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.
How Come You Don't Call Me Anymore
Prince Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I keep your picture beside my bed
And I still remember everything you said
I always thought our love was so right
I guess I was wrong
I always thought you'd be by my side, mam
Now you're gone
How come you don't call me
Anymore, yeah?
Listen
I still light the fire on a rainy night
I still like it better when you holding me tight (holding me tight)
Well, now, um
Everybody said, everybody said that we should never part
Oh yeah
I always did think we looked kind of cute together myself
Tell me baby, baby, baby, why, why you want to go and break my heart?
Why did you want to do it?
All I want to know baby, what we had was good
How come you don't call me anymore?
Why don't you call me girl, yeah, yeah?
Ah, yeah, sometimes it feels like I'm gonna die
If you don't call me, mama, girl, you gotta try
Down on my knees begging you please, please
Why can't you call me sometime baby, yeah
Just one lousy dime, baby
Why can't you call me sometime?
Oh, no, no
Why on earth can't you just pick up the phone, yeah?
You know I don't like being alone
Why?
Why must you torture me?
Why you gotta torment me so?
Prince’s song “How Come U Don’t Call Me Anymore?” is a passionate ballad about a lost love leaving behind a lot of unanswered questions. The track opens with somber piano notes and Prince’s emotional delivery of lines like “I keep your picture beside my bed / And I still remember everything you said / I always thought our love was so right / I guess I was wrong / I always thought you’d be by my side, mam / Now you’re gone.” It is clear that the singer is still struggling to come to terms with the end of his relationship, and the betrayal he feels is palpable.
The lyrics focus explicitly on the melancholic thoughts that swirl through the singer’s mind as he tries to understand what went wrong. Prince’s vocal delivery crackles with emotion, and the simplicity of the piano accompaniment only serves to heighten the mood of the track. The second verse is an unvarnished plea for answers, with Prince asking “Tell me baby, baby, baby, why, why you want to go and break my heart? / Why did you want to do it?” The unresolved feelings of the singer are further compounded by the chorus’ refrain “All I want to know baby, what we had was good / How come you don’t call me anymore?”
The raw intensity of “How Come U Don’t Call Me Anymore?” exerts an undeniable pull on the listener. Prince’s emotive vocal performance and the plaintive piano melody are incredibly effective in conveying the sadness and anger of the singer as he grapples with his heartbreak. The song is a testament to Prince’s mastery of emotion and his ability to craft songs that linger in the mind and heart of the listener long after the music fades away.
Line by Line Meaning
Ah, yeah
Prince starts the song with a simple interjection of acknowledgement and enthusiasm.
I keep your picture beside my bed
Prince still keeps a picture of his past lover beside his bed even though they're not together anymore.
And I still remember everything you said
Prince remembers all the things his past lover used to tell him, implying he still cherishes their memories.
I always thought our love was so right
Prince has always thought that their love was perfect, possibly indicating he did not see any flaws in their relationship.
I guess I was wrong
Prince now realizes that he was mistaken to think their love was perfect, indicating the relationship ended poorly.
I always thought you'd be by my side, mam
Prince once believed his past lover would always be there for him.
Now you're gone
Prince's past lover is no longer with him and has left a void in his life.
What I want to know baby, what we had was good
Prince wants to understand why the relationship ended because he thought that what they had was good.
How come you don't call me
Anymore, yeah?
Prince is awaiting a phone call from his past lover and is wondering why they're not calling him anymore.
Listen
Prince is preparing to address his past lover and is appealing for their attention.
I still light the fire on a rainy night
Prince still feels warmth about his past lover, even on a dreary night, and still loves them.
I still like it better when you holding me tight (holding me tight)
Prince preferred when his lover held him, suggesting a feeling of safety and affection.
Well, now, um
Prince here is searching for the right way to express his thoughts, hence the pause.
Everybody said, everybody said that we should never part
Prince is suggesting that everyone warned him against the consequences of the breakup, possibly indicating they had known all along.
Oh yeah
Prince interjects again with another exclamation of enthusiasm, signifying a possible hint of desperation.
I always did think we looked kind of cute together myself
Prince believed they made a cute couple and possibly regrets not salvaging their relationship.
Tell me baby, baby, baby, why, why you want to go and break my heart?
Prince is directly questioning his lover's motives and why they chose to end their relationship, causing him great emotional pain.
All I want to know baby, what we had was good
How come you don't call me anymore?
Prince reiterates his desire to know why his lover won't call him anymore, reiterating that he cherished their bond.
Why don't you call me girl, yeah, yeah?
Prince is now pleading for his woman to reach out to him and revive their relationship.
Ah, yeah, sometimes it feels like I'm gonna die
If you don't call me, mama, girl, you gotta try
Prince is delving into his emotional senses, expressing how deep his love is and how severely it impacts his life. He implores his lover to reconsider calling him on their mutual phone number.
Down on my knees begging you please, please
Prince is stooping down to beg his past lover, hoping to rekindle the romance they once had.
Why can't you call me sometime baby, yeah
Prince is still hoping and praying that his lover will eventually reach out to him, implying that there's still some chance for them to reunite.
Just one lousy dime, baby
Here, Prince is articulating how simple and trivial it would be for his past lover to make a phone call and to reach out to him; that it wouldn't cost them much, just a single dime for a call.
Why can't you call me sometime?
Prince is continuously advocating that his lover should make an effort and call him occasionally, despite their breakup.
Oh, no, no
Prince expresses his disappointment and sadness that his lover hasn't reached out to him yet.
Why on earth can't you just pick up the phone, yeah?
Prince can't fathom why it's so hard for his lover to forgive and forget, and pick up the phone to call him once in a while.
You know I don't like being alone
Prince is subtly hinting that he is feeling lonely and would appreciate his lover's company, even if just over the phone.
Why? Why must you torture me?
Prince is expressing how he's feeling tortured by the distance and silence his lover has given him and is wondering why.
Why you gotta torment me so?
Prince is showing how he's feeling emotionally tormented by the breakup and his lover's silence, with little to no closure or reason given to him.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Prince Rogers Nelson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind