Born and raised in Minneapolis, Prince signed a record deal with Warner Bros. Records at the age of 19, soon releasing the albums For You (1978) and Prince (1979). He went on to achieve critical success with the influential albums Dirty Mind (1980), Controversy (1981), and 1999 (1982). His sixth album, Purple Rain (1984), was recorded with his new backing band the Revolution, and was also the soundtrack to the film of the same name in which he starred. Purple Rain garnered continued success for Prince and was a major commercial achievement, spending six consecutive months atop the Billboard 200 chart. The soundtrack also won Prince the Academy Award for Best Original Song Score. After disbanding the Revolution, Prince released the album Sign o' the Times (1987), widely hailed by critics as the greatest work of his career. In the midst of a contractual dispute with Warner Bros. in 1993, he changed his stage name to the unpronounceable symbol logo. Hollow circle above downward arrow crossed with a curlicued horn-shaped symbol and then a short bar (known to fans as the "Love Symbol") and was often referred to as The Artist Formerly Known as Prince (or TAFKAP) or simply The Artist.
After signing with Arista Records in 1998, Prince reverted to his original name in 2000. Over the next decade, six of his albums entered the U.S. top 10 charts. In April 2016, at the age of 57, Prince died after accidentally overdosing on fentanyl at his Paisley Park home and recording studio in Chanhassen, Minnesota. He was a prolific musician who released 39 albums during his life, with a vast array of unreleased material left in a custom-built bank vault underneath his home after his death, including fully completed albums and over 50 finished music videos. He also released songs under multiple pseudonyms during his life, as well as writing songs that were made popular after being covered by other musicians, most notably "Nothing Compares 2 U" by Sinéad O'Connor and "Manic Monday" by the Bangles. Estimates of the complete number of songs written by Prince range anywhere from 500 to well over 1,000. Released posthumously, his demo albums Piano and a Microphone 1983 (2018) and Originals (2019) both received critical acclaim.
Prince sold over 100 million records worldwide, ranking him among the best-selling music artists of all time. His awards included the Grammy President's Merit Award, the American Music Awards for Achievement and of Merit, the Billboard Icon Award, an Academy Award, and a Golden Globe Award. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004, the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2006, and the Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame in 2016, and was inducted twice into the Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame in 2022.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prince_(musician)
Studio albums
For You (1978)
Prince (1979)
Dirty Mind (1980)
Controversy (1981)
1999 (1982)
Purple Rain (1984)
Around the World in a Day (1985)
Parade (1986)
Sign o' the Times (1987)
Lovesexy (1988)
Batman (1989)
Graffiti Bridge (1990)
Diamonds and Pearls (1991)
Love Symbol (1992)
Come (1994)
The Black Album (1994)
The Gold Experience (1995)
Chaos and Disorder (1996)
Emancipation (1996)
Crystal Ball (1998)
The Truth (1998)
The Vault: Old Friends 4 Sale (1999)
Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic (1999)
The Rainbow Children (2001)
One Nite Alone... (2002)
Xpectation (2003)
N·E·W·S (2003)
The Chocolate Invasion (2004)
The Slaughterhouse (2004)
Musicology (2004)
3121 (2006)
Planet Earth (2007)
Lotusflow3r (2009)
MPLSound (2009)
20Ten (2010)
Plectrumelectrum (2014)
Art Official Age (2014)
HITnRUN Phase One (2015)
HITnRUN Phase Two (2015)
Posthumous releases:
Piano and a Microphone 1983 (2018)
Originals (2019)
Welcome 2 America (2021)
Prince also released two albums credited to Madhouse, three albums credited to the New Power Generation, and one credited to the N.P.G. Orchestra:
Madhouse:
8 (1987)
16 (1987)
The New Power Generation:
Goldnigga (1993)
Exodus (1995)
Newpower Soul (1998)
The N.P.G. Orchestra:
Kamasutra (1997)
For Serbian singer Princ, please use Princ.
17 Days
Prince Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You didn't answer your phone
The main drag is knowing that
You probably weren't alone
So here I sit in my lonely room
Lookin' for my sunshine
But all I've got is two cigarettes
So let the rain come down
Let the rain come down
Let the rain come down, down
Let the rain come down
Let the rain come down
Let the rain come down, down
You've been gone seventeen days
Seventeen long nights
The main drag is knowing that
You're holding someone else tight
I want to to call you everyday
And beg you to be near me
But I know your head is underwater
I doubt that you could hear me
So let the rain come down
Let the rain come down
Let the rain come down, down
Let the rain come down
Let the rain come down
Let the rain come down, down
Ha, ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha
Seventeen days
Ha, ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha
Seventeen days
Called you yesterday
You didn't answer your phone
If you're the one who's always lonely
Then I'm the one who's always alone
So here I sit in my lonely room
Lookin' for my sunshine
All I've got is two cigarettes
And this broken heart of mine
Oh, so let the rain come down
Let the rain come down
Let the rain come down, down
Let the rain come down
Let the rain come down
Let the rain come down, down
(Oh, let the rain come down)
(Let the rain come down)
(Let the rain come down, down) why don't you answer your phone, babe?
(Let the rain come down)
(Let the rain come down)
(Let the rain come down, down) seventeen days
(Let the rain come down)
(Let the rain come down)
(Let the rain come down, down) seventeen days
"17 Days" is a song by Prince, released originally as the B-side to his 1984 single "When Doves Cry." The song is about the singer calling someone who hasn't answered their phone, and assuming that they must be with someone else. The singer is in a lonely room, with nothing but two cigarettes and a broken heart. The song is a plea for the other person to come back to him and to end their days of loneliness.
The opening of the song has the singer calling someone who doesn't pick up, and he is then left to assume that they were with someone else. The singer is in a state of loneliness, desperately searching for happiness, but not being able to find it. The chorus is a plea for rain, as though the singer believes that the rain will somehow wash away his sadness. The second verse goes on to explain that the other person has been gone for 17 days and nights, and the singer wants to call them every day to beg for them to come back, but he knows that the other person is not in a good place right now.
The song is a classic example of Prince's ability to write a catchy tune with deeply emotional lyrics. He often used his songs to explore themes of love, loss, and loneliness, and "17 Days" is no exception. Despite being a B-side, the song has become a fan favourite and is often included on Prince's greatest hits compilations.
Line by Line Meaning
Called you yesterday
I tried to contact you by phone 24 hours ago
You didn't answer your phone
I received no response from you when I called
The main drag is knowing that
The most difficult thing is realizing
You probably weren't alone
You were likely with someone else
So here I sit in my lonely room
I am currently sitting alone in my room
Lookin' for my sunshine
Searching for happiness or a source of joy
But all I've got is two cigarettes
I have no company or solace, only cigarettes
And this broken heart of mine
I am feeling emotionally wounded and hurt
So let the rain come down
I am accepting my sorrow and letting it flow freely
You've been gone seventeen days
It has been 17 days since I last saw you
Seventeen long nights
Seventeen nights have passed, all of them feeling difficult and trying
You're holding someone else tight
You are embracing someone else intimately
I want to call you everyday
I feel a strong desire to reach out to you frequently
And beg you to be near me
I want to plead with you to come closer to me
But I know your head is underwater
I understand that you are dealing with a lot of emotional difficulties
I doubt that you could hear me
I am unsure if you are in a place where you can listen to me or respond
Ha, ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha
A brief moment of laughter or humor
Called you yesterday
I tried to contact you by phone 24 hours ago
You didn't answer your phone
I received no response from you when I called
If you're the one who's always lonely
If you are typically the person who feels isolated or unhappy
Then I'm the one who's always alone
Then that makes me the person who is always without company
Oh, so let the rain come down
I am accepting my sorrow and letting it flow freely
(Oh, let the rain come down)
Reiteration of acceptance of sadness
(Let the rain come down)
Reiteration of acceptance of sadness
(Let the rain come down, down) why don't you answer your phone, babe?
Reiteration of unanswered phone call
(Let the rain come down)
Reiteration of acceptance of sadness
(Let the rain come down)
Reiteration of acceptance of sadness
(Let the rain come down, down) seventeen days
Reiteration of time since last seeing or speaking to person
(Let the rain come down)
Reiteration of acceptance of sadness
(Let the rain come down)
Reiteration of acceptance of sadness
(Let the rain come down, down) seventeen days
Reiteration of time since last seeing or speaking to person
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: LISA COLEMAN, MATTHEW ROBERT FINK, PRINCE ROGERS NELSON, WENDY MELVOIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind