I was 15 when I got into Prince, with the song Cream and was very sexually naive. I honestly thought the song was about semen. At 15 most of us talked about having heaps of sex with girls, but it was all mess, most of us still thought sex was dirty or very funny. We used to buy cheap magazines with page 3 girls called People and Star and get our parents porno stash.

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My mother knew that Prince had a reputation as a pervert and sang "DIRTY" songs, hence why she was opposed to me getting into him. But she realised I was growing up and told me about why men and women have sex and told me not to believe rubbish likePrince and his hump dancing (She was also scared I was gay, a fate worse than death in Redneckville, Canterbury New Zealand - liking anything other than AC/DC, Gunznrozes and other meathead music was a no no and most others saw Prince as a nxxxxr faggot.

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Yes it was a hard journey and the interference only ended when I went away to uni.

I've wanted to address this for awhile. First off, I don't have kids and I'm 43.

My mother was an R.N., so not many conversations were taboo. When I was 8, she offered to buy me Playgirl to show me the male anatomy. At the dinner table we would be quizzed about the birds and the bees and we had to use the correct terminology. Our first family movie (I was 7, my sister was 4, and my mom and dad) was Blazing Saddles. The guy selling the tickets at the theather asked my parents THREE times if they understood how raunchy the movie was. It's been almost 4 decades and my sister's favorite movie scene still involves bathtubs and rubber ducks.

I was in elementary school when Darling Nikki was released and radio stations were bleeping out the "naughty" word. After questioning my mother as to why the song was so scandalous, she said something along the lines of "hell if I know."

To this day," sexually explicit" merits nothing more than a yawn from me. However, I watched Blazing Saddles again a couple of months ago and was holding my ears during certain scenes for reasons that had nothing to do with sex.

My sister and I were very good kids (not perfect) and if I had children, I would raise them the same way. You can't hold back the river, but you can teach your kids to swim.

[Edited 8/10/16 4:21am]

Edited for a typo.

[Edited 8/10/16 4:21am]

My dad was born in '49 his father was born in 1900 so he was raised up in very strict ways. My father was also a pentecostal preacher the whole time I was growing up but he listened to The Byrds, Rolling Stones, ZZ Top, Creedence Clearwater Revival, and many of the oldies from the 60s and older. His stance on my choice in music was that though he preferred clean lyrics he also was aware that he rebelled as a teenager and fully embraced the hippie era in the 60s, so he pretty much gave me free reign to listen to and wear whatever I wanted for the most part. Prince was not allowed though. He knew all about when he got started and did not want his only daugther listening to any Prince songs cause he was already aware that I was very much into noticing the boys and he did not want to have to sit through watching me drool over the pretty man! LOL Songs like Gett Off, Cream and such would have meant war between me and him.

ldmendes said:

It's funny when you're a kid and singing "Do me Baby, till I just can't take no more"..in the car with my Mother..she never said anything, it was just innocents, teenage crush..I don't know what it is now..adult lust I guess.

Yep. This was me too. Actually, I don't think I really had any real grasp on how dirty some of the lyrics were (aside from the obvious) so I was just singing at the top of my lungs. I had been into the Beastie Boys prior to Prince and my parents hated them so I think a few dodgy lyrics from Prince was just fine in their books. My dad was a big Little Richard fan so I secretly think he quite liked songs like Jack U off lol.

As for my own kids now. I have to admit I tend to avoid the obvious swearing (like Sexy MF etc...) as my kids are only 9 & twins age 5, but they know all of his more modern stuff and have heard many, many concerts so know many of the hits too. I will let loose with the whole catalogue at some point but I guess my rule right now is that if I feel uncomfortable singing it in front of them, then I don't let them hear it.

justAmeda said:

My dad was born in '49 his father was born in 1900 so he was raised up in very strict ways. My father was also a pentecostal preacher the whole time I was growing up but he listened to The Byrds, Rolling Stones, ZZ Top, Creedence Clearwater Revival, and many of the oldies from the 60s and older. His stance on my choice in music was that though he preferred clean lyrics he also was aware that he rebelled as a teenager and fully embraced the hippie era in the 60s, so he pretty much gave me free reign to listen to and wear whatever I wanted for the most part. Prince was not allowed though. He knew all about when he got started and did not want his only daughter listening to any Prince songs cause he was already aware that I was very much into noticing the boys and he did not want to have to sit through watching me drool over the pretty man! LOL Songs like Gett Off, Cream and such would have meant war between me and him.

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I would never play Prince for either of my parents.

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It would probably give my mom nightmares just knowing such lyrics existed, and that her daughter was listening to them.

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My father wouldn't be horrified, just disgusted.

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My older sister and I think that there should be a new censorship category.

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May Not Be Suitable For Older Parents

.

[Edited 8/10/16 11:43am]

I've had P playing constantly at home and in the car since his death and created a playlist on my iphone of all Prince songs I have available through my itunes account. Also in the car I have random CD's I've made of the stuff i dont have access to through itunes. So obviously the CD's I can pick which songs are appropriate for their ears and the playlist on my iphone can also be handpicked and innapropriate songs taken out. Normally if there is a curse word or if there is blatent sexual content...like head or sister, get off or erotic city (damn...love those), I dont include them in our listening...I listen on my own without them of course. But I have to admit, HouseQuake is still on rotation. LOL I just try to yell something over the Bull Shit part and even the DAMN...but w/o them it's not as fun, I admit...ha. BUT....I do take the songs into Garage Band and re-edit the song so the curse word is out...or a verse that is worse than others. Like the song "The Truth". It's such a good song ,but of course, the F bomb is dropped twice. I resave the song as a new one and include that version on the CD in the car for my kids. And honestly, P has made so many appropriate songs, that it's not like I'm not playing them most of his stuff. Just the one's that are too racy or have bad language, I alter so they can still jam out to him.... Afterall, it's my absolute duty to raise more PRINCE FAMs! BTW..my daughters are 9 and 3 and although my 9 year old likes P's she tired of all the P airtime and asks for her "pop" station often....however the little one is upset if anyone changes to something other than Prince. I'm pretty proud. haha

Also, someone mentioned Sexy MF, but there is an editied version of the song that was released. Prince's ewwwhhhhh scream replaces the f word. It was the radio version I believe. Have both edited and unedited albums and really glad I do LOL.

[Edited 8/10/16 11:43am]

I was 21 when I first heard Prince - so it wasn't anything I hadn't heard before.

Up until I heard the 1999 album, the dirtiest album I'd ever heard was The Knack's "Get the Knack" in 1979. Lemme tell you - Prince was not the only one pushing the raunchiness barrier around that time. That album was absolutely filthy.

thequeenofthekings said:

I resave the song as a new one and include that version on the CD in the car for my kids. And honestly, P has made so many appropriate songs, that it's not like I'm not playing them most of his stuff. Just the one's that are too racy or have bad language, I alter so they can still jam out to him.... Afterall, it's my absolute duty to raise more PRINCE FAMs! BTW..my daughters are 9 and 3 and although my 9 year old likes P's she tired of all the P airtime and asks for her "pop" station often....however the little one is upset if anyone changes to something other than Prince. I'm pretty proud. haha

Also, someone mentioned Sexy MF, but there is an editied version of the song that was released. Prince's ewwwhhhhh scream replaces the f word. It was the radio version I believe. Have both edited and unedited albums and really glad I do LOL.

[Edited 8/10/16 11:43am]

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Hi queenofthekings,

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I am actively trying to get my 12 year old daughter to bond with Prince.

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but I am having less success with it than you.

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QueenofCardboard said:

QueenofCardboard said:

thequeenofthekings said:Yeah that's a hard age. They so think their moms don't know anything! U know what I mean. And my 9 year old is in that stage now too. But she does admit she likes him, just sick of him. It's probably not helping that I listen nonstop to him. Haha I let her sneak in a song here or there on a car ride. I probably should ease into it more, but I'm being selfish and this is my coping mechanism for his loss (nonstop Prince in all forms) lol. On the upside, my 3 year old is all about Prince, so I guess I have to cut my losses for the 9 year old and be happy for the 3 year old up and coming P fan! Lol maybe we can swap stories on what's working for us on our "preteen" girls. I even convinced her that her dance solo tap song is going to be to "batdance". Haha she dos like this song and many on that album. Maybe try that album on your 12 year old. It's a fun one! My 9 year old also like 1999 (the song) and starfish and coffee. I told her the story behind it and we laught about the pee pee part. She also likes "My Name is Prince". Good luck!

.

Thanks.

.

I think I'll need it.

.

I finally finished my list of songs for my friend, and I think my next project will be a list of songs for my daughter.

.

QueenofCardboard said:

justAmeda said:

My dad was born in '49 his father was born in 1900 so he was raised up in very strict ways. My father was also a pentecostal preacher the whole time I was growing up but he listened to The Byrds, Rolling Stones, ZZ Top, Creedence Clearwater Revival, and many of the oldies from the 60s and older. His stance on my choice in music was that though he preferred clean lyrics he also was aware that he rebelled as a teenager and fully embraced the hippie era in the 60s, so he pretty much gave me free reign to listen to and wear whatever I wanted for the most part. Prince was not allowed though. He knew all about when he got started and did not want his only daughter listening to any Prince songs cause he was already aware that I was very much into noticing the boys and he did not want to have to sit through watching me drool over the pretty man! LOL Songs like Gett Off, Cream and such would have meant war between me and him.

.

I would never play Prince for either of my parents.

.

It would probably give my mom nightmares just knowing such lyrics existed, and that her daughter was listening to them.

.

My father wouldn't be horrified, just disgusted.

.

My older sister and I think that there should be a new censorship category.

.

May Not Be Suitable For Older Parents

.

[Edited 8/10/16 11:43am]

a NSOP label! Luv it!

if u was raised right ..they shouldnt or wouldnt care about silly lyrics...u would have the sense to have good judgement

QueenofCardboard said:

Genesia said:

I was 21 when I first heard Prince - so it wasn't anything I hadn't heard before.

Up until I heard the 1999 album, the dirtiest album I'd ever heard was The Knack's "Get the Knack" in 1979. Lemme tell you - Prince was not the only one pushing the raunchiness barrier around that time. That album was absolutely filthy.

Interesting you say that, I had the same experience 12 or 13 years later. When I was listening to Prince, I was already listening to a lot of filthy rap songs by NWA and Ice T, such as Girls LGBNAF (Girls lets get buck naked and fuck - Islam creates the picture, and girls I'm gonna say, evil e's gonna get ya, get ya illin in a nude mode, a double x rated episode, hotel rooms will explode when my posse unload).

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Of course there was Cool J's Bristol Hotel "Bang bang boogie, she was so immune, she was at the clinic getting blood transfused", and the bootleg copies I had of Bodycount (Evil dick, KKK BItch) and Two live crew (Me so horny), I knew those songs off by heart (I'll know she will be disgusted when she sees yo pussy busted), so yeah Prince was tiddlywinks next to that rubbish.

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The worst album though I think was Blood sugar sex magik by the Red Hot Chili Peppers, it was like a Porno movie and the songs were mostly about sex and the words fuck, motherfucker and penis metaphors were used all the time "She stuck my butt with her big black stick, so I said what's up, now suck my dick, like a ram getting reday to jam the lamb, she wiggled just a bit when she felt my ham, on her crotch so very warm, I could feel her getting wet through her uniform) and these guys were WHITE! Then another song referred to pink umbrellas and you get the picture, one track which sounded almost neo celtic and witchlike (Breaking the girl) was about taking a womens virginity and that was a hit.

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At the time (Age 13 - 15) I thought this music was hilarious and it made the man for knowing it, but in reality it was immoral garbage that should be banned. I see this type of music as filth and trivialising sex, which is beautiful and a form of love, not something trashy and crude. Of course with all the shit hop, Minaj type ho rap and Kardashian whore culture, the world was actaully more harmless back in 1990.

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Love to know some filth in the Knack, they were just a one hit wonder.

I remember hearing Kid Creole And The Coconuts on the radio for the first time back in 1990, and at the point where the radio sang:

"I've got a spooky feeling you just want me for the sex"

I just blushed and felt ashamed of my Penis

well actually I just blushed because I was a sheltered child and probably would have caused multiple teenage pregnancies in high school given the opportunity, something to do with the Spanish Ice Age

ANYWAY Kid Creole And The Coconuts - told you not to open that window!!!

That was after the Tory Council took away the swings from the local play area because there were some goths I would have hung out with in the mid eighties.

What a miserable world. Probably worried I'd give them ideas

Then again crude music panics go back to the 1918 - 1928 period with the rise of down low blues singers like Ma Rainey, Lucille Bogan (Her 1935 song - Scrub them dry included the lines "I have been fucking all night and I will fuck some more), Mamie Smith etc and jazz artists like Jazzabo Collins and Fate Marabell were accuseed of releasing morally repugnant recordings about sex and drinking and partying. It did not help the racism of the time, was quick to stereotype all black people as being examples fo a few recordings.

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Seriously its true, around 1921, you will see articles about the menace of ebony jazz and dusky serenaders using filthy syncopation that suggested movements and actions of a most amorous and undecoric nature. You can just see the 1910s women with floral hats having an opera over the shock of negro prositute singer Lucille Bogan and the like.

thequeenofthekings said:

QueenofCardboard said:

.

Thanks.

.

I think I'll need it.

.

I finally finished my list of songs for my friend, and I think my next project will be a list of songs for my daughter.

.

Great idea!!! Has your friend heard the cd yet? If so what did she think? I made the cd for my brother but haven't given it to him yet. I want to be there when he plays it all! Haha I just hope he plays the whole thing and doesn't skip over the ones he doesn't like. He's stubborn when it comes to music!

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My friend is a man and no, I haven't sent it yet, but he is eager to get it and listen to it.

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I always make people promise me that they will listen to the music at least three times before they decide they don't like it.

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I think it takes a minimum of three times before songs can start to grow on you.

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Let me know what your brother thinks.

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Oh wait I remember, the kid a street over was playing spontaneous catch with a big stone and I was just sat there and he landed a perfect unannounced tank arc on my head and I ran home crying because it was before basketball had been invented, and then the also kicked a football in my face.

Right, time to nuke Norfolk. I'm voting Trump!

ForeverPaisley said:

I can't help but laugh; a question about age & lyrics.

[Edited 8/7/16 14:39pm]

Well I have a semi-related funny story about age, and one about lyrics, but not about both together.

Re lyrics: I discovered P when Dirty Mind came out (I am one year younger than him) and it blew my mind! especially when I realized he had produced, arranged, composed, and performed it all himself. I went back and bought his earlier albums (and for the next few years bought everything out of Mpls - I mean *everything* - The Time, Vanity 6, The Family, Andre Cymone, Dez Dickerson and the Modernaires - but I digress). I thought he was brilliant musically and that he would have been all over the radio if it wasn't for his lyrics. I made a mixtape of my favourite songs from his first few albums (by then Controversy was out) and brought it to my local pub to play on a busy, loud night. They loved the music. Then I stayed after hours and played it again for the bar staff. I will never forget their faces as they actually heard the lyrics to Head, Sister, Jack U Off ... priceless!

Re age: So I was 25 when PR the movie came out. Went to see it in the theatre with a couple of friends my age. There was a group of teenagers sitting a few rows behind us. When the steamy love scenes came on, I remember thinking, oh how awkward, I wonder if those young kids are uncomfortable. About a half hour later, it occurred to me that they were probably thinking, oh how awkward, I wonder if those old folks are uncomfortable. ROFL!

I don't actually remember any instance of my kids hearing any of his suggestive songs when they were younger - they are young adults now - but I would have had no problem with it - I was always an ask-me-anything kind of mom. They were much more likely to be embarrassed than I was lol.

Yeah I know those stories are not totally on point but I hope you will forgive the slight digression. Great topic - thanks for the lols and the stroll down memory lane!

[Edited 8/11/16 11:42am]

nonames said:

My parents don't speak English, so I was mostly ok, until we played Come in the car and we got to Orgasm... I've never been so embarrassed in my life. I was 17 by then, so they didn't make a huge fuss, but I was mortified!

yeah that would have made for an awkward moment! Oi!

Waiting4Fall said:

I've wanted to address this for awhile. First off, I don't have kids and I'm 43.

My mother was an R.N., so not many conversations were taboo. When I was 8, she offered to buy me Playgirl to show me the male anatomy. At the dinner table we would be quizzed about the birds and the bees and we had to use the correct terminology. Our first family movie (I was 7, my sister was 4, and my mom and dad) was Blazing Saddles. The guy selling the tickets at the theather asked my parents THREE times if they understood how raunchy the movie was. It's been almost 4 decades and my sister's favorite movie scene still involves bathtubs and rubber ducks.

I was in elementary school when Darling Nikki was released and radio stations were bleeping out the "naughty" word. After questioning my mother as to why the song was so scandalous, she said something along the lines of "hell if I know."

To this day," sexually explicit" merits nothing more than a yawn from me. However, I watched Blazing Saddles again a couple of months ago and was holding my ears during certain scenes for reasons that had nothing to do with sex.

My sister and I were very good kids (not perfect) and if I had children, I would raise them the same way. You can't hold back the river, but you can teach your kids to swim.

[Edited 8/10/16 4:21am]

Edited for a typo.

[Edited 8/10/16 4:21am]

I realllly like this philosophy. I think kids that are too sheltered can be worse off than those that are exposed to what they will likely hear/see about in school, social media, etc - I mean, just listening to the news this evening and they 'bleeped' out the ef word, but it still sounded like f*cking...literally without that one vowel. Why bother if it's so crystal clear what is being said anyway? Swear words - unfortunately - seem more and more everyday language. Seems like the shockvalue isn't as it was when I was growing up anyway.

Of all the movies we watched growing up - the ones that were rated above my age...it was NEVER the language that was committed to memory, it was always the graphic scenes...like when they cut that guys' hand off at the beginning of Robin Hood Prince of Thieves. That I have never forgotten. Swear words? Meh.

maplenpg said:

ldmendes said:

It's funny when you're a kid and singing "Do me Baby, till I just can't take no more"..in the car with my Mother..she never said anything, it was just innocents, teenage crush..I don't know what it is now..adult lust I guess.

Yep. This was me too. Actually, I don't think I really had any real grasp on how dirty some of the lyrics were (aside from the obvious) so I was just singing at the top of my lungs. I had been into the Beastie Boys prior to Prince and my parents hated them so I think a few dodgy lyrics from Prince was just fine in their books. My dad was a big Little Richard fan so I secretly think he quite liked songs like Jack U off lol.

As for my own kids now. I have to admit I tend to avoid the obvious swearing (like Sexy MF etc...) as my kids are only 9 & twins age 5, but they know all of his more modern stuff and have heard many, many concerts so know many of the hits too. I will let loose with the whole catalogue at some point but I guess my rule right now is that if I feel uncomfortable singing it in front of them, then I don't let them hear it.

That's a good rule too! Would work both ways really...the songs we might've been too uncomfortable for the folks to outright know we're listening too... uh uh, kept that to myself thanks!

luvsexy4all said:

if u was raised right ..they shouldnt or wouldnt care about silly lyrics...u would have the sense to have good judgement

exactly.

Bebop17 said:

ForeverPaisley said:

I can't help but laugh; a question about age & lyrics.

[Edited 8/7/16 14:39pm]

Well I have a semi-related funny story about age, and one about lyrics, but not about both together.

Re lyrics: I discovered P when Dirty Mind came out (I am one year younger than him) and it blew my mind! especially when I realized he had produced, arranged, composed, and performed it all himself. I went back and bought his earlier albums (and for the next few years bought everything out of Mpls - I mean *everything* - The Time, Vanity 6, The Family, Andre Cymone, Dez Dickerson and the Modernaires - but I digress). I thought he was brilliant musically and that he would have been all over the radio if it wasn't for his lyrics. I made a mixtape of my favourite songs from his first few albums (by then Controversy was out) and brought it to my local pub to play on a busy, loud night. They loved the music. Then I stayed after hours and played it again for the bar staff. I will never forget their faces as they actually heard the lyrics to Head, Sister, Jack U Off ... priceless!

Re age: So I was 25 when PR the movie came out. Went to see it in the theatre with a couple of friends my age. There was a group of teenagers sitting a few rows behind us. When the steamy love scenes came on, I remember thinking, oh how awkward, I wonder if those young kids are uncomfortable. About a half hour later, it occurred to me that they were probably thinking, oh how awkward, I wonder if those old folks are uncomfortable. ROFL!

I don't actually remember any instance of my kids hearing any of his suggestive songs when they were younger - they are young adults now - but I would have had no problem with it - I was always an ask-me-anything kind of mom. They were much more likely to be embarrassed than I was lol.

Yeah I know those stories are not totally on point but I hope you will forgive the slight digression. Great topic - thanks for the lols and the stroll down memory lane!

[Edited 8/11/16 11:42am]

I love that you were able to be in the theatre when PR was released and had that thought. And you're right, they could have been thinking the exactl thing!

Digression is always welcome I love that you introduced your co-workers to Prince's music. Hope some of them turned into fans over time

thequeenofthekings said:

QueenofCardboard said:

.

Thanks.

.

I think I'll need it.

.

I finally finished my list of songs for my friend, and I think my next project will be a list of songs for my daughter.

.

Great idea!!! Has your friend heard the cd yet? If so what did she think? I made the cd for my brother but haven't given it to him yet. I want to be there when he plays it all! Haha I just hope he plays the whole thing and doesn't skip over the ones he doesn't like. He's stubborn when it comes to music!

.

My friend is a man and no, I haven't sent it yet, but he is eager to get it and listen to it.

.

I always make people promise me that they will listen to the music at least three times before they decide they don't like it.

.

I think it takes a minimum of three times before songs can start to grow on you.

.

Let me know what your brother thinks.

.]

Opps. Didn't realize he was a guy. Haha Tell him to listen with headphones. Good ones that go over his ears if possible. Before his death I had never listened on headphones and man oh man...what a difference! U hear every breath and every little sound...the way he intended for the song to be heard. Totally changed my outlook on even songs I didn't care for in the past! Wow! If u haven't tried yourself, do it. It's like night and day! Didn't think I could love his music more but I do. And like the idea of 3x before giving up. Good idea!