Forgive me if this is the generally accepted notion about this song, but it's only just occurred to me (after first hearing the song over a decade ago):

That Anna Stesia is about Prince's night in the club on a bad trip.

The first half, is about how he felt as the trip turned bad, and he needs something to take the bad feelings go away.

"Between white and black, night and day
Black night seemed like the only way...
So I danced"
- He's in the club at night, he was out partying.

" Music late, nothing great (Music late, nothing great)
No way 2 differentiate (No way 2 differentiate)
- These were the feelings that brought about the Black Album - self doubt because he was being critically challenged by Rap and Hip-Hop. He was doubting himself, he believed his critics, he felt he needed something new, so he looked for inspiration…

I took a chance
…and took a chance to see the world from a different perspective and took the E.

Gregory looks just like a ghost
And then a beautiful girl the most
Wets her lips 2 say
- Gregg Brooks in the club (maybe he gave him the E, and saw him doing a whitey and bolted - that is pure speculation on my part) - or he just looked shocked.

This is where he meets Ingrid Chavez, he goes back home with him

"We could live 4 a little while
If U could just learn 2 smile
U and I could fly away, fly away."

She sent a note over saying “Smile, I love it when you smile” – Or something like that.

The 2nd half is him coming out of it and thanking God that he was OK, and that he was an idiot for doubting himself and his true goals in life, what he saw as his purpose, and that he will stay on course spreading the message of God and positivity in his music – then follows the enactment of that promise to God by finishing the song with a blatant Religious message.

I always saw it as being connected with attaining a spiritual sense of calm through love of another (Anna Stesia) rather than by numbing your senses with a synthetic alternative (Anaesthesia). So yeah - maybe it is an anti-drugs song based on his (rumoured) bad experience with Ecstacy.

I love the original (pre-ONA) version of this song. I think that Anna Stesia is both a person/relationship and a drug (anesthesia). People and bad relationships can both be numbing, dark forces in your life, ya know? I think this play on words, the double meaning, is what makes it such a brilliant song.

What makes it especially great to me, and why I especially dislike the new extra-preachy take on it, is that I always took the addition of God at the end to be the addition of another, bigger anesthetic. Trading up from girl-drug to god-drug. I know that's not what Prince had in mind, but that's always how I heard it, and one of the things that I liked about Prince's older spiritual work was that it was subtle enough to interpret for oneself.

For me, Lovesexy (the album) is 'not music, it's a trip', and God is the drug, and with that in mind, I adore the album, and especially that song.

Doves,
Mel!ssa

I've always felt this song was about him fighting his demons. Fighting whether to walk in the life of God, or into the evil temptations surrounding him in his life on earth.

To me it was a battle calmed by spirituality of him choosing good over evil, and therefore him achieving the peace that came over him, which is Anna Stesia.

Whatever it means to you, is what makes the song special, even if some do agree or disagree...

Mia Bocca I know exactly what you are talking about because I said the same exact things to my brother, the same points you made, and after he listened to it and read DMSR, he was like WOW!!!

When Gregory looks like a ghost, then the beautiful girl the most- The X probably hit Prince when he saw Greg and he freaked and then Ingrid jumped in his face and that that when they left the club to go back to PP. Excellent insight. Org note me and we can discuss more theories on Anna Stesia.

I agree with Mia Bocca's analysis of this song.Especially the part about "music late,nothing great,no way to differentiate" being about 'The Black Album'.

a lot of artists will look to drugs when lacking inspiration... it could have happened to prince at a low point.

And a lot of artists will also use drugs, quite creatively, when not lacking any inspiration at all! It doesn't have to be that people turn to drugs just because they are feeling shit you know!

I've always been convinced it was about sexuality and not drugs, as if it shows guilt after a homo encounter. Now look back at the words with that in mind

Also on that album, Lets make love withm only words..;girls first (implying boys next).

I am not out to discredit him, i never would but i wonder if anyone else has read the meaning like me.

Sorry Freaker, but you're waaay out there!!

"Girls first" just means for them to talk first and I see nothing in Annastesia that implies a homosexual encounter. The opening line of "you'd take anyone, boy or girl" is the ONLY pointer in this song, but is moreso a metaphor for implying just how alone he felt!!

I have nothing against different interpretations, it's one of the beatuies of Prince's music and art in general - but, you should at least be able to substantiate the theory!

MiaBocca! That makes so much sense, thanks for sharing that. I'd never thought so deeply about it's meaning...

One more thing - Greg & Wally were on the SOTT tour, but not the Lovesexy tour.

Does anyone know why that is?

I've never read about their leaving the scene, so maybe it was this incident in the club that led Prince to part ways with these two bodyguards cum dancers that contributed to the splitting up of the Revolution (Wendy & Lisa disliked them and the amount of time Prince would spend with them) - maybe he was "trying to be more Black", or just enjoying the company of other Black men - since his critics were saying he had got too white.

Mindflux said:

"There's some Kings in my deck, and a Queen or 2, so you know there's nothing that I wouldn't do."
- Willing And Able

Another "pointer" !!?
[This message was edited Thu Jan 23 6:01:29 PST 2003 by james]

I always considered the Black Album and LoveSexy as a balanced pair of badness and goodness (black and white, whatever). 'Anna Stesia' is the fight to get over the bad spirits that produced the Black Album.
He took the black/white idea further in Batman with his Gemini character.

Hehe - good one, James!

I dont think that anastasia is about drugs at all.

it could be a story someone once told him

gregory could be the devil and anastasia is the light, the girl wetting her lips to say... could be about temptation.

it could be an actual experience of a boring nite at a club.

but i think prince is smarter than writng about drugs in this way... its definately about realisation...

this is just my opinion.

Mama Lisa 0(+>

MiaBocca said:

I think it was like when Sonny T and Michael B left. He went through a sort of macho phase with them, then got all religious and started making rules about smoking / drinking / drugs, and they either left or were fired !! They didn't suit his new image, and probably didn't respect his new beliefs.
Just a guess !

I think there is a drugs link. It sounds to me like they were all stoned ! Gregory was looking ill and Prince was feeling down, and someone said something to him that snapped him out of it. He realised that the way he was living couldn't go on, and changed.

james said:

The more I listen to it, the more I think that what I said above is precisely what the song is about.

Re: Sonny & Michael - I see the parallel.

Of course they had talent, where as Gregg & Wally were just a pair of bodyguards who got friendly with their employer, and ended up being dancers for a while.

They were gonna leave sooner or later, but I think that night in the club was the catalyst.

I wouldn't be surprised if they were doing drugs and stuff on tour when Prince wasn't around - like some band members were on the PR tour.

MiaBocca said:

As much as some Prince songs may reflect his personal life and I do agree Anna Stesia is one of those songs, I doubt very much that he puts enough personal elements in there to go as far as you guys are implying. I think that his lyrics can usually be very broadly interpreted. The purpose of that kind of writing is to make it appealing for as many people as possible and to not get fully personal out in the open. Prince is a very private person.

Ultimately the lyrics in their context of the song are all about a spiritual search for God. There is indeed a "party", which is interestingly also featured in the songs "2 Nigs united 4 West Compton","I no" and in the intro of "Joy in repetition". Bot "I no", "Anna Stesia" and "Joy" are all three ultimately about the theme "God is Love" and the search for this love. The kind of love he couldn't found at the party from "2 nigs 4 west compton".

As described in the song he is first in a deep state of depression and first looks outside of himself for a way out of it; Then he realises that he has been a fool, because none of the things or the people he is describing will show him the Love he is looking for.

It is a song written for anyone who feels lonely in this world and is looking for a true friend.

Abrazo said:

naturegirl says:
Abrazo, I believe you are right when you say "the kind of love he couldn't find at the party..." I do believe it is written for the lonely, and there are many who are. Prince identifies with the loneliness, and finds that it is
God's love that is everlasting.

Finding love in friendship, sharing the search for happiness, and ultimately knowing it is the love of God that is real and true. God's love works through us all.

What an amazing song. Even if anyone were to mock it, the end results show how it has touched so many hearts. For this, we all thank Prince for such a beautiful song!


[This message was edited Tue Jan 28 17:53:55 PST 2003 by naturegirl]

That is a brilliant theory. Really makes sense. Great job.

Have U ever been so lonely
That U felt like U were the
Only one in this world?
Have U ever wanted 2 play
With someone so much U'd take
Any one boy or girl?

Prince is justifying some of his past behavior and songs -- that he'd do these things for the people (to be liked, out of loneliness). "Did you like those songs? Is that what you wanted? I did those for you," Prince said during the Lovesexy tour. "And now... if you don't want to hear about God, you best get out now!"

Between white and black, night and day
Black night seemed like the only way...
So I danced
Music late, nothing great (Music late, nothing great)
No way 2 differentiate (No way 2 differentiate)
I took a chance

Creation of The Black Album: to be liked by fans and critics. But Prince also justifices that he did it to inject new "funk" and spunk into the music of the day. However...

Gregory looks just like a ghost
And then a beautiful girl the most
Wets her lips 2 say
"We could live 4 a little while
If U could just learn 2 smile
U and I could fly away, fly away."

Instead, he decides to choose Positivity; to get away from the dark "sinful" side. To find a new way! Salvation...

Save me Jesus, I've been a fool
How could I forget that U are the rule
U are my God, I am Your child
From now on, 4 U I shall be wild
I shall be quick I shall be strong
I'll tell Your story, no matter how long

Prince tells of his decision to share God through his music.

We're just a play in Your master plan
Now, my Lord I understand

We each have our part in the greater good, the Greatest GOoD. The revelation of this purpose gives Prince the joy and boldness to proclaim:

Love is God, God is love
Girls and boys love God above

The reason for the song title? Anastacia means "rebirth"
[This message was edited Tue Jan 28 9:55:45 PST 2003 by Jasziah]

Yes-I always thought it was a rebirth as well, and God's
unconditional love for us all!

... and this is why I cannot understand all of the backlash over the recent events in Prince's life/music.

Prince told all of us in 88 what his plans were in regards to is music and TRC was an apology to GOD.

One of his greatest songs ever.

I believe it was about Prince's loneliness and then he is experiencing a state Of clamness Anna Stesia and he is saying at one time he was playing Darker Music his feelings inside {Black Night Seemed like the Only Way} Then he had a Dream Awakening a Message and he decided that Lovesexy was the way and not to release the Negative stuff but more spiritual stuff. Prince was torn/guilt like he had a Revelation. I think he suffers from too much Guilt feeling Torn in wanting to do wrong{Sin} Good {Religion} . It is also like a chant Anna Stesia and like in Meditation. He is acheiving a Higher sense of Consciousness. Whether this was written or saw in a drug like stupor as you claim well we will never know unless he tells us this. What inspires his music.

muleFunk said:

Exactly!!

naturegirl said:

Of course we should thank Prince, but perhabs we should really thank the one who gave him his talents and inspiration to write such a song and then perform and record it in suhc an excelent fashion. I thank him for the entire album actually, it is a masterpiece.

Natasha said:

You got it, Natasha. In a 1985 Rolling Stone magazine interview, Prince said he had an experience like this back when he did the Dirty Mind album -- he said he worried about what his last album would be about if he had died. So, in '85, he was already working with thoughts that would lead to '88's Lovesexy.