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.
Avalanche
Prince Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Of setting are people free
If it wasn't for the thirteenth Amendment
We woulda been born in slavery
He was not or never had been in favor
Of letting us vote so you see...
Abraham Lincoln was a racist who said
"You cannot escape from history"
Like the snow comin' down the mountain
That landed on Wounded Knee
Nobody wants to take the weight
The responsibility
Hear the joyous sound of freedom
The Harlem Renaissance
Hear Duke Ellington and his band
Kick another jungle jam
Ooh, do you wanna dance?
Who's that lurking in the shadows?
Mr. John Hammond with his pen in hand...
Sayin' "Sign you're kingdom over to me
And be known throughout the land!"
But, you ain't got no money, you ain't got no cash
So you sign yo name and he claims innocence
Just like every snowflake in an avalanche...
Like the snow comin' down the mountain
That landed on Wounded Knee
Nobody wants to take the weight
The responsibility
The lyrics of Prince's song Avalanche present a critical reflection on American history and the way it has shaped the opportunities and challenges faced by Black Americans. The opening lines of the song suggest that Abraham Lincoln, the president often hailed as the savior of the Union and the emancipator of slaves, did not actually believe in the equality and freedom of Black people, as evidenced by his opposition to the right to vote. The line "you cannot escape from history" highlights the persistent legacy of racism that is still present in American society.
The second verse of the song shifts to a more positive tone, celebrating moments of Black joy and cultural expression, such as the Harlem Renaissance and the music of Duke Ellington. However, even within these moments of celebration, there are still figures lurking in the shadows (such as John Hammond, a record producer known for exploiting Black musicians) who seek to profit off of Black talent without providing fair compensation. The final lines of the song return to the metaphor of an avalanche, suggesting that individual actions and decisions can have a larger impact on society and history.
Overall, the lyrics of Avalanche explore the complex and ongoing struggles for racial justice in America, highlighting both moments of progress and persistent systemic barriers.
Line by Line Meaning
He was not or never had been in favor
He did not support or approve
Of setting are people free
Of granting freedom to our people
If it wasn't for the thirteenth Amendment
Without the thirteenth Amendment
We woulda been born in slavery
We would have been born into a state of slavery
He was not or never had been in favor
He did not support or approve
Of letting us vote so you see...
Of granting us the right to vote, so you can understand
Abraham Lincoln was a racist who said
Abraham Lincoln was a prejudiced person who stated
"You cannot escape from history"
"You cannot avoid or deny the impact of historical events on the present"
Like the snow comin' down the mountain
Similar to the snow falling down the mountain
That landed on Wounded Knee
That arrived at Wounded Knee
Nobody wants to take the weight
No one wants to bear the burden
The responsibility
The obligation or duty
Hear the joyous sound of freedom
Listen to the delightful noise of being free
The Harlem Renaissance
The period of artistic and cultural flourishing in Harlem
Hear Duke Ellington and his band
Listen to Duke Ellington and his ensemble
Kick another jungle jam
Play another lively jazz tune
Ooh, do you wanna dance?
Oh, would you like to dance?
Who's that lurking in the shadows?
Who is that hiding in the darkness?
Mr. John Hammond with his pen in hand...
John Hammond, holding a pen in his hand...
Sayin' "Sign you're kingdom over to me
Saying, "Give me ownership of your realm
And be known throughout the land!"
And be famous throughout the nation!"
But, you ain't got no money, you ain't got no cash
But, you do not have any money or resources
So you sign yo name and he claims innocence
So, you sign your name, and he declares innocence
Just like every snowflake in an avalanche...
Exactly like every snowflake in an avalanche...
Like the snow comin' down the mountain
Similar to the snow falling down the mountain
That landed on Wounded Knee
That arrived at Wounded Knee
Nobody wants to take the weight
No one wants to bear the burden
The responsibility
The obligation or duty
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ROY G ROGERS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
john doe
such a beautiful movie, no real plot or anything but for some reason it works. it has a soothing effect.
GTRAIN1982
that would be EITS
Bill Peltier
This is a diamond in the rough. This movie is like taking your best friend to an unknown restaurant that has the BEST...whatever. U found it, nobody has heard of it, and it's amazing.
Ollie Fake
i want to see more of emile hirsh, loved him in "Into the Wild"
Timothy Walsh
Did you see Milk? Hes amazing in that!
nathan thomson
@Timothy Walsh you realise this comment is 9 years old?
Timothy Walsh
@nathan thomson Yeah, so what? Does that mean I cant provide a movie recommendation? Either they read it or they dont. It took 20 seconds to write that.
checkurbrainfly
these two actors are good at what they do and extremely charismatic two thumbs Up
Juan Chava
It is a great movie, not for everyone, but a really good movie.
Jack Lame
The first time I saw this movie I was on a long flight and it seemed boring as hell and only added to my isolation and boredom but the second time I saw this it floored me! Such a good film