Supposedly, Prince wrote "And God Created Woman" as a love song for Mayte. I noted these lyrics:

"In my darkest hour I find
Many serpents who have lied (lied)
Given half the chance still I'd run to your side (run to your side)
Love of my love (love of my love)
And God created woman (woman)

"And if I never see you again
It's alright for I am guilty of no sin
They can have you, I'll have your love in the end
Soul of my soul (soul of my soul)
And God created woman"

When I first heard this, I had a "WT?!" moment, thinking "Is Prince saying to Mayte and there are horny guys after her, and he's saying they can have her, but he'll always have her love"? Then maybe it's not necessarily about Mayte but a pseudo-religious part about devotion to a certain angel of God?

Probably looking way too deep into this, but I swear Prince was in some odd place in the early 1990s.

Before going any further, please site your source that it was written about Mayte.

And let me dispel the nonsense: It's likely, not 100% that, Prince was inspired by the 1956 movie with the same name. We don't know that he saw it, but the same director of And God Created Woman also directed Barbarella, which was a heavy influence on his fashion for those couple of years. So it's possible. But it wasn't about Mayte.

Good try, though. (not)

[Edited 4/26/20 11:04am]

thedoorkeeper said:

So the song is about Vanity?

You sit down.

SoftSkarlettLovisa said:

Supposedly, Prince wrote "And God Created Woman" as a love song for Mayte. I noted these lyrics:

"In my darkest hour I find
Many serpents who have lied (lied)
Given half the chance still I'd run to your side (run to your side)
Love of my love (love of my love)
And God created woman (woman)

"And if I never see you again
It's alright for I am guilty of no sin
They can have you, I'll have your love in the end
Soul of my soul (soul of my soul)
And God created woman"

When I first heard this, I had a "WT?!" moment, thinking "Is Prince saying to Mayte and there are horny guys after her, and he's saying they can have her, but he'll always have her love"? Then maybe it's not necessarily about Mayte but a pseudo-religious part about devotion to a certain angel of God?

Probably looking way too deep into this, but I swear Prince was in some odd place in the early 1990s.

It's a love song to Eve from Adam adapted from the book of Genesis, likely tying it to the song "7" which is adapted from the Book of Revelation.

RJOrion said:

ive also read that its based on the Adam & Eve story... Princevault seems to corroborate that... but like TrivialPursuit mentioned, there also may have been some inspiration from the Vadim flick "And God Created Woman"... P was obviously a fan of his movies...Barbarella's name is evidence...even Jill Jones look and vibe in Purple Rain is similar to that of Bridgette Bardot or Marilyn Monroe...

Yes, he had Barbarella playing in the cinema in a scene in the 3 Chains O' Gold movie.

.

And God Created Woman would make my top 10 P songs. Those ad-libs get me every time..

dodger said:

RJOrion said:

dodger said:

Yes, he had Barbarella playing in the cinema in a scene in the 3 Chains O' Gold movie.

.

And God Created Woman would make my top 10 P songs. Those ad-libs get me every time..

yes lawd...LOL... i know we've probably had this exchange a few times before but it never gets old or redundant when discussing the greatness of "And God Created Woman"...in my opinion, EASILY in P's top 5 or 10 greatest songs...the song is audio perfection and always soothes my soul... possibly Prince's greatest vocal performance ever, as he smoothly transitions through several different aspects of his immense vocal range and singing styles, in only 3 minutes and 18 seconds...he sounds like a choir all by himself...and those adlibs you mentioned...smh...from the point (1:43) when he sings "myyyy, my-my-my-my-mymymymy my woman.." , the adlibs and layered vocals take the song to unparalleled levels of greatness as it builds to an epic ethereal climax at the end...this song is also evidence of the great chemistry between P, Michael Bland, Sonny T., and Levi Seacer as a rhythm section...not to mention the subtle conga/percussion line laying low in the mix, the unobtrusive horn parts which add a late 60s Northern Soul vibe, and Levi's sexy rhythm guitar licks...and i can relate to this song's lyrics on a personal level in so many ways, its scary...and YES, those adlibs get me everytime too! "Souuuullllll of my Soul" at 2:29 the way he bends his voice at 2:35 "Flesh of my Flesh...Sooooooouuuuuuuuulll ....yeaheah...Souuuuulll...yeaheah.." at 2:44 i understand (not really) that this type of song isnt what the recording industry and radio/tv programmers were looking to promote or get behind in 1992, but this joint should have been a smash hit record single, heard by everyone on earth at least 5 times a day, like "Kiss" or "1999"

I'm sure we have!

And the part you describe from 1.43 is one of my favourite P moments on record.

One of his timeless and most under-rated songs

RJOrion said:

dodger said:

RJOrion said:

My guess is the song evokes ancient memories, perhaps intuitive ones toward the male/female bond and given the title, I agree that Adam and Eve makes much sense to relate to it.

>

One time, sitting in a concert audience I conversed with a woman who asked me what my fave Prince song was and I said "Raspberry Beret" -- I love its easy, happy, lyric nostalgia and vocal rhythmic patter meshed with the sweet viola (and he sang it that night!). She claimed "And God Created Woman" as hers. With her pronouncement I was slightly undone by the Mars/Venus split that occured. An unresolved tension was set--for me anyway. I love that song, too, I thought! She has my rib and I being of her, in turn, agree to its performance brilliance, like she declared and as others say. I wanted to convey my agreement with her choice and smiled.

>

I let the tension of the pre-performance moment melt away as the time to enjoy the music master arrived. "And God Created Woman" describes the perfect unity of flesh and charge of spirit of woman and man that is bonded by our originator of creation.

I always took that lyric to mean that because they are soul mates born out of eternal love, even if earthly matters get in the way, they'll be reunited in the afterlife. And let me add that this song is also one of my favorites. The music, vocals and lyrics are perfection.

xpertluva said:

TrivialPursuit said:

Before going any further, please site your source that it was written about Mayte.

Still waitin' on that source, OP.

xpertluva said:

this song is also one of my favorites. The music, vocals and lyrics are perfection.

it's one of my favorites,too.

RJOrion said:

i understand (not really) that this type of song isnt what the recording industry and radio/tv programmers were looking to promote or get behind in 1992, but this joint should have been a smash hit record single, heard by everyone on earth at least 5 times a day, like "Kiss" or "1999"

I never understood why they chose "The Morning Papers" (a mediocre track) to be a single.The superior "And God Created Woman" is a much better choice.

TrivialPursuit said:

TrivialPursuit said:

Before going any further, please site your source that it was written about Mayte.

Still waitin' on that source, OP.

Yeah, I don't think this song was written for or about Mayte. He may have been using biblical references in some of the lyrical content, but the song seems to clearly speak to a former lover. He had had several prior to that time, so the subject is anyone's guess.

*

Same with 3 Chains O' Gold -

*

violetcrush said:

TrivialPursuit said:

Still waitin' on that source, OP.

Yeah, I don't think this song was written for or about Mayte. He may have been using biblical references in some of the lyrical content, but the song seems to clearly speak to a former lover. He had had several prior to that time, so the subject is anyone's guess.

*

Same with 3 Chains O' Gold -

*

If I don't think about the fact that she left me
If I don't see the pearls fall from the sky
If I don't hear the accusations of blasphemy
If I don't feel the tears in my eyes
This is the best day of my life
You say you'll call me and then and then you don't
I'll want to kiss you and then I won't
We both do nothing and call it love
Is this love?
Is this love?

This morning I wanted a cup of coffee
But I didn't have any cream
Last night I wanted some inspiration
But I didn't have any dreams
Coupled with the fact that you belong to another
Whose name is self-righteousness
So evil girl, if one of us has a date
With the undertaker, which one will it be?
You can cry forever, but you'll get no sympathy
This is the best day of my life

*

This song seems to also be about a former love whom he still wants to see, but she is too "self-righteous" to continue the relationship with him.

It could've been a work of fiction, not based on anyone in particular. Of course, he could've had someone in mind, but the events were fictionalized, almost like casting a movie. The entire album tells an overarching story about an Egyptian princess. I assume it's just a story, but you're right, who knows?

xpertluva said:

violetcrush said:

Yeah, I don't think this song was written for or about Mayte. He may have been using biblical references in some of the lyrical content, but the song seems to clearly speak to a former lover. He had had several prior to that time, so the subject is anyone's guess.

*

Same with 3 Chains O' Gold -

*

If I don't think about the fact that she left me
If I don't see the pearls fall from the sky
If I don't hear the accusations of blasphemy
If I don't feel the tears in my eyes
This is the best day of my life
You say you'll call me and then and then you don't
I'll want to kiss you and then I won't
We both do nothing and call it love
Is this love?
Is this love?

This morning I wanted a cup of coffee
But I didn't have any cream
Last night I wanted some inspiration
But I didn't have any dreams
Coupled with the fact that you belong to another
Whose name is self-righteousness
So evil girl, if one of us has a date
With the undertaker, which one will it be?
You can cry forever, but you'll get no sympathy
This is the best day of my life

*

This song seems to also be about a former love whom he still wants to see, but she is too "self-righteous" to continue the relationship with him.

It could've been a work of fiction, not based on anyone in particular. Of course, he could've had someone in mind, but the events were fictionalized, almost like casting a movie. The entire album tells an overarching story about an Egyptian princess. I assume it's just a story, but you're right, who knows?

Anything's possible, but I think Prince - at least with his songs - wrote honestly and more specifically about things going on in his life at that time. Then he wove those songs into a fictional tale for film and/or video in order to entertain the masses. Same with Purple Rain, which was mainly a fictional/exaggerated tale with songs that reflected at least some of his true personal life at the time.

TrivialPursuit said:

TrivialPursuit said:

Before going any further, please site your source that it was written about Mayte.

Still waitin' on that source, OP.

Don't have the source. I just remember reading somewhere (Wikipedia?) that the LoveSymbol album was inspired by and written for Mayte, so I assumed all the songs on it were dedicated to Mayte.

SoftSkarlettLovisa said:

TrivialPursuit said:

Still waitin' on that source, OP.

Don't have the source. I just remember reading somewhere (Wikipedia?) that the LoveSymbol album was inspired by and written for Mayte, so I assumed all the songs on it were dedicated to Mayte.

Nah. I've never seen that written or stated anywhere - other than here on the Org by serious Mayte fans. No question that Prince used her "Egyptian belly dancing" thing as inspiration for some of the instrumentals and "look" of the album/shows, but I think that's about it.

*

Other than "The Morning Papers", which seems to have been written by Prince to justify his relationship with a girl MUCH younger than him - many of the songs were recorded when Prince was still in full-on "boinking" mode with Carmen E. She is also on backround vocals for a few of the songs.

*

From Princevault.com:

*

Like the previous album, Diamonds And Pearls, for the most part did not contain any updated tracks from the vault; only The Flow was a re-recording, of the original track recorded in September 1990. The rest of the album's 16 songs were written and recorded between September 1991, and March 1992 at Paisley Park Studios, Chanhassen, MN, USA, with two exceptions: Blue Light was recorded in May 1991, and Wanna Melt With U was recorded in July 1992 as the final track recorded for the album.

*

So, all songs, save one, had been recorded long before Prince began any kind of romantic relationship with Mayte.