If we gotta talk about the music, then let's talk about something worthwhile, huh?

Now why he would hide something like this is beyond me. But as long as he hid it from the NPG, then it's alright with me. This song has quietly become of my favorites. With some of the darkest lyrics you'll ever find from P.

Short and sweet.

violator said:

Never heard of it (probably better than Jughead ). When was it recorded?

It's a hidden track on 'new power soul'. i think track 49 or something. Violater's right, this track is a dark moody classic, and goes to prove that however weak an album he puts out there's always something that's great.

It's a good hidden gem.

I was quite pleased to find this song on NPS, especially since that album only has a few songs that I find worthwhile. I think it made good sense for him to hide it, it makes the song that much more enjoyable.

My interpretation of the song is not about a failed relationship but about the death of his baby.

Overdue, that's how I describe the hour, the minute the moment that I first laid eyes on you...

The first time Prince sees his baby. Think about how much Prince must have wanted kids and think of how agonizing it must have been for him to have to wait 9 months for this moment. Certainly "overdue" could describe the length of time for him to finally be able to lay eyes on his own child for the first time.


I guess I knew, that sooner or later this power, would manifest itself into a rendezvous...

The song is about kisses right? The power he is speaking of is the power of the kiss. Think of the power that a kiss holds. Enough to make two people want to be inside each other. Power enough to lead him and his wife in the DANCE ELECTRIC-sexual union. Kissing...leading to sex...leading to pregnancy...leading to the baby's birth...leading to the moment he first laid eyes on the baby.

Small dark room, that's where I let you smother, in front of your gut torn (lyrics are questionable as to gut torn) mother, why should I care?...


Wasn't Prince's baby on life support at some point? So say that this part of the song Prince is reminiscing of being in the hospital where he and Mayte are faced with making the final decision on whether to keep the little baby alive on machines or let him rest in peace and pull the plug. If the baby's life support system was finally shut off, most likely this would have caused the baby to smother and gasp for final breaths.

Why does he say Gut torn? I think this lyric is Gut Torn and can be taken in two ways. Gut torn--Mayte's gut is torn from having to make this decision on her precious son. Have you never been gut torn over a situation? I'm sure like most of us, you have. OR Gut torn...literally. Having just given birth, her gut is torn from the experience of child birth. I think it would be both at the same time. Also, he says "Why should I care", I take this as him not wanting to care because it is just too much but you can tell by the way he sings the word "CARE" in the song that he really does care.


Cheap perfume all over those burgundy stockings, the ones I tied you up with I should have just left em there...

Perhaps this line is directed at Mayte. Remember how scripted Prince's marriage and the pregnancy were? They got married on Valentines day, that night conceived, 9 months later thay had a baby. What if on the night they conceived, Prince tied Mayte up with those perfumed burgundy stockings? If he had just "left em there", they may not have had the sexual union that led to the conception of their doomed child.

Why did I waste my kisses on you...

Sounds cold but those kisses led to death. They were wasted...

Excellent interpretation Sup!

beautifull song, so YES Prince did actually wrote some gems during the kirk j era : Dreamin' about U ; Come on ; New world ; Soul Sanctuary to name a few...

kisscamille said:

A bit grim though.

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

Damn, Sup

I never contemplated the lyrics that deeply. For some reason, and this is on very light introspection, I always assumed it was concerning auto-erotic asphyxia. Don't laugh, it's more common than you think. Uhh, not me though. But anyway, that was an excellent interpretation that is now forcing me to see that song in a totally different light.

i love this song. i actually took this album out the other day and listened to it several times. people hate this album so much and i think wasted kisses, come on, the one, and maybe mad sex really are good songs. wasted kisses is a masterpiece in my opinion.

at first, i did not like the sound effects, but then i got used to them, so not only do they not bother me, but it is a better song because of them. it is very experimental which i assume is why prince made it a hidden track...it also does not fit the groove of the other songs on the cd.

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

I agree with your interpretation. Coupled with the sound of an ambulance, a birth and a heart monitor flatlining, I think it's pretty clear it's about his dead son. It's one of his finest, darkest songs.

Have just give NPS a spin to listen to wasted kisses.
I forgot how good that song is.

Never really got into NPS too much, but for some reason it has just sounded way cool to me. Cranked up loud, so cool.

Silly lyrics at times but hey, who cares he can be forgiven for that once in a while!

I don't understand how people can jump to that conclusion
all the time. I don't see the song as being about his son
at all.

For once thing, the lyrics don't fit the situation at all,
unless you stretch them beyond recognition.

Furthermore, "Wasted Kisses" is no way for any parent in any
part of the world in any station of life would EVER describe
the kisses given to their dead child.

Plus, the song's narrator adresses the "female" first and
in the same narrative line would be adressing the child as
well, without changing the mood or adress at all?

So in the first verse the "you" is Mayte and then the "you"
is the child and than again the "you" is Mayte once more??

It seems illogical and cold. It's a fucked up interpretation
and if it's real, the song would be anything BUT beautiful..

"untill your in my arms again" is a far more likely song to
be about his child. And even that one is messy and not just
focussed on one "person".

The only likely song about his child's death I've heard from
Prince up until now is "come back" and even THAT is not 100%
certain about his son.

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

Interesting analysis.
But where does 'until you're in my arms again' fit in?
That song is surely about the loss of his son.

kisscamille said: