Alphabet St.
Prince Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

No!

I'm going down to Alphabet Street
I'm gonna crown the first girl that I meet
I'm gonna talk so sexy
She'll want me from my head to my feet

Yeah, yeah, yeah
Yes she will
Yeah, yeah, yeah (yeah)
Yeah, yeah, yeah

I'm gonna drive my daddy's Thunderbird (my daddy's Thunderbird)
A white rad ride, '66 ('67) so glam it's absurd
I'm gonna put her in the back seat
And drive her to Tennessee

Yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah, Tennessee
Yeah, yeah, yeah, drive her

Excuse me, baby
I don't mean to be rude
But I guess tonight I'm just not, I'm just not in the mood
So if you don't mind (yeah, yeah, yeah)
I would like to watch

Yeah, yeah, yeah can I?
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah (can I, can I, can I, can I)

We're going down, down, down, if that's the only way
To make this cruel, cruel world hear what we've got to say
Put the right letters together and make a better day

Yeah, yeah, yeah, better days
Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's O-O-K
Yeah, yeah, yeah

Maybe it's the only way
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

Cat, we need you to rap (no)
Cat, we need you to rap
Don't give to us slow
'Cause we know you know
New power soul
Gotta gotta gotta go

Talk to me lover
Come on tell me what you taste
Didn't your mama tell you
Life is to good to waste? (put your love down)
Didn't she tell you
That Lovesexy was the glam of them all?
If you can hang, you can trip on it
You surely won't fall (put your love down)
No side effects and
The feeling last for-ever
Straight up it tastes good
It makes you feel clever (put your love down)
You kiss your enemies
Like you know you should
Then you jerk your body like a horny pony would (put your love down)
You jerk your body like a horny pony would
Now run and tell your mama about that

And while you're at it tell your papa about this

Yeah-yeah

Put your love down there when you want to get shot

No (yeah, yeah)

Put your love down there when you want to get shot
Put your love down there when you want to get shot
Put your love down there when you want to get shot

Put your love down there
(Yeah)
Get home, Alphabet Street

No

L-L-L-L-Lovesexy

Yea, oh, Alphabet Street
Yea, oh, Alphabet Street





A B C D E F H I love you

Overall Meaning

"Alphabet St." is one of the hit songs from Prince's 1988 album, Lovesexy. The song speaks of Prince's love and desire for a girl he meets on Alphabet Street. He sings about cruising in his father's Thunderbird, talking sexy to the girl, and going to Tennessee with her. Prince's signature funk and R&B genres are prominent in the song, with a background chorus and his provocative lyrics sung in falsetto. The chorus is catchy, rhythmic, and builds up anticipation for the verses. The song's lyrics are cleverly crafted to form an "ABC" theme, with Prince playfully ending the song with the letters A, B, C, D, E, F, H, and finally, "I love you."


However, the song is much more than just a playful love song. It carries a deeper message of unity and hope for a better world. In the bridge, Prince sings about bringing people together by putting the right letters together to make a better day. The song's message of coming together and working for a better future was particularly relevant in the late '80s, with the rise of social and political issues. Prince's "Alphabet St." encourages listeners to rise above the problems and work together for a brighter future.


Line by Line Meaning

No!
Rejection or refusal of something.


I'm going down to Alphabet Street
The singer is going to Alphabet Street.


I'm gonna crown the first girl that I meet
The singer will treat the first girl he meets in Alphabet Street like a queen.


I'm gonna talk so sexy
The artist will speak in an alluring manner.


She'll want me from my head to my feet
The woman will desire the artist entirely.


I'm gonna drive my daddy's Thunderbird (my daddy's Thunderbird)
The singer will use his father's car, a Thunderbird.


A white rad ride, '66 ('67) so glam it's absurd
Describing the car as a radical and glamorous white 1966 or 1967 Thunderbird.


I'm gonna put her in the back seat
The artist will take the woman in the car's rear seats.


And drive her to Tennessee
The artist will drive the woman to Tennessee.


Excuse me, baby
Addressing the woman.


I don't mean to be rude
The singer is not trying to be impolite.


But I guess tonight I'm just not, I'm just not in the mood
The artist does not feel like partaking in an activity right now.


So if you don't mind (yeah, yeah, yeah)
Asking for permission.


I would like to watch
The singer only wants to watch the activity.


We're going down, down, down, if that's the only way
The singer and some other person will descend to make their voices heard.


To make this cruel, cruel world hear what we've got to say
To speak about something to the cruel and unjust world.


Put the right letters together and make a better day
By using correctly arranged words, a better day can be created.


Maybe it's the only way
Perhaps this is the only approach.


Cat, we need you to rap (no)
Requesting someone to rap, although they refuse.


Don't give to us slow
Urging the rapper to speed up.


'Cause we know you know
The rest of them are sure that the rapper is knowledgeable.


New power soul
A new brand of soul music.


Gotta gotta gotta go
Must rapidly proceed.


Talk to me lover
Addressing the woman in a lover-wise way.


Come on tell me what you taste
Requesting for the woman's preferences in men.


Didn't your mama tell you
Asking whether the woman's mother taught her something.


Life is to good to waste? (put your love down)
Questioning what the woman is doing if life is excellent.


Didn't she tell you
Asking if the woman was told something else.


That Lovesexy was the glam of them all?
Asking if the woman was informed about Lovesexy being the most attractive.


If you can hang, you can trip on it
If the woman can manage, she can enjoy it.


You surely won't fall (put your love down)
The woman is unlikely to fail.


No side effects and
No negative repercussions.


The feeling last for-ever
The emotion will endure.


Straight up it tastes good
It has an unobjectionable flavor.


It makes you feel clever (put your love down)
It provides a sense of intelligence.


You kiss your enemies
Suggesting to kiss your enemies as well.


Like you know you should
As if it's a necessary activity.


Then you jerk your body like a horny pony would (put your love down)
Dancing in a crude manner.


You jerk your body like a horny pony would
Dancing in a crude manner.


Now run and tell your mama about that
Asking the woman to clarify to their mother.


And while you're at it tell your papa about this
Also, explain to the father.


Put your love down there when you want to get shot
Keep your affection to yourself at this place.


L-L-L-L-Lovesexy
Representative of the Lovesexy album or tour.


Yea, oh, Alphabet Street
Referring to Alphabet Street again.


A B C D E F H I love you
Reciting the alphabet with the sentiment of love.




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Prince Rogers Nelson

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found
Comments from YouTube:

@PeterDBeyt

Good Day to you all. My name is Peter and I made this video with Prince back in the late 80s. I worked at Editel, which was one of the premier edit house in the day, he had shot all the footage at his place and showed up one Monday night with a box of tapes because he knew of my effects work. Remember this was before the computers and software of today, I had to layer each letter in the video one at a time. I enjoyed a healthy working relationship with him, a nice guy, incredibly talented. I still have other versions of the video with more messages in it but we felt we wouldn't get away with it as much as we did. I'm so glad this is available to all, thanks.

@rambanita

@Peter Beyt you were blessed to work with him..I know some others who have and they all speak highly of him..One word that is universally used to describe working with him is "Magic"

@reignnyjoseph7355

Peter Beyt THANK U FOR SHARING A BLESSED LEGACY WITH HIM. this song is now one of my best and Favorite songs from the Icon! A big list of PRINCE!!!

@reignnyjoseph7355

Peter Beyt Last, God bless you and continue on working big and smart! Prince couldn't have done it without U. LOVES U VERY MUCH! SENDING LOVE💜💜💜💜

@s.wstudioproductions5977

How was Prince

@Davidhjrick

Peter. You MUST post the alternative videos. Us fans are desperate for more. Do it and I’ll marry you!

198 More Replies...

@fredevans6741

RIP Prince. This man was not only exceptionally gifted, but a musical "genius".

@nillehessy

early 80s prince wrote i would die 4 U 4 = april U = 21 i would die april 21 prince died april 21 2016
mirror datum april 21 counted back from 31 december = 9 - 11 augustus 11
3 planes on 9 - 11 2001 in NY plane-numbers were 77 93 & 11
prince wrote in early 80s ´the time´ song 7 77 93 11 but wait there is more

@Blueluise

just playing balls, why?....🤣

@pilarhinojosagomez3006

Prince EXELENTE 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼un beso 😘 de mi país 🇨🇱 Chile 🇨🇱

More Comments

More Versions