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 Sinรฉad 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)
NยทEยทWยทS (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.
Signothetimes
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
"Sign o' the times" by Prince is a song that reflects the societal issues of the late 1980s. It begins with the story of a skinny man who died of AIDS and his girlfriend who also died from a heroin overdose. Next, the lyrics talk about street gangs taking drugs and using guns for fun. The following verse talks about Hurricane Annie killing everyone in a church and how every news story tells the story of someone's death. The song goes on to talk about failed social policies and the space race. The last verse talks about the human desire to keep flying even when tragedy strikes, and it ends with the idea that the times are changing and we need to move fast to keep up.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh yeah!
Opening exclamation expressing urgency and passion
In France, a skinny man died of a big disease with a little name
A man dies of a disease that's easily overlooked in a world quickly consumed by major headlines and events
By chance his girlfriend came across a needle and soon she did the same
The spread of drug abuse and addiction happens through intimate relationships and events that seem coincidental
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
Teenagers living in impoverished areas turn to gangs and drug use to alleviate boredom and escape circumstances they can't control
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
Natural disasters and poverty contrast with the progress and success of space exploration and innovation, creating a sense of confusion and despair
In September, my cousin tried reefer for the very first time
Now he's doing horse - it's June, unh
The progression from marijuana to heroin highlights the addictive nature of hard drugs and how easily users can become ensnared
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?
The paradox of humanity's desire for innovation and adventure with its darker impulses toward violence and death raises existential questions
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?
The superficiality of media and entertainment distract people from the possibility of war and destruction, leading to a sense of vulnerability and uncertainty
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?
Revisiting the theme of humanity's paradox, questioning whether the desire for life and happiness is inextricably linked to death and suffering
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
Reflecting on the confusion, fear, and anxiety created by the events of the times, Prince advocates for love, connection, and the hope of new life
Time
Recurring emphasis on the fleeting nature of time and the transience of human existence
Times
Repetition of 'time(s)' underscores the theme of mortality and the relentless passing of moments and events
Lyrics ยฉ 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! ๐โค๏ธ๐๐๐๏ธ4/21/2023
@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 ~~ Isnยดt that #ironic ๐คฃ๐ยด
@StreetnastyEntertainment
๐ฏ๐๐๐ซก๐ซ
@lizzysimner7715
This is a genius record
@anaisan009
miss him more๐ข
@leemcbride9273
It's 2021 and this song still resonates. Prince was a genius.
@johnleon2594
GEMINI GENIUS โ๐น๐ธ๐ถ๐ต๐ผ๐ค๐ฏโ
@terryjackson5727
Yep
@antonygray6672
Its sign of the Times man! Rock on ๐ค