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 SinΓ©ad 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)
NΒ·EΒ·WΒ·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.
Musicology
Prince Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Heard about the party now,
Just east o' Harlem.
Dougie's gonna be there,
But you gotta, call him (call him)
Even the soldiers,
Listen to the groove y'all,
Let it unwind your mind
No intoxication,
Unless you see what I see.
Dancin' hot 'n' sweaty,
Right in front of me.
Call it what you like,
I'm gonna call it how it be,
This is just another one of God's gifts,
Musicology!
Got to keep that party movin',
Just like I told you.
Kick the old-school joints,
For the true funk soldiers.
Musicology!
Wish I had a dollar,
For every time you say,
"Don't you miss the feeling,
Music gave ya back in the day?"
Let's groove,
September,
Earth, Wind and Fire.
Hot Pants by James,
Sly's gonna take you higher.
Minor keys and drugs,
Don't make a rollerskate jam.
Take your pick, turntable, or a band?
If it ain't Chuck D,
Or Jam Master Jay,
Know what?
They're losin'.
Cause we got a PhD in
Advanced Body Movin'
Keep the party movin',
Just like I told you.
Kick the old-school joints,
For the true funk soldiers.
Musicology!
Hold it down, band.
"Get back! Oh, get back!
Don't you touch my stereo, these is MY records!"
"Don't touch, my records!"
Musicology, musicology!
Everybody get down!
Just like I told you.
Kick the high-school joints,
For the true funk soldiers.
Get goin'!
Keep the party movin',
Keep the party movin',
Uh, don't stop dancin'.
Keep the party movin'.
Keep the party movin',
Just like I told ya,
Kick the old-school joints,
For the true funk soldiers.
Musicology!
For the true funk soldiers
Prince's "Musicology" is a celebration of the funk music genre and its influences on modern society. The lyrics describe a party in Harlem, where people come together to dance to some of the best tunes from the past and present. Prince encourages everyone to let go and enjoy themselves, even taking a swipe at the glorification of drugs and minor keys in music culture. Instead, he focuses on the feel-good power of music and its ability to bring people together.
The song is a tribute to funk music and its roots in African American culture. Prince's "Musicology" is reminiscent of the sounds of James Brown, Sly and the Family Stone, and Earth, Wind, and Fire. Prince even references James Brown's "Hot Pants" and Earth, Wind, and Fire's "September" in the lyrics. The song's message is simple but powerful: music has the power to unite people across cultural divides and bring joy to everyone.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, uh, funky
Prince sets the tone for the song by invoking a sense of funk and excitement.
Heard about the party now, Just east o' Harlem.
Prince details the location of a party he's heard about that he wants everyone to attend.
Dougie's gonna be there, But you gotta, call him (call him)
Prince lets everyone know that Dougie, a popular figure in the community, will be in attendance and that they have to call him personally to join the party.
Even the soldiers, Need a break sometimes.
Prince points out that even hard-working soldiers need to take a break and have some fun by coming to the party.
Listen to the groove y'all, Let it unwind your mind
Prince suggests that everyone should get lost in the music and let it release them from stress and worries.
No intoxication, Unless you see what I see.
Prince warns listeners not to overindulge in drugs or alcohol unless they can handle it the way he does.
Dancin' hot 'n' sweaty, Right in front of me.
Prince is inspired by the sight of people having fun, dancing and sweating in front of him at the party.
Call it what you like, I'm gonna call it how it be, This is just another one of God's gifts, Musicology!
Prince notes that people may call the music something different, but he considers it a gift from God and refers to it as Musicology.
Got to keep that party movin', Just like I told you.
Prince urges the attendees to keep the party going and follow his lead for a fun time.
Kick the old-school joints, For the true funk soldiers.
Prince asks the DJ to play some old-school music to inspire the true funk soldiers to keep dancing.
Wish I had a dollar, For every time you say, "Don't you miss the feeling, Music gave ya back in the day?"
Prince imagines himself getting rich if he had a dollar for every time someone said they missed the feeling that music gave them in the past.
Let's groove, September, Earth, Wind and Fire. Hot Pants by James, Sly's gonna take you higher.
Prince cites some classic tracks from Earth, Wind and Fire, James Brown, and Sly Stone as examples of the timeless music that is being celebrated at the party.
Minor keys and drugs, Don't make a rollerskate jam. Take your pick, turntable, or a band?
Prince notes that the type of music and the use of drugs in the past doesn't matter when it comes to enjoying a rollerskate jam. He asks whether the attendees prefer a turntable or a live band.
If it ain't Chuck D, Or Jam Master Jay, Know what?, They're losin'. Cause we got a PhD in Advanced Body Movin'
Prince hypes up the party-goers by noting that if they are not familiar with the likes of Chuck D and Jam Master Jay, they are missing out because everyone at the party has a PhD in advanced body moving.
Hold it down, band.
Prince tells the band to keep the music going and maintain their energy levels.
"Get back! Oh, get back! Don't you touch my stereo, these is MY records!" "Don't touch, my records!"
Prince creates a playful moment by pretending to protect his stereo and records from potential theft.
Everybody get down! Just like I told you. Kick the high-school joints, For the true funk soldiers. Get goin'!
Prince puts the crowd into high gear with his infectious energy and calls for some high-school level dance moves from the attendees.
Keep the party movin', Keep the party movin', Uh, don't stop dancin'. Keep the party movin'.
Prince keeps the energy levels high and reminds everyone to keep dancing and having fun.
Keep the party movin', Just like I told ya, Kick the old-school joints, For the true funk soldiers.
Prince reiterates his call for the crowd to keep the party going, and again asks for old-school grooves for the true funk soldiers.
Musicology!
Prince ends the song on a high note, preaching the gospel of Musicology to all listeners.
For the true funk soldiers
This phrase is repeated throughout the song as an affectionate term for those devoted and passionate about funky, vinyl records and music that is celebrated in the song.
Lyrics Β© Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: PRINCE ROGERS NELSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@i.t.t.
[Verse 1]
Heard about the party now
Just east of Harlem
Doug E's going to be there
But you got to call him
Even the soldiers
Need a break sometimes
Listen to the groove you'll
Let it unwind our mind
No intoxication
Unless you see what I see
Dancing hot and sweaty
Right in front of me
Call it what you like
I'm going to call it how it be
This is just another one
Of God's gifts
Musicology
[Chorus]
Keep that party movin'
Just like I told you
Kick the old school joint
For the true funk soldiers
Musicology
[Verse 2]
Wish eye had a dollar
For every time you say
Don't you miss the feeling
Music gave you
Back in the day?
Let's Groove
September
Earth, Wind and Fire
Hot Pants by James
Sly is going to take you higher
Minor keys and drugs
Don't make a roller skate jam
Take your pick - turntable or a band?
If it ain' t Chuck D
Or Jam Master Jay
Know what?
They're losing
Cause we got a PhD in
Advanced Body Movin'
Keep the party movin'
Just like I told you
Kick the old-school joints
For the true funk soldiers
Musicology!
Hold it down, band
"Get back! Move, get back!
Don't you touch my stereo, these are MY records!"
"Don't touch, Ever touch, these are MY records!"
Musicology, musicology!
Everybody get down!
Kick the high-school joints
For the true funk soldiers
Get goin'!
Keep the party movin'
Keep the party movin'
Uh, don't stop dancin'
Keep the party movin'
Keep the party movin'
Just like I told ya
Kick the old-school joints
For the true funk soldiers
Musicology!
@mariao7722
Iβm a massive Prince fan and I will NEVER forget one particular childβs reaction to this song: it was back in 2003 or 2004 and I was working as an early childhood educator. I put this song on so the kids could get some energy out. As soon as this 3 year old heard the βoooooohβ at the start she broke out dancing like JAMES BROWN! I was so happy!
@wanderlustly313
Maria O Awesome story Teach! Thanks for sharing. RIPurple PRN
@REDHOTREACTIONS
@Maria O ... ur doing the lords work...
@gianfrancobacco3437
Great story Maria!!
@gilaliz1970
I was an educator and this makes me so happy. thanks for sharing.
@monicahenriettekr592
Sweeet
@ralphmejia3842
That bass riff is pure funk. RIP Prince. Thank you for the gift you left the world
@clevelandjack27
First bass riff I ever learned on bass and still my absolute favorite. Pure funkβ€
@cel589
Um som com uma atmosfera unica...uma mistura de som com sentimento...com cheiro e sabor...sΓ³ quem curti Prince Γ© que sabe disso....
@nancypatricia511
Prince pays homage to many of the greats lyrically. Moments in his life as a child are given respect visually. The whole video is permeated with past aesthetics melded with the present kind of like he did in Under the Cherry Moon. The guys tap dancing and doing the splits seem to be a shout out to the Nicholas Brothers who tap danced in the thirties. And, of course, the brass, which Prince adopts very strongly during this area goes all the way back to the Jazz era of the twenties and big band of the thirties. This is a showcase of Prince's music knowledge, heritage and his ability to bring it all together. It is top notch brilliant!