I have always been attracted to Prince's dark side quite a bit, the songs as well as little moments in them where you're suddenly caught off guard. He peppers so many of these throughout his catalog, moments that make your hair crawl or your chair buckle. What are some of your favorites?

I'll name some right now:

- the first minute of "Digital Garden" before the vocals come in are a bit creepy.

- the finale of "The Beautiful Ones." It's an obvious choice, but even when I know it's coming, I always grab hold of whatever I'm sitting on because it's so absolutely gripping and intense.

- the 'Help me, somebody please help me!' scream at the end of "D.M.S.R."

- the melotron at the beginning of "Wasted Kisses." Coming off however many minutes of silence, it just jumps at you.

- the whole 'bondage / rape' interrogation scene in "I Hate U."

- the 'I strangled Valentino' line really makes me look at "Private Joy" in a whole new light; it's a fun bubblegum pop song on the surface, but that line just takes it into a far darker direction for me. Looking at the rest of the lyrics, he seems a bit too proud of his lover...almost as if it's more a one-sided obsession. The lyrics are quite possessive sounding.

- When Donna joined with 3rd Eye Girl, she began playing this swirling, tsunami like riff on "Sign O' the Times," it's very taut and cold, and gives the song an even more apocalyptic feel. Montreux Night 3 is a great example of it; that whole performance is phenomenally intense, and would probably be my favorite version if Prince did all the verses.

I'm sure some will mention others, but these are the ones that immediately came to mind.

Shockadelica...It's not about a woman (my opinion).

.
Also, the 'official' version of 'Empty Room' - there's something just a bit Twilight Zone about it.

[Edited 12/1/17 15:47pm]

I think the scenario in "PHEROMONE" is pretty disturbing.

Her eyes are closed but there's no penetration
He just makes her point the pistol 2 his nose while he masturbates
And I see a tear headed down towards her smile
What happens next, it all depends upon your style

The guy is making a girl dominate him with the threat of a bullet to the brain, inciting a simultaneous streak of fear and sexual arousal. She's sad about it that he sinks to such primal depths. Then it's really open-ended with "what happens next depends upon your style". He talks about pulling a gun earlier in the song, too.

It's primal with the repeated "Pheromone make a nigga go crazy, fuckin' around make a nigga wanna die" chant throughout, too.

It's interesting because while people dismiss Prince as a womanizer, he's constantly in the submissive role in his songs. He almost always has the woman in charge, he's asking or begging for her affections, instead of pushing himself on her (sans that rape comment in ...what is that song?). Even in "Violet The Organ Grinder", he's a workhorse for someone else's pleasure.

"Papa" is dark, too.

Dibblekins said:

67Cadillac said:

I have always been attracted to Prince's dark side quite a bit, the songs as well as little moments in them where you're suddenly caught off guard. He peppers so many of these throughout his catalog, moments that make your hair crawl or your chair buckle. What are some of your favorites?

I'll name some right now:

- the first minute of "Digital Garden" before the vocals come in are a bit creepy.

- the finale of "The Beautiful Ones." It's an obvious choice, but even when I know it's coming, I always grab hold of whatever I'm sitting on because it's so absolutely gripping and intense.

- the 'Help me, somebody please help me!' scream at the end of "D.M.S.R."

- the melotron at the beginning of "Wasted Kisses." Coming off however many minutes of silence, it just jumps at you.

- the whole 'bondage / rape' interrogation scene in "I Hate U."

- the 'I strangled Valentino' line really makes me look at "Private Joy" in a whole new light; it's a fun bubblegum pop song on the surface, but that line just takes it into a far darker direction for me. Looking at the rest of the lyrics, he seems a bit too proud of his lover...almost as if it's more a one-sided obsession. The lyrics are quite possessive sounding.

- When Donna joined with 3rd Eye Girl, she began playing this swirling, tsunami like riff on "Sign O' the Times," it's very taut and cold, and gives the song an even more apocalyptic feel. Montreux Night 3 is a great example of it; that whole performance is phenomenally intense, and would probably be my favorite version if Prince did all the verses.

I'm sure some will mention others, but these are the ones that immediately came to mind.

Totally creeped me out the first time I heard it...

A couple of more:

- I think all of 1999 except for "Delirious" and maybe "Little Red Corvette" is quite dark. Every song has an air of menace to it to some degree, whether it's apocalypse or sexual frustration.

- Not creepy, but the baby coo at the end of the album version of "Delirious" is weird.

- The ending of "Darling Nikki," especially when played forward.

- "Anna Stesia." I feel like the whole song is just a dark night for the soul; if the ecstasy stories are true, I wonder if "Anna Stesia" is sort of the story of his revelation not to release "The Black Album," like God telling him he'd gone too far in his blurring of the sacred and the profane and that he was heading down a path of no return. (I personally think "The Black Album" is lame and underwhelming aside from "Bob George.")

- Prince's darkest song, however, bar none, is "Dance with the Devil." He's written dark songs, songs of despair, songs of anger, but none that actually embrace evil as purely as DWTD does. The chorus alone is bone chilling, and even the music carries the atmosphere of something like hell. I listen to it once a year on Halloween, then generally stay clear with it. Same with "There's Other Here With Us."

- "Something in the Water." The wails are obviously the most chilling part, but the whole song is claustrophobic, cold and paranoid.

[Edited 12/2/17 4:15am]

PaPa!!!

67Cadillac, I love your passion, it really shines through.

First onecame to mind was "there's Others Here With Us"

You have to add Big Tall Wall to this list. And maybe Come, for "Don't cough or sneeze, don't talk or *breathe*"

[Edited 12/2/17 5:44am]

MD431Madcat said:

PaPa!!!

Totally agree. This is the first song that came to my mind too.

67Cadillac said:

Dibblekins said:

Shockadelica...It's not about a woman (my opinion).

.
Also, the 'official' version of 'Empty Room' - there's something just a bit Twilight Zone about it.

[Edited 12/1/17 15:47pm]

What do you think Shockadelica is about?

It won't be a popular opinion, lol - but I think it's a metaphor for a drug of some sort (I'd suggest maybe a tranquilliser of some sort, given the lyrical content and evidence we have from Prince and those close to him who said he struggled to sleep because he was ALWAYS hearing music); something to which he had a (fleeting?) addiction or desire but which knew he had to resist because 'she' won't let him play his guitar.
.

When he's alone, it's so hard not to succumb - (The lights go out) the lights go out, the smell of doom
Is creepin' into your lonely room

The bed's on fire
Your fate is sealed
And you're so tired
And the reason is Camille-mille (he referred to himself as Camille - his alter ego; that sneaky, bad, devilish, female side of himself which taunts and tempts him to take his 'Shockadelica')
The girl (Camille) must be a witch
She got your mind, body, and soul hitched (to the) Shockadelica
You need a second opinion but she never wears a stitch (she's bad- and the things she makes you do, like take that little pill, are things about which you can never speak publicly)
So you can't take her home (you can't tell anyone - she's a guilty secret)

She got you tied with a golden rope (she's got you hooked)
She won't let you play your guitar
And when you've cried enough (he laments / fights it)
Maybe she'll let you up
For a nasty ride in her shockadeli-car
She'll make you beg (please) girl
Shockadelica, got you in a trance
'Cause when this woman say dance you dance, Shockadelica
You need a second opinion (he really wants to tell someone; he knows he needs help - maybe from Prince himself - to fight Camille and her wicked temptation) but you just can't leave her alone
With her you got no mind of your own
Shockadelica
Shockadelica
...

[Edited 12/2/17 7:20am]

Dibblekins said:

67Cadillac said:

Dibblekins said: What do you think Shockadelica is about?

It won't be a popular opinion, lol - but I think it's a metaphor for a drug of some sort (I'd suggest maybe a tranquilliser of some sort, given the lyrical content and evidence we have from Prince and those close to him who said he struggled to sleep because he was ALWAYS hearing music); something to which he had a (fleeting?) addiction or desire but which knew he had to resist because 'she' won't let him play his guitar.
.

When he's alone, it's so hard not to succumb - (The lights go out) the lights go out, the smell of doom
Is creepin' into your lonely room

The bed's on fire
Your fate is sealed
And you're so tired
And the reason is Camille-mille (he referred to himself as Camille - his alter ego; that sneaky, bad, devilish, female side of himself which taunts and tempts him to take his 'Shockadelica')
The girl (Camille) must be a witch
She got your mind, body, and soul hitched (to the) Shockadelica
You need a second opinion but she never wears a stitch (she's bad- and the things she makes you do, like take that little pill, are things about which you can never speak publicly)
So you can't take her home (you can't tell anyone - she's a guilty secret)

She got you tied with a golden rope (she's got you hooked)
She won't let you play your guitar
And when you've cried enough (he laments / fights it)
Maybe she'll let you up
For a nasty ride in her shockadeli-car
She'll make you beg (please) girl
Shockadelica, got you in a trance
'Cause when this woman say dance you dance, Shockadelica
You need a second opinion (he really wants to tell someone; he knows he needs help - maybe from Prince himself - to fight Camille and her wicked temptation) but you just can't leave her alone
With her you got no mind of your own
Shockadelica
Shockadelica
...

[Edited 12/2/17 7:20am]

interesting take....but these foks on here who believe he was cleaner than an angel wont buy it

[Edited 12/2/17 11:18am]

luvsexy4all said:

interesting take....but these foks who believe he was cleaner than an angel wont buy it

According to PrinceVault, Shockadelica was written around the same time as the other Black Album tracks - and so may have been considered by Prince to be of the same ilk (exploring the darker recesses of his mind and experiences).

67Cadillac said:

Dibblekins said:

Shockadelica...It's not about a woman (my opinion).

.
Also, the 'official' version of 'Empty Room' - there's something just a bit Twilight Zone about it.

[Edited 12/1/17 15:47pm]

What do you think Shockadelica is about?

about 6 minutes

Dibblekins said:

luvsexy4all said:

interesting take....but these foks who believe he was cleaner than an angel wont buy it

According to PrinceVault, Shockadelica was written around the same time as the other Black Album tracks - and so may have been considered by Prince to be of the same ilk (exploring the darker recesses of his mind and experiences).

yeah, i suggested that pulling the black album was a publicity stunt and someone got all grumpy.

"Power Fantastic" is another song that sounds incredibly haunted: something about the way the music 'moves,' as well as Prince's phrasing and the lyrics, it makes me think of a spectre slowly drifting across a dark bedroom.

Also, yesterday I heard (and saw, I guess) "Violet the Organ Grinder" for the fist time, and I though it was absolutely one of his most twisted pieces. What the hell is it even.

All of "Solo" sounds haunted and lonely, but that big long sustained falsetto belt at the beginning sends a chill down my spine.

A lot of "One Nite Alone" is a bit spooky - "Here on Earth," the title song and "Avalanche" have dark atmospheres to my ears.

The strings in "Face Down" are very moody and angry, which I think gives the song an identity it would not have had if Prince made it another standard rap attempt.

The main riff to "Hot Thing" is frightening - the lust portrayed in that song isn't innocent, there's a very carnal, obsessive quality to it mainly driven by Prince's vocal delivery (that twang he has on it sounds very sinister for some reason) and the keyboard riff.

MattyJam said:

67Cadillac, I love your passion, it really shines through.

Thank you! I really appreciate this post. There's so much to be passionate about, the depth and nuances in the man's music really are endless.

[Edited 12/2/17 11:46am]

what is the story behind "Curious Child"?

OnlyNDaUsa said:

what is the story behind "Curious Child"?

I'm listening to this one now. It's one that flew under the radar for me, so much I didn't realize it was actually officially released. It's a very pretty song, but it's also quite unsettling in its vagueness.

[Edited 12/2/17 18:18pm]

bobgeorge77 said:

Also, of course Bob George! Very disturbing and unnerving...but quite amazing!

the song or the orger?

OnlyNDaUsa said:

My 30 year old self REFUSES to listen to "Others Here With Us" without a light on

1999.

The song blared through my house at 5:30 am on the morning of September 11, 2001 after my stereo alarm was changed to start the CD player.

I used regular radio and never a CD. It has not happened since.

Cherry Cherry or Another Lonely Christmas

Also,

I never felt comfortable with Possessed (Live) or when he talked with God during Lovesexy tour...

[Edited 12/3/17 14:35pm]