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.
9 Lives
Prince Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
This is the 90's and I need a lover with (9 lives)
With my bad self
(If I really) {sample repeats in song}
I.. I.. I.. I...
(9 lives)
Sing Stella
CHORUS:
If I really had 9 lives
I'd want a lover that controlled my mind
Someone who knows about the heavenly sin
How 2 kill with love again, again and again
When she calls me on the phone
She'll ask if I'm alone
Standin' at my door lookin' mega-fine
Heck-a-pump body sayin' good time
When all the others talk plenty of jive
My lover talks about 9 lives
The first 2 promise I'll die from the heat
Generated from the moment that our eyes meet
CHORUS
(With my bad self)
Life number 3 and number 4
Are spent makin' love on the magic floor
It's got no walls so all can see
The way real love is supposed 2 be
Don't be ashamed, my lover said
Then she says "Mmm, I betcha I'm mega-jammin'"
Life number 5, 6 and 7
Need U ask, go like heaven
CHORUS
(With my bad self)
(Control me)
With my bad self
If I really had 9 lives
I'd want a lover that controlled my mind
2 kill with love, we'd never die
We'd never long 4, we'd never cry
If we live 4 havin' each other's touch
It's never 2 little, it's never 2 much
Play
With my bad self
With my, with my bad self
If I really had, if I really had, if I really had 9 lives
This is the 90's
And everybody wants a lover
A life-long lover with 9 lives
(9 lives)
This is the 90's
(CHORUS) {repeat in BG}
Sing Stella
Call me up on the phone
I'll be here all alone
I'll be waitin' on U, baby
I'll be waitin' on U and your 9 lives!
Silence
The song “9 Lives” by Prince is a funky, erotic track in which Prince desires a lover that can satisfy his needs over and over again, suggesting that his lover should have nine lives. The repeated use of the phrase “with my bad self” implies that Prince is full of confidence and self-love, and therefore he deserves a lover that is just as confident and powerful. The chorus suggests that Prince wants a lover that can control his mind and knows all the heavenly sins. He wants a lover that can kill him with love and bring him back to life multiple times.
The verses describe Prince’s lover who is confident and always knows what she wants. This lover does not play games but gets straight to the point, suggesting that Prince wants a lover that is unapologetically herself. The floor that they make love on has no walls, indicating that their love is boundless and free. Prince further describes the sexual frenzy that he feels with his lover in life numbers five, six, and seven. The song suggests that Prince wants a lover that moves him physically and spiritually, someone who can meet all his needs.
Line by Line Meaning
9 - 9 - 9 - 9 - 9 lives
The song is about wanting a lover with multiple lives, that they can use to experience different things with each one. The repeated '9 lives' emphasizes this desire.
This is the 90's and I need a lover with (9 lives)
The singer is describing the current time period and their desire for a lover that can provide them with many different experiences.
With my bad self
An expression meaning self-confidence and feeling good about oneself.
(If I really) {sample repeats in song}
A repeated lyric that emphasizes the artist's desire for multiple lives.
I.. I.. I.. I...
A repeated lyric that emphasizes the artist's desire for multiple lives.
(9 lives)
A repeated lyric that emphasizes the singer's desire for multiple lives.
Sing Stella
A cue for someone to sing the name 'Stella' in the background of the song.
If I really had 9 lives
A repeated lyric that emphasizes the artist's desire for multiple lives.
I'd want a lover that controlled my mind
The artist desires a lover that can provide them with new experiences and the ability to think in different ways.
Someone who knows about the heavenly sin
The artist desires a lover that understands the pleasures of life and how to enjoy them.
How 2 kill with love again, again and again
The singer desires a lover that can keep them feeling excited and satisfied repeatedly.
When she calls me on the phone
The artist is waiting for their lover to contact them.
She'll ask if I'm alone
The singer's lover is checking if they have privacy for a conversation.
Standin' at my door lookin' mega-fine
When their lover arrives, they look very attractive to the singer.
Heck-a-pump body sayin' good time
Their lover has a great body and is ready to have a good time.
When all the others talk plenty of jive
Other people try to seem impressive by talking big, but the artist doesn't find them interesting.
My lover talks about 9 lives
The artist's lover is accepting of their desire for multiple experiences.
The first 2 promise I'll die from the heat
The first two experiences with their lover will be so intense that the singer will be overwhelmed and feel like they are 'dying' from the excitement.
Generated from the moment that our eyes meet
The intense feelings begin from the moment they see each other.
Life number 3 and number 4
Continuing from the previous lines, the artist is describing the different experiences they will have with their lover.
Are spent makin' love on the magic floor
These experiences involve having sex in a special place.
It's got no walls so all can see
The location for these experiences is open and visible, but the artist and their lover aren't ashamed.
The way real love is supposed 2 be
The singer believes that their love with their lover is genuine and real.
Don't be ashamed, my lover said
The artist's lover reassures them that they shouldn't feel ashamed of their desires and experiences.
Then she says "Mmm, I betcha I'm mega-jammin'"
The singer's lover is confident and so satisfied with their experiences that they feel they are 'mega-jammin'.
Life number 5, 6 and 7
The singer continues describing the different experiences they will have with their lover.
Need U ask, go like heaven
These experiences are so pleasurable that the singer feels like they are in heaven.
With my bad self
An expression meaning self-confidence and feeling good about oneself.
Control me
The artist desires their lover to lead them and control their experiences.
If we live 4 havin' each other's touch
The singer believes that their love is based on a physical connection with their lover.
It's never 2 little, it's never 2 much
The amount of desire and love they feel for each other is always at the right level.
Play
An expression meaning to have fun and enjoy themselves together.
This is the 90's
The artist is reminding the listener of the current time period.
And everybody wants a lover
The artist is commenting on the universal desire for companionship and love.
A life-long lover with 9 lives
The singer desires a lover that can provide them with many different experiences throughout their lifetime.
Call me up on the phone
The artist is ready and waiting for their lover to contact them.
I'll be here all alone
The singer is by themselves and waiting for their lover to contact them.
I'll be waitin' on U, baby
The singer is excited and anticipates their lover's call.
I'll be waitin' on U and your 9 lives!
The singer emphasizes their desire for their lover's multiple lives and experiences.
Silence
The end of the song.
Contributed by Eliana I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@lluiziggy
Don't use the magical
Mysterious, intoxicating, joy fantastic
Fascinating word called love
Unless u love me 2 the 9's
This is the only kind of love
That I've been dreaming of
The kind of love that takes over your
Body, mind, and soul
Love 2 the 9's
Baby, (2 the 9's)
I wanna be loved 2 the 9's (2 the 9's)
I wanna be loved, sugar (2 the 9's)
I wanna be loved 4 all time (4 all time) ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️🌠🌠🌠🌠
@NinjaDash360
A criminally underrated song in his discography.
@gogoyubari366
What makes you believe it's underrated?
@RealETheMan
@Noxema Jackson I think it's because first and foremost, Love Symbol doesn't get as much hype as Purple Rain, 1999, and Sign O' The Times does. This album is already one of this deep cuts, and the fact that many fans only know 7, My Name Is Prince, Sexy M.F., and Damn U from it just shows that this song is "a deep cut within a deep cut."
@glittery_cucumber
Everything he did is criminally underrated
@thegrimyeaper
Commenting "underrated" on every video of the most popular artists of all time is overrated.
@darkbluebossa
@Toyota Kawasaki underrated because we dont see many people covering or talking about it, even fans.
@AirRayH
LOVE the percussion on this piece 👌
@blackcosmos
I had no idea he made a video for this wonderful track. The Symbol album has so many wonderful gems 💜
@akechetalahpay5333
I don't feel this album got the recognition it deserved. As far as masterpieces, I put this right beside the Purple Rain soundtrack...✌️
@Cormac-jd2kx
😂