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.
New Power GenerationPart II
Prince Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't pick my apples, don't pick my peaches
(we are the new power generation)
Leave my tree alone, leave it alone, leave it alone
(we are the new power generation)
Don't you look at me
(we are the new power generation)
If you're sad and you know it and you
Let your feelings out, love is there
Just go!
Kid! Yo Kid!
I got ta do this, I got the noise, I got to do this
So pump the big noise, c'mon in the house
This here rap's about the true confession
If ya listen close you 'bout to learn a lesson
You must know failure before success
Now this is the failure I must confess (well)
I was hanging onto life trying deal with this
Playing the games, almost got dismissed
Cocaine was the thing that I took on
And nowhere was the place that I was
Going (preacher, c'mon on)
I must tell the truth, I cannot lie
I was headed for the kill, steal, destroy, and die
Top to the bottom to bottom to top
Success is where I'm headed there ain't no doubt
Success is something that we all want
But the truth is what we need to reach our point
I had to give this message the so-called truth
I hope it's something in it that's there for you
On top of,
Love to the left of me, love to the right
Come on make a noise, somebody
Party tonight! (oh yeah!)
Like I told ya before, I'm a tell ya again
Success is something that's deep within
So remember the truth you cant go wrong
The flesh is weak and the spirit is strong
I know it to do this rap, and I know its right
Cause I did it in the name of Jesus Christ
(c'mon somebody lets party tonight)
Party tonight! (oh yeah!)
You want me to what? (shake!)
What? (shake! shake!)
Aw, right
The song "New Power Generation" by Prince features Mavis Staples, Tevin Campbell, T.C. Ellis, and Robin Power as backup vocals. The song's central message revolves around the idea of the New Power Generation being in control of their own lives and standing up against outside forces that try to take their power away. The lyrics "Don't pick my apples, don't pick my peaches, leave my tree alone" can be interpreted as a metaphor for the New Power Generation's desire to protect their personal freedom and independence.
The lyrics also touch on the importance of being honest about one's failures before achieving success, with the line "You must know failure before success." The rap verses in the song, performed by T.C. Ellis, detail his personal experience with drug addiction and the struggles he faced before finding a path to success. The song communicates an overall message of empowerment and self-determination.
Line by Line Meaning
We are the new power generation
We represent a new era of power and influence
Don't pick my apples, don't pick my peaches
Don't infringe on my personal property or belongings
Leave my tree alone, leave it alone, leave it alone
Stop trying to take things from me, whether physical or symbolic
Don't you look at me
Don't stare or judge me, I am my own person
If you're sad and you know it and you
Think you want to blow it
Let your feelings out, love is there
Express your emotions and don't be afraid to seek love and support
Kid! Yo Kid!
I got ta do this, I got the noise, I got to do this
So pump the big noise, c'mon in the house
I am determined to make my voice heard and will not be silenced
This here rap's about the true confession
If ya listen close you 'bout to learn a lesson
This song is an honest reflection that contains an important message
You must know failure before success
Now this is the failure I must confess (well)
Success requires experiencing and learning from failure, here is a confession of mine
I was hanging onto life trying deal with this
Playing the games, almost got dismissed
Cocaine was the thing that I took on
And nowhere was the place that I was
Going (preacher, c'mon on)
I was struggling with addiction and felt lost, not knowing where to go for help except a preacher
I must tell the truth, I cannot lie
I was headed for the kill, steal, destroy, and die
Top to the bottom to bottom to top
Success is where I'm headed there ain't no doubt
I'm being honest that I was on a self-destructive path but now have turned things around and am aiming for success
Success is something that we all want
But the truth is what we need to reach our point
I had to give this message the so-called truth
I hope it's something in it that's there for you
While success is desirable, it is our understanding of the truth that will ultimately lead us there
On top of,
Love to the left of me, love to the right
Come on make a noise, somebody
Party tonight! (oh yeah!)
Amidst all obstacles, love is always present; let's celebrate and have some fun
Like I told ya before, I'm a tell ya again
Success is something that's deep within
So remember the truth you cant go wrong
The flesh is weak and the spirit is strong
I will reiterate that success comes from within and cannot be achieved without truth; our physical selves are weak but our spirits are strong
Cause I did it in the name of Jesus Christ
(c'mon somebody lets party tonight)
Party tonight! (oh yeah!)
You want me to what? (shake!)
What? (shake! shake!)
Aw, right
I acknowledge the role of faith in my journey and am ready to celebrate and dance
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: PRINCE ROGERS NELSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind