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.
Groove
Prince Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We worked for month's days hours and seconds
But we simply couldn't seem to finish the record
We needed more tracks so we hooked up symp t
But everything we tried kept coming up empty
We played the track back over and over
So Jeff said forget it man lets call Grover
I explained the trouble to my man GW
Switch the mix and fix up the pitch
He looked at is horn and his hands started itchin
His lips got locked his horn got hot
There it is a serous biz jazz and hip hop
A lesson could be learned from this musical fusion
That if you can blend then in life your losing
Black white red yellow not for sections
Not for colours all one spectrum
This is for your ear to hear and teach and smooth
Grover Washington completed the puzzle to our groove
Jazzy's groove
The lyrics to "Groove" by Prince depict the story behind the creation of a hit tune, highlighting the collaborative effort and perseverance involved in making music. The lyrics describe the frustration of the artists as they struggled to finish the record despite dedicating months, days, hours, and seconds to the project. They faced setbacks and were unable to find the right tracks to complete the song, which led them to seek assistance from a fellow musician named Grover.
As the artists played the track repeatedly, they realized they needed Grover's expertise to help them perfect the mix and pitch of the music. Grover, with his skills in jazz and hip hop, brought a new element to the composition, infusing it with a blend of genres that elevated the song to a new level. His contribution showcased the power of musical fusion and the importance of collaboration in creating timeless music.
The lyrics also touch upon the theme of unity and diversity, emphasizing that music transcends boundaries of race, color, and background. The mention of "Black white red yellow not for sections, not for colors all one spectrum" underscores the idea that music has the ability to connect people from all walks of life. By blending different styles and influences, the artists were able to create a harmonious and inclusive piece that resonated with a wide audience.
In conclusion, "Groove" celebrates the magic of music-making and the transformative impact of collaboration. Through the story of coming together to create a hit tune, the lyrics convey a message of perseverance, unity, and the beauty of blending different musical elements. Grover Washington's contribution symbolizes the final piece of the puzzle that completed the artists' vision and transformed the track into a jazzy and timeless groove that transcended genres and brought people together through the power of music.
Line by Line Meaning
Max and relax and listen to wherever you're at the story of how we came up with this hit tune
Take a moment to relax and listen to the story of how we created this successful song.
We worked for month's days hours and seconds
We put in a lot of time and effort to create this song.
But we simply couldn't seem to finish the record
We struggled to complete the recording.
We needed more tracks so we hooked up symp t
We needed more music tracks, so we connected with a collaborator.
But everything we tried kept coming up empty
Despite our efforts, we were unsuccessful in finding a solution.
We played the track back over and over
We listened to the track repeatedly.
So Jeff said forget it man lets call Grover
Jeff suggested that we call Grover to help us out.
I explained the trouble to my man GW
I detailed the issues we were facing to my friend GW.
Said I'd be glad to help be there in a double to
GW offered to assist and promised to be there promptly.
Switch the mix and fix up the pitch
Adjust the mix and correct any issues with the pitch.
He looked at is horn and his hands started itchin
He examined his instrument, feeling eager to start playing.
His lips got locked his horn got hot
He was ready to play, feeling the passion and energy.
There it is a serous biz jazz and hip hop
This is serious business, a blend of jazz and hip-hop.
A lesson could be learned from this musical fusion
This blend of music genres can teach us a valuable lesson.
That if you can blend then in life your losing
If you can mix things well, you're not losing in life.
Black white red yellow not for sections
Music is not divided by race, it's for everyone.
Not for colours all one spectrum
Music transcends colors, it's all part of one spectrum.
This is for your ear to hear and teach and smooth
This music is meant to be listened to, to teach, and to soothe.
Grover Washington completed the puzzle to our groove
Grover Washington's contribution completed our musical creation.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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