Papa

https://vid.me/Hfim/papa

There was 1 September day that Papa worked 2 hard
First he crucified every dandelion out in the yard
Then he screamed at baby twice 4 throwin' rocks at passin' cars
Baby didn't listen, so like a priceless work of art
He got snatched by his Papa who then opened up the closet door
And pushed the four-year-old down, onto the closet floor
Baby cried "I'm sorry, I won't do it no more"
Papa said "Yeah, I know, that's what this here's 4"

Smack!
Ooh Papa...
Smack! Smack!
Ooh Papa...Papa...
Smack!
Ooh Papa...
Smack! Smack!
Ooh Papa...Papa...

[Edited 6/24/16 17:29pm]

I searched out that song a few days ago after seeing it mentioned in several posts here on the org. I gathered that it was a very as you described "profound" song. It left me speechless for sure.

justAmeda said:

I searched out that song a few days ago after seeing it mentioned in several posts here on the org. I gathered that it was a very as you described "profound" song. It left me speechless for sure.

I am still left speechless by his songwriting. It makes you wonder is this song is autobiographical...

FlyOnTheWall said:

justAmeda said:

I searched out that song a few days ago after seeing it mentioned in several posts here on the org. I gathered that it was a very as you described "profound" song. It left me speechless for sure.

I am still left speechless by his songwriting. It makes you wonder is this song is autobiographical...

I wonder that as well. It is very hard to hear him sing it just for that reason alone.

Great song, and disturbing one, i'wish that he had made a whole album in this line.

I have never listened to this song, and will probably never listen to this song. Even if it isn't autobriograhical, for some of us, it hits too close to home. The closet, the beatings...not a song I can ever hear.

benni said:

I have never listened to this song, and will probably never listen to this song. Even if it isn't autobriograhical, for some of us, it hits too close to home. The closet, the beatings...not a song I can ever hear.

I understand.

benni said:

I have never listened to this song, and will probably never listen to this song. Even if it isn't autobriograhical, for some of us, it hits too close to home. The closet, the beatings...not a song I can ever hear.

Wow, that's heavy, i lived sort of somethnig like that, but i have no problems listening that song.

i wish i remembered which orger mentioned that, like purple rain, papa may incorporate elements of denise matthews' biography.

• or, it may have been written about a news story he had read. it sounds very different from anything i've learned about john l. nelson

Have heard some messed up things about Prince's step father. I don't think it's about his dad, and the story in the song is obviously fictional (neither father nor step father shot themselves), but as for there being some kind of abuse? Seems likely.

Like the song 'Sister', the song 'Papa' is semi-autobiographical, and it is about his biological father. The song 'Sister' is about his half sister Lorna Nelson.

Purpleone4Eva said:

Have heard some messed up things about Prince's step father. I don't think it's about his dad, and the story in the song is obviously fictional (neither father nor step father shot themselves), but as for there being some kind of abuse? Seems likely.

Maybe he knew someone who's Dad did this? Or it may have just been a news story one day or completely fictional.

[Edited 6/26/16 3:27am]

The song could be a mixture of fictional/ autobiographical.

It could also be about his stepfather. According to Jon Bream, author of "Prince: Inside the Purple Reign", Prince allegedly once told Reverend Art Erickson (who knew Prince as a child) about how his stepfather "locked him in his room for six weeks and wouldn’t let him out and the only thing in there was a bed and a piano, so he learned to play the piano".

But to me, the lyrics also hold certain similarities with the Temptations song "Papa Was A Rolling Stone" which makes me think that it could have inspired Prince to start writing "Papa", even if the two stories differ, it talks about a father who dies on a certain day in September.

It was the third of September
That day I'll always remember, yes I will
Cause that was the day, that my daddy died
I never got a chance to see him
Never heard nothin' but bad things about him
Momma I'm depending on you, to tell me the truth
Momma just hung her head and said, son

[Chorus 2x:]
Papa was a rolling stone, (my son)
Wherever he laid his hat was his home
And when he died, all he left us was a loan

Hey Momma!
Is it true what they say that Papa never worked a day, in his life
And Momma, some bad talk goin' round town sayin' that Papa had three outside children
And another wife, and that ain't right
Heard them talking Papa doing some store front preachin'
Talked about saving souls and all the time leechin'
Dealing in debt, and stealing in the name of the Lord
Momma just hung her head and said...

[Chorus 2x]

Hey Momma,
I heard Papa called himself a jack of all trades
Tell me is that what sent Papa to an early grave
Folks say Papa would beg, borrow, steal
To pay his bills
Hey Momma,
Folks say Papa never was much on thinking
Spent most of his time chasing women and drinking
Momma I'm depending on you, to tell me the truth
Momma looked up with a tear in her eye and said, son...

[Edited 6/26/16 4:17am]

214 said:

benni said:

I have never listened to this song, and will probably never listen to this song. Even if it isn't autobriograhical, for some of us, it hits too close to home. The closet, the beatings...not a song I can ever hear.

Wow, that's heavy, i lived sort of somethnig like that, but i have no problems listening that song.

I've never heard it, so not sure how I would truly react to it. Had a friend warn me of it, knowing my childhood, and since there are things that do still trigger me I've just not made the attempt to listen to it. When I get triggered it kicks my PTSD in high gear and ... just won't risk it.

FlyOnTheWall said:

Papa

https://vid.me/Hfim/papa

There was 1 September day that Papa worked 2 hard
First he crucified every dandelion out in the yard
Then he screamed at baby twice 4 throwin' rocks at passin' cars
Baby didn't listen, so like a priceless work of art
He got snatched by his Papa who then opened up the closet door
And pushed the four-year-old down, onto the closet floor
Baby cried "I'm sorry, I won't do it no more"
Papa said "Yeah, I know, that's what this here's 4"

Smack!
Ooh Papa...
Smack! Smack!
Ooh Papa...Papa...
Smack!
Ooh Papa...
Smack! Smack!
Ooh Papa...Papa...

As the door closes, baby starts 2 cry
"Please don't lock me up again, without a reason why"
Papa just went outside and pointed a shotgun up in the sky
He said "How come I don't love my woman?"
Then he took aim and died

Boom!
Papa...
Boom! Boom!
Papa...Papa
Boom!
Papa...
Boom! Boom!
Papa...Papa...

Don't abuse children, or else they turn out like me

Fair 2 partly crazy, deep down we're all the same
Every single 1 of us knows some kind of pain
In the middle of all that's crazy, this 1 fact still remains
If u love somebody, your life won't be in vain
And there's always a rainbow, at the end of every rain

[Edited 6/24/16 17:29pm]

It was said in a program that I saw on Prince that his stepfather one summer locked him in his bedroom for 6 weeks and only allowed him out to shower and eat.

mimi1956 said:

FlyOnTheWall said:

Papa

https://vid.me/Hfim/papa

There was 1 September day that Papa worked 2 hard
First he crucified every dandelion out in the yard
Then he screamed at baby twice 4 throwin' rocks at passin' cars
Baby didn't listen, so like a priceless work of art
He got snatched by his Papa who then opened up the closet door
And pushed the four-year-old down, onto the closet floor
Baby cried "I'm sorry, I won't do it no more"
Papa said "Yeah, I know, that's what this here's 4"

Smack!
Ooh Papa...
Smack! Smack!
Ooh Papa...Papa...
Smack!
Ooh Papa...
Smack! Smack!
Ooh Papa...Papa...

As the door closes, baby starts 2 cry
"Please don't lock me up again, without a reason why"
Papa just went outside and pointed a shotgun up in the sky
He said "How come I don't love my woman?"
Then he took aim and died

Boom!
Papa...
Boom! Boom!
Papa...Papa
Boom!
Papa...
Boom! Boom!
Papa...Papa...

Don't abuse children, or else they turn out like me

Fair 2 partly crazy, deep down we're all the same
Every single 1 of us knows some kind of pain
In the middle of all that's crazy, this 1 fact still remains
If u love somebody, your life won't be in vain
And there's always a rainbow, at the end of every rain

[Edited 6/24/16 17:29pm]

It was said in a program that I saw on Prince that his stepfather one summer locked him in his bedroom for 6 weeks and only allowed him out to shower and eat.

PLEASE tell me more details about this program. Specifically, how can I find it?

One of my favorite post-1990 songs. He was really in a 2nd Golden Age during 1993/1994 with Interactive, Endrophinemachine, Come, Race, Loose, and Papa. ... Days of Wild too.

[Edited 6/26/16 13:27pm]