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.
Possessed
Prince Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Something's the matter baby, I'm going insane
Something inside of me keeps talkin' to my brain
Why can't I stop this demonic lust?
I know I shouldn't hold you, but my body says I must
I'm possessed
Ooh, I'm possessed, yes, ooh
I'm stone crazy in love with you, baby
Something's the matter baby, you're all I see
Your voice is all I hear beggin' to me
I wish I didn't need you, wish I didn't care
I wish you'd find another soul, your love's too much to bear
I'm possessed, yes I am
And I don't know what to do
I'm possessed
I'm stone crazy in love with you, baby
Does anybody want this body?
Something's the matter baby, my mind's in a daze
I'm trippin' on your love, it's so hard to relay
Can't stop this yearnin', Lord knows I've tried
Free me from this spell, I'm much to young to die
I'm possessed, ooh
I don't know what I'm gonna do
I'm possessed, ooh (I'm)
Stone crazy in love with you, baby
Does anybody want this body? (Ooh)
I'm possessed
Stone crazy in love with you, baby
Yeah, I
I'm possessed
Please, stone crazy, love with you, baby
And I don't know what I'm gonna do
Gosh, I love it when the horns blow, everybody watch me dance
Possessed, ooh!
I'm stone crazy in love with you, ooh
Listen, if you relate to the feeling, lemme hear you say yeah, say yeah!
Hurt me, hoo!
Mm, I said now if you relate to the feeling, lemme hear you say yeah, say yeah!
Alright, if you relate to the groove, lemme hear you say ooh (ooh), ooh (ooh)!
Hoo, hoo
P-O-S-S-E-S-S-E-D
P-O-S-S-E-S-S-E-D
P-O-S-S-E-S-S-E-D
P-O-S-S-E-S-S-E-D
Have you ever had the feeling that someone was tearing you up
Into little bitty pieces and contemplating selling you for a jigsaw puzzle?
You are like an animal running around
Inside the cage of my heart
Aren't you due for a vacation, dirty liar?
Someone's in my body
Someone's in my body
Someone's in my box
Someone's in my body
Someone's in my body
Someone's in my box
The song "Possessed" by Prince is a track from his 1981 album "Controversy". This song is an exploration of Prince’s internal struggle between his desires and his conscience. The song describes how he is consumed by a “satanic lust” and is in a state of possession. Prince’s powerful vocals convey a sense of desperation and urgency as he struggles to fight against his desires. He is torn between his physical and emotional needs and the consequences of acting on them. The lyrics convey a sense of helplessness, as Prince is unable to shake himself free from his obsession with his lover.
The song "Possessed" is notable for its use of synthesizers and drum machines, which were popular in the 1980s. The song features a mix of funk, rock, and pop elements. The song’s instrumentation is complex and densely layered, featuring multiple keyboard and guitar parts layered on top of one another. The song’s structure is also highly unconventional, with no clearly defined chorus and a variety of different sections.
Overall, "Possessed" is a powerful and emotionally intense song that showcases Prince’s talent for crafting songs that explore the darkest corners of the human psyche.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh yeah!
Beginning of the song, establishing the mood of the song.
Something's the matter baby, I'm going insane
The singer has something troubling him, and it is affecting his sanity.
Something inside of me keeps talkin' to my brain
The problem is internal, and his thoughts aren't helping him find a solution.
Why can't I stop this satanic lust?
The singer is feeling an overwhelming sexual desire, which he is struggling to control.
I know I shouldn't hold you, but my body says I must
The singer is aware that what he is feeling is not right, but his body is telling him otherwise.
I'm possessed, ooh And I don't know what to do
The singer feels like he is under the influence of something and has no control over his actions.
Something's the matter baby, you're all I see
The object of the singer's desire is the source of his problem.
Your voice is all I hear begging to me
The singer is constantly being reminded of his desire, and it is affecting his mental state.
I wish I didn't need you, wish I didn't care
The singer is acknowledging that he shouldn't be feeling this way, and he wishes it wasn't the case.
I've got to make some love to you 'cause it much to much to bare
Despite what he knows, the desire is just too strong for him to resist, and he needs to give in to it.
I'm possessed, yes I am And I don't know what to do
Reiteration of the fact that he is no longer in control of himself.
Something's the matter baby, my mind's in a daze
The problem is now affecting his ability to think and process things clearly.
I'm trippin' on your love, it's so hard 4 me to lay
The singer is now physically affected by his desire, and it is getting in the way of his day to day life.
Can't stop this yearnin', Lord knows I've tried
The singer acknowledges that he has tried to control his thoughts, but it's not working.
Free me from despair, I'm much to young to die
The singer is asking for help, as he knows that he cannot continue like this without getting hurt.
Possessed Stoned up, up in the head, baby
Reiteration of the fact that his mind is no longer under his control and is influenced by outside forces.
Said I'm possessed, mm mm All I want to do is lay you down in my bed
The singer is completely consumed by his desire for the object of his affections.
Fucked up in my head I want to use you in my bed, yeah I'm possessed Well, oh Oh, I got this lust Baby you know I got this lust, yeah I don't want to hold ya I don't want to hold ya I don't want to hold ya But my body says I must! I must, yeah Oh, oh baby, I must! Do you mean "yeah"? (Yeah!) (Give it to me) Baby, if I don't 'cause baby, if I don't 'cause baby, if I don't You know your pussy puts up quite an awful fuss Yes it does Puts up a fuss, yeah You know what that means You're gonna get wet Pussy get wet, mm mm
The singer is completely consumed with desire, and his thoughts are no longer his own. He acknowledges that what he is feeling is wrong, but his body is driving him forward. He even makes crass but rather obvious sexual innuendos to make a point.
Me and the boys, we like to jam Possessed!
The mood of the song is to be enjoyed and not to be taken seriously.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Prince Rogers Nelson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind