I always assumed it was written to wind people up, they think he's singing about controlling women while in fact it's about a woman taking control of her own life. The issue is that for this to make sense the woman has to be literally named "Pussy Control". hmmm I mean he had the whole VaGINA thing going on in 82 so it's not that much worse, but at least Vanity had the sense to turn that idea down.

Anyway, I just think it's a cool song sonically. I quite enjoy Prince rapping, even though I recognise it's very far from his greatest talent. I wouldn't put this song on a best of but I might put it on a career-spanning multi-disc "portrait of the artist" kind of thing. I enjoy it well enough.

[Edited 12/14/20 9:49am]

funkbabyandthebabysitters said:

I've never understood the appeal. Along with my name is prince, sexy mf, this is what I tag as silly prince. Is it feminist? Is it a celebration of strippers? Is it saying a woman has to choose between a man and career progress? Why does she have to be a stripper though? And why does she have to be called pussy? So many questions for an embarrassingly silly song!

Where is the song a 'celebration of strippers' or say that someone is a stripper?

IMO, the lyrics have an odd mixing up of making one's way in the world through support connected to work that benefits that world...and pulling in money in extremely large amounts. To me, pulling in money in extremely large amounts is only a subset of the former state.

Will acknowledge that there are a ton of discussions to be had around income and wealth, but that's not the topic of the thread, so will leave it at that for now.

FWIW, I'm a woman, and I do get that the typical pressures connected to money are on average different for men and women. Then there's the fact that women are the ones who get pregnant.

Still, there is a suggestion in the song that a hard-working woman should deny herself certain pleasures of the flesh until (at minimum) the time when she has completed years of graduate school and is pulling in quite a bit of money.

Would Prince have suggested to himself that he shouldn't experience certain spiritual joys of the flesh until he was a highly credentialed and quite wealthy musician?

If not, then why is he implying that women should do so?

The song also suggests that men who are not quite wealthy are not worthy to fall in love with...not worthy of such affections.

So, for me, it's definitely not a song that's overall an empowering one.

I do like a few things in the lyrics, and I'm a sucker for the music beyond the lyrics. Makes me want to dance!

I'm ready for how if anyone responds, they are highly likely to think I'm nuts when it comes to Pussy Control. So bring it on...or not.

It's because it is a naughty, infectious, funky ass, instant dancefloor classic like "Erotic City." It's got a catchy hook, the rapping is on point, and it's got mass appeal. Even hardcore hip hop head had to give it up for this one.

-

This song came out deep in the middle of Prince's battle with WB and as a name and still managed to be a cult classic. People that didn't even really like Prince, still dug the hell out of this song.

-

Now, I understand that certain Prince fans of a certain age or ilk, don't think Prince should have been doing "music like this" in the 1st place. However, that says way more about your view on Prince and what he should be what he actually was and how he viewed himself and his music.

-

Fact of the matter is: Prince always dabbled in other genres and did his take on them. Prince didn't didn't do new wave, he did his version of it. Prince didn't do stadium rock, he did his version of it. Prince didn't do James Brown's funk, he did his version of it.

So, just as "Delirious" or "Horny Toad" isn't exactly rockabilly in the vein of The Stray Cats, "Pussy Control" isn't exactly straight up hip hop, it's something only Prince could get away with. Can U dig it?

[Edited 12/14/20 10:40am]

[Edited 12/14/20 10:41am]

langebleu said:

funkbabyandthebabysitters said:

Good point. I assumed that somehow, maybe cos he says dont call her a ho at the end and says shes no prostitute. I assumed she used her body to make money in some way. An escort? Maybe a sugar baby?

So, have you listened to the song at all? It's about a girl who was bullied in school because she had on old clothes and no social standing with her peers. She made a vow to be better. She got a master's degree in school and was more successful than her bullies. Then a dude tries to get her to work for him (by singing on his track) and she lets him know she makes more money than him even if he went platinum four times over. She also lets him know that not every woman is a freak, a video vixen, someone who chooses to sleep their way to mediocrity.

Really weird flex that you went to her being a stripper or escort.

If you've ever heard it in a packed club you will instantly understand why it's a total classic banger...even the kids love it...

TrivialPursuit said:

funkbabyandthebabysitters said:

Good point. I assumed that somehow, maybe cos he says dont call her a ho at the end and says shes no prostitute. I assumed she used her body to make money in some way. An escort? Maybe a sugar baby?

So, have you listened to the song at all? It's about a girl who was bullied in school because she had on old clothes and no social standing with her peers. She made a vow to be better. She got a master's degree in school and was more successful than her bullies. Then a dude tries to get her to work for him (by singing on his track) and she lets him know she makes more money than him even if he went platinum four times over. She also lets him know that not every woman is a freak, a video vixen, someone who chooses to sleep their way to mediocrity.

Really weird flex that you went to her being a stripper or escort.

So in your opening post you were trying to figure out the story and meaning, but a few posts later you can't be bothered to work out what the story or backstory is and say you don't care what the story is, you just hate the track....

so your thread is really: 'why do people like this track that I hate?' ...

It's a fantastic track... it's brash, energetic, witty, smart, musically clever and huge amounts of fun... I really do love it. It makes me smile and sing along every time, and I can't imagine anyone else pulling it off with such gusto and bravado...

Same goes for My Name Is Prince and Sexy MF (I noticed in your thread dedicated to the Symbol album you mentioned what a terrible choice for a single Sexy MF was, and then later stated that charts were irrelevant and no barometer of quality, so there appears to be a theme emerging here)....

As for P Control, nobody figured out Pussy's 'life story'... they just listened to the lyrics that are there in the song....

If you hate it, you hate, that's fine, but don't try to muddy the waters of its quality when you haven't really paid attention to it and are really just discussing personal taste.

funkbabyandthebabysitters said:

Lol I make no apology for not knowing the life story of pussy I hate the song It makes me cringe I dont really care what the story is, as a piece of *music*, the vocals are toe curling

If youve ever heard it in a packed club you will instantly understand why it's a total classic banger...even the kids love it...

Desperate to know all the clubs this song is getting played at outside of paisley park [Edited 12/14/20 11:59am]

[Edited 12/14/20 13:01pm]

funkbabyandthebabysitters said:

Lol I make no apology for not knowing the life story of pussy I hate the song It makes me cringe I dont really care what the story is, as a piece of *music*, the vocals are toe curling

If youve ever heard it in a packed club you will instantly understand why it's a total classic banger...even the kids love it...

Desperate to know all the clubs this song is getting played at outside of paisley park

Generally, every major venue/club where there is dance music will and has played this song. I mean, it's once thing to ask a question, not dig a song, engage in conversation. It's another to just mouth off about your own ignorance.

Rimshottbob said:

So in your opening post you were trying to figure out the story and meaning, but a few posts later you can't be bothered to work out what the story or backstory is and say you don't care what the story is, you just hate the track....

so your thread is really: 'why do people like this track that I hate?' ...

It's a fantastic track... it's brash, energetic, witty, smart, musically clever and huge amounts of fun... I really do love it. It makes me smile and sing along every time, and I can't imagine anyone else pulling it off with such gusto and bravado...

Same goes for My Name Is Prince and Sexy MF (I noticed in your thread dedicated to the Symbol album you mentioned what a terrible choice for a single Sexy MF was, and then later stated that charts were irrelevant and no barometer of quality, so there appears to be a theme emerging here)....

As for P Control, nobody figured out Pussy's 'life story'... they just listened to the lyrics that are there in the song....

If you hate it, you hate, that's fine, but don't try to muddy the waters of its quality when you haven't really paid attention to it and are really just discussing personal taste.

funkbabyandthebabysitters said:

Lol I make no apology for not knowing the life story of pussy I hate the song It makes me cringe I dont really care what the story is, as a piece of *music*, the vocals are toe curling Desperate to know all the clubs this song is getting played at outside of paisley park [Edited 12/14/20 11:59am]

[Edited 12/14/20 13:01pm]

uh where did i say i wasnt making a post based on personal taste?

i simply said i dont see the greatness of this song, but i accept that many others do, an i am interested in why they see it to be such a great track.

i am not saying OBJECTIVELY it is a piece of trash, i am saying that I, just me, did not get it, but am curious what others get out of it.

not sure why that is so offensive.

i dont think i said sexy mf was a bad choice of single, just that it wasnt as successful as someone suggested it was (which is a fact).

but yes, sexy mf and p control are similar, in being prince songs from this period where he is trying to be provocative, kinda cute, funny, silly, all at the same time. maybe this is a whole sub genre of his music people have overlooked, or not thought about grouped together.

and the point is, this is a song, it is music, it is not a piece of poetry, i.e. i do not have to have studied the entire lyric sheet. most people have argued for the song based on its musical qualitiies anyway, not the lyrics.

fwiw. i dont hate the song musically, i love those synths and the chorus even, its just i dont care much for the verses.

skywalker said:

funkbabyandthebabysitters said:

Lol I make no apology for not knowing the life story of pussy I hate the song It makes me cringe I dont really care what the story is, as a piece of *music*, the vocals are toe curling Desperate to know all the clubs this song is getting played at outside of paisley park

Generally, every major venue/club where there is dance music will and has played this song. I mean, it's once thing to ask a question, not dig a song, engage in conversation. It's another to just mouth off about your own ignorance.

ive yet to hear it in a club.

admittedly i dont really hit clubs much anymore, but i did in the 90s, and i did not hear this anywhere except at prince parties.

most places i went were rap or rnb clubs but maybe it got played at other nights, i dont know.

not sure how saying i wanted to know where it was getting played is mouthing off about my own ignorance, but each to their own.

rednblue said:

IMO, the lyrics have an odd mixing up of making one's way in the world through support connected to work that benefits that world...and pulling in money in extremely large amounts. To me, pulling in money in extremely large amounts is only a subset of the former state.

Will acknowledge that there are a ton of discussions to be had around income and wealth, but that's not the topic of the thread, so will leave it at that for now.

FWIW, I'm a woman, and I do get that the typical pressures connected to money are on average different for men and women. Then there's the fact that women are the ones who get pregnant.

Still, there is a suggestion in the song that a hard-working woman should deny herself certain pleasures of the flesh until (at minimum) the time when she has completed years of graduate school and is pulling in quite a bit of money.

Would Prince have suggested to himself that he shouldn't experience certain spiritual joys of the flesh until he was a highly credentialed and quite wealthy musician?

If not, then why is he implying that women should do so?

The song also suggests that men who are not quite wealthy are not worthy to fall in love with...not worthy of such affections.

So, for me, it's definitely not a song that's overall an empowering one.

I do like a few things in the lyrics, and I'm a sucker for the music beyond the lyrics. Makes me want to dance!

I'm ready for how if anyone responds, they are highly likely to think I'm nuts when it comes to Pussy Control. So bring it on...or not.

thank you for your intelligent response.

yeah i find the lyrics somewhat contradictory, or just a bit messy at least, which is why i dont really care to examine them that closely, as i dont think they add up to much. but at the same time, they are there, and they end up distracting me as a result.

its like prince wanted to write a female 'self empowerment' anthem, but also still make it kinda hot and sexy (the chorus is called - of all the things it could have been called - PUSSY CONTROL after all!), but also be a bit preachy, and also offer up a kind of rejoinder to the lyrics about women in other hip hop of the time (also see we march and days of wild).

but he also wanted to sound badass, while also sounding cutesy and offering himself up as a kind of female defender, moralising about what good conduct as an independent woman should be (or is he saying that for some women they cant afford to be as 'free' in their romantic and sexual lives as men can, until they are financially independent?), while through the title, i am guessing he is suggesting that women rule everything because of mens desires.

maybe its saying all these things. but if it is, its just a bit hard to get anything cogent out of it for me. which is why i cant take the song seriously.

for me, its just highly campy, a kind of a novelty track, with many lol/wtf lines.

funkbabyandthebabysitters said:

rednblue said:

IMO, the lyrics have an odd mixing up of making one's way in the world through support connected to work that benefits that world...and pulling in money in extremely large amounts. To me, pulling in money in extremely large amounts is only a subset of the former state.

Will acknowledge that there are a ton of discussions to be had around income and wealth, but that's not the topic of the thread, so will leave it at that for now.

FWIW, I'm a woman, and I do get that the typical pressures connected to money are on average different for men and women. Then there's the fact that women are the ones who get pregnant.

Still, there is a suggestion in the song that a hard-working woman should deny herself certain pleasures of the flesh until (at minimum) the time when she has completed years of graduate school and is pulling in quite a bit of money.

Would Prince have suggested to himself that he shouldn't experience certain spiritual joys of the flesh until he was a highly credentialed and quite wealthy musician?

If not, then why is he implying that women should do so?

The song also suggests that men who are not quite wealthy are not worthy to fall in love with...not worthy of such affections.

So, for me, it's definitely not a song that's overall an empowering one.

I do like a few things in the lyrics, and I'm a sucker for the music beyond the lyrics. Makes me want to dance!

I'm ready for how if anyone responds, they are highly likely to think I'm nuts when it comes to Pussy Control. So bring it on...or not.

thank you for your intelligent response.

yeah i find the lyrics somewhat contradictory, or just a bit messy at least, which is why i dont really care to examine them that closely, as i dont think they add up to much. but at the same time, they are there, and they end up distracting me as a result.

its like prince wanted to write a female 'self empowerment' anthem, but also still make it kinda hot and sexy (the chorus is called - of all the things it could have been called - PUSSY CONTROL after all!), but also be a bit preachy, and also offer up a kind of rejoinder to the lyrics about women in other hip hop of the time (also see we march and days of wild).

but he also wanted to sound badass, while also sounding cutesy and offering himself up as a kind of female defender, moralising about what good conduct as an independent woman should be (or is he saying that for some women they cant afford to be as 'free' in their romantic and sexual lives as men can, until they are financially independent?), while through the title, i am guessing he is suggesting that women rule everything because of mens desires.

maybe its saying all these things. but if it is, its just a bit hard to get anything cogent out of it for me. which is why i cant take the song seriously.

for me, its just highly campy, a kind of a novelty track, with many lol/wtf lines.

Yes. I too find it curious. Many who are into the music do discuss Prince's lyrics, and I would like to hear what people make of this.

I mean, one of the many reasons that Prince stands out, for me personally, is that his music very much acknowledges that just like most men, most women are creatures of great desire. He has songs that portray delight in, and admiration (and sometimes awe) for, women who fully embody this.

The world has so many songs and stories that depict women as simply demure, desireless creatures, with desire only coming into play in that they are the target of male desire.

Prince is the man who wrote Little Red Corvette. You have referenced some of P's "outrageous" songs, so I'll add Head, a song that I think most would agree has an outrageous plot. The woman in Head is plenty into it, and the end of the song is about how she gets hers. Prince is the man who wrote Darling Nikki. What more can I say? : )

So in the example he sets forth in Pussy Control, is Prince suggesting that most women are not sensual beings with significant passion and desires of their own?

If not, it's back to my question above. There is a suggestion in Pussy Control that a hard-working woman should deny herself certain pleasures of the flesh until (at minimum) the time when she has completed years of graduate school and is pulling in quite a bit of money.

Would Prince have suggested to himself that he shouldn't experience certain spiritual joys of the flesh until he was a highly credentialed and quite wealthy musician?

If not, then why is he implying that women should limit their experience that way?

Perhaps I'm misinterpreting that part of Pussy Control. If so, maybe someone can enlighten me.

[Edited 12/14/20 20:38pm]

SexyMuthaF said:

It's a much earlier and much better version of wap.

loool

that would be my neck my back by khia

I love it. It's clever, witty, funky; a classic.

'Pussy had bank in her pockets before she had dick in her drawers'

[Edited 12/14/20 21:50pm]

Because it's so outrageously fun!

LOL. It never had fans. At least, not in the sense you mean. It's doggerel. We all knew what this was: Prince following the herd. It was beneath him.

Very cool song - a crazy wild Prince vocal hook in the chorus and his rapping is great!

funkbabyandthebabysitters said:

I dont really care what the story is, as a piece of *music*, the vocals are toe curling

But the main thrust of your original post said, "Is it feminist? Is it a celebration of strippers? Is it saying a woman has to choose between a man and career progress? Why does she have to be a stripper though? And why does she have to be called pussy?"

The story is bigger than the song. Even Prince said it was about feminism. And were you as upset with "Scarlet Pussy," hey? Shockadelica seems weird and corny, to some. Camille is generic. Point being, it's all perspective. It has so many fans because 1) the 90s were as rich of a period as the 80s, and 2) the people who love it see it as a great song. Perspective. It's neither right nor wrong. It just is what it is.

TrivialPursuit said:

funkbabyandthebabysitters said:

If this song was a film, it would be showgirls

if you think Showgirls is a bad film then it makes sense that you wouldn't get P Control tbh.