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.
S&M Groove
Prince Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Freaks!
Freaks gonna bob to this
Freaks gonna bob to this
Freaks gonna bob to this
Freaks gonna bob to this
Comin' with the 100 bpm long playin'
Sadomasochistic groove
Jules gonna bump it 'til the fat girl groove
NPG - "We're here!"
Bringin' the feedback, coming to shake back
Hollow body 12-string Marshall stack
I wanna show U one of my purple toys
Step the fuck back cause it make plenty noise
Freaks gonna bob to this
Freaks gonna bob to this, I'm sayin'
Coming with the shit to keep the players playing
Sadomasochistic Groove
The party ain't over 'til the fat girl groove
Freaks gonna bob to this (Sadomasochist this groove)
Freaks gonna bob to this (This is how we do's it)
Freaks gonna bob to this (Sadomasochist this groove) (Freaks freaks)
Freaks gonna bob to this (Never gonna lose it) (Freaks freaks)
"Freaks gonna bob to that", Kirk said it
People think I'm still fly, I read it
In the Oakland Tribune
They said I dance like I ain't gonna retire soon
Well 'til I die and go and live in my heavenly mansion
I keep the rock-n-rolling in a funky fashion
Speaking of which, my rags are game
When I see the maker, He asks my tailor's name
Yeah, I got a gift
Nothing's gonna make me lose it
Sadomasochist this groove
And now you gotta use it
Freaks gonna bob to this
Sadomasochist this groove
Freaks gonna bob to this
This is how we do's it
Freaks gonna bob to this
Sadomasochist this groove
Freaks gonna bob to this
Never gonna lose it
Freaks gonna bob to this cuz I ain't sleepin'
While your CD thinkin' to come out, I be creeping
Talkin' to the foreigners (Freak freak)
Say what'
Like a chippie on the corner (Wanna party, baby')
The charts don't mean a damn when you free
Double platinum - they don't believe it to be
As long as Wild 107 don't play me (Freaks)
The people in Moneyapolis
Yeah, we got to be free
I got a gift, y'all (He got a gift, y'all)
And I ain't about to lose it (Uh)
Sadomasochist this groove
And now you gotta use it
Freaks gonna bob to this (Freaks gonna bob to this)
Sadomasochist this groove
Freaks gonna bob to this (Freaks gonna bob to this)
This is how we do's it
Freaks gonna bob to this (Freak gonna bob to this)
Sadomasochist this groove
Freaks gonna bob to this (Freaks freaks)
Never gonna lose it
Freaks gonna bob to this, I'm saying (Freaks gonna bob to this)
Sadomasochistic groove (Freaks gonna bob to this)
NPG - "We're here!"
Freaks freaks (Frrrreak)
Freaks gonna bob to this, I'm sayin'
Comin' with the 100bpm long playin'
Sadomasochistic groove
Jules gonna bump it 'til the fat girl groove
NPG - "We're here!"
Bringing the feedback
Coming to shake
Freaks gonna bob to this
Sadomasochist this groove (Freaks freaks)
Freaks gonna bob to this
This is how we do's it
Freaks gonna bob to this
Sadomasochist this groove (Freaks freaks)
Freaks gonna bob to this
Never gonna lose it
Freaks freaks (Freaks freaks)
Freaks freaks (Freaks freaks)
Sadomasochistic groove
The lyrics to Prince's song S&M Groove can be interpreted in a few ways. The chorus "Freaks gonna bob to this" seems to suggest that the song is intended to appeal to a certain demographic - "freaks." The "sadomasochistic groove" referenced in the lyrics is likely a reference to the BDSM community, and the song's beat may be suggestive of a particular style of dancing associated with that community. The line "Jules gonna bump it till the fat girl groove" could be seen as either a reference to a specific person named Jules or a general statement about the song's intended audience.
Another interpretation of the lyrics might be that the song is an assertive statement of Prince's artistic identity - he sings about staying true to himself and his music, regardless of what anyone else thinks. Lines like "I got a gift, y'all, and I ain't about to lose it" could be seen as him asserting his confidence in his abilities as a musician. The references to the Oakland Tribune and Wild 107 suggest that Prince is aware of critical reception to his music and not particularly concerned with it, as long as he can keep making the kind of music he wants to.
Overall, the lyrics to S&M Groove seem to be a combination of Prince's signature flamboyance and a certain level of defiance in the face of mainstream expectations. The song's throbbing rhythm and ambiguous lyrics make it a standout track in his extensive discography.
Line by Line Meaning
Freaks gonna bob to this
The song will appeal to outsiders and rule-breakers
Freaks gonna bob to this, I'm sayin'
I am confident in the appeal of this song to non-conformists
Coming with the 100 bpm long playin'
This song has a consistent beat of 100 bpm throughout
Sadomasochistic groove
The song has a sexualized, masochistic sound and feel
Jules gonna bump it 'til the fat girl groove
Jules will dance the way he wants to regardless of others' opinions
NPG - "We're here!"
The New Power Generation is present and ready to perform
Bringin' the feedback, coming to shake back
The NPG is bringing their unique sound to captivate and excite the audience
Hollow body 12-string Marshall stack
The guitar used for this song is a unique and custom Marshall 12-string hollow-body guitar
I wanna show U one of my purple toys
Prince wants to share his musical instrument and talent with his listeners
Step the fuck back cause it make plenty noise
The guitar is loud and will make a lot of noise, so back up to avoid getting overwhelmed
The party ain't over 'til the fat girl groove
The party will keep going until everyone, even outsiders, have had their chance to dance and enjoy the music
Freaks gonna bob to this (Sadomasochist this groove)
This song has a specifically sexualized and masochistic vibe that outsiders will appreciate
Freaks gonna bob to this (This is how we do's it)
This is how outsiders do things and the song embodies that attitude
Freaks gonna bob to this (Never gonna lose it)
Prince is confident in the lasting appeal of the song to non-conformists
People think I'm still fly, I read it
People still think Prince is fashionable even as he ages
They said I dance like I ain't gonna retire soon
Prince still has energy and passion for music, and will keep performing for a long time
Well 'til I die and go and live in my heavenly mansion
Prince won't stop performing until he has passed away and gone to heaven
I keep the rock-n-rolling in a funky fashion
Prince keeps his unique and funky music style alive
Speaking of which, my rags are game
Prince's style and wardrobe are part of his unique image as a performer
When I see the maker, He asks my tailor's name
Prince is proud of his stylish wardrobe and sees it as a defining part of his identity as a musician
Yeah, I got a gift
Prince is confident in his musical talent and abilities
Nothing's gonna make me lose it
Prince won't be discouraged or lose his passion and confidence in his talent
Freaks gonna bob to this cuz I ain't sleepin'
Prince is constantly creating music and won't stop for anything
While your CD thinkin' to come out, I be creeping
Prince is constantly creating new music and won't wait for others to catch up
The charts don't mean a damn when you free
Prince won't conform to the expectations and restrictions of the music industry
Double platinum - they don't believe it to be
Prince has achieved great success and recognition, but some people still doubt and underestimate his talent
As long as Wild 107 don't play me (Freaks)
Prince's audience is composed of outsiders who don't care about mainstream success and popularity
The people in Moneyapolis
Prince's hometown of Minneapolis
And I ain't about to lose it (Uh)
Prince won't lose his confidence and passion for music
Freaks freaks (Frrrreak)
Prince's audience is composed of non-conformists
Freaks gonna bob to this cuz I ain't sleepin'
Prince is constantly working on his music and won't stop for anything
Sadomasochistic groove (Freaks gonna bob to this)
The song has a sexualized and masochistic vibe that appeals to outsiders
Writer(s): Prince Rogers Nelson
Contributed by Aiden B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.