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.
Clouds
Prince Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A kiss on the neck, when she doesn't expect
A kiss on the neck, when she doesn't expect
A kiss on the neck
And every time you catch her singin' in the shower
You should go and get a flower
Don't matter what the hour
Just rub it on her back, rub it on her back, rub it on her back
In this brand new age we do everything
Quick, fast, in a hurry
All of our life's a stage
Everybody stars, reality so blurry
If you scream out loud, loud
Top of your voice be higher than the crowd (no)
Tattoo-less and proud, yeah
We'll get to something higher that doesn't require clouds
No, we don't need no clouds, no
You should never underestimate the power of
A kiss on the neck, when she doesn't expect
A kiss on the neck, when she doesn't expect
A kiss on the neck
And every time you catch her singin' in the shower
You should go and get a flower
Don't matter what the hour
Just rub it on her back, rub it on her back, rub it on her back
All over me
I'm gonna give you something baby
But I wonder does it really even matter if it ain't on a stage
If it ain't on a stage
I don't really think it matters in this brand new age
When life's a stage, in this brand new age
How do we engage?
Bullying just for fun
No wonder there's so many guns
Maybe we're better off in space
Mr. Nelson, Mr. Nelson, can you hear my voice?
Sir, we know you're a little bit groggy
And you're probably going to find it hard to speak
But don't try to talk or process too much now
We just want to let you know that the medication you were given
Has put you in a suspended animation for quite some time
Well, in fact, about 45 years
But where you are now
Is a place that does not require time
That being said, you are completely safe
And we are here to help you
You should never underestimate the power of
A kiss on the neck, when she doesn't expect
A kiss on the neck, when she doesn't expect
A kiss on the neck
It's in my power to love you
It's in my power to love you up
It's in my power to love you
It's in my power to love you up
The song "Clouds" by Prince is a reflection of the modern world and how technology and fast-paced living have impacted our lives. The opening lines deal with the power of a simple gesture like a kiss on the neck, emphasizing that in our busy lives, we often forget the little things that matter. The song urges us to slow down and appreciate the people in our lives, to show them love and affection in small ways.
The second verse touches on the hyper-connected world we live in and how it has affected our sense of reality. People are constantly performing for their followers and the pressure to be seen and heard can be overwhelming. The lyrics suggest that we need to step back from this and find something more meaningful, something that doesn't require a stage or an audience.
The bridge of the song features a spoken word section that interrupts the music. It speaks to Prince directly and suggests that he is in a state of suspended animation. It's unclear if this is a metaphor or if Prince is reflecting on his own mortality. The bridge breaks the flow of the song, but it also provides a moment of reflection and pause.
Overall, "Clouds" is a song about the importance of love and relationships in a world that can be overwhelming and disconnected. It's a call to slow down and appreciate the small things, to find meaning beyond social media and virtual reality.
Line by Line Meaning
You should never underestimate the power of
The importance of small gestures should not be overlooked
A kiss on the neck, when she doesn't expect
Unexpected acts of affection can have a great impact
A kiss on the neck
Physical affection is meaningful
And every time you catch her singin' in the shower
Take notice of the small moments and appreciate them
You should go and get a flower
Showing appreciation can be done through small gestures, like giving flowers
Don't matter what the hour
Showing love and affection should not be limited by time constraints
Just rub it on her back, rub it on her back, rub it on her back
Providing touch and physical comfort is a way to show love
In this brand new age we do everything
The current era is characterized by fast-paced and instant gratification
Quick, fast, in a hurry
People are always in a rush to get things done
All of our life's a stage
Everyone is living their own story or narrative
Everybody stars, reality so blurry
People are obsessed with fame and image, and as a result, reality is distorted
If you scream out loud, loud
Speaking out and standing up for oneself is important
Top of your voice be higher than the crowd (no)
One needs to be louder and stronger than surrounding voices in order to be heard
Tattoo-less and proud, yeah
Being oneself and confident in one's own skin is important
We'll get to something higher that doesn't require clouds
There is something better beyond the superficial and unnecessary
No, we don't need no clouds, no
We do not need the unnecessary things in life
When life's a stage, in this brand new age
Life is characterized by how we present ourselves and what we show to the world
How do we engage?
How do we interact with one another in a meaningful way?
Bullying just for fun
Bullying should never be used as a form of entertainment
No wonder there's so many guns
Violent behavior begets violent behavior
Maybe we're better off in space
Perhaps there is a better place than earth where humans can exist without violence and harm
Mr. Nelson, Mr. Nelson, can you hear my voice?
The artist is addressing Prince directly in a hypothetical scenario
Sir, we know you're a little bit groggy
The singer acknowledges Prince's lack of clarity due to medication
And you're probably going to find it hard to speak
Prince may not be able to articulate a response
But don't try to talk or process too much now
Prince is advised to take it easy
We just want to let you know that the medication you were given
An explanation is provided for Prince's current state of being
Has put you in a suspended animation for quite some time
Prince has been in a sort of hibernation or sleep for a long time
Well, in fact, about 45 years
Prince has been in this state for a very long time
But where you are now
Prince is in an unspecified location
Is a place that does not require time
Prince is in a timeless place
That being said, you are completely safe
Prince is in a safe space
And we are here to help you
The artist wants Prince to know that he is not alone and can receive assistance
It's in my power to love you
The artist has the ability to love
It's in my power to love you up
The artist is capable of showing love and affection
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Prince Rogers Nelson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind