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.
Dark
Prince Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Come on
So dark, dark, so dark
So dark, dark, so dark
Inside lookin' out my window
I don't see nothin' but rain
Still, I'm lost in my shadow of pain
Like an innocent man that's on death row
I don't understand what made you go
And want to leave me, baby
Leave me in the dark
Can you tell me, tell me?
You took my sex and my money (money)
Took all my self-esteem, yes, you did
You had the nerve to think it was funny (funny)
I never knew a bitch so mean, oh, yes sir
You absolutely drove a man to tears
All I really know is that you sincerely
You want to hurt me, baby, oh yes, you do
You want to hurt me in the dark
(Sunshine) somebody make the sun shine
(Dark cloud) somebody take this dark cloud away
Just as sure as Noah built the ark
That's how sure
That's how sure I am you broke my heart
How could you, baby, leave me in the dark?
Baby,
Ooh, so dark
So dark, dark, so dark
Feel like the sun ain't never gonna shine
You left me in the dark
So dark, dark, so dark
I don't know, I don't know why we ever had to part
Baby, can't see a damn thing out my window it's so dark (so dark)
(So dark, dark, so dark)
Ooh, sometimes I want to curse the ground you walk on
Even when I know that everything you feel I feel it to
I want to curse you, baby
Ooh
You left me in the dark
And now I want to, I want to curse you, baby
For leavin' me alone, alone, alone
You left me in the dark, oh yes, you did
And now all I want to say is
In the dark
Ow, ah, you left me
Ow, huh, you left me
It's like bein' on death row (in the dark)
I don't understand why you had to go
I don't understand why you (hurt me in the dark)
Don't understand why you (hurt me in the dark)
Don't understand why you hurt me (hurt me, hurt me)
Hurt me (hurt me in, hurt me in)
Hurt me, hurt me, hurt me (hurt me in the dark)
Just leave me
In the dark
In the dark
So dark, dark, so dark (in the dark)
So dark, dark, so dark
In the dark
In Prince's song "Dark," the main character is experiencing pain and heartache after being deserted by someone they loved. The opening lines of the song are a contrast to the pain as Prince sings about wanting to top rose petals that whisper sweet. The imagery of the rose petals could represent a desire for beauty and love in the midst of darkness. The repetition of "so dark" highlights the intensity of the emotions being felt.
Prince sings from the perspective of someone who is trapped in their own thoughts and feelings. They are looking out the window and only seeing rain, even though the sun is shining. The metaphor of being an innocent man on death row represents the feeling of being wrongfully punished for something outside of their control. They don't understand why their lover would leave them and take everything they had, bringing them to tears. In the chorus, Prince pleads with somebody to make the sun shine and take away the dark cloud.
The darkness seems almost all-encompassing and the character is unable to escape it, feeling like they are cursed. They express a desire to curse the person who left them but also can't help but feel a connection to them, admitting they feel everything their former partner does. The song ends with a repetition of "in the dark," which serves as a reminder of the overwhelming feeling of darkness that is consuming the character.
Line by Line Meaning
I want to top the rose petals that whisper sweet
I want to experience the pinnacle of pleasure that rose petals symbolize.
Come on
Exhortation to commence execution of desires spoken of in previous line.
So dark, dark, so dark
Repeated phrase to signify a state of complete emotional darkness.
Inside lookin' out my window
I'm looking at the world from within the confines of my house.
I don't see nothin' but rain
All I can see is metaphorical dark clouds and nothing else.
Sun up in the sky just a shinin' (just a shinin')
The world outside is bright and warm, but my own heart is a dark place.
Still I'm lost in my shadow of pain
Despite the world outside reflecting happiness and joy, my personal experiences have put me in a state of psychological pain.
Like an innocent man that's on death row
Like an innocent man waiting to be executed, I am unable to comprehend why these events have transpired.
I don't understand what made you go
The reasons behind your leaving are inscrutable to me.
And want to leave me baby
You have abandoned me despite my loving you.
Leave me in the dark
You have left me in a state of emotional darkness and confusion.
Can you tell me, tell me?
I am pleading for an explanation of your actions.
You took my sex and my money (money)
You have emasculated me and taken financial advantage of me.
Took all my self esteem, yes you did
You took away my sense of self-worth.
You had the nerve to think it was funny (funny)
You took pleasure in your malicious actions towards me.
I never knew a bitch so mean, yes sir
I have never encountered such a cruel person before.
You absolutely drove a man to tears
You caused me to cry tears of pain and suffering.
All I really know is that you sincerely
All I know with certainty is that you truly want to hurt me.
You want to hurt me baby, oh yes you do
Your intentions towards me are hurtful and malicious.
Somebody make the sun shine
I wish for a return to joy and happiness.
Somebody take this dark cloud away
I hope for relief from the heavy weight of my emotional pain and confusion.
Just as sure as Noah built the ark
I am as sure of your betrayal as I am of the biblical story of Noah.
That's how sure
I am supremely confident in my knowledge of your wrongdoing.
That's how sure I am you broke my heart
I am certain that you have severely hurt me.
How could you baby, leave me in the dark?
I am hurt and confused as to why you left me in such an emotionally vulnerable state.
Feel like the sun ain't never gonna shine
I feel as though I will never experience happiness again.
So dark
The overwhelming emotion and situation is darkness.
I don't know, I don't know why we ever had to part
I am unaware of the root cause of our separation, and find it difficult to understand why it occurred
Baby, can't see a damn thing out my window it's so dark (so dark)
My emotional state has rendered me unable to perceive anything hopeful or joyful.
Sometimes I want to curse the ground you walk on
I am so angry that I feel like even the earth supporting your footsteps is irrelevant.
Even when I know that everything you feel I feel it to
Despite the hurt you have caused me, I still know that I share similar emotions with you.
And now I want to, I want to curse you baby
My anger towards you has reached a boiling point.
For leavin' me alone, alone, alone
I am hurt and pained because you left me behind in a vulnerable state without any support.
It's like being on death row
My emotional state is similar to being imprisoned and waiting to be executed.
Don't understand why you hurt me (hurt me, hurt me)
I do not comprehend the reasons behind your malicious and hurtful actions towards me.
Just leave me
In the dark
I am coping with this emotional turmoil alone, left in the dark on my own.
Ow, you left me
I am hurt and angry that you abandoned me.
It's like being on death row (In the dark)
My emotional state is equivalent to being isolated and awaiting execution.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Prince Rogers Nelson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind