i don't care what the lyrics actually are, i'll always sing TRUMPOLINE.

Don't know what a trumpoline is... don't really care... but that's what he says, dammit.

I always heard "troubling"...

Jamzone333 said:

Same here...

It is tambourine - it can be heard well enough on a good system.

My take on it is that it is down to a technique Prince uses to great effect in many songs, just not so pronounced as this. When Prince arranges multi-track vocals, he often adds slight delay in the timing of each track, so they are not all exactly in time. I beleive he is deliberately exaggerating that in this song to acheive the same sound affect as when you shake a tambourine - ie, it is not one distinct sound, but a blurring and blending of many, small percussive discs. I just think Prince is attempting to mirror the sound and effect of the instrument he's singing about. Try imagining striking a tam 3 times in sync with the syllables of "Tam-bo-rine" as he sings it - it fits well.

And, at the end of the day, the song is called Tamborine, its about a metaphorical instrument he shakes around a bit, and doesn't seem troubled by it at all!!! Haha. And, why would he suddenly and inexplicably go from singing "troubling" to "tambourine" at the end after the "un-necessary means" line? It just don't add up.


Trust me, it's tamborine!

I have to say I agree with Supa & Langebleu on this one.

Yes I know what the lyrics say on the album
But it IS quite clear listening to the album that Prince
definitely says a word starting with 'tr' on quite
a few occasions.

In fact if you check it out, you'll notice that the
lyrics in the CD/LP don't conflict with the 'Troubling'
theory, as they are NOT listed as being 'tamborine'..
they are OMITTED completely from the lyrics.

I too have the music books to most of Prince's albums,
so I checked out the music & lyrics to Tamborine, and
Langebleu is quite correct. Certain refrains are indeed
printed as "Trou - ble - ing".

These music books are official Warner Bros products,
released the same year as the album, and they often
appear more reliable and accurate than some of the
lyrics printed in the CD's. In fact in some cases
(like Parade, Come & Graffiti Bridge) they are the
only OFFICIAL source for the lyrics.
.
[This message was edited Sat May 10 12:28:41 PDT 2003 by BorisFishpaw]

I haven't listened to this song in ages. And I do mean AGES. Which is kinda odd considering it's one of my favorite tracks off the album. So I'd have to listen to it to see what exactly you guys are talking about.

But inaccurate lyrics printed in the lyric book of the official album is not really uncommon, unfortunately. I've seen it happen a lot over the years with different artists where the singer is singing a lyric (or lyrics) so clearly that what he/she is singing is not even up for debate, yet the lyric book has something different printed. It happens.

I am very happy to have been vindicated

Despite everything stated previously, it's 'trampoline'.to my ears it's been like that for 18 years and my mind's made up.

So there!

are you sure he isn't saying "sizzle lean". It was back when Prince was a meat eater. Makes sense to me.

Lonely days, lonely nights. Sizzlelean.

You see, he had to eat breakfast by himself because he was alone so he didn't make the good stuff (bacon). He used the bargain, Sizzlelean.

I think that should wrap up this argument very nicely.

i always thought it sounded like trampoline