of Prince's.

OldFriends4Sale said:

Call me a hater/jealous cuz them heffas look regular to me

For the ones who say Susannah: WRONG.

Prince reportedly did write this song for Jellybean Johnson, 'drummer' of The Family. Jellybeans girlfriend did just left him, prior to the sessions for the Family debut album, and the song was said to be Princes way of 'supporting him'.

Riverpoet31 said:

And your source for this is.....?

Riverpoet31 said:

Okay then.

Riverpoet31 said:

I hadn't heard this. Do you have a link, reference or article so that we can check this out?

nurseV said:

U have got to be kidding. Susannah is the most gorgeous girl he has ever been with. Period!!!

nurseV said:

I think ure a hater.

R we sure, that song was written in 1984 or early 1985, Prince and Susannah had just gotten together, apparently she lasted to the beginning of 1987. Unless they were having explosive break ups that early in the relationship.
Shes also mentioned in the songs Susannah's Pyjamas, Crystal Ball and the Ballad of Dorothy Parker, turns out Susannah told Prince who Dorothy Parker was. I think shes the subject of Strange Relationship 2. He was absolutely obsessed with her

I wanna live in the neighborhood where Susannah is considered plain, damn. Methinks Nurse V should check into getting Lasik.

LuneCerise said:

She's still gorgeous. When she smiles or laughs, she still lights up a room. She has a constant glow about her.

Huggiebear said:

It was written between June and the middle of July, 1984. He was dating her before that, because "The Beautiful Ones" is about her, and that was written at the end of September 1983.

"Susannah's Pajamas" is an instrumental, so she's mentioned in title only. That was also written in the June/July 1984 time frame. It was originally titled "Mazarati".

"Strange Relationship" dates back to June 1985, so if that's about her, it shows they were having slight problems 18 months before the potential breakup.

Riverpoet31 said:


This story was about Jerome, not Jellybean.

From Rock and Soul , august 1986:

" I was engaged to get married to a girl i L.A", Jerome confessed. "She wanted me to quit music. She turned the troll on me. I was hurting when we broke up. i used to go to Prince with my problems, so Prince wrote Nothing Compares 2 U about the way I felt"

Whether its the truth or a Prince concocted pr-story, I don't know, however Paul Peterson mentioned it in one of the recent q& a - videostreams. Susannah said she had no idea who it was about, she just sang on it, but thought the Jerome story was sweet.

Other close associates such as Susan Rogers and Donn Batts, has mentioned it was about his personal assistant, Sandy, whom Prince had a close but non-romantic relationship with. It was written after her father died and she had to go away for awhile. This is discussed in depht in Uptown # 35. So who knows.

I adore Susannah and the inspiration she provided for Prince. I think if one compiled all the songs about her on a cd, it would be the most passionate and beautiful collections of lovesongs ever.
Whether Nothing Compares 2 U belongs on this compilation or not is an open question. I'm not so sure.
Strange Relationship certainly does not, as it was originally written in 1982, before they met.

Songs that are generally accepted as written for Susannah includes:

Obviously Adore and Forever in My Life, both cited by Prince himself as being about her.

Then theres songs such as The Beautiful Ones, Condition of the Heart (Clara Bow = Wendy), Empty Room, Go, If I Was Your Girlfriend, Crystal Ball, The Ballad of D. P., Witness 4 the Prosecution, Big Tall Wall and Wally.
[Edited 11/22/09 4:58am]

Virgo said:

And "Wonderful Ass"

I heard it was about Rick James

I think I am going to sing this next time at Kareoke

txlaw said:

I just said that

We all know P is gay and thissong is the best relection of that.