purplethunder3121 said:

Mya said:

I agree! 'Rope Burn' by Janet was my favourite song when I was five years old & I'm pretty sure I turned out alright

You're so sure of that...right?

Yes, more than sure .. I think .. I better not be the judge of that!

Back to the topic -- I think Prince is completely harmless, especially compared with the sexual bluntness of what's out there today. You should be more worried about what they're listening to on the radio! At least with Prince he made you think about what he was saying & use your imagination

Plus if they listen to Prince, you'll know they'll grow up with a great music taste

I must have been about 12 when I first heard Dirty Mind and Controversy. But I only got to hear them after begging my mom for months to let me hear them. I'm expecting my son will be more likely to get into Prince when he's older if I tell him it's for grownups and he can't listen to it.

electricberet said:

I must have been about 12 when I first heard Dirty Mind and Controversy. But I only got to hear them after begging my mom for months to let me hear them. I'm expecting my son will be more likely to get into Prince when he's older if I tell him it's for grownups and he can't listen to it.

I was about that age when I was introduced to Prince, too. The song I first heard that got me hooked on the man was 'I Hate U' .. that spoken outro had me fantasizing about things a 13 year old girl shouldn't even know about

You know that would only make him want to sneak behind your back and see what you've been listening too .. kids are like that

Mya said:

electricberet said:

I must have been about 12 when I first heard Dirty Mind and Controversy. But I only got to hear them after begging my mom for months to let me hear them. I'm expecting my son will be more likely to get into Prince when he's older if I tell him it's for grownups and he can't listen to it.

I was about that age when I was introduced to Prince, too. The song I first heard that got me hooked on the man was 'I Hate U' .. that spoken outro had me fantasizing about things a 13 year old girl shouldn't even know about

You know that would only make him want to sneak behind your back and see what you've been listening too .. kids are like that

Exactly!

electricberet said:

Mya said:

I was about that age when I was introduced to Prince, too. The song I first heard that got me hooked on the man was 'I Hate U' .. that spoken outro had me fantasizing about things a 13 year old girl shouldn't even know about

You know that would only make him want to sneak behind your back and see what you've been listening too .. kids are like that

Exactly!

Kids today do not know how easy they have it. When I was a lad it took real work to listen to anything with "dirty" lyrics. First you had to find someone that had a physical copy and if you were lucky you could get a cassette dubbed. Today all it takes is a few seconds on google.

Putting together an "acceptable" playlist sounds like a good idead. It's just that some of my absolute favorites wouldn't make that list.

It's not that I'm over protective, but as someone here said, it's weird to listen w/ your kid or w/ your mom - I already feel like some people "judge" me if they find out I enjoy Prince songs (like I must be freaky or something) - just weird thinking about my kid knowing how much I like "Lady Cab Driver," for example, especially the talking part (it's so funny & "groovy" at the same time!).

And no, I wouldn't "forbid" stuff from my kids - hey, I'm on this site, so I'm no Tipper Gore - whatever they bring home or have an interest in, if I think it needs explanation or guidance, I will give it. But not ban it.

hls2000 said:

I have an 8 yr old (turning 9 in Dec) and a 6 yr old, and I've been sneaking in my Prince listening when they're not around or on my headphones. I've also kept the CD covers out of reach (so they won't read the song titles, or see some of the pictures on those older ones).

My kids listen to a lot of children's songs, folk songs, classical, and "standards" from around 1920-40, but the older one knows pop songs from friends/school. (A lot of those pop songs are stupid, btw - they drive me nuts).

Anyway, when's a good time to let kids hear Prince songs? I really like the musicianship, but some of the lyrics, especially to some of his best songs, are a little... you know.

Any age, you control what they hear.

Create a playlist of songs, listening to Prince music will definately stimulate an appreciation for diversity.

How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore

All the Critics Love U in NY

All of Purple Rain (can skip over Darling Nikki for a while)

God (the Dance Electric)

17 Days

Another Lonely Christmas

All of Glamorous Life

All of Around the World in a Day (can skip Temptation for a while)

Hello

She's Always in My Hair

Girl

All of the Family

All of Parade

Love or Money

Alexa de Paris

and the list goes on... just be discriminate about certain songs depending on their ages

13: Dirty Mind, Love Symbol, Controversy, Some songs on 1999, Some songs on The Hits/The B-Sides including most of the 3rd disc Darling Niki, Gett Off, Come, Billy Jack Bitch, Chaos And Disorder, Pussy control

12: Prince, For You, Diamonds And Pearls minus Gett Off, Emancipation, Batman, One Nite Alone...

11. New Posistion, Safe songs on 1999, Safe songs on The Hits/The B-Sides, Safe songs on The Gold Experience

10. Parade minus New Posistion, Around The World In A Day,

9. Purple Rain minus Darling Nikki

8 and below: Rave Unto The Joy Fantastic, 2000's music minus One Nite Alone...

Thanks for good suggestions for playlist. I don't know every song of his, so it's good to get suggestions. I've found that some of the songs people post about a lot are hard to get.

Playing loud music to young children (Under 8) can be hazardous for their hearing, but after that age, alot of Prince's G rated songs like "Money Don't matter 2Nite" and songs with very well concealed sexual innuendos like "The Morning Papers" and "I wanna be your lover" at 10, however the raunchier the song, the older the child should be.

The filthiest songs like Come, Lovesexy, I love u in me, Lets Pretend were married, should be limited to 18 years and over (18 and over comes into that list too sorry).

Most full albums will be 14+ as most contain at least one Dirty Song.

Purple Rain I would make 12 and over, if Darling Nikki is excused, When Doves Cry has some more libidinous lyrics, but Baby I'm a Star, and Purple Rain are fine. Even Take me with u has the line "You drive me all night, just to wake up the connection - a metaphor for all night sex" instantly puts it into the 16 and over category.

Way to grade the songs suitability

General songs with no sexual lyrics 8+

Less general songs about dancing and saying girls look nice or fine 10+

Very light sexual innuendos, references 12+

Xrated, songs that use sexual vocabulary like Adore 14+

Descriptions of sexual intercourse/usage of colourful lyrics like It 16+

Dirtiest and most graphic sexual songs like come 18+

Anything mildly homosexual like Jack u off 18+

The Rainbow Children - Complete ban as it can cause life long brain damage

Then again I can talk like the rest of you, when I was 15 I got into Prince in a big way because of "Cream" his current hit at the time, I knew then that Cream was not about a girl trying to be a star, it was thinly disguised paean to sex and jizz. Cream = jizz the best metaphor and I have run with it since. The video with him dancing a mock orgy with 50 scantily clad girls and the game boys all looking like Power Bucks was also clearly about sex. And when Prince dances a horizontal lambada with Diamond or Pearl and puts his head up and says "Caaaarrrreeeeeaaaammmm" if thats not an orgasm what is? Lyrics "You've got the horn so why don't you blow it?"

You know what 15 years olds are like, sex is abig joke to them, its funny its dirty, and you feel scandalous doing or enjoying anything about it. More mature feelings about sex don't begin to kick in until your later teens.

Of course I would be mortified if my 15 year old son was finding that stuff funny or enjoyable. I don't have kids, but my brother and his wife who were the wildest teenagers around are puritanical with their kids, they ban them from watching Simpsons and Family guy and control their music (So far no problems as they are 6.5, 3.5 and 11 months old), but they themselves only enjoy that stuff after their offspring are asleep.

Adorecream said:

Playing loud music to young children (Under 8) can be hazardous for their hearing, but after that age, alot of Prince's G rated songs like "Money Don't matter 2Nite" and songs with very well concealed sexual innuendos like "The Morning Papers" and "I wanna be your lover" at 10, however the raunchier the song, the older the child should be.

The filthiest songs like Come, Lovesexy, I love u in me, Lets Pretend were married, should be limited to 18 years and over (18 and over comes into that list too sorry).

Most full albums will be 14+ as most contain at least one Dirty Song.

Purple Rain I would make 12 and over, if Darling Nikki is excused, When Doves Cry has some more libidinous lyrics, but Baby I'm a Star, and Purple Rain are fine. Even Take me with u has the line "You drive me all night, just to wake up the connection - a metaphor for all night sex" instantly puts it into the 16 and over category.

Way to grade the songs suitability

General songs with no sexual lyrics 8+

Less general songs about dancing and saying girls look nice or fine 10+

Very light sexual innuendos, references 12+

Xrated, songs that use sexual vocabulary like Adore 14+

Descriptions of sexual intercourse/usage of colourful lyrics like It 16+

Dirtiest and most graphic sexual songs like come 18+

Anything mildly homosexual like Jack u off 18+

The Rainbow Children - Complete ban as it can cause life long brain damage

Adore is beautiful, not racy. Kids know very graphic descriotions of sex by the time they get into 5th grade. Also kids began masturbating at around 13, so they know about Jack U Off already. Homosexuality is just like any other sex. And 18 and up? You really can't control what kids listen to past 13. Just do whatever you think is right. Cursing songs, I can understand. But songs that they know what it's referring to. Why ban it if they already know what it is talking about?

I was 10 when "Sexy MF" came out and I used to play it all the time around my folks.

Ditto with "Pussy Control" 3 years later. Matter of fact, I used to BLAST the hell outta that song back in the day.

I'll admit it, the profanity in both of these songs used to drive 'em all kinds of bananas, but that was part of the fun back then.

Mind you, just one year prior I'd finally heard N.W.A's music for the very first time. Although it was old news by then, it was even worse than what Prince was saying.

Of course now that Prince no longer uses such language, I listen to those songs like this:

I look back on all that and realise that it's just a part of growing up.

anc282 said:

I was 10 when "Sexy MF" came out and I used to play it all the time around my folks.

Ditto with "Pussy Control" 3 years later. Matter of fact, I used to BLAST the hell outta that song back in the day.

I'll admit it, the profanity in both of these songs used to drive 'em all kinds of bananas, but that was part of the fun back then.

Mind you, just one year prior I'd finally heard N.W.A's music for the very first time. Although it was old news by then, it was even worse than what Prince was saying.

Of course now that Prince no longer uses such language, I listen to those songs like this:

I look back on all that and realise that it's just a part of growing up.

Exactly. Kids listen to dirty music and jack off for fun during 13-16. It's all a part of growing up

When my 12 year old sings "let me see where the Lord split you" from Pitbull's Planet Pit, I know letting him listen to Prince since 10 years old didn't do any worse then todays music.

[Edited 9/18/11 16:39pm]

one800newfunk said:

When my 12 year old signs "let me see where the Lord split you" from Pitbull's hit, I know letting him listen to Prince since 10 years old didn't do any worse then todays music.

Prince is tame compared to most modern artists, well there not really artists but you know what I mean

one800newfunk said:

When my 12 year old sings "let me see where the Lord split you" from Pitbull's Planet Pit, I know letting him listen to Prince since 10 years old didn't do any worse then todays music.

[Edited 9/18/11 16:39pm]

I would never let my children listen to shit hop or obscene r and b like Pitbull, naming himself after a banned dog breed really!!!! Pitbulls, staffordshire terriers, dogo brasilo and dogo argentinas are banned in New Zealand and mixed breeds have to be muzzled in public. Theres proof that a Pitbull can not be socialised adequately. These dogs have smaller brains than most breeds and can not be trained as effectively.

My son listened 2 princes music in the womb.............................Hes 19 now and plays the piano pretty damn well.......So the sooner the better would b my answer...

Adorecream said:

one800newfunk said:

When my 12 year old sings "let me see where the Lord split you" from Pitbull's Planet Pit, I know letting him listen to Prince since 10 years old didn't do any worse then todays music.

[Edited 9/18/11 16:39pm]

I would never let my children listen to shit hop or obscene r and b like Pitbull, naming himself after a banned dog breed really!!!! Pitbulls, staffordshire terriers, dogo brasilo and dogo argentinas are banned in New Zealand and mixed breeds have to be muzzled in public. Theres proof that a Pitbull can not be socialised adequately. These dogs have smaller brains than most breeds and can not be trained as effectively.

Some rap can be very good like 2Pac, but most isn't.

I was 10 when I first heard Darling Nikki & 11 when I 1st heard Erotic City. I've turned out fine. As long as the obscene music is good music, just show them it.

I think it's important to distinguish between allowing a child to listen to something and encouraging a child to listen to something. When my son is old enough to understand and talk, I'm not planning on plopping him down on the sofa and putting the B-side of Dirty Mind on the turntable to give him a music lesson. That seems kind of creepy to me. On the other hand, if he finds that record on his own and plays it when I'm not there, I think he'll survive. I just don't want him going to kindergarten singing about giving head to a virgin on her way to her wedding, as if that's normal. If he knows that's something "naughty" then it's OK.

[Edited 9/18/11 21:10pm]

You know your kids and what you feel is appropriate for them. I will turn some of the cussing songs down when there are children in hearing distance.

My father was bumpin Prince on the stereo ever since I was born. But it is to be said that english was not my first language. So it took a while until I understood the lyrics. However, I do not think it's any worse than for your kid to grow up in a neighbourhood with normal people speaking a normal language. Kids and youth have a pretty damn wild language at times. You don't have to be afraid your child will have sex early or with his or her sister just because you play them some Prince the most important thing is to teach them some good manners. A song is a song, and there are bad people even in disney movies. How come always the pretty ones in these cartoons are the good ones? And the ugly are bad? The way of simplifying people is retarted. If your son or daughter gets exposed to prince early, chances are even then that he or she won't truly understand the sexual nature of the songs until puberty, and maybe a bit after.

How come after being exposed to most of Prince released music ever since I was born, I was always one of those with the least explicit language, most old school respectful to girls and had strict parents when it came to manners? Prince did not give me bad behaviour or early sex. In norway sex is legal between people 16 and over. However I did not until I was 21. And I didn't have any problems with girls at all, just a little shy maybe. It wasn't until the age of 20 I really started to enjoy Prince like I do now. And the sexuality of his music gave me super sexual confidense as a man, because it gave me the freedom to be me and the animal I am, haha. A 13 year old don't understand much more than the surface of these songs for the most part. They have already seen videos and talked to classmates about alot more heavy stuff than what Prince is exposing on the surface of his songs.

I've heard nothing in a Prince song that would worry me with concerns to letting a kid hear it. I'd be more concerned with letting them watch violent blockbuster movies than a few smutty lyrics.

My Daughter has been listening to Prince since the '3121' album, which she loved. Her favourites were "3121", "Love", and "Lolita"... Since she was like 3-4 years old, she didn't get what "Lolita" was about, and she loved the "56 pink Caddy" part.

Funny, whenever I played Prince, she asked me if that was me... similar voice, plus she's seen me in my studio working on stuff.

So I would say it depends on what Prince you play...

At birth.

NouveauDance said:

I've heard nothing in a Prince song that would worry me with concerns to letting a kid hear it. I'd be more concerned with letting them watch violent blockbuster movies than a few smutty lyrics.

For me, just as long as it is not porn than I'd be fine

NouveauDance said:

I've heard nothing in a Prince song that would worry me with concerns to letting a kid hear it. I'd be more concerned with letting them watch violent blockbuster movies than a few smutty lyrics.

for fucking real