We all know that Prince talked to the world the most in his music, he was not a big chatter. What songs do you like that are so bare to the soul that you would have winced to have revealed that much in a song lyric??

I am going to start it off with the lyrics to "Dream Factory". Not going to post the lyrics, that way everyone not as familiar with it will have to take a listen to understand.

OK, next....................

Schindler's List

Wow, that's like a needle in a haystack for me to pick because he has SO many songs that I find telling.

[Edited 8/29/19 14:21pm]

Purpla Rain, When Doves Cry, I would Die 4 U, Baby I am A Star.

Wally expressed a vulnerability that is not always evident in his music.

Papa

kingricefan said:

Most of his songs were "telling" in terms of understanding the subject of the song if you know how to interpret his word play, which many didn't/don't -

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ex: Sacrifice Of Victor - "when I reach my destination my name will be Victor"...most, even the press, thought Prince was saying he wanted his actual name to be Victor, because this came out duirng the time when he had just changed his name. However, he meant that he will become "victorious" or a "victor" (noun) when he finally finds true happiness -

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"Lord I might get tired,
But I, I've got 2 keep on (we sacrifice)
Walkin' down this road, (we sacrifice)
Keep on walkin' down this road (joy around the corner)
When I reach my destination (we sacrifice)
My name will be victor"

*

He literally had to make the correction on stage saying, "My name isn't Prince and it sure as hell ain't Victor."

*

To whom the song was directed (specific person or group) or who inspired the song was/is the more mysterious part unless Prince publicly stated it.

"Anastesia" and "When I Lay My Hands On You" feel intimate to me.

Purple Rain.

RJP1205 said:

Breakdown & Way Back Home

Way Back Home

funksterr said:

Purple Rain.

Yeaaaaas! I was just gonna say that.

"White Mansion"

"When Doves Cry"

"Face Down"

"PFUnk"

"No More Candy 4 U"

I never really thought Prince did confessionals - at least not in an accessible way like other artists. You have to dig a good bit to get those feelings from his songs, which are mostly in the back end of his discography and not in his hit making days. There was always a sort of vagueness that obfuscated whatever he tried to deliver.

Mikado said:

I never really thought Prince did confessionals - at least not in an accessible way like other artists. You have to dig a good bit to get those feelings from his songs, which are mostly in the back end of his discography and not in his hit making days. There was always a sort of vagueness that obfuscated whatever he tried to deliver.

I agree...to me it felt like panning for gold...lots of digging and sifting but I can't help it.

"Comeback"

I always thought that theory from years ago about the SOTT/Lovesexy era and "dog boy" was super interesting...can't remember all the details, but I'm sure it's buried here somewhere.

mattmcbr said:

wildgoldenhoney said:

Call My Name I feel this song is about him meeting someone who treats him like a regular person instead of a celebrity. And it's been a long time that someone saw him that way that it wasn't familiar to him anymore. Especially not after years of people in his life that only wanted something from him. Now he's able to just be himself. [Edited 9/2/19 21:14pm]

100% this.

The pro-shot footage of this from the Piano & A Microphone gala makes this blindingly obvious. He gets emotional and starts shaking his head from side to side during it. He missed her

Way Back Home; Anna Stesia; Curious Child; The Holy River; Another Lonely Christmas

Militant said:

Militant said:

wildgoldenhoney said:

Call My Name I feel this song is about him meeting someone who treats him like a regular person instead of a celebrity. And it's been a long time that someone saw him that way that it wasn't familiar to him anymore. Especially not after years of people in his life that only wanted something from him. Now he's able to just be himself. [Edited 9/2/19 21:14pm]

100% this.

The pro-shot footage of this from the Piano & A Microphone gala makes this blindingly obvious. He gets emotional and starts shaking his head from side to side during it. He missed her

Regarding Call My Name, he once said this:

And does he want order, too? ‘Yes. I believe in order. What am I feeling now? Have I got peace? Yes. I’ve never felt this peaceful before. Can I be more peaceful? Maybe not. But I can make a song for this peaceful place? Yes sir. Call My Name [a sweet ballad from the new album] – that’s a song about peace.’ He leans forward on the sofa and half-talks, half-croons the lyrics. ‘I can’t stop writing songs about you, I love you so much. You see, you’re trying to speak the truth in a song like that.’

It sounds, I say, like a love song to your wife Manuela. He smiles. ‘Is it about love, or is it about the Creator? It could be both. I don’t like to talk about my songs. Let people make up their own minds. I can’t stop telling people about you…’ He sings it softly. ‘You see how lovely that is?’

So, I say, you are no longer a hedonist? He arches an eyebrow and smiles. ‘Hedonist? For years, I didn’t even know what the word meant.’ And now you’re satiated?

‘Satiated…’ He lingers on it. ‘That’s a lovely word. I was satiated a long time ago.’

wildgoldenhoney said:

I Love U But I Don't Trust U Anymore It sounded like it was a final goodbye or an acceptance that his wishing for a future with Denise was over. He moved on with his hopes and dreams.

You mean Mayte.

Militant said:

TheTruth123 said:

Militant said:

100% this.

The pro-shot footage of this from the Piano & A Microphone gala makes this blindingly obvious. He gets emotional and starts shaking his head from side to side during it. He missed her

Missed Manuela, for whom he wrote it? I dooooon’t thiiink so.

Perhaps he felt these lyrics pertained to a more current love interest.