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.
Ronnie
Prince Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Before it's too late
Before it's too late
Ronnie, talk to Russia before it's too late
Before they blow up the world
You go to the zoo, but you can't feed guerrillas
Can't feed guerrillas
Left-wing guerrillas
Who want to blow up the world
Ronnie, if you're dead before I get to meet ya
Before I get to meet ya
Before I get to meet ya
Ronnie, if you're dead before I get to meet ya
Don't say I didn't warn ya
Ronnie, talk to Russia before it's too late
Before it's too late
Before it's too late
Ronnie, talk to Russia before it's too late
Before they blow up the world
Before they blow up the world
Don't ya blow up my world
Don't you blow up my world
The song "Ronnie Talk to Russia" by Prince was released in 1981 and was written during the Cold War era. The lyrics call on US President Ronald Reagan to communicate with the Soviet Union before they "blow up the world." The urgency of the plea is emphasized with the repetition of "before it's too late." Prince cautions Reagan that if he doesn't act soon, it may be too late to prevent a devastating war.
The second verse of the song focuses on the idea that even seemingly harmless actions, such as feeding animals at the zoo, can have dangerous consequences. Prince warns that those who use violence to achieve their political goals (left-wing guerrillas) should not be supported, as they might be the ones to "blow up the world."
The third verse is more personal, with Prince expressing his concern that Reagan may not live long enough to heed his warning. He implores Reagan to listen to his message while he still can, so that he will not be able to say that he was not warned.
Overall, "Ronnie Talk to Russia" is a call for communication and diplomacy rather than violence and aggression. Prince expresses concern over the potential consequences of inaction, urging Reagan to take action and prevent a catastrophic global conflict.
Line by Line Meaning
Ronnie, talk to Russia before it's too late
Prince urges Ronnie to initiate talks with Russia before it's too late
Before it's too late
Prince emphasizes the urgency and importance of the issue
Before it's too late
Prince repeats the urgency of the issue
Ronnie, talk to Russia before it's too late
Prince reiterates the need for immediate action and dialogue to prevent catastrophic consequences
Before they blow up the world
Prince highlights the danger of a potentially destructive situation
You go to the zoo, but you can't feed guerrillas
Prince uses a metaphor to illustrate the need for caution and care in potentially explosive situations
Can't feed guerrillas
Prince emphasizes that feeding guerrillas, or engaging in reckless actions, can have disastrous consequences
Left-wing guerrillas
Prince highlights the political complexity of the issue
You can go to the zoo, but don't feed guerrillas
Prince uses the zoo metaphor again to remind Ronnie of the importance of diplomatic caution
Who want to blow up the world
Prince underscores the gravity of the potential threat
Ronnie, if you're dead before I get to meet ya
Prince expresses concern about the potential consequences of inaction
Before I get to meet ya
Prince regrets the possibility of losing the opportunity to meet Ronnie because of the catastrophic potential of the situation
Before I get to meet ya
Prince repeats his concern about the potential loss of life and opportunity
Ronnie, if you're dead before I get to meet ya
Prince stresses the gravity of the potential consequences of inaction
Don't say I didn't warn ya
Prince reminds Ronnie of the importance of taking action and the potential consequences of inaction
Before they blow up the world
Prince repeats the potential for catastrophic consequences
Don't ya blow up my world
Prince personalizes the issue and emphasizes the impact it could have on individuals like himself
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Prince Rogers Nelson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind