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?
The lyrics to the song No Call U by Prince are about a relationship that has ended and the singer is left wondering why his ex-partner no longer calls him. He keeps her picture beside his bed and remembers everything she said, indicating that he is still deeply in love with her. He had always thought their love was right, and that she would always be by his side, but now she's gone. He questions why their love was good and wonders why she stopped calling him, begging her to pick up the phone and call him again.
Prince's lyrics are embellished with metaphors, portraying the singer's state of mind. For example, he still lights the fire on a rainy night, suggesting a sense of loneliness and longing. He also reminisces about how he liked it better when she was holding him tight, indicating the emptiness he feels without her.
The song's chorus has a melancholic tune that is repeated several times throughout the song, emphasizing the singer's need for his ex-partner to call him. He wonders why she won't call him, begging her to give him one lousy dime, indicating how much he misses her.
Overall, Prince's No Call U is a heartbreaking ballad about lovesick loneliness and longing for a past relationship. The lyrics are a testament to Prince's ability to convey complex emotions and paint stark images through his music.
Line by Line Meaning
Ah, yeah
An expression of sadness and longing.
I keep your picture beside my bed
I still cherish the memories of our relationship.
And I still remember everything you said
I can't forget the promises you made, the sweet nothings you whispered in my ear.
I always thought our love was so right
I believed our love was true, that we were meant to be together forever.
I guess I was wrong
I was mistaken, our love was not enough to keep you by my side.
I always thought you'd be by my side, mam
You were my everything, my rock, my soulmate.
Now you're gone
You left me alone, without a warning or explanation.
What I want to know baby, what we had was good
I am confused and hurt, wondering what caused our relationship to end, even though it was special for me.
How come you don't call me anymore, yeah?
I miss your calls, your voice, your love.
I still light the fire on a rainy night
I still hold on to the hope that you will come back to me.
I still like it better when you holding me tight (holding me tight)
I miss the warmth and comfort of your embrace.
Well, now, um
An expression of hesitation and uncertainty.
Everybody said, everybody said that we should never part
Our friends and family believed in us and thought our love was strong enough to last forever.
Oh yeah
An expression of agreement and affirmation.
I always did think we looked kind of cute together myself
I was proud to be your partner, and I admired how we complemented each other.
Tell me baby, baby, baby, why, why you want to go and break my heart?
I am devastated, wondering why you chose to hurt me by leaving me without a reason or explanation.
All I want to know baby, what we had was good
I still believe our relationship was special and worth fighting for, despite its end.
How come you don't call me anymore?
I miss your presence, your attention, your love.
Why don't you call me girl, yeah, yeah?
Please reach out to me, I need you in my life.
Ah, yeah, sometimes it feels like I'm gonna die
I am in pain, struggling to cope with the loss of our relationship.
If you don't call me, mama, girl, you gotta try
I know it's difficult, but please make an effort to reconnect with me.
Down on my knees begging you please, please
I am desperate for your love and forgiveness, willing to do anything to win you back.
Why can't you call me sometime baby, yeah
I am lonely and missing you, and I want to hear your voice and talk to you again.
Just one lousy dime, baby
I don't need much, just a small gesture from you to prove that you still care.
Why can't you call me sometime?
Please reach out to me, I am waiting for you.
Oh, no, no
An expression of disappointment and frustration.
Why on earth can't you just pick up the phone, yeah?
I don't understand why you are ignoring me, why won't you just talk to me?
You know I don't like being alone
I am sad and miserable without you, wishing you were here with me.
Why?
An expression of confusion and frustration.
Why must you torture me?
Your silence and absence are causing me pain and suffering.
Why you gotta torment me so?
You are being cruel to me by refusing to communicate and clarify our relationship status.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: PRINCE ROGERS NELSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind