So I'm watching the longer "Partyman" video.

I still love the gemini face, the Bubbles (..."weafing a Prince t-shirt?") reference, the probable Weird Al reference.

Then I got to thinking - Prince allegedly thought that "What Have You Done For Me Lately" was a rip of "Controversy." I can see the similarities. (Others have said most of Control is just Prince grooves, and even Monte Moir from The Time penned and produced "The Pleasure Principle; arguably the most Prince-like track on the album).

I now wonder - was "Partyman" his answer to "WHYDFML?" Not a direct answer lyrically, but musically?

Then I thought larger - he addresses "We are the world" in "Hello," and musically later in "Alphabet St." ("to make a better day....").

He playfully answers Lenny's "Rock n' Roll Is Dead" with "Rock n' Roll Is Alive."

Things like "Strange Relationship" about Susannah, " Hate U" to Carmen, " Love U, But I Don't Trust U Anymore" to Mayte (ie: most of Rave Un2), "Pearls B4 The Swine" about either Mayte or fans or both, etc shouldn't be listed. Those are just muses for a song (albeit situation, or person). We can also just assume "Old Friends 4 Sale" is the golden ticket on all this.

Outside of addressing past girlfriends, wives, or relationships, did he ever really go after someone in a song?

Here's my starter list:

Rock n' Roll Is Alive (to Lenny Kravtiz)

Hello (USA For Africa aka bad press)

Billy Jack Bitch (C. James aka critics)

PFunk; No More Candy 4 U (to fans)

Pop Life (toward Morris's drug addiction) Is this a diss or just a situation like OF4S?

[Edited 7/11/23 23:42pm]

was that "partyman is from 1982" ever substantiated and, if so, to what extent did it exist in 1982

The Black Album was like 80% diss tracks.

lustmealways said:

was that "partyman is from 1982" ever substantiated and, if so, to what extent did it exist in 1982

I don't know about that. It was going beyond that. I think he used "partyman" and "WHYDFML" on The Nude Tour for whatever reason, but if the former is sort of a musical answer, then it'd make sense of him chanting "Who wrote that?!" even more.

FragileUndertow said:

In the 1983 recording of The Time Live at First Avenue show. During the intermission Morris takes money collection, and takes a few jabs at Prince. Brother "Prince played here a week or 2 ago" "I stayed home that night" He goes on to say "Prince are you out there? Did you give? You took, did you give?" Now fast forward to The Family's track "Mutiny" At the end of the song you can hear Prince say "Morris, did you give?" It makes me wonder if the song was a diss at Morris. But then again he does throw micos name in there too.

I've only been able to watch that concert once. I had no idea what I was watching (dates etc), but when they did "Jungle Love," well - that clicked obviously.

Morris took some pretty hard stabs with his line. I don't see how Prince thought he was getting back at him.

It's sorta the same vein as "It's time to fix your clock!"

WhisperingDandelions said:

The Black Album was like 80% diss tracks.

yeah, "Bob George" qualifies, for sure. "Dead On It" - I think that was just Prince being insecure about a genre he'd yet to really figure out. Folks shit on things they're scared of.

Was "Cindy C" a diss track tho? She sorta took it that way apparently.

jazzz said:

Tricky was said to be a diss at George Clinton

But why would Prince be writing a diss track in 1984 toward George Clinton, a man he clearly idolized?

TrivialPursuit said:

jazzz said:

Tricky was said to be a diss at George Clinton

But why would Prince be writing a diss track in 1984 toward George Clinton, a man he clearly idolized?

Same reason he was fueding with Rick James fresh on the scene, He was trying to be the big dawg on the playground by taking out the progenitors of funk up one by one.

It's clearly a diss track, though. He literally tells George he needs to retire and calls him an old, washed up fat Michelin Man. Even gets colorist with the disses.

He's dissing somebody on "Tricky" anyway. If not George Clinton, then who? Such a cool track, I like it because it gives the core essence of "Cloreen Bacon Skin" without taking up half a CD.

"Face Down" - Elvis.
He also went for Elvis in the "Rock N Roll Is Alive! (And It Lives in Minneapolis)" video.

[Edited 7/12/23 5:31am]

TrivialPursuit said:

Then I got to thinking - Prince allegedly thought that "What Have You Done For Me Lately" was a rip of "Controversy." I can see the similarities. (Others have said most of Control is just Prince grooves, and even Monte Moir from The Time penned and produced "The Pleasure Principle; arguably the most Prince-like track on the album).

I now wonder - was "Partyman" his answer to "WHYDFML?" Not a direct answer lyrically, but musically?

I thought Prince thought WHYDFML was a ripoff of a riff he'd play in rehearsal that eventually became Partyman. In other words, WHYDFML wasn't a ripoff of Controversy -- it was a ripoff of an early, as-yet-unanmed Partyman.

.

[Edited 7/12/23 7:07am]

TrivialPursuit said:

I'm pretty sure "Chocolate" is the song borrowed from for "What Have You Done For Me Lately".

Those and "Irresistable Bitch", "Tricky" all stem from "Cloreen Baconskin"

Surely there's a Justin Timberlake diss in there.

My fav. Prince anecdote is still him making a scene backstage at the Grammys or wherever,

"Who's out here talking about 'bringing sexy back'?!?!!! Sexy never left!"

Plus with J.T.'s lame attempt at a diss "If sexy never left why is everybody on my s__," that's like double the motivation for a true Prince diss response.

WhisperingDandelions said:

Surely there's a Justin Timberlake diss in there.

My fav. Prince anecdote is still him making a scene backstage at the Grammys or wherever,

"Who's out here talking about 'bringing sexy back'?!?!!! Sexy never left!"

Plus with J.T.'s lame attempt at a diss "If sexy never left why is everybody on my s__," that's like double the motivation for a true Prince diss response.

Yeah, that whole thing was ridiculous on JT's part. I like him and all, but he's gonna go after PRINCE? Boy, sit down and have all the seats.

Don't think anyone has mentioned it yet, but Da Bourgeoise as a diss/dig toward Andy Allo (allegedly). And I guess by default that makes Bambi a diss to lesbians in general lmao

WhisperingDandelions said:

Pop life : Diss to Morris Day

My name is Prince : Diss to MJ

Billy Jack Bitch : diss to CJ the journalist

Eye hate u : Diss to Carmen Electra

Man o'War : Diss to Mayte.

[Edited 7/13/23 20:17pm]

Dream Factory - Paul Peterson

Fury - Manuela

Life 'O The Party -- there's a line about Prince never having his nose done; I remember some people thought this was a subtle MJ diss.

Se7en said:

Life 'O The Party -- there's a line about Prince never having his nose done; I remember some people thought this was a subtle MJ diss.

of course!

"...my voice is gettin' higher & ain't never had my nose done!"

paisleyparkgirl said:

I don't know if Old Friends 4 Sale counts as a "diss track", speaking of old acquaintances. Different versions mention cocaine and selling photos to the press.

RayBuster said:

I miss the diss on Morris (sorry for the easy rhyme 😅) in Pop Life. Can you explain...this, please? Thanks!

Morris was high out of his mind on cocaine during Purple Rain filming, and was gone by the time the movie came out.

"What'cha puttin' in ur nose?

Is that where all your money goes?

The river of addiction flows, you think it's hot

But there won't be no water when the fire blows."

TrivialPursuit said: