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.
Family Name
Prince Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
This program is required for those wishing to obtain a marriage blessing from the kingdom.
When you wish to begin this program,
Place you're right hand on the scanner
And tightly clench up you're butt cheeks as you might feel a slight electrical shock.
Please select the race history you desire.
You have selected African-American.
This is your history
First of all, the term "black and white" is a fallacy.
It simply is another way of saying "this or that".
Let's examine the term "this or that" in its ultimate form which is:
"This" means the truth or "that which is resistant to it.
When a minority realizes its similarities on a higher level- not just "black"-
But people of color, and higher still "indigenous",
And even higher still, "from the tribe of.",
And yet higher- the "Rainbow Children".
When this understanding comes,
The so-called minority becomes a majority in the wink of an eye.
This action will cause a reaction or resistance.
The source of this resistance must be banished as it is in direct conflict
With the initial action. it cannot be assimilated,
For its very nature is resistance.
In other words, one cannot serve to masters.
You are either "this" or "that" which is not "this".
End of part one.
To continue,
Select the program family name
And type in the current government name you wish history on.
(London, England sometime in the early 1600s)
"We have the god-given right to run out of our colonies
Anyone who does not bow down to our law. hear, hear?"
"Come on, come on keep it moving here.
What's your name boy?"
"Abu cah"
"Well it ain't now; it's Tom Lynch."
Mirror, mirror what you see?
Have I still got those dark clouds over me?
Or am I really feeling what I feel? the last days of the devil's deal
Mirror, what you see?
Devil, devil what you know?
You been here since 1914, but now you got to go
You been hidin' behind corporate eyes
You want to war, but you can't fight
Devil, you got to go
You might say, "what you mad about?"
But you still got you're family name
Pleased to meet you, Mr. Rosenbloom
I'll be John Blackwell just the same
What's you're family name?
Teacher, teacher what you say?
Did we really come over in a boat?
Did it really go down that way?
Or did I arrive before and ruin Thanksgiving Day?
Teacher, what you say?
Preacher, preacher is it true?
That Jesus wants me to give my money to the likes of you?
Ride around in you're Lexus coupe
Drive us to the cleaners in a pinstripe suit
Preacher, that ain't truth!
You might say, "what you mad about?"
But you still got you're family name
Pleased to meet you, Mr. Pearlman
You can call me Clay. Can I play?
People, people what's you're name?
Maybe we should start all over
Let everybody get in the game
Put up a one-gloved fist
Make a sound, violet brown
You might say "what you mad about?"
But you still got you're family name
Pleased to meet you Mr. Goldstruck.
We found this tape in the akashic records. This is Thomas Jefferson
"My fellow Americans, if there is a just God, we're gonna pay for this!"
"Black men and white men, Jews and gentiles,
Protestants and Catholics will be able to join hands
In the words of the old negro spiritual,
"Free at last, free at last, thank God almighty we are free at last!"
The song "Family Name" by Prince is a social commentary on the complex dynamics of race and identity, reflecting that the terms "black" and "white" are oversimplified fallacies. The opening lines present a dystopian-like world where an individual must prove their genetic information to obtain a marriage blessing from the kingdom. However, the song encourages people to move beyond surface-level differences and embrace a higher understanding of shared ancestry that supersede differences. The lyrics highlight that people of color, indigenous people, people from different tribes or races, all have a shared ancestry that transcends assumptions based on appearances. The song emphasizes that resistance to this understanding must be banished for this idea of unity to flourish, as the notion of superiority in a particular racial group contradicts unity.
The lyrics continue, sketching out the evolution of race and identity based on the history of African-Americans. It portrays the violent, unjust way the colonizers usurped land from the natives and enslaved Africans. Prince explores the idea that identity is a flexible concept, with an individual's name being merely a government-recognized moniker. In contrast, their "true" family name, real and personal, is defined by their history, culture, and lineage. As such, significant historical figures such as Thomas Jefferson and those in positions of influence have knowingly or unknowingly perpetuated the cycle of oppression through their actions.
Line by Line Meaning
First of all, the term "black and white" is a fallacy.
The term "black and white" is a very simplistic way of thinking about race.
It simply is another way of saying "this or that".
The terms "black and white" are just another way of saying "yes or no" or "true or false."
When a minority realizes its similarities on a higher level- not just "black",
Minority groups are more connected than just skin color.
But people of color, and higher still "indigenous",
"Indigenous" is a higher level than just "people of color."
And even higher still, "from the tribe of.",
Being from a particular tribe is even better than being indigenous.
And yet higher- the "Rainbow Children".
The ultimate level of similarity is being part of the "Rainbow Children."
This action will cause a reaction or resistance.
Minority groups banding together will meet resistance from those in power.
The source of this resistance must be banished as it is in direct conflict with the initial action.
Resistance must be eliminated as it opposes progress.
it cannot be assimilated, for its very nature is resistance.
Resistance cannot be accommodated because it is inherently opposed to progress.
In other words, one cannot serve two masters.
You have to choose to be either on the side of progress or on the side of resistance.
"We have the god-given right to run out of our colonies anyone who does not bow down to our law. hear, hear?"
Colonizers believed they had the right to control the colonies and everyone in them.
"Come on, come on keep it moving here. What's your name boy?" "Abu cah" "Well it ain't now; it's Tom Lynch."
The colonizers could rename anyone they wanted, stripping them of their identity.
Mirror, mirror what you see? Have I still got those dark clouds over me? Or am I really feeling what I feel? the last days of the devil's deal Mirror, what you see?
Prince is asking the mirror if he is still haunted by his past or if he's being honest about his present.
Devil, devil what you know? You been here since 1914, but now you got to go You been hidin' behind corporate eyes You want to war, but you can't fight Devil, you got to go
The devil is being called out for hiding behind corporations and taking advantage of people.
Teacher, teacher what you say? Did we really come over in a ship? Did it really go down that way? Or did I arrive before and ruin Thanksgiving Day? Teacher, what you say?
Prince is asking his teacher to tell him the true history of colonizers and Indigenous people in America, and how it impacted holidays like Thanksgiving.
Preacher, preacher is it true? That Jesus wants me to give my money to the likes of you? Ride around in you're Lexus coupe Drive us to the cleaners in a pinstripe suit Preacher, that ain't truth!
The preacher is being called out for taking people's money and not using it for good purposes.
People, people what's your name? Maybe we should start all over Let everybody get in the game Put up a one-gloved fist Make a sound, violet brown
Prince is calling for unity and starting fresh without the racial division and prejudice of the past.
We found this tape in the akashic records. This is Thomas Jefferson "My fellow Americans, if there is a just God, we're gonna pay for this!"
Thomas Jefferson is expressing regret for America's mistreatment of Indigenous and enslaved peoples.
"Black men and white men, Jews and gentiles, Protestants and Catholics will be able to join hands In the words of the old negro spiritual, \"Free at last, free at last, thank God almighty we are free at last!\""
Prince is referencing Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech, calling for unity and an end to racial divisions.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: PRINCE ROGERS NELSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind