RJOrion said:

SquirrelMeat76 said:

Always liked Private Joy. I think Controversy is one of Prince's weaker albums, but this one was a highlight. Great guitar break at the end too

i never thought that highly of Controvesy either...it took me years to get into that album...and then i only really like Private Joy, Sexuality, Annie Christian, and Do Me Baby

The harmony in the "Private Joy" chorus is among his best.

"Controversy" as someone said earlier, is a defining "statement song" for him.

[Edited 7/23/20 10:20am]

The Linn debut alone should make it a classic!

.

I also think LaToya's version is pretty good, especially for her!

A beautifully composed song. Most people don't get what he's singing about the first time they hear it either. It's just another one of Prince's play-on-words songs that is one of his best ever. Loved it from the first listening.

If anybody asks you, you belong to Prince.

Ain't that the ever-lovin' truth.

Love this song, it's so fun and catchy! Underrated song from an underrated album!

GaryMF said:

This was joint debut of non-falsetto as a lead vocal (along with Contoversy and Jack U Off) and more importantly, the debut of the linn drum machine.

The Linn debut alone should make it a classic!

.

I also think LaToya's version is pretty good, especially for her!

It really ain't

kingricefan said:

A beautifully composed song. Most people don't get what he's singing about the first time they hear it either. It's just another one of Prince's play-on-words songs that is one of his best ever. Loved it from the first listening.

I knew what he was singing about the first time I heard it. I wish Prince(r.i.p.) could have released it as a single. The long version banger. I wonder will they ever release it from the vault???

[Edited 7/25/20 6:51am]

ChocolateBox3121 said:

kingricefan said:

A beautifully composed song. Most people don't get what he's singing about the first time they hear it either. It's just another one of Prince's play-on-words songs that is one of his best ever. Loved it from the first listening.

I knew what he was singing about the first time I heard it. I wish Prince(r.i.p.) could have released it as a single. The long version is a banger. I wonder will they ever release it from the vault???

Never knew of a extended version?

It's cool.

ChocolateBox3121 said:

as the world's #1 Private Joy fan, i too would like to know about this supposed extended version

Always thought this sounded at least 2-3 years ahead of its time. Very accessible feel to it instrumentally.

IAdoreWeronika said:

GaryMF said:

I also think LaToya's version is pretty good, especially for her!

It really ain't

(86) Private Joy - YouTube

love2thenines2003 said:

telecode101 said:

I always thought "Annie Christian" was the stellar hidden gem off that record.

FOR ME...this is....this the best innovative trax on the album and the best one!

Yes! This was the foreshadowing of the edgier, more experimental music he would do on 1999 and Purple Rain.

poppys said:

robertgeorge said:

An underrated and underappreciated track, that is not given enough credit by fans and is unknown to the general public. Trivia time, pop singer Kylie Minogue early on in her career said in an interview that it was a favorite song of hers. The song was covered by Latoya Jackson.

Very addictive song that has the cool lyric "I strangle Valentino you've been mine ever since. If anyone asks, you belong to Prince." Of course it has that "Vibrator" / "Orgasm" guitar sound at the end to make it distinctively Prince rather than just pure pop. I like it better than "delerious" (a single from 1999 so not far removed from this Controversy track). Controversy is such a cool album, the bridge between Dirty Mind and 1999.

r u getting paid 2 post? u sound like a magazine.

Is the magazine in a hotel lobby?

I always thought that the line 'I strangled Valentino' was 'A string of Valention's' until I saw what the real lyrics were. It made sense to me because it would mean that his love interest had lovers before him but now he was the one that they belonged to. Now I know what he really sang.

kingricefan said:

I always thought that the line 'I strangled Valentino' was 'A string of Valention's' until I saw what the real lyrics were. It made sense to me because it would mean that his love interest had lovers before him but now he was the one that they belonged to. Now I know what he really sang.

"Private Joy" is not about any lovers he had. It's about his ----.

ChocolateBox3121 said:

kingricefan said:

I always thought that the line 'I strangled Valentino' was 'A string of Valention's' until I saw what the real lyrics were. It made sense to me because it would mean that his love interest had lovers before him but now he was the one that they belonged to. Now I know what he really sang.

"Private Joy" is not about any lovers he had. It's about his ----.

Isn't that very obvious?

slyjackson said:

ChocolateBox3121 said:

"Private Joy" is not about any lovers he had. It's about his ----.

Isn't that very obvious?

No many have said it's about Susan.

ChocolateBox3121 said:

slyjackson said:

Isn't that very obvious?

No many have said it's about Susan.

They're wrong.