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Thread started 03/02/16 6:58pm

Connected

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Best Lyrical Songs

Please - recommendations for great Prince songwriting - thanks!

I met a songwriter tonight - influence is radiohead, REM etc...

So I asked her about Prince - but she is like 22yo.

Conversation went...

Do you know his music?

yes

Songwriting?

Not really...

Damn, I'm gonna make you a mixtape with princted lyrics!

[Edited 3/2/16 18:59pm]

[Edited 3/2/16 19:00pm]

~Shakalaka!~..... ~Mayday!~
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Reply #1 posted 03/02/16 7:36pm

controversy99

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If I Was Your Girlfriend
Adore
Reflection
Condition of the Heart (yes, even with "a foolhardy notion...")
When You Were Mine
Forever in My Life
Strange But True
When Doves Cry
3rd Eye
Controversy
Sometimes It Snows in April (but did Prince write the lyrics?)
Look at Me, Look at U
Money Don't Matter Tonight

But it depends on what kind of music she likes. Does she like "singer songwriters" of lite-rock or folk type: James Taylor, Joni Mitchell, Carole King, Ani Difranco, Tracy Chapman, etc. Or is she willing to hear great songwriting I the funk or R&B context?

If she likes those "singer songwriter" types that I listed, I'd say try;
Reflection
I Love You, But I Don't Trust You Anymore
3rd Eye
How Come You Don't Call Me Anymore
Paisley Park
"Love & honesty, peace & harmony"
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Reply #2 posted 03/02/16 11:44pm

Connected

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^ thanks for the suggestions! She is more folksy - singer/songwriter...on the acoustic guitar tip.

First song I thought of was "Kiss" demo - cos that will blow her mind!

Hope Prince comes to London ala Piano - reckon if I taker her, I'll be on a promise wink

~Shakalaka!~..... ~Mayday!~
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Reply #3 posted 03/03/16 4:09am

AzifWeKare

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First ones that come to mind are When Doves Cry, Dorothy Parker and Join In Repetition.

- Azif WeKare -

"Is it really necessary 4 me 2 go out of the room just because U wanna undress?"
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Reply #4 posted 03/03/16 5:17am

sulls

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Muse 2 The Pharoah; Mellow; anything from The Truth.

[Edited 3/3/16 5:20am]

"I like to watch."
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Reply #5 posted 03/03/16 5:34am

NorthC

sulls said:

Muse 2 The Pharoah; Mellow; anything from The Truth.

[Edited 3/3/16 5:20am]


I don't think something those sloooow jaaamzzzz are what we're looking for nor that something as silly as Animal Kingdom is going to convince a newcomer of Prince's songwriting talent.
And Connected, don't waste time making a mixtape, just give her an album to listen to. If Parade and Sign O 'the Times don't convince this lady, then Prince is not for her.
[Edited 3/3/16 5:36am]
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Reply #6 posted 03/03/16 5:43am

thisisreece

Luckily a lot of Prince's best songs lyrically are also some of his very best songs all round. The first ten that come to mind:

If I Was Your Girlfriend

When Doves Cry

The Ballad of Dorothy Parker

Joy in Repetition

Sometimes it Snows in April

Little Red Corvette

Annastesia

Family Name

When You Were Mine

She's Always in My Hair

Hundalasiliah!
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Reply #7 posted 03/03/16 6:10am

TheEnglishGent

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The sweet irony of the lyrical quote offered to me as I entered this thread! lol lol lol




[Edited 3/3/16 6:10am]

RIP sad
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Reply #8 posted 03/03/16 6:44am

sulls

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NorthC said:

sulls said:

Muse 2 The Pharoah; Mellow; anything from The Truth.

[Edited 3/3/16 5:20am]

I don't think something those sloooow jaaamzzzz are what we're looking for nor that something as silly as Animal Kingdom is going to convince a newcomer of Prince's songwriting talent. And Connected, don't waste time making a mixtape, just give her an album to listen to. If Parade and Sign O 'the Times don't convince this lady, then Prince is not for her. [Edited 3/3/16 5:36am]

Come on, North. "Ain't no muthafuckin' piece of pie" is a lyricist's lyric lol

"I like to watch."
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Reply #9 posted 03/03/16 6:45am

sulls

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Howz about "Positivity"?

"I like to watch."
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Reply #10 posted 03/03/16 7:19am

NorthC

sulls said:



NorthC said:


sulls said:

Muse 2 The Pharoah; Mellow; anything from The Truth.


[Edited 3/3/16 5:20am]



I don't think something those sloooow jaaamzzzz are what we're looking for nor that something as silly as Animal Kingdom is going to convince a newcomer of Prince's songwriting talent. And Connected, don't waste time making a mixtape, just give her an album to listen to. If Parade and Sign O 'the Times don't convince this lady, then Prince is not for her. [Edited 3/3/16 5:36am]

Come on, North. "Ain't no muthafuckin' piece of pie" is a lyricist's lyric lol


I never said the entire album was bad. The title track is very good. "What if half the things ever said turned out 2 be a lie" is a great opening line. Welcome 2 the Dawn is also good, so if you're going to make a mix tape, yeah, those are good choices.
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Reply #11 posted 03/03/16 7:20am

NorthC

sulls said:

Howz about "Positivity"?


Excellent choice. Sums up Prince's world view perfectly. cool
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Reply #12 posted 03/03/16 8:40am

IstenSzek

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TheEnglishGent said:

The sweet irony of the lyrical quote offered to me as I entered this thread! lol lol lol





falloff

and true love lives on lollipops and crisps
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Reply #13 posted 03/03/16 4:59pm

214

IIWYG, Sign O The Times, Reflection, Dark, Holy River, When Doves Cry just to name a few.

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Reply #14 posted 03/03/16 5:52pm

delirious26

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Are you ready for the touch that makes you go insane
Breast to lips to cheek to mane
I'll pull your hair, you'll feel no pain
Are you ready for the only forever we'll both obtain
The only joy in this forsaken game
You'll feel ashamed and ordained
When I lay my hands on you

Now that's some lyrics
How'm I gonna fill this empty room...
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Reply #15 posted 03/04/16 2:06am

Connected

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^ Thanks All - much appreciated! cool

The more obscure the better!

~Shakalaka!~..... ~Mayday!~
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Reply #16 posted 03/04/16 11:40am

Bohemian67

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Is she looking for inspiration and things she can play or are you just trying to convince her of his lyric writing? I think you originally said 'folk accoustic music' which made it difficult.Without the latter it's still difficult. So much and what to choose....

I like songs with questions like in Controversy.

-

I just can't believe
All the things people say, controversy
Am I black or white?
Am I straight or gay? Controversy

Do I believe in God?
Do I believe in me?
Controversy, controversy
Controversy

I can't understand
Human curiosity, controversy
Was it good for you?
Was I what you wanted me to be?
Controversy

POLITICS - AMERICA


Aristocrats on a mountain climb
Making money, losing time
Communism is just a word
But if the government turn over
It'll be the only word that's heard

America, America
God shed his grace on thee
America, America
Keep the children free

Little sister making minimum wage
Living in a 1-room jungle-monkey cage
Can't get over, she's almost dead
She may not be in the black
But she's happy she ain't in the red

-

SEXY - 3RD EYE AND SPACE

I imagine myself inside your bedroom
Oh I imagine myself in your sky
(U) U are the reason there's bass in my boom
(Oh u) U are the reason I'm high

If u and I were just ten feet closer
Then I'd make u understand
That everything I wanna do 2 your body, baby
I would do 2 your head
Then u'd be hip 2 the deep rush
Deeper than the boom of the bass
With every other flick of the pink plush
The closer we get 2 the space (The closer we get 2 the space)

FUN - ENDORPHINMACHINE

Tippy, tippy, tin my friend or shall we begin?
Step right up and I'll strap U in
Don't be shy, this won't hurt a bit
Unless of course U don't believe in it
As sure as the dippy dippy wave of my 'do
U'll believe in somethin' before this night is through
Press one 4 the money, press 2 4 the dream
And get ready 4 somethin' that U've never seen
The Endorphinmachine

SPIRITUAL - INTO THE LIGHT

From out of the darkness, before there was time
There came a sound that enters the mind
Through a door that's deep in your soul
Through every pore of your body it goes
And in a light too bright to behold
Is a truth more shiny than gold
And as sure as this candle burns
Every soul must return

Into the light, into the light

SADNESS - THERE IS LONELY

Is it me or did the room just get darker?
Is it me or did I just lay down and die?
Is this a dream or did the world just crumble at my very feet?
How in heaven will I ever be alright?

There is lonely and there is lonely
And then there is how I feel right now
Perhaps only Cain when he'd slain his brother
Could ever come close 2 knowing how ... yeah

Then there's Future soul song and the list could go on and on.........

[Edited 3/4/16 11:42am]

"Free URself, B the best that U can B, 3rd Apartment from the Sun, nothing left to fear" Prince Rogers Nelson - Forever in my Life -
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Reply #17 posted 03/04/16 2:04pm

Connected

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^ Controversy is just too funky! - definitely more slow, folksy, acoustic, "4 the Tears in Your Eyes"..."Reflection"..."Kiss demo" type stuff - good lyrics that translate to her style.

Like, I love "The Dance" - a fave of mine and slow - but I don't think it works....but maybe "wherever U go"?

I'd quite like to hear her do an acoustic "America" - I think the lyrics can be translated well - and she is from over the pond!

And she will go bananas for - "There Is Lonely"...there is a melancholia to her...something we share, but I like to come up for air rather than wallow too long!

The rest are superb!

Into The Light - is a new one on me!!!

Thank you!

[Edited 3/4/16 14:11pm]

~Shakalaka!~..... ~Mayday!~
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Reply #18 posted 03/04/16 2:05pm

Connected

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delirious26 said:

Are you ready for the touch that makes you go insane
Breast to lips to cheek to mane
I'll pull your hair, you'll feel no pain
Are you ready for the only forever we'll both obtain
The only joy in this forsaken game
You'll feel ashamed and ordained
When I lay my hands on you

Now that's some lyrics

Dope. cool

I love this in Montreux (and Eye love U) - but confess, never poured over these lyrics.

This is the thing...Sometimes I get lost in the music or the vibe or the performance - and I lose the lyrical conent because of the other aspects of the song.

Especially in the digital era where I don't get the vinyl and lyric sheet - I confess, I have most studio music since 2000 in digital form.

Fell out of studio Prince vinyl after Gold - although TRC would make space!

This is why this forum is invaluable - every time I think the Prince is there - you all show there is so much more... has has to share!

Ta!

[Edited 3/4/16 14:16pm]

~Shakalaka!~..... ~Mayday!~
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