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.
Escape
Prince Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
All the party people get on the floor
All the party people get on the floor
Bass
Glam Slam (Glam Slam)
Escape!
Free your mind from this rat race
Glam Slam
Escape!
Fifteen minutes ain't long enough
To be out your mind in a world so tough
If you want to escape and truly be
All the crack in Compton won't set you free, come on
Glam Slam (slammin')
Free your mind from this rat race
Glam Slam
Escape!
You got to be yourself, you gotta be aware
'Cause the Gangster, man, he don't give a care (don't care)
Whether you live, or whether you die
Glam Slam escape, gotta give it a try (ooh-ooh-ooh)
Glam Slam
Free your mind from this rat race
Glam Slam (slammin')
Escape!
(Party baby)
(Party baby)
(Party baby)
(Party baby)
(Party baby)
(Party baby) (where did I hear that before?)
(Party baby)
(Party baby)
Glam Slam
Escape!
Everybody trippin' on the party bass
However high you get, is a matter of taste
(Party baby)
(Party baby)
Winner takes all in the hardest race
Don't get on the scale if you ain't got the weight
It's more hard to love than it is to hate
Say, it's more hard to love than it is to hate
Come on, it's more hard to love than it is to hate
Yeah, it's more hard to love than it is to hate
One more, more hard to love than it is to hate
Escape!
Glam Slam
Glam Slam
Free your mind from this rat race
Glam Slam
Escape!
Prince's song Escape is a call for the oppressed to break free from the confines of their society and be their true selves. The song starts with a snare drum that pounds on the two and four, setting the mood for the party people to get on the floor. The Glam Slam is introduced as an escape from the rat race, igniting the theme of the song. Prince emphasizes the need for true freedom, where fifteen minutes of escape won't be enough to be out of your mind in a world so tough. Prince urges his listeners to be themselves because the gangster doesn't care whether they live or die. The Glam Slam offers an escape from this harsh reality.
Line by Line Meaning
Snare drum pounds on the two and four
The song's beat is established by the snare drum hitting on the second and fourth beats.
All the party people get on the floor
The song is encouraging people at the party to dance and have fun.
Bass
The bass instrument, which is an important part of the song's instrumental accompaniment, is introduced here.
Glam Slam (Glam Slam)
The song's title is introduced here as part of the lyrics.
Escape!
The song's chorus, encouraging listeners to escape from their problems, start here.
Free your mind from this rat race
The song encourages listeners to release themselves from the stress of competitive and cutthroat social environments.
Fifteen minutes ain't long enough
People need more than just a brief break from their problems in order to reclaim their minds and their freedom.
To be out your mind in a world so tough
The difficulties and challenges of living in a harsh world can be overwhelming and create mental distress.
If you want to escape and truly be
The song encourages listeners to find a way to get away from their problems, in order to genuinely experience their freedom.
All the crack in Compton won't set you free, come on
People cannot find true freedom or escape from their problems through drug use, despite what some might think.
You got to be yourself, you gotta be aware
The song emphasizes the importance of being true to oneself, and paying attention to one's own needs.
'Cause the Gangster, man, he don't give a care (don't care)
The song expresses that others might not care whether individuals live or die, so it's important to do what's best for oneself.
Whether you live, or whether you die
A reminder that no one else is truly responsible for one's own well-being or success.
Glam Slam escape, gotta give it a try (ooh-ooh-ooh)
The chorus repeats again, encouraging people to attempt escape and to find their freedom.
(Party baby)
This phrase is repeated a number of times throughout the song, functioning primarily as background filler and giving the impression of a lively party atmosphere.
(where did I hear that before?)
This line is meant to be tongue-in-cheek, implying that the phrase 'party baby' is so ubiquitous as to be cliché.
Everybody trippin' on the party bass
The music is so enjoyable and compelling that everyone is caught up in it and enjoying themselves.
However high you get, is a matter of taste
Different people may find different levels and types of enjoyment from the music.
Winner takes all in the hardest race
Social competition can be grueling and take a toll on individuals, and creating unnecessary tension and anxiety.
Don't get on the scale if you ain't got the weight
Don't take on more than you can handle, or don't make promises you're unable to keep.
It's more hard to love than it is to hate
The song suggests that it can be more difficult to be kind and loving than it is to be mean and cruel.
Escape!
The chorus repeats again, encouraging people to follow through on escaping their problems.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: PRINCE ROGERS NELSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind