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.
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Prince Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I have been there since a quarter to four
You are a cat licking intense
I bite your leg in self-defense
Say it! (ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh)
Say it! (ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh)
Licking your tail like it's cream
Stroking your whiskers, causing a scene
That's not the way to be to me (that's not the way)
Say it! (ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh)
Say it! (ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh)
And the doggy say to the kitty
La, la, la, he, he, hee
I want you, you want me
Oh, how sexy it will be
If we ever get together in my tree
Say it! (ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh)
Say it! (ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh)
Hey little pussy you sure look sweet
Knocking me off of my four feet (knocking me off of my four feet, my four feet)
Sure do wish dogs could climb (I wish, I wish)
Then we could have a funky good time
Say it! (ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh)
Say it again! (ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh)
Why you wink at me? (Why you wink at me?)
I don't really to see (I don't want to see)
Nasty little cat left up in a tree (up)
Is it really worth a one night of fun?
You've got nine lives, I only got one, ooh!
Say it! (ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh)
And the doggy say to the kitty
La, la, la, he, he, hee
I want you, you want me
Oh, how sexy it will be
If we ever get together in my tree
I'm picking up your scent
and it's driving me wild
If you let me in
I'll show you my style
There's nothing wrong
With a little bit of animal attraction
But when you start doing it
It's a sign of satisfaction
The lyrics of this song by Prince can be interpreted in a variety of ways. Some see it as a playful and sexual encounter between two animals who are meant to be together. Others see it as a reflection of human relationships, with the dog representing a man and the cat representing a woman. The lyrics are full of sexual innuendos, and Prince's use of animal imagery adds to the playful tone of the song.
One interpretation of the lyrics is that the song is about the power dynamics in relationships. The dog may represent a man who is trying to assert his dominance over a woman, represented by the cat. However, the cat is not willing to play along and gets defensive when the dog bites her leg. The chorus of the song ("la, la, la, he, he, hee") can be seen as a playful exchange between the two animals, but it can also be interpreted as a way for the dog to assert his dominance over the cat.
Line by Line Meaning
I am a dog outside your door
I am waiting for you to come out of your house just like a dog who keeps waiting for his master.
I have been there since a quarter to four
I have been waiting for you for a long time, just like a dog who stays outside the house for hours waiting for his master.
You are a cat licking intense
You are acting like a cat who is licking herself with great intensity and that is why I have to defend myself by biting your leg.
I bite your leg in self-defense
I have to protect myself by biting you when you behave like a cat and threaten my space.
Get out my tree, grinning at me
You are sitting on my favorite spot and grinning at me like a cat who has taken over my territory.
Licking your tail like it's cream
You are enjoying the moment and acting like a cat who licks her tail when she is happy.
Stroking your whiskers, causing a scene
You are drawing attention to yourself by stroking your whiskers and making a scene like a cat who wants to be admired.
That's not the way to be to me (that's not the way)
Your behavior is not acceptable to me, and you should not act like a cat if you want to gain my respect and trust.
And the doggy say to the kitty
I want to communicate with you like a dog who is trying to talk to a cat.
La, la, la, he, he, hee
Let's communicate in our own unique way by singing la, la, la, he, he, hee.
I want you, you want me
I am attracted to you, and I feel that you are drawn to me as well.
Oh, how sexy it will be
We could have a great time together, and it would be exciting and fun.
If we ever get together in my tree
We could enjoy each other's company in my favorite spot, and it would be a romantic and passionate experience.
Hey little pussy you sure look sweet
You look adorable and cute like a little cat.
Knocking me off of my four feet (knocking me off of my four feet, my four feet)
Your charming demeanor and sweet personality have stolen my heart, and I am head over heels in love with you.
Sure do wish dogs could climb (I wish, I wish)
I wish that I could climb trees like a cat, so I could be with you on that branch.
Then we could have a funky good time
We could have a great time together and enjoy some fun and exciting adventures.
Why you wink at me? (Why you wink at me?)
Why are you sending me mixed signals and winking at me? Do you like me or not?
I don't really to see (I don't want to see)
I don't want to get my hopes up and fall for you if you are not genuinely interested in me.
Nasty little cat left up in a tree (up)
You are acting like a stubborn cat who is leaving me up in a tree by not giving me a clear answer to my feelings.
Is it really worth a one night of fun?
Is it worth risking a one night stand that could ruin our friendship and make things awkward between us?
You've got nine lives, I only got one, ooh!
You have many options in life, and can afford to take risks, but I am a dog with only one life, and I have to be careful with my choices.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: PRINCE ROGERS NELSON, SHEENA S. EASTON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
P WORLD
00:00 Musicology
03:55 Let's Go Crazy
07:33 I Would Die 4 U
08:58 When Doves Cry
11:20 Baby I'm A Star
15:40 Shhh...
22:30 D.M.S.R.
29:31 I Feel 4 U
31:36 Controversy
40:23 God
44:47 The Beautiful Ones
49:42 Nothing Compares 2 U
53:05 Insatiable
58:36 Sign O The Times
1:03:50 The Question Of U
1:12:40 Let's Work
1:14:56 U Got the Look
1:17:28 Life O The Party
1:21:18 Soul Man (Sam & Dave cover)
1:23:02 Kiss
1:25:30 Take Me With U
1:38:42 4ever In My Life
1:47:20 On The Couch
1:50:32 Little Red Corvette
1:53:15 Sometimes It Snows In April
1:56:11 7
2:00:21 Purple Rain
P WORLD
00:00 Musicology
03:55 Let's Go Crazy
07:33 I Would Die 4 U
08:58 When Doves Cry
11:20 Baby I'm A Star
15:40 Shhh...
22:30 D.M.S.R.
29:31 I Feel 4 U
31:36 Controversy
40:23 God
44:47 The Beautiful Ones
49:42 Nothing Compares 2 U
53:05 Insatiable
58:36 Sign O The Times
1:03:50 The Question Of U
1:12:40 Let's Work
1:14:56 U Got the Look
1:17:28 Life O The Party
1:21:18 Soul Man (Sam & Dave cover)
1:23:02 Kiss
1:25:30 Take Me With U
1:38:42 4ever In My Life
1:47:20 On The Couch
1:50:32 Little Red Corvette
1:53:15 Sometimes It Snows In April
1:56:11 7
2:00:21 Purple Rain
Bradman77
Been to a lot of concerts but this is BY FAR the best I've ever been too
David Vogel
L
Deniselee28
@frank harris certainly hope this is a compliment
frank harris
fucking goat 🐐🐐🐐🐐🐐🐐🐐🐐
Dee Gordon
Thank u for this. Just reading the list I don't know of another artist who gave so much artistically each time they took the stage. You always got more than ur monies worth.
Joshua Craft
The only musician that I ever shed a tear over was Prince. I saw him at a concert that happened on a whim in Atlanta a few years before his death. He just showed up and started playing. What started out with about 200 people listening ended up with about 30,000 people there to see him over the three-hour set. He was amazing; I remember Kiss, Raspberry Beret, Let’s Go Crazy, I Would Die 4 U, Nothing Compares 2 U, Somewhere Here on Earth; he played other people’s songs, too, like All Along the Watchtower, Dance to the Music, Little Ghetto Boy, and Superstition. It was great, especially when he ended with Purple Rain, which as he got older, became more his way of worshiping, or at least that’s what I believe. The guitar solo is on a different level every time he did a live performance. His musicianship will never be duplicated.
Long live The Purple One…
Daniel Koschalka
What was the venue?
Andrea Cognigni
Sadly i'm Born in 2000 and i never had the opportunity of seeing him live.. but gosh i watched here on YouTube all his live concerts like 15 times and they give me goosebumps every time
Fred Sartorello
Andrea, I saw Prince once in Rock'n'Rio. It's wasn't a show or gig, it was a party. FANTASTIC.