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.
1 1 1 is 3
Prince Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
ねえその声聞かせて
ねえキミが好き なんて かっこよく言えたら
苦労なんてしないよな ねえああもう!
「ねえ この人すっごくキレイじゃないですか?」「えー全然でしょ」「はぁ? すっげーかわいいじゃん」
「まったく わかってないな」「えー」「もっとよく見てみなよ」
「なんかかわいく見えてきた」
いつもキミは視線独り占め (ノートは白紙のまま)
僕だけじゃ足りないのかい? (あーあもう)
気付いてないみたい
こんな心では想っているのに
伝わりやしない (空しい片想い)
キミの心が読めたらな
そんな空想に入り浸り
キミの手を取り 歩く花道
歓声と拍手に迎えられ
「僕らの幸せを これからも応援して」
「もしもーし おーい」「早く起きてください」
ってああもしや夢だった? 今これは何限?
作者の気持ちだって? わかるわけないだろ!
「えっとここは」「これだよ これ」「いえ こっちじゃない」
ぱっぱっぱっ! で恋を咲かせたい
不釣り合いだって関係ない
One, two, three! で恋を咲かせたい
なんて (なんて) ただ1つのワガママ
振り向いてよ かっこつけさせてよ
キミが見てくれなくちゃ
ずっと踏み出せやしないままだ
「やばい 僕あの子好きになっちゃったかも」
「え 本当ですか? 確かにキレイだけど」「好きになるの早すぎでしょ」
「そもそも どういうところが好きなんですか?」
「あー 顔」「顔かよ」
恋愛成就 縁結びだとか (手を出したくなるけど)
Stop! 「え なんで?」
神頼みは (No! No! No!) 意味なんか無いんだ
頑張ってるところだけキミに見ていてほしい (失敗シーンはオフレコ)
そして始まるラブロマンス
そんな空想に入り浸り
アフタースクールは優雅に
キミとティータイム洒落込もう
邪魔の入らない 二人の世界
何も他に必要無いのさ
「わ また寝てる」「おーい 起きて起きて」
ってまたもしや夢だった?
いつ目覚まし止めた?
遅刻何回目だ? そろそろマズいかも
「また遅刻ですか?」「もう 何やってんだよ」「うきー」
ぱっぱっぱっ! で恋が叶っても
どうせ夢オチとかなんでしょ
One, two, three! じゃ恋は叶わない
なんて (なんて) 全部わかっているさ
どうやったら近付けるかなんて
僕が変われなかったら
ずっと片想いだな
「僕 告白したい」
「だから早すぎだって」「さすがに無茶だと思います」
「えー じゃあやーめた」「え?」「諦めるのも早すぎでしょ」
「だって怖いんだもん」「もしかしてビビリなんですか?」「やーい いくじなし」
ねえほらこっちを向いて
ねえその声聞かせて
ねえキミが好き なんて かっこよく言えたら
苦労なんてしないよな 照れ隠ししちゃうんだ
「実は僕も」「え 俺も」「え マジ」
ぱっぱっぱっ! で恋を咲かせたい
不釣り合いだって関係ない
One, two, three! で恋を咲かせたい
なんて (なんて) ただ1つのワガママ
その視線が 僕に向く時まで
きっと秘めたままだろう
だけどそれでいい
何も変わらないままいよう
The lyrics of Prince's song 1 1 1 = 3 are a mix of seduction, authority, and power. The opening lines of the song showcases how Prince is trying to persuade someone to stay with him. He says there's no room for disagreement and mentions that one plus one plus one equals three, implying that if they want to be with him, they have to submit to his ways. The phrase "theocratic order" implies the system of government where the rulers derive their authority from a divine being. Prince is establishing himself as a divine being, and his way is the only way.
The middle section of the song is dedicated to commands and demands that the other person should follow. Prince talks about stroking hair a hundred times, knowing about the order, and the banished ones. There is a sense of invincibility and power in his words. He shifts from the seductive tone to an authoritative one, asking who's knocking on his door and telling them they were thrown out before. He's about to get "rowdy, " and nobody can stop him.
The final section invites the listeners to dance and join the "banished ones," rallying around the palace. His command to "work that sexy body all night long" has an erotic undertone. Prince is a master of giving a deeper meaning to his music, and this song is no exception.
Line by Line Meaning
If you ain't got no place to stay
If you're feeling lost or alone
Come on baby 'round this way
Come here and I'll offer you a place to belong
Stay with me baby
Stay with me and we'll figure things out together
But let me tell you how it's gonna be
But I need you to understand my expectations
There's a theocratic order.
There's a higher power or authority ruling over us
There's a theocratic order now
We must adhere to this power and follow their rules
This is how it's gonna be
This is the way things are and will be
If you wanna be with me
If you want to be a part of my life
Ain't no room for disagree
We must be in agreement and follow the same path
One+one+one is three
We are stronger together, as a united group
Take you're time and think it through
Take your time to truly consider this decision
If this is what you wanna do
If this is truly what you desire
I ain't really that hard to please
I'm not difficult to get along with
Cause one+one+one is three
Because together, we're more than just individuals
Stroke you're hair a hundred times
I want to get to know you inside and out
Let me see what I can find
I want to see if we connect on a deeper level
Do you know about the order.
Are you familiar with the rules and expectations?
Do you know about the order, now?
Do you understand what you're getting into?
The banished ones
A group of outcasts or exiles
"We are the banished ones and we have come to dance
If you will not let us, we'll have to kick you're pants!"
We may be outsiders, but we still deserve to have fun and be ourselves. If someone tries to stop us, we'll fight back
Who's that knockin' on are door?
Who is coming to disrupt our peace?
Didn't we throw you out before?
Haven't we dealt with you before?
I'm 'bout to get rowdy!
I'm ready to defend what we have here
I'm 'bout to get rowdy, now!
I'm about to take action to keep our community safe
Make me wanna do something.
Motivate me to take action
We could be surrounded in the palace
"Everybody wants to get you!"
I don't care
Even if everyone is trying to get to us and our way of life, I won't back down
How many y'all just came to dance?
How many of you are here to let loose and enjoy yourselves?
Let me see you shake you're pants
Show me your true colors and let yourself go
We don't give a duck what you got on
We don't care about your appearance or background
You just need to work that sexy body all night long
Just let yourself go and have fun dancing
Come on
Join in the fun and don't hold back
Where them banished ones at?
Where did those outsiders go?
"Said they 'round the back"
I've heard they're still trying to get in
Don't cut 'em no slack
Don't let them get closer to our community
"I'm gon' tap, tap, tap"
I'm going to be on alert and protect our borders
But should I keep this party going?
Should we continue to celebrate and enjoy ourselves?
"Brother you know that!"
Of course, we should keep the party going and keep our spirits high
Moneyapolis, sing-Rainbow Children, raise you're hands
Let's unite and show our power and strength
If we can't do it, nobody can!
If we can't create a true community, then no one can
Here they come y'all
Rally 'round the palace now
You know what we got to do!
The outsiders are getting closer, so let's come together and defend what we have
How'd that fool get up in here?
How did someone sneak into our safe space?
Snagglevoice.
This is a nonsense word, potentially implying the infiltrator is very strange or out of place
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Root, Toku, Matsu
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Scottie Baldwin
I've read each and every comment and I'm glad you all are showing so much love for our collective hard work on this show! I'm super proud to have been a part of Prince's career and so humbled he was a part of mine. ♥
Scottie Baldwin
@Gilbert Myers I began to notice that if it started with “Scottie, …” he wanted me to make an adjustment but if he used my name at the end of the phrase like, “ Turn it up, Scottie!” he was using it more as punctuation. In the above video it was one of the times it started with “Scottie…” but he didn’t really need me to turn it up, it was plenty loud, he was trying to inspire the people in the balcony. At the top when he says, “…turn the guitar up! Didn’t I tell you never to touch a grown man’s stereo!” he was actually mad at the Monitor Engineer. 🤣 The Monitor Engineers almost never followed the feel of the music.
Margaret Lawrance
Love u 2 Scottie xx💕
Gilbert Myers
@Scottie Baldwin Thanks Scottie for those informational nuggets, They are Priceless!
Scottie Baldwin
@Margaret Lawrance I love you too!
Lavender Bee
Thank you Scottie, you are one of the key people behind the scenes that made Prince's live experience sound so good.
flint8600
this man was by far the most multi talented musician ever!!! People didn't realize how funky he could be!!
Whit Campbell
“Anybody got a cell phone?” Amazing how things have changed within a relatively short amount of time. Prince was an extraterrestrial with supreme powers… to say he was ingenious would be far beyond an understatement. Rest in paradise, Prince.
T Brown
And yet the smart phones have lights that shine down the streets. With picures. You can't touch this man he transcends like EWF on steroids. God bless those ivory keys. And heaven help us when he makes love to the strings. Gotta love it!!!
Jesse Cooper
@T Brown @