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.
Erotic City
Prince Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Erotic City
Erotic City
All of my purple life
I've been looking for a dame
That would want to be my wife
That was my intention, babe
If we cannot make babies, maybe we can make some time
Thoughts of pretty you and me, Erotic City come alive
We can fuck until the dawn, making love 'til cherry's gone
Erotic City can't you see, thoughts of pretty you and me
Every time I comb my hair
Thoughts of you get in my eyes
You're a sinner, I don't care
I just want your creamy thighs
If we cannot make babies, maybe we can make some time
Thoughts of pretty you and me, Erotic City come alive
We can fuck until the dawn, making love 'til cherry's gone
Erotic City can't you see, thoughts of pretty you and me
All of my hang-ups are gone
How I wish you felt the same
We can fuck until the dawn ('til the dawn) (until the dawn)
How I wish you were my dame (baby, won't you call my name?)
If we cannot make babies, maybe we can make some time
Thoughts of pretty you and me, Erotic City come alive
We can fuck until the dawn, making love 'til cherry's gone
Erotic City can't you see, thoughts of pretty you and me
Uh, whoa-whoa
Whoa-whoa
Whoa-whoa-whoa
Whoa-whoa
Whoa-whoa
Whoa-whoa-whoa
Whoa-whoa
Whoa-whoa
Whoa-whoa-whoa
Baby, you're so creamy
If we cannot make babies, maybe we can make some time
Thoughts of pretty you and me, Erotic City come alive
We can funk until the dawn, making love 'til cherry's gone ('til the dawn)
Erotic City can't you see, thoughts of pretty you and me
If we cannot make babies, maybe we can make some time (you and me)
Some time, some time, some time, Erotic City
If we cannot make babies, maybe we can make some time
Thoughts of pretty you and me, Erotic City come alive
We can funk until the dawn, making love 'til cherry's gone (Come alive)
Erotic City can't you see, thoughts of pretty you and me
We can funk until the dawn, making love 'til cherry's gone
Erotic City
Ah, ah, ah, ah, Erotic City
"Erotic City" is a song by Prince and The Revolution, released in 1984 as the B-side of the "Let's Go Crazy" single. The lyrics express Prince's desire for a sexual partner who is willing to indulge in sexual fantasies with him, even if they are not interested in having children. He suggests that instead, they can make time to engage in eroticism in "Erotic City," where they can have sex until the dawn and make love until the cherry's gone. The song is a celebration of sexuality and sexual freedom, and its suggestive language and explicit content exemplify Prince's risk-taking approach to music.
The song's lyrics are fascinating because they push the boundaries of what is traditionally considered "appropriate" for a pop song. The phrase "cream thighs" is particularly notable as an innovative and bold way of expressing desire. Prince often used his lyrics to challenge social norms and push the envelope of what was acceptable and this song is no exception.
Line by Line Meaning
Ah, ah, ah, ah
Erotic City
Erotic City
The singer is excitedly introducing the song 'Erotic City.'
All of my purple life
I've been looking for a dame
That would want to be my wife
That was my intention, babe
The singer has been looking for a woman who would be interested in marrying him.
If we cannot make babies, maybe we can make some time
Thoughts of pretty you and me, Erotic City come alive
We can fuck until the dawn, making love 'til cherry's gone
Erotic City can't you see, thoughts of pretty you and me
The singer suggests that if they can't have children, they should still enjoy each other's company intimately. He expresses his desires for her and talks about their potential sexually fulfilling relationship.
Every time I comb my hair
Thoughts of you get in my eyes
You're a sinner, I don't care
I just want your creamy thighs
The singer is distracted by thoughts of the woman, and doesn't care about her supposed sins. He is focused on his attraction to her physical features, particularly her thighs.
All of my hang-ups are gone
How I wish you felt the same
We can fuck until the dawn ('til the dawn) (until the dawn)
How I wish you were my dame (baby, won't you call my name?)
The singer has let go of any inhibitions he had and wishes that the woman he desires also felt the same. He expresses his longing for her and his desire for her to call his name.
Uh, whoa-whoa
Whoa-whoa
Whoa-whoa-whoa
Whoa-whoa
Whoa-whoa
Whoa-whoa-whoa
Whoa-whoa
Whoa-whoa
Whoa-whoa-whoa
This is a vocalization without any discernible meaning.
Baby, you're so creamy
If we cannot make babies, maybe we can make some time
Thoughts of pretty you and me, Erotic City come alive
We can funk until the dawn, making love 'til cherry's gone ('til the dawn)
Erotic City can't you see, thoughts of pretty you and me
The singer is once again expressing his desire for the woman and suggesting that they still enjoy intimacy, even if they can't have children.
If we cannot make babies, maybe we can make some time (you and me)
Some time, some time, Erotic City
If we cannot make babies, maybe we can make some time
Thoughts of pretty you and me, Erotic City come alive
The singer repeats the idea that they should still spend time together even if they can't have children, and emphasizes the idea that their thoughts about each other are what creates the erotic atmosphere of the titular city.
We can funk until the dawn, making love 'til cherry's gone (Come alive)
Erotic City can't you see, thoughts of pretty you and me
We can funk until the dawn, making love 'til cherry's gone
Erotic City
Ah, ah, ah, ah, Erotic City
The song repeats its chorus to reinforce its message of intimacy and desire.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Prince Rogers Nelson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind