While specific recording dates are not known, initial tracking took place in Summer 1984 at Flying Cloud Drive Warehouse, Eden Prairie, MN, USA as a replacement for the song Susannah's Pajamas, which had been intended for Mazarati under its former name Mazarati before Prince decided it suited The Family instead.
100 Mph
Prince Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There's a fairy tale that says
Once upon a time
Funky music belonged to people who
Drank cheap wine
That's why I gotta get on my own way
Enjoy the closest human
I'm much too hot to be cool
100 miles an hour, baby
That's what it's all about
I need a lover that can slow me down
Somebody that'll make me shout
There's a misconception that says
Everything on the one (everything on the one)
Then my first reaction is just try to
Have a little fun
That's why I gotta get on my own way
That's the new golden rule
Enjoy the closest human
I'm much too hot to be cool
100 miles an hour, baby
That's what it's all about
I need a lover that can slow me down
Somebody that'll make me shout
Ugh, ha, ha, ha, ha
There's a fairy tale that says
Twice in the Land of Oz (twice in the Land of Oz)
Dorothy make love to the Lion because
Because, because
That's why I gotta get on my own way
That's the new golden rule
Enjoy the closest human
I'm much too hot to be cool
100 miles an hour, baby
That's what it's all about
I need a lover that can slow me down
Somebody that'll make me shout, make me shout
That'll make me shout
Woman who'll make me shout
In "100 MPH," Prince addresses the idea of conformity in the music industry and how he refuses to follow it. Through his lyrics, he highlights a common belief that funky music is only for those who drink cheap wine, thereby marginalizing it. Prince challenges this limitation by stating that he has to pave his own way and insists that the "new golden rule" is to enjoy the closest human. He's too hot to be cool and wants to live life at "100 miles an hour." However, even with his fast-paced lifestyle, he desires a lover that can slow him down and make him shout.
The language used in the song is rich in symbolism and allusion. Prince refers to a fairy tale, perhaps alluding to the fact that the entertainment industry could be likened to a fairy tale. He mentions Oz, the land of the Lion and Dorothy, alluding to a scene in the classic movie The Wizard of Oz in which Dorothy talks to the Lion. The chorus of the song is where Prince makes his point. He emphasizes that the essence of this music that he creates is about going fast, enjoying life and ultimately finding a lover that will match his energy.
Line by Line Meaning
One, two, three, yeah
The song begins with a count-in to set the rhythm
There's a fairy tale that says
The singer is introducing a myth or story
Once upon a time
A typical opening line for a story or fairy tale
Funky music belonged to people who
The type of music referenced in the story belonged to specific people
Drank cheap wine
The type of people who enjoyed funky music also drank cheap wine
That's why I gotta get on my own way
The singer wants to make their own rules
That's the new golden rule
The new rule to follow is individualism
Enjoy the closest human
The artist wants to have fun with those closest to them
I'm much too hot to be cool
The artist is saying they are too passionate to be subdued
100 miles an hour, baby
The artist wants to live life to the fullest, going full speed ahead
That's what it's all about
The singer's philosophy is to enjoy life fully
I need a lover that can slow me down
The artist is looking for balance in their life
Somebody that'll make me shout
The singer wants a partner who excites them sexually
There's a misconception that says
The singer is debunking a widely-held belief
Everything on the one (everything on the one)
A musical term that refers to the emphasis on the first beat of the measure
Then my first reaction is just try to
The artist's initial response to a misconception is to have some fun with it
Have a little fun
The artist wants to enjoy life and not take things too seriously
Twice in the Land of Oz (twice in the Land of Oz)
Referencing a story about a magical land
Dorothy make love to the Lion because
The story being referred to takes a fantastical and improbable turn
Because, because
A nonsensical response or explanation
Woman who'll make me shout
The artist reiterates their desire for a sexual partner who excites them
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Prince Rogers Nelson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jigs Jonasson
💋 sunshineandstarlight 💋 & @Satatay23 ; While I agree that he more than likely has found peace in the hereafter, it wasn’t eccentricity why he kept his music from streaming platforms. It was because YouTube as well as Apple and others, steal from and undercompensate the artists. This is why he PERSONALLY handed all of his masters to JAY-Z and permitted him to put them ONLY on Tidal. Jay talks about it in his song Family Feud on the 4:44 album.
As soon as Prince passed, the lawyers and broke relatives who he was not close to, swarmed and demanded his masters be put back in the hands of the corporations both Prince and JAY-Z fought the majority of their career to be free of.
His family NEEDED the money as Prince had zero contact with his relatives in life. And they are now pimping him back to the major labels worse than ever before.
It is truly sad. We the fans, for the most part, exist in oblivion, totally unaware of the behind the scenes robbery that Prince was acutely aware of. So he punted SLAVE on his face to teach us.
That is exactly why he named his first album away from the labels EMANCIPATION!
throughthefire
Prince was just straight-up otherworldly. No words. No words.
Jay Skywalker
MAZARATI WAS PAISLEY PARKS GREATEST PROJECT EVER THE WHOLE ALBUM IS A FUNK MASTERPIECE 🔥THANK YOU BROWN MARK AKA THE SHADOW👤
Fenster
I remember when I heard Mazarati’s album for the first time, I said, It wouldn’t surprise me if Prince was secretly behind some of the songs, this one being my absolute fave! This version is 🔥🔥🔥🔥
BigDapPacino
They were a part of his musical Family ...Brown Marc's friends...but this song always sounded to me like it was originally written for Morris Day and the Time...it sounds like the style Prince gave them !
Steven M
Brownmark did all the music and wrote all the songs except this one.
Gomer Hanger
Prince has been dropping some absolute bangers in recent months. No surprise Prince is back on Top Billboard 100!
The M.A.
I know that I'm over 3 months late but "Top" and "Billboard" are in the wrong places.
JonnyEuphonicMuzic
Too funky, that bassline is sick!! RIP Prince the GOAT
Debra Bryan
What does that mean? PRINCE "THE GOAT"?
Ang Se7en
Greatest of all time = G.O.A.T.