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.
Sign O
Prince Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In France, a skinny man died of a big disease with a little name
By chance his girlfriend came across a needle and soon she did the same
At home there are seventeen-year-old boys and their idea of fun
Is being in a gang called 'The Disciples'
High on crack and totin' a machine gun
Time
Hurricane Annie ripped the ceiling of a church and killed everyone inside
You turn on the telly and every other story is tellin' you somebody died
A sister killed her baby 'cause she couldn't afford to feed it
And yet we're sending people to the moon
In September, my cousin tried reefer for the very first time
Now he's doing horse - it's June, unh
Times
Times
It's silly, no?
When a rocket ship explodes and everybody still wants to fly
But some say a man ain't happy unless a man truly dies
Oh why?
Time
Time
Baby make a speech, Star Wars fly
Neighbors just shine it on
But if a night falls and a bomb falls
Will anybody see the dawn?
Time, mm
Times
Is it silly, no?
When a rocket blows and, and everybody still wants to fly
Some say man ain't happy truly until a man truly dies
Oh why, oh why?
Sign o' the times, unh
Time
Time
Sign o' the times mess with your mind
Hurry before it's too late
Let's fall in love, get married, have a baby
We'll call him Nate
If it's a boy
Time
Times
Prince’s song Sign “☮” The Times is a powerful commentary on the social and political issues of its time, and its message is still relevant today. The opening lyrics describe the tragic consequences of drug addiction, stating that a skinny man in France died of a big disease with a little name, and his girlfriend soon followed suit after coming across a needle. The song also touches on the issue of gang violence, with a mention of 17-year-old boys in a gang called “The Disciples” who are high on crack and carrying guns.
The second verse of the song is a powerful reflection on the state of the world at the time, with references to the devastating Hurricane Annie, the constant news of death on television, and the tragic story of a mother killing her baby because she couldn’t afford to feed it. Despite all of this, the world was still celebrating the remarkable achievement of sending people to the moon.
The chorus of the song emphasizes the times we live in, and how they affect our perceptions of the world. Prince questions why people are still chasing after their dreams despite the many tragedies around them. He also speaks to the need for awareness and action, stating that the sign o’ the times mess with our minds, and that we need to hurry before it’s too late.
Line by Line Meaning
In France, a skinny man died of a big disease with a little name
The world is a dangerous place where even the smallest things can take a life
By chance his girlfriend came across a needle and soon she did the same
Addiction can happen to anyone, even those who aren't looking for it
At home there are seventeen-year-old boys and their idea of fun
Teenagers can be misguided and get caught up in dangerous lifestyles
Is being in a gang called 'The Disciples' High on crack and totin' a machine gun
Some youths turn to violence and drugs for excitement and belonging
Hurricane Annie ripped the ceiling of a church and killed everyone inside
Natural disasters can cause great harm and even death
You turn on the telly and every other story is tellin' you somebody died
The media is filled with stories of tragedy and loss
A sister killed her baby 'cause she couldn't afford to feed it
Poverty can lead to desperate and tragic decisions
And yet we're sending people to the moon
Despite our problems on Earth, we still achieve great feats
In September, my cousin tried reefer for the very first time
Drugs can have a powerful grip on people
Now he's doing horse - it's June, unh
Drug addiction can quickly escalate and have devastating consequences
When a rocket ship explodes and everybody still wants to fly
Even in the face of tragedy, people still have hope and ambition
But some say a man ain't happy unless a man truly dies
There are those who believe that true happiness only comes with death
Baby make a speech, Star Wars fly
The world can be filled with distractions and entertainment
Neighbors just shine it on
Many people ignore the problems around them
But if a night falls and a bomb falls
Disaster can strike at any moment
Will anybody see the dawn?
We must cherish life and not take it for granted
Sign o' the times mess with your mind
The problems of the world can be overwhelming and affect mental health
Hurry before it's too late
We must act quickly to address the issues facing us
Let's fall in love, get married, have a baby
Love and family can bring joy and meaning to life
We'll call him Nate If it's a boy
Creating a new life is a hopeful act for the future
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: PRINCE ROGERS NELSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@robjones2408
Prince at his most sublime.
The influence of that other talented Gemini, Curtis Mayfield is
evident. At their very best, they were unbeatable.
My one major regret is that I never got to see him play live.
May they rest in peace.
@davidkunst8598
Today,
Mankind is in need.
In dear need indeed,
Like never before!
To me,
Our Purple Poet Prince,
Has put this down in words formidably.
And while listening to his song,
A purple raindrop suddenly poured down my window.
It felt like a sign,
a Sign Of The Times!
@jessicawilliams1176
I love everything about this song, his voice and the lyrics. Today 7 years ago, we lost one of the most talented and creative singers, dancers, producers, and performers of all time. We love you forever, Prince, and your legacy lives on forever! 👑❤️💜💜🕊️4/21/2023
@gentlehorst
Sandra Bullock was asked which song at Colbert.
She answered anything of Prince. If so my answer would have been this song. Everything in it.
@enricovankeeken1624
@@gentlehorst `he died of h0rse ~~ Isn´t that #ironic 🤣😈´
@StreetnastyEntertainment
💯🙏💜🫡💫
@lizzysimner7715
This is a genius record
@anaisan009
miss him more😢
@leemcbride9273
It's 2021 and this song still resonates. Prince was a genius.
@johnleon2594
GEMINI GENIUS ♊🎹🎸🎶🎵🎼🎤💯♊
@terryjackson5727
Yep
@antonygray6672
Its sign of the Times man! Rock on 🤟