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.
Screwdriver
Prince Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Gotta make up
Another reason to make it last, miss mistake up
If we break up
We smash guitars and shatter glass
But till the day that we do
I'm your driver, and you're my screw
Everywhere that we go now, there's a show now
People pay money for the rock 'n' roll
And the big wow
Before we bow
You can call me C.C, Crowd Control
If you don't want to, it's cool
I'm your driver
Empty car on a fast train
In the driving rain
I can make you swear that you did some thang
What you don't know
Won't hurt you so
We got a long, long way to go
Might as well enjoy the view
I'm your driver, and you're my screw
You said you were my screw
Sharing stories and cool clothes
And party toes
This is what life is like on the road
Never too high, never too low
That's the only way to go
But right now, without further ado
I'm your driver, and you're my screw
Counter-clockwise, turn you round
All you got to do is listen to the sound
Music never lies, you know its true
I ain't even got to you know who
Time we got plenty of
Forever's worth the wait when it comes to love
I'm your driver, and you're my screw
I'm your driver, and you're my screw
I'm your driver, and you're my screw
I'm your driver, and you're my screw
I'm your driver, and you're my screw
Might as well enjoy the view
I'm your driver, and you're my screw
The lyrics to Prince and 3rdEyeGirl's song "Screwdriver" convey a sense of joy and excitement, capturing the thrill of life on the road as a rock star. The first verse speaks to the effort required to maintain a good relationship, with the lines "Everyday when I wake up/Gotta make up/Another reason to make it last, miss mistake up." The idea seems to be that, even in difficult times, the singer is committed to finding ways to fix things and make the relationship work. The chorus then asserts the strong bond between the two partners, with the lines "But till the day that we do/I'm your driver, and you're my screw." The metaphor likens the two of them to a screw and driver – two parts that work closely together to create something functional and strong.
The second verse shifts to more of a celebration of the band's success, with the lines "Everywhere that we go now, there's a show now/People pay money for the rock 'n' roll." The singer seems to revel in the attention and adulation they receive from fans. The bridge further emphasizes the power of music, with the line "Music never lies, you know its true," suggesting that even in difficult times, the songs they play can be a source of emotional truth and healing.
Overall, the lyrics to "Screwdriver" celebrate the passionate, intense nature of life as a rock star, while also emphasizing the importance of commitment and hard work in romantic relationships.
Line by Line Meaning
Everyday when I wake up
Each morning I arise
Gotta make up
I must concoct
Another reason to make it last, miss mistake up
A new motive to prolong the relationship, lest infidelity occurs
If we break up
In the event of our separation
We smash guitars and shatter glass
We will engage in destructive behavior
But till the day that we do
Until our alliance dissolves
I'm your driver, and you're my screw
I will lead this love affair, and you will be compliant
Everywhere that we go now, there's a show now
Everywhere we venture, there's a spectacle
People pay money for the rock 'n' roll
Individuals remunerate for the music genre of rock and roll
And the big wow
Disbelief ensues
Before we bow
Before concluding the performance
You can call me C.C, Crowd Control
Referring to myself as Crowd Control
If you don't want to, it's cool
If you refuse, it's acceptable
I'm your driver
I'm your leader
Empty car on a fast train
A train car without passengers on a swift journey
In the driving rain
Amidst a harsh downpour
I can make you swear that you did some thang
I can make you falsely confess to misconduct
What you don't know
Ignorance is bliss
Won't hurt you so
It won't be painful
We got a long, long way to go
We have a great distance to travel
Might as well enjoy the view
We ought to appreciate the landscape
You said you were my screw
You claimed compliance to my leadership
Sharing stories and cool clothes
Recounting experiences and donning fashionable garments
And party toes
Celebrating with dancing feet
This is what life is like on the road
This is the lifestyle of a travelling artist
Never too high, never too low
Maintaining composure and avoiding extreme emotions
That's the only way to go
The sole path to take
But right now, without further ado
At present, without delay
Counter-clockwise, turn you round
Revolve you in the opposite direction
All you got to do is listen to the sound
Simply heed the melody
Music never lies, you know its true
Music never deceives, this fact you recognize
I ain't even got to you know who
I don't need to address that certain individual
Time we got plenty of
We have an abundance of time
Forever's worth the wait when it comes to love
The wait for eternal love is worthwhile
I'm your driver, and you're my screw
I will lead this love affair, and you will be compliant
Might as well enjoy the view
We ought to appreciate the landscape
I'm your driver, and you're my screw
I will lead this love affair, and you will be compliant
I'm your driver, and you're my screw
I will lead this love affair, and you will be compliant
I'm your driver, and you're my screw
I will lead this love affair, and you will be compliant
I'm your driver, and you're my screw
I will lead this love affair, and you will be compliant
I'm your driver, and you're my screw
I will lead this love affair, and you will be compliant
Might as well enjoy the view
We ought to appreciate the landscape
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: PRINCE ROGERS NELSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind