I thought "Old Friends for Sale" is the one that segues into "All My Dreams"
"Jack U Off" was a questionable song to many of his own bandmates... they didn't use the term jack off to refer to messing with a woman... neither did prince.... hmmmm? Was he playing the queer card just for mystique?
I never understood these lyrics:
"She knows how 2 make U feel like your stuff ain't brown 2nite" - Baby Knows My art book: http://www.lulu.com/spotl...ecomicskid
VIDEO WORK: http://sharadkantpatel.com MUSIC: https://soundcloud.com/ufoclub1977 | |
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That's about a girl who's mentally ill. I believe the message behind it is that we all should think a little more out of the box.
http://prince.org/msg/7/342300
It's been discussed not too long ago, the theory most in that thread people believe (including myself) is that it's about the 7 evil kings in the Book of Revelation in the Bible.
http://prince.org/msg/7/349711?&pg=2 You mean you're gonna actually hear what we play tonight? You're not gonna make up the notes in your mind? | |
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Starfish and Coffee: Is not about a mentally ill girl, just one that has special needs. MR, LD, maybe autism? None of which are views as mental illnesses. She dresses weird (color blind: rare in girls but still happens, but also a reffrence to her not being judgmental or racist) and she eats weird things. And she tells the truth about it. I am not sure what all that stuff is... but it seems to me to be pretty cool.
Elephants and flowers: is about god. Who else could make something as fragile as a flower and as and as powerful an elephant. Some also see a political spin. Elephants= republicans and flowers people of peace. Remember the photo of the man putting daisies in the muzzles of the rifles? That a flower can sometimes be more powerful than a gun. That an act of kindness can be stronger than any aggressive force. "Keep on shilling for Big Pharm!" | |
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Elephants & Flowers most def is about GOD. Ganesh (or GANESHA) (a GOD that looks like an elephant. thought the song was about that). Flowers are also used a lot in eastern religion. (i.e. like flower neckalces or whatever u may call them) Have had a statue of Ganesh on my dresser 4ever then one day it hit me. I think that is what the song is about. Maybe i am wrong, but it seems pretty obviuous if u know about these type of religion at all. a drove cries the whole scene turns purple | |
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yeah, but i do not think Prince was going there. He may have been.
I think it is more the comparison between something BIG and strong like an elephant and something small and delicate like a flower and they were both created by the same being.
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he is prasing "allah" at the end of the song so it seems reasonable. a drove cries the whole scene turns purple | |
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Nice work on I would die 4 U lyrics, Optimus! Dieing for someone you love; the ultimate sacrafice. I believe he confuses his relationship with god with that of his lover tho. When he sings the chorus, you get a sense he takes on that choice, of declaring he'd die for someone. Unless he thinks he's jesus and he's doing it for all of us?
Little Red Corvette is an analogy, where P compares his untamed lover to the fast car that she drives. The use of horse is a clever way of introducing her undiscarded used condoms, her passion and her many ex lovers (jockeys) to his insecurities, before attempting to...ahem... break her in.
Hello was actually a response to the stick he got from not doing the We are the World record; "I tried to tell them that i didn't want to sing, but i'd gladly write a song instead" - first line kinda gives it away! He'd also gotten a lot of press abuse for the way he looked, what he hate, his song content, his bodyguards - it was kinda 'F you' to the press and haters. Musikdiver compared it to MJ's later 'Leave Me Alone' - totally agree. Always felt the same - and loved both songs.
There's others here with us is pretty self explanatory, google the lyrics. Mixture of his religous beliefs (at the time) and his thoughts about death. Bobby in the song, is Bobby Z, ex drummer of the Revolution.
Cloreen Bacon Skin is a jam, with mostly improvised lyrics. You can hear P throughout, in his character that he adopted a lot in out-takes over this period, directing the drummer. Morris, as well as drumming on this, took on the character for the Time, but it was as much P's invention as his own. He also mentions Jerome, who is most probably in the studio and could also be 'Alfred', who i think is probably the engineer or whoever in the booth, recording the jam. There is no deep meaning as some have alluded to in the past. It is a jam.
Starfish & Coffee is a silly story about a make-believe girl. It's intended to be a whimsical tale of how being different is cool.The song title contains convenient words that fit well with the melody and idea of the story.
If I was Your Girlfriend - talked about in another thread, it is simply putting the question to his lover; "would you treat me differently if i was your bestest, closest female friend, rather than the man that i am?" He wants to get closer to her, and wants to be everything for her, including her best girlfriend.
Anna Stesia - apparently about Ingrid Chavez's intervention with P one night, culminating in the cancellation of the Black Album. He met her in a nightclub and she asked him why his song content was always so negative - they went back to his (and apparently did E). In the song he asks a spirit to "liberate his mind", to save him and show him the way. The contrast of black and white, good and evil, would be themes that he'd run with on the Batman soundtrack.
The Question of U - how does he treat god and/or the person he loves. As discussed in IWD4U, throughout his career he always seemed to confuse this concept, as if these characters were one and the same. "God is Love, love is god." What choices should he take? Is he taking the wrong path and too focused on himself? Should he be more subservient?
Joy in Repitition - a story, again, loosely based around meeting Ingrid. Lyrics kind of self explanatory. The simplicity of pure love, how it pales everything else into insignificance, and the joy you get when someone repeats something you like to hear.
Elephants and Flowers - essentially, the consenants work for the melody (bit better than Starfish & Coffee - but pretty much the same song). The use of these specific words tho, highlight how marvelous his god is by creating such contrasting elements in his world, as an elephant and a flower. Conclusion - to stop and wonder at 'His' majesty will eradicate your need for violence.
7 - ahem. ok. Long one. This is probably the toughest one. Seven deadly sins is most plausible. If you look at the characters in the video, it seems that's what he's going for. "12 souls" is apparently 12 lifetimes - a thousand years or at least a very long time. Now. mix in all his biblical references and mystical beliefs and his silly Sacrafice of Victor story - and you have one very silly song. (Although a good one!) See http://www.prince.org/msg/7/143044 for more details and confusion.
Dolphin - it's symbolism. Thinks he's not being listened too because he's not considered beautiful. More of his jesus christ complex chucked in there too. Lyrics could have been written by an angst-ridden teenager. Naive and puerile and lacks the depth that most grown (ahem) artists in their 40's achieve. The beginning of the end of a fantastic song-writer.
and i'm spent...
Prince M&M people are as mad as a bag of sparrows. Fact. | |
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I think the LRC is her body parts in question. if she keeps letting all the jockies ride then it is going to get worn out. Someone told me the car being sideways was how she was laying on the bed. But I am not sure, but I am pretty sure there is NO real CAR in the song "Keep on shilling for Big Pharm!" | |
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I was thinking 7 deadly sins when it come to the very confusing song "7," but after reading " 7 - ahem. ok. Long one. This is probably the toughest one. Seven deadly sins is most plausible. If you look at the characters in the video, it seems that's what he's going for. "12 souls" is apparently 12 lifetimes - a thousand years or at least a very long time. Now. mix in all his biblical references and mystical beliefs and his silly Sacrafice of Victor story - and you have one very silly song. (Although a good one!) See http://www.prince.org/msg/7/143044 for more details and confusion."
It makes more sense. "I never want to stop singing this song!" Prince in Montreal, 12/2/11, just before performing Purple Rain | |
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lol. Essentially, it's art, so you're entitled to see what you like in the lyrics. But, there are times to be symbolic and times where the literal meaning is just more obvious. Frequent creative analysis of texts, prose, lyrics, poetry, will give you a better sense of where to draw those lines. Prince M&M people are as mad as a bag of sparrows. Fact. | |
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i agree. I think i am basicy correct as to what Prince was thinking but then again someone with a vastly diffrent idea would feel the same.
i recall getting into it with someone over a song ('learning to fly' by pink floyd) and she was all excited that she KNEW what a song was about and she went on and on with a literal meaning of the song. And I said "or it is about a person that was in a relationship that went bad and he is trying to find love again but is scared or he is having issues adjusting to being single either way the plane stuff is an analogy" she was not pleased. "Keep on shilling for Big Pharm!" | |
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You're right! I'm getting old, and the memory ain't what it used to be.
I think the Jack U Off was just to get attention, or maybe he was trying to expand the usage of the phrase.
I think the "stuff ain't brown" comes from the old saying "He thinks his shit don't stink," meaning someone is full of themselves. So in that context it means "She'll make you feel like you're the baddest mofo alive." At least that's what the Princespeak-English translator spit out. | |
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I always thought it was like, she makes you feel so damn good it's like your shit don't stank... you're so special, you're Godlike...or something of the like... and then I think of Outcast's song "Roses"... How'm I gonna fill this empty room... | |
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Somewhere I rememeber this part:
"Why does my brother have 2 go hungry When U told him there was food 4 all?
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that is were the literal meaning and the figurative meaning converge. Now if that is a true story it add depth to the verse. But I always took it as 'we are all in life together and if one falls then we all can fall.' and we never know who we might need to help us out in life. For all we know the homeless man on the street that we give a dollar to might end up giving you a kidney.
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Around The World In A Day What on earth is this about? Is it about astral projection, as I think he is into this because of such lyrics as in Hot With U "astral travelling hottie I know you know my game", and Future Soul Song "I had a dream last night [Edited 1/14/11 14:27pm] | |
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ya, thats kinda what i got from it, but someone said it was the 7 men that killed maytes father..?? Don't need no reefer, don't need cocaine
Purple music does the same 2 my brain And I'm high, so high | |
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That is the storyline of the video. | |
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Another one i dont quite get is Love-- thy will be done. Although i do like the song. | |
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Okay, calm down I am personally a nonbeliever, but it sure is about something - and the build up of the verses are indeed inspired. | |
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Hmmm, the opposite for me.. this kinda ruined it for me... Ia Ia Cthulhu Fthagn! | |
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I always 'thought' he meant that 'she' has a way of making you feel 'special' and not like any other man. Peace ... & Stay Funky ...
~* The only love there is, is the love "we" make *~ www.facebook.com/purplefunklover | |
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... great breakdown ScottRob Peace ... & Stay Funky ...
~* The only love there is, is the love "we" make *~ www.facebook.com/purplefunklover | |
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English is not my native tongue, so I might have it wrong, but the reference "like your stuff aint brown" as I understand it refers to a feeling or a selfconception of being more than human. Like: He thinks his shit aint brown - meaning: He's so full of himself, thinks he is better than us.
Therefore I think the lyrics means that she makes him feel like something quite out of the ordinary. Not that romantic a metaphor, though... | |
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This is my Jivanmukti yogic spin on 7. 7 is about overcoming the 7 deadly sins and becoming enlightened, thereby reaching heaven or nirvana. one day humans will let go of all the shit that keeps us trapped on earth and being reincarnated finally be able to rest in nirvana.
Join me under the waterfall
Climb the rainbow tree love is my color when I am shown love in return | |
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That had not occured to me...thanks! | |
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I'll try to explain Dolphin, since I know more about it than Hello. The lyrics are in red, my response in black.
How beautiful do the words have 2 be
This part is just about lyrics, perhaps the lyrics of popular songs in that time. Can't overanalyze this part, it is what it is
Now this part was about how he won't be able to get his message across to people through his music if people don't listen. If you judge the album's music by its cover (Lovesexy...for instance) you'll never hear the truth he's trying to give you (like Anna Stesia) If I came back as a dolphin He was into reincarnation at the time. He was saying that if he was reincarnated as a dolphin would people respect him/ accept him more. For whatever reason, people like dolphins. They swim with them and blah blah blah But 2 your ways I will not bend His response to Warner Bros. imo. They can try to ruin his career but he's still gonna do his own thing. And I'll come back again as a dolphin He'll die (because at the time, Prince was dead) so that he could be free musically Why does my brother have 2 go hungry Now he talks about world issues. People who are there to help aren't doing anything If I came back as a dolphin If I'm under water, will U find me? (Find me [x4]) Will U shine a light and try 2 guide me? If he's wrong, will you help him in a way that's loving and not degrading. He wants people around him that actually care for him. People want to him to suffer instead of understand that if he wins, they all win How beautiful do the words have 2 be If I came back as a dolphin Dolphin
I know I broke this song down for those who didn't understand but I don't think that Prince's purpose of his more abstract songs is for people to dissect them to understand every piece. Same for Shakespeare or Mark Twain or any other artist. It's about the song as a whole, and the message you glean from it is personalized. So this was my interpretation but it may not be yours. time flies. | |
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If you haven't read The Book of Revelations from the Bible , then you should if u want to gain understanding of the song 7, I was studying with JW's when this song was released. When I told them about the song they were not impressed!!!!! LOL!!!!
Even played it for them, that went down like a lead fart!!!!! Never thought that many years down the track Prince would become one!! Wish I could find my teachers & see what they have to say about it!!!! LOL!!!
[Edited 1/17/11 16:05pm] Prince once tried 2 change his name 2 a symbol so that ur'e mother couldn't find him in the phonebook!
Peace & Be Wild! | |
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Crystal ball Watch me talk about Prince - http://www.youtube.com/us...ature=mhee
Tumblr - http://dreamyicecream.tumblr.com/ New coat, huh? That's nice. Did you buy it? Yeah right. | |
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