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.
A Case of U
Prince Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I live in a box of paints
Frightened by the devil
And drawn to those ones that ain't afraid
Remember when you told me love got lost, you say it baby
If I had you girl, I'd be touching your soul
Part of you boils under me
You're in my blood like holy wine, so bitter
So sweet, I drink a case of you
Still be on my feet, still be on my feet
The lyrics of Prince's song "A Case of U" describe a painter who lives in a box of paints and is afraid of the devil, but also drawn to those who are not afraid. The painter is also revealed to be deeply in love with someone, as he sings about how love got lost and how if he had the person he loves, he would be touching their soul. Part of the person he loves seems to be boiling under him, suggesting an intense passion.
The second half of the song's lyrics dive more deeply into the painter's love for this person. He compares his love to holy wine - both bitter and sweet - and sings about how he feels like he has consumed a "case" of the person he loves. Despite this, he is still standing strong.
The lyrics of "A Case of U" are beautifully poetic and show a deep understanding of love and loneliness. The painter's internal struggles are skillfully portrayed, as are his deep emotions towards the person he loves.
Line by Line Meaning
I am a lonely painter
I am an isolated artist who expresses my emotions through my art.
I live in a box of paints
My life is consumed by my art and creativity.
Frightened by the devil
I am scared of the temptations and evils of this world.
And drawn to those ones that ain't afraid
I am attracted to those who are brave enough to explore the darkness and embrace their passions.
Remember when you told me love got lost, you say it baby
Do you recall when you said that love was lost? I remember your words, my dear.
If I had you girl, I'd be touching your soul
If I were with you, my love, I would connect with your deepest emotions and desires.
Part of you boils under me
I can sense the intense passion and energy within you when we are together.
Come on baby let's go
Let's explore this electric connection we have and see where it leads us, my love.
You're in my blood like holy wine, so bitter
Your love and presence is deeply ingrained in me, like a sacred and bitter wine.
So sweet, I drink a case of you
Your love is so powerful and captivating that I consume it as if it were a case of wine.
Still be on my feet, still be on my feet
Despite being intoxicated by your love, I am still strong and able to stand on my own two feet.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: PRINCE ROGERS NELSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind