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.
Que Sera Sera
Prince Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
"K Sera Sera," whatever will be will be
And the track is kinda in there, so lemme bust a li'l
A li'l rhyme...
Check it out on the one, two, three...
Standin' 5'11", and I'm almost 6 feet
Got no nickname, stay the cool sane
Kick the same rhymes, play the same games
To watch my back, but ain't no vics here
Bring in the new--that tune was last year
In strode the baby brother, comin' from the mind school
Flow from blue Bic, and paper's wide-ruled
If I had a penny for every note that I played
Or if I had a dollar for every bar I create
I guess that I would reckon, "By golly, I'm gettin' paid"
Or better yet, "I reckon it's time to be gettin' paid!"
So I sit and think, "Well, should I pull my Plan 9?"
I'll leave it up to the powers and the stars
Since I'm from the cosmos of another planet, see
I believe my karma will guide me to my destiny
So I flow, not on the rhymes
But related to my shade of mind, or, rather, vibes
Que sera sera, what will be will be
Whatever's kinda clever, what the future holds for me
I guess it's just a thought, though my mind is kinda hazy
My name is Justin, baby
I got my skullcap on, then the flow from my mind starts
As I rip for days from the land of the mic arts
Cream of the crop, a cool, blue beatnik
Blessed with the gift, and now it's time to kick the ill shit
Love to eat the scallops, and quit with the doo-doo raps
Stay away from ill crack, listen to the Fatback
Smooth on a rough track, time to catch a catnap
If you are my brother, I'll be sure to give you much dap
Ya bound to get your head smacked, if you try to illjack
Get your kit from Acme, set yourself an ill trap
I used to talk of vickin', would step and finger-lickin'
But now my mic endeavors have improved over time
Oh yeah, I'm still the same brother who has got to pickin'
So listen to the moody groove, piano, and the vibes
Ahh, and ya don't stop. Yeah, ya know, yeah
And we the sure shit, guaranteed to be the ultimate
Ya got to keep it on to the break-of-dawn
To the rhythm, y'all, ya don't stop
And ya don't quit, ya don't stop
Ya gotta keep on, keep the flow on
And, baby, ya know you and the rhythm is always on
And I'm out...
Prince's song Que Sera Sera is a rap song that features Prince rapping under the pseudonym of "Joey Coco." The song's title is a reference to the famous Doris Day song and the lyrics build on the idea of fate and destiny. In the verses, Prince (as Joey Coco) shares bits of his life story including his age, his lack of a nickname, and his dedication to crafting rhymes. He also discusses the importance of following his destiny and being guided by his karma.
The lyrics contain a mix of personal anecdotes, wordplay, and references to popular culture. The chorus repeats the line, "Que sera sera, what will be will be; Whatever's kinda clever, what the future holds for me." This line reinforces the idea of letting go of control and trusting in fate. The song has an upbeat tempo and features a prominent piano riff, driving beat, and occasional sound effects.
Overall, Que Sera Sera stands out in Prince's extensive discography due to its rap style and playful lyrics. While it may not have been a commercial hit, the song continues to be a fan favorite for its unique sound and energetic vibe.
Line by Line Meaning
Uhh! Check it out, yo; it's called, uh, well, uh
Introduction to the song
"K Sera Sera," whatever will be will be
Acceptance that the future is uncertain and uncontrollable
And the track is kinda in there, so lemme bust a li'l
Acknowledgment that the music is playing in the background and ready to perform a little rap
Standin' 5'11", and I'm almost 6 feet
Describing height
18 years old, rock a new beat
Young age and interest in music
Got no nickname, stay the cool sane
Not having a nickname and being calm
Kick the same rhymes, play the same games
Consistently rapping the same lyrics and playing the same games
To watch my back, but ain't no vics here
Being careful, but not encountering any danger
Bring in the new--that tune was last year
Introducing new lyrics and music
In strode the baby brother, comin' from the mind school
Introducing a younger sibling who is also interested in music
Flow from blue Bic, and paper's wide-ruled
Describing the writing utensil and paper used to create music
If I had a penny for every note that I played
If getting paid for every note created were possible
Or if I had a dollar for every bar I create
If getting paid for every verse created were possible
I guess that I would reckon, "By golly, I'm gettin' paid"
Imagining getting paid for music creations
Or better yet, "I reckon it's time to be gettin' paid!"
Realizing it's time to start earning money for music creations
So I sit and think, "Well, should I pull my Plan 9?"
Thinking about whether or not to execute a plan
I'll leave it up to the powers and the stars
Leaving the decision up to fate
Since I'm from the cosmos of another planet, see
Believing in a unique destiny
I believe my karma will guide me to my destiny
Believing that one's actions will determine their fate
So I flow, not on the rhymes
Creating music based on feelings and emotions, not just lyrics
But related to my shade of mind, or, rather, vibes
Creating music based on personal feelings and energy
Que sera sera, what will be will be
Acceptance that the future is uncertain and uncontrollable
Whatever's kinda clever, what the future holds for me
Whatever happens in the future will be a result of creativity and hard work
I guess it's just a thought, though my mind is kinda hazy
Admitting uncertainty about the future
My name is Justin, baby
Introducing the artist as Justin
I got my skullcap on, then the flow from my mind starts
Describing the process of starting to create music
As I rip for days from the land of the mic arts
Creating music for an extended period of time
Cream of the crop, a cool, blue beatnik
Identifying oneself as a talented and stylish musician
Blessed with the gift, and now it's time to kick the ill shit
Grateful for the talent and ready to create great music
Love to eat the scallops, and quit with the doo-doo raps
Humorously mentioning food preference and avoiding poor music
Stay away from ill crack, listen to the Fatback
Making good decisions and listening to quality music
Smooth on a rough track, time to catch a catnap
Working hard on difficult music and taking a short nap
If you are my brother, I'll be sure to give you much dap
Showing respect to close friends and family
Ya bound to get your head smacked, if you try to illjack
Warning against poor behavior
Get your kit from Acme, set yourself an ill trap
Offering advice on how to succeed
I used to talk of vickin', would step and finger-lickin'
Reminiscing about past behavior
But now my mic endeavors have improved over time
Recognizing personal growth and improvement
Oh yeah, I'm still the same brother who has got to pickin'
Acknowledging that despite change, one's true self remains the same
So listen to the moody groove, piano, and the vibes
Encouraging listeners to appreciate the music
Ahh, and ya don't stop. Yeah, ya know, yeah
Continuation of the music and positive attitude
And we the sure shit, guaranteed to be the ultimate
Confident and talented
Ya got to keep it on to the break-of-dawn
Urging listeners to continue enjoying music all night
To the rhythm, y'all, ya don't stop
Encouraging listeners to keep moving to the music
And ya don't quit, ya don't stop
Encouraging listeners to keep enjoying the music without stopping
Ya gotta keep on, keep the flow on
Encouraging listeners to keep dancing and enjoying the music
And, baby, ya know you and the rhythm is always on
Acknowledging the constant presence of music and encouraging listeners to always enjoy it
And I'm out...
Ending the song
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: PAUL E. HUSTON, JASON WARFIELD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
BD 59
Haven’t heard this before.
Sly and the Family Stone broke new barriers with their style and band members.
Thanks again for the upload.
BD 59
@Jeannette Lauwerijssen
Thank you.
Jeannette Lauwerijssen
Hi BD its on Open Sessions volume 1. More info on Discogs. Also info on For the Funk
Art Full
Sly and the Family Stone were so cool and so ahead of their time.
It’s no wonder they inspired Prince😎💜☮️✌🏻
drumrboi72
This is probably P's #1 influence of ALL!
Art Full
Kris Dylan Yes Prince said himself that he was like Carlos Santana. He was far too modest to even liken himself to Hendrix but he was very much like both. Prince played a great deal of blues hard rock and psychedelic rock like Hendrix but tracks like Shhh remind me of Carlos, similar guitar
drumrboi72
@Kris Dylan Oh yeah,😉👍MOST definitely!
Kris Dylan
interesting...that's arguable! Carlos Santana on guitar more so than Hendrix.
Art Full
YESSIR
Funk A. Teer
Throw in some P!FUNK 🤘🏿