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Thread started 04/10/19 3:32am

purplenan

Prince semantics

Americans may laugh but could you explain some English semantics in these songs?


1. Sheila E Glamorous Life


"They made love by a certain way. She knew she had a problem."
What way? What problem (falling in love?)?


2. 17 days


"your head is underwater. I doubt that you could hear me."
Underwater?


3. In the lovesexy tour after the song I Wanna Be Your Lover, Boni Boyer tells Prince to show his love and tells him to "buy you a brand new BMW".Not buy me. Buy YOU.


What? smile)

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Reply #1 posted 04/10/19 3:45am

Kares

avatar

purplenan said:

Americans may laugh but could you explain some English semantics in these songs?


1. Sheila E Glamorous Life


"They made love by a certain way. She knew she had a problem."
What way? What problem (falling in love?)?


2. 17 days


"your head is underwater. I doubt that you could hear me."
Underwater?


3. In the lovesexy tour after the song I Wanna Be Your Lover, Boni Boyer tells Prince to show his love and tells him to "buy you a brand new BMW".Not buy me. Buy YOU.


What? smile)

.
I'm not even a native English speaker but to me these mean:

1: yes, falling in love often means trouble.
2: "your head is underwater" = you're immersed in a new love, new relationship

3: unless my memory fails she sings "go out and buy me a brand new BMW".

[Edited 4/10/19 4:42am]

Friends don't let friends clap on 1 and 3.

The Paisley Park Vault spreadsheet: https://goo.gl/zzWHrU
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Reply #2 posted 04/10/19 4:40am

MacDaddy

purplenan said:

Americans may laugh but could you explain some English semantics in these songs?


1. Sheila E Glamorous Life


"They made love by a certain way. She knew she had a problem."
What way? What problem (falling in love?)?


2. 17 days


"your head is underwater. I doubt that you could hear me."
Underwater?


3. In the lovesexy tour after the song I Wanna Be Your Lover, Boni Boyer tells Prince to show his love and tells him to "buy you a brand new BMW".Not buy me. Buy YOU.


What? smile)

The lyrics for The Glamorous life you are referring to are;



'They made love and by the seventh wave

She knew she had a problem'



Makes more sense now I guess

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Reply #3 posted 04/10/19 5:00am

BartVanHemelen

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purplenan said:

3. In the lovesexy tour after the song I Wanna Be Your Lover, Boni Boyer tells Prince to show his love and tells him to "buy you a brand new BMW".Not buy me. Buy YOU.

.

Or you could actually listen to what she says. Which is "me". She even says this twice. Then again, you think "Adore" is "I Wanna Be Your Lover", so...

© Bart Van Hemelen
This posting is provided AS IS with no warranties, and confers no rights.
It is not authorized by Prince or the NPG Music Club. You assume all risk for
your use. All rights reserved.
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Reply #4 posted 04/10/19 11:28am

TrivialPursuit

avatar

purplenan said:

Americans may laugh but could you explain some English semantics in these songs?


1. Sheila E Glamorous Life


"They made love by a certain way. She knew she had a problem."
What way? What problem (falling in love?)?


2. 17 days


"your head is underwater. I doubt that you could hear me."
Underwater?


3. In the lovesexy tour after the song I Wanna Be Your Lover, Boni Boyer tells Prince to show his love and tells him to "buy you a brand new BMW".Not buy me. Buy YOU.


What? smile)


You're new here, so I'm going to not be quite as punchy as I usually am with the experts.

1. the line is "the made love and by the 7th wave, she knew he had a problem". That's easy to figure out.


2. Having your head in the clouds or underwater is an age-old idiom of not seeing things clearly because you're so wrapped up in it, whether it's love, addiction, obsession, whatever. (I'm not sure why you're picking at such minor words like "underwater", but okay.)

3. Boni clearly says "buy ME a BMW", she's challenging him. If you'd watch the whole show and see the act 1 being the bad Camille side, and act 2 being his rebirth (they're literally coming up out of the ground like God making Adam from the dirt of the earth), you'd see the struggle for love ("can it be trusted?") throughout. Why would she argue to buy him something? Even the snippets of songs he's using are done so in order to create a narrative of lust vs. love.

Either you're being obtuse with your post, or you really didn't understand the simplest of human interactions.

"eye don’t really care so much what people say about me because it is a reflection of who they r."
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Reply #5 posted 04/10/19 1:38pm

Genesia

avatar

TrivialPursuit said:

purplenan said:

Americans may laugh but could you explain some English semantics in these songs?


1. Sheila E Glamorous Life


"They made love by a certain way. She knew she had a problem."
What way? What problem (falling in love?)?


2. 17 days


"your head is underwater. I doubt that you could hear me."
Underwater?


3. In the lovesexy tour after the song I Wanna Be Your Lover, Boni Boyer tells Prince to show his love and tells him to "buy you a brand new BMW".Not buy me. Buy YOU.


What? smile)


You're new here, so I'm going to not be quite as punchy as I usually am with the experts.

1. the line is "the made love and by the 7th wave, she knew he had a problem". That's easy to figure out.


2. Having your head in the clouds or underwater is an age-old idiom of not seeing things clearly because you're so wrapped up in it, whether it's love, addiction, obsession, whatever. (I'm not sure why you're picking at such minor words like "underwater", but okay.)

3. Boni clearly says "buy ME a BMW", she's challenging him. If you'd watch the whole show and see the act 1 being the bad Camille side, and act 2 being his rebirth (they're literally coming up out of the ground like God making Adam from the dirt of the earth), you'd see the struggle for love ("can it be trusted?") throughout. Why would she argue to buy him something? Even the snippets of songs he's using are done so in order to create a narrative of lust vs. love.

Either you're being obtuse with your post, or you really didn't understand the simplest of human interactions.


I think it's pretty clear that English is not the OP's native language. Idioms are hard.

We don’t mourn artists because we knew them. We mourn them because they helped us know ourselves.
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Reply #6 posted 04/10/19 2:14pm

peggyon

TrivialPursuit said:

purplenan said:

Americans may laugh but could you explain some English semantics in these songs?


1. Sheila E Glamorous Life


"They made love by a certain way. She knew she had a problem."
What way? What problem (falling in love?)?


2. 17 days


"your head is underwater. I doubt that you could hear me."
Underwater?


3. In the lovesexy tour after the song I Wanna Be Your Lover, Boni Boyer tells Prince to show his love and tells him to "buy you a brand new BMW".Not buy me. Buy YOU.


What? smile)


You're new here, so I'm going to not be quite as punchy as I usually am with the experts.

1. the line is "the made love and by the 7th wave, she knew he had a problem". That's easy to figure out.


2. Having your head in the clouds or underwater is an age-old idiom of not seeing things clearly because you're so wrapped up in it, whether it's love, addiction, obsession, whatever. (I'm not sure why you're picking at such minor words like "underwater", but okay.)

3. Boni clearly says "buy ME a BMW", she's challenging him. If you'd watch the whole show and see the act 1 being the bad Camille side, and act 2 being his rebirth (they're literally coming up out of the ground like God making Adam from the dirt of the earth), you'd see the struggle for love ("can it be trusted?") throughout. Why would she argue to buy him something? Even the snippets of songs he's using are done so in order to create a narrative of lust vs. love.

Either you're being obtuse with your post, or you really didn't understand the simplest of human interactions.

That statement was uncalled for. You are a consistent bully and somehow allowed to get away with it.

[Edited 4/10/19 14:16pm]

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Reply #7 posted 04/10/19 5:36pm

TrivialPursuit

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Genesia said:

TrivialPursuit said:

Either you're being obtuse with your post, or you really didn't understand the simplest of human interactions.


I think it's pretty clear that English is not the OP's native language. Idioms are hard.


Yeah, maybe. I was trying to be funny, but I wasn't at 100%. lol lol

"eye don’t really care so much what people say about me because it is a reflection of who they r."
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Reply #8 posted 04/10/19 5:40pm

rdhull

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Just wanted to state that "by the 7th wave, she knew she had a problem" is on of my favorite lines/parts to sing lol

"Climb in my fur."
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Reply #9 posted 04/10/19 6:35pm

peggyon

TrivialPursuit said:

Genesia said:


I think it's pretty clear that English is not the OP's native language. Idioms are hard.


Yeah, maybe. I was trying to be funny, but I wasn't at 100%. lol lol

What you said was not even remotely funny...

The fact that the OP is new and likely from another country makes it even more impressive that he/she had the guts to participate on this board. And, he/she was denigrated.

I am asking us to imagine if we would have the courage to participate on a German or French message board and be treated disrespectfully. It's hard enough for new native-speakers to deal with some 'mean' orgers.

[Edited 4/10/19 19:20pm]

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Reply #10 posted 04/10/19 9:18pm

ISaidLifeIsJus
tAGame

avatar

"Your head is underwater. I doubt that you could hear me."



17 Days is my all time favorite song from P&M 1983, and the above is my favorite lyric from this song.


P sings it with so much heart I can hear his anguish. Emotionally drowned.




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Reply #11 posted 04/10/19 10:50pm

PurpleDorothy

avatar

rdhull said:

Just wanted to state that "by the 7th wave, she knew she had a problem" is on of my favorite lines/parts to sing lol


yes nod
"As long as I can hear you smilin' baby
You won't hear my tears."
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Reply #12 posted 04/11/19 5:14am

violetcrush

purplenan said:

Americans may laugh but could you explain some English semantics in these songs?


1. Sheila E Glamorous Life


"They made love by a certain way. She knew she had a problem."
What way? What problem (falling in love?)?


2. 17 days


"your head is underwater. I doubt that you could hear me."
Underwater?


3. In the lovesexy tour after the song I Wanna Be Your Lover, Boni Boyer tells Prince to show his love and tells him to "buy you a brand new BMW".Not buy me. Buy YOU.


What? smile)

1. "They made love and by the 7th wave she knew she had a problem.." Tranlsation - by the 7th orgasm (aka "vulva splash" - see lyrics to Screams of Passion) she knew she had a problem. Song is about a woman thinking she doesn't need a man in her life, which changes after she makes love to the man. The lovemaking is so good that she now wants to be with him.

*

2. "Your head is under water, I doubt that you can hear me.." This can be taken both figuratively and literally. Around the same time the song was recorded Prince also sang different lyrics to the music of Purple Rain (before the finished lyrics) during a rehearsal which were "remember that time we swam naked in your Father's pool..." It was "I Can't Shake This Feeling" He was singing about not being able to shake off the feelings of love for the woman. So, if the lyrics are from a more literal sense it could mean him thinking about her doing the same thing with another man. Most likely it is just a reference to her being preoccupied with someone or something else.

*

3. Boni says "buy me a BMW...." No doubt sarcasm in order to say that most girls were after his money and not his love.

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Reply #13 posted 04/11/19 12:30pm

TrivialPursuit

avatar

violetcrush said:

1. "They made love and by the 7th wave she knew she had a problem.." Tranlsation - by the 7th orgasm (aka "vulva splash" - see lyrics to Screams of Passion) she knew she had a problem. Song is about a woman thinking she doesn't need a man in her life, which changes after she makes love to the man. The lovemaking is so good that she now wants to be with him....


I mean, if she's having 7 orgasms in the back of a car, imagine what going home could do for a girl. lol lol

"eye don’t really care so much what people say about me because it is a reflection of who they r."
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Reply #14 posted 04/11/19 12:48pm

TrivialPursuit

avatar

peggyon said:

What you said was not even remotely funny...[mom cut]


I get you're possibly in mom mode or something equally bizarre for a public message board, but I'm happy to help you out here: My mother passed away on April 21, 2012. I don't need another. That means one of y'all has got to go.


"eye don’t really care so much what people say about me because it is a reflection of who they r."
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Reply #15 posted 04/11/19 2:11pm

violetcrush

TrivialPursuit said:



violetcrush said:






1. "They made love and by the 7th wave she knew she had a problem.." Tranlsation - by the 7th orgasm (aka "vulva splash" - see lyrics to Screams of Passion) she knew she had a problem. Song is about a woman thinking she doesn't need a man in her life, which changes after she makes love to the man. The lovemaking is so good that she now wants to be with him....




I mean, if she's having 7 orgasms in the back of a car, imagine what going home could do for a girl. lol lol


Yep biggrin Gee, I wonder who the man creating the “7 waves” is supposed to be in this song??!! Maybe a guy who loved the number 7?? smile cool
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Reply #16 posted 04/11/19 3:09pm

onlyforaminute

avatar

Im taking bets. 7 to 1 we'll never hear from that person again.


Seems to be how it works. Ask weird random question 1st post then disappear.
Time keeps on slipping into the future...


This moment is all there is...
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Reply #17 posted 04/11/19 4:00pm

violetcrush

onlyforaminute said:

Im taking bets. 7 to 1 we'll never hear from that person again.


Seems to be how it works. Ask weird random question 1st post then disappear.


The more I think about the post, the more I question the sincerity. It’s pretty easy to find lyrics online - there are tons of sites now, so that eliminates the need for the first question. The other two seem too obvious to question.
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Reply #18 posted 04/11/19 6:27pm

klick2me

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I am perplexed by, "heavy feather flick a nipple baby scram water ripple". I know it means, "I love u", but where does his mind get this stuff? I love it and miss it, too!

klick
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Reply #19 posted 04/11/19 9:45pm

TrivialPursuit

avatar

violetcrush said:

TrivialPursuit said:


I mean, if she's having 7 orgasms in the back of a car, imagine what going home could do for a girl. lol lol

Yep biggrin Gee, I wonder who the man creating the “7 waves” is supposed to be in this song??!! Maybe a guy who loved the number 7?? smile cool


7 inches isn't such a bad fantasy either. Vanity needed at least that much. hahahaha

"eye don’t really care so much what people say about me because it is a reflection of who they r."
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Reply #20 posted 04/11/19 11:08pm

masaba

I think the 17 Days line can be interpreted as her being so wet that she's basically underwater and that's why she can't hear him. The cruel being that it's another brother that's got her in such a slick disposition.

I just thought of that the other day and enjoy that interpretation.
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Reply #21 posted 04/12/19 5:16am

violetcrush

TrivialPursuit said:

violetcrush said:

TrivialPursuit said: Yep biggrin Gee, I wonder who the man creating the “7 waves” is supposed to be in this song??!! Maybe a guy who loved the number 7?? smile cool


7 inches isn't such a bad fantasy either. Vanity needed at least that much. hahahaha

Well, Robin Power - in all her trash-talk glory - confirmed (it was literally in writing) in a 1993 interview she did about the NBA "groupie sex" thing happening back then (after Magic J publicly announced he was HIV positive) stated that Prince's "tootsie roll" was 71/2 inches. I guess she got out the measuring stick at some point?? razz biggrin

*

So, I think that is where the "I need at east 7 inches" lyric came from for the Vanity 6 song.

*

Although, in his song Data Bank he says "TWELVE INCH...think it ain't??" But of course, that one would be the exaggeration biggrin

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Reply #22 posted 04/12/19 5:19am

violetcrush

klick2me said:

I am perplexed by, "heavy feather flick a nipple baby scram water ripple". I know it means, "I love u", but where does his mind get this stuff? I love it and miss it, too!

How about "like a slpendid open-ended celibate friend pretendin' not to know it when I blow it in your eyes...like a strawberry chocolate mashed potato fuzztone all over your thighs..."

*

His lyrics were the BEST!!! There will never be another sad

[Edited 4/12/19 5:23am]

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Reply #23 posted 04/12/19 5:22am

violetcrush

masaba said:

I think the 17 Days line can be interpreted as her being so wet that she's basically underwater and that's why she can't hear him. The cruel being that it's another brother that's got her in such a slick disposition. I just thought of that the other day and enjoy that interpretation.

Possibly....he could either be talking about the "head" that's between her shoulders - so it would mean her mind is "underwater", or if he's referring to the "head" that's below her hips it would be interepreted as the sexual meaning.

*

Amazing how he chose the words and phrases so that the lyrics can have multiple interpretations.

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Reply #24 posted 04/12/19 9:34am

klick2me

avatar

violetcrush said:



klick2me said:


I am perplexed by, "heavy feather flick a nipple baby scram water ripple". I know it means, "I love u", but where does his mind get this stuff? I love it and miss it, too!




How about "like a slpendid open-ended celibate friend pretendin' not to know it when I blow it in your eyes...like a strawberry chocolate mashed potato fuzztone all over your thighs..."


*


His lyrics were the BEST!!! There will never be another sad

[Edited 4/12/19 5:23am]




Word!
klick
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Reply #25 posted 04/12/19 9:44am

TrivialPursuit

avatar

violetcrush said:

klick2me said:

I am perplexed by, "heavy feather flick a nipple baby scram water ripple". I know it means, "I love u", but where does his mind get this stuff? I love it and miss it, too!

How about "like a slpendid open-ended celibate friend pretendin' not to know it when I blow it in your eyes...like a strawberry chocolate mashed potato fuzztone all over your thighs..."


Those lyrics in "Come" are pretty fantastic. Because of the phrasing, the conversation and storyline are sometimes not as clear. But the scenario he sets up is really explicit. He was fuckin', y'all.

As far as the "Lovesexy" lyric, I've always thought it was literally a quick moment in time during foreplay, noting every single thing that happens in a split second.

Heavy feather flick a nipple - clearly using a feather on a girl's nipples

Baby scram - she got scared of the intimacy and ran away

water ripple - because she got wet, unexpectedly

She replies with "I don't understand". She comes across as not very aware of herself, perhaps not knowing what her body was capable of during lovemaking.

Then again, I could be listening to that song too much. lol

[Edited 4/12/19 14:38pm]

"eye don’t really care so much what people say about me because it is a reflection of who they r."
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Reply #26 posted 04/12/19 1:26pm

violetcrush

TrivialPursuit said:

violetcrush said:

How about "like a slpendid open-ended celibate friend pretendin' not to know it when I blow it in your eyes...like a strawberry chocolate mashed potato fuzztone all over your thighs..."


Those lyrics in "Come" are pretty fantastic. Because of the phrasing, the conversation and storyline are sometimes not as clear. But the scenario he sets up is really explicit. Be was fuckin', y'all.

As far as the "Lovesexy" lyric, I've always thought it was literally a quick moment in time during foreplay, noting every single thing that happens in a split second.

Heavy feather flick a nipple - clearly using a feather on a girl's nipples

Baby scram - she got scared of the intimacy and ran away

water ripple - because she got wet, unexpectedly

She replies with "I don't understand". She comes across as not very aware of herself, perhaps not knowing what her body was capable of during lovemaking.

Then again, I could be listening to that song too much. lol

Yes, he used the "flick" term in the song Space too - "with every other flick of the "pink plush" the closer we get to the space..."
*

I think your interpretation of "baby scram" and "water ripple" is pretty close. He may have been referring to taking a bath with the girl and she jumped out after feeling uncomfortable. Many stories now of him liking to take baths with the women - both in his songs and also their own accounts.

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Reply #27 posted 04/12/19 1:32pm

42Kristen

Took the words out of everyones mouth. You just answered your own question to what the songs really mean

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Reply #28 posted 04/12/19 1:50pm

violetcrush

TrivialPursuit said:

violetcrush said:

How about "like a slpendid open-ended celibate friend pretendin' not to know it when I blow it in your eyes...like a strawberry chocolate mashed potato fuzztone all over your thighs..."


Those lyrics in "Come" are pretty fantastic. Because of the phrasing, the conversation and storyline are sometimes not as clear. But the scenario he sets up is really explicit. Be was fuckin', y'all.

As far as the "Lovesexy" lyric, I've always thought it was literally a quick moment in time during foreplay, noting every single thing that happens in a split second.

Heavy feather flick a nipple - clearly using a feather on a girl's nipples

Baby scram - she got scared of the intimacy and ran away

water ripple - because she got wet, unexpectedly

She replies with "I don't understand". She comes across as not very aware of herself, perhaps not knowing what her body was capable of during lovemaking.

Then again, I could be listening to that song too much. lol

He was more speaking to the act of oral sex with the song Come. "Can I suck you baby?" And, "with my tongue in the crease, baby I go 'round when I go down down down..." And "baby my tongue's gonna do things that you've never seen..."

*

I think he was referring to girls who can only reach orgasm during oral sex. "yeah, that's the only time you go "ooh baby you're so good, ooh baby you're so good"..."Aw, shut-up! This is just so you come...'

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Reply #29 posted 04/12/19 1:51pm

violetcrush

42Kristen said:

Took the words out of everyones mouth. You just answered your own question to what the songs really mean

???? Who answered their own question? The OP hasn't been back on here since the first post biggrin

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