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.
Private Joy
Prince Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ooh
My little secret, my private joy
I could never let another play with my toy
My little angel from heaven above
Oh oh oh oh oh I think I'm falling in love
And I ain't gonna tell nobody nobody 'bout my little pretty toy
All the other kids would love to love you but you're my little private joy
You're my private joy
Private joy
Such a pretty toy
Joy, you are my private joy
You're my little lover, orgasmatron
Only I know, only I know, baby, what turns you on
You're my little secret neon light
Girl I wanna turn it on, turn it on, turn it on every night, ooh
Ain't gonna tell nobody nobody 'bout my little pretty toy
All the other kids would love to love you but you're my little private joy
My private joy
You're my private joy
Private joy, such a pretty, pretty toy
Joy, oh my private joy
Shoot me up baby, ooh, let's take a trip
I can't get enough, can't get enough of your private, private joy, joy, joy, yeah
Joy, such a such a pretty toy
Joy, you are my private joy
Joy, shoot me up baby, let's take a trip
Joy, can't get enough of your private, ooh
Come on honey baby get up
Get up
I strangled Valentino (he strangled Valentino)
Been mine ever since (been his ever since)
If anybody asks you (if anybody asks you)
You belong to Prince
Come on baby, get up
Get up
Oh yeah, get up
Get up, yeah
Prince's song "Private Joy" is about a secret love affair that he wants to keep hidden from the world. He sings about a toy, which is a metaphor for his lover, that he cannot share with anyone else. He is falling in love with this person and he wants to keep them for himself. The lyrics are provocative and intimate, suggesting a deep passion between the two lovers.
Prince describes his lover as his "little angel from heaven above" and his "orgasmatron," suggesting a strong sexual connection between the two. He sings about their shared secret, saying "Only I know, only I know, baby, what turns you on." He wants to turn on their "neon light" together every night, keeping their love alive and passionate.
Prince is adamant about keeping their affair private, saying "I ain't gonna tell nobody nobody 'bout my little pretty toy," and "All the other kids would love to love you but you're my little private joy." The song ends with Prince declaring that his lover belongs to him and no one else, asking them to get up and continue their private joy together.
Line by Line Meaning
Ooh
Expressing excitement or pleasure about something.
My little secret, my private joy
Referring to a lover or someone whom the singer likes to keep as a secret.
I could never let another play with my toy
Not willing to share the person whom the singer loves or is attracted to with anyone else.
My little angel from heaven above
Describing the person the singer is attracted to as someone who is beautiful and special.
Oh oh oh oh oh I think I'm falling in love
Expressing the singer's feelings of being in love with the person he is attracted to.
And I ain't gonna tell nobody nobody 'bout my little pretty toy
Deciding not to share information about the person whom the singer is attracted to with anyone else.
All the other kids would love to love you but you're my little private joy
Not willing to let anyone else have or be with the person whom the singer is attracted to because he or she is considered special or precious.
You're my private joy
Referring to the person whom the singer is attracted to as someone who brings him or her pleasure and happiness.
Private joy
Referring to the pleasure and happiness that the singer feels when he or she is with the person whom he or she is attracted to.
Such a pretty toy
Describing the person whom the singer is attracted to as someone who is beautiful, charming, and captivating.
Joy, you are my private joy
Reinforcing the idea that the person whom the singer is attracted to brings him or her immense pleasure and happiness.
You're my little lover, orgasmatron
Describing the person the singer is attracted to as someone who is skilled at providing sexual pleasure.
Only I know, only I know, baby, what turns you on
Asserting the singer's belief that he or she is the only one who truly understands what the person he or she is attracted to likes or desires sexually.
You're my little secret neon light
Comparing the person whom the singer is attracted to a neon light that shines brightly only for him or her.
Girl I wanna turn it on, turn it on, turn it on every night, ooh
Expressing the singer's intense desire to be with and please the person whom he or she is attracted to sexually every night.
Shoot me up baby, ooh, let's take a trip
Using drug-related terminology to describe the intense pleasure that the singer feels when he or she is with the person he or she is attracted to.
I can't get enough, can't get enough of your private, private joy, joy, joy, yeah
Expressing the singer's insatiable desire for the person whom he or she is attracted to.
Joy, such a such a pretty toy
Describing the person whom the singer is attracted to as someone who is attractive, delightful, and alluring.
Come on honey baby get up
Encouraging the person whom the singer is attracted to to get up or to take an action that could lead to intimacy or pleasure.
I strangled Valentino (he strangled Valentino)
An obscure reference to the idea that the singer has killed off his past self or persona in order to fully embrace his new love interest.
Been mine ever since (been his ever since)
Asserting that the singer has been with the person whom he is attracted to ever since he has decided to accept his new persona.
If anybody asks you (if anybody asks you)
Implying that the singer has something to hide and is worried about someone discovering his secret.
You belong to Prince
Asserting ownership over the person whom the singer is attracted to.
Get up
Repeating the command for the person whom the singer is attracted to to take action, which could lead to intimacy or pleasure.
Oh yeah, get up
Emphasizing the urgency of taking action and following through with the singer's desires.
Get up, yeah
Repeating the urgent command to take action in order to achieve pleasure or sexual satisfaction.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Prince Rogers Nelson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind