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.
Sometimes It Snows In April
Prince Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ah
Ah
Oh, oh
Do
Um da da, ah
Tracy died soon after a long fought civil war
Just after I'd wiped away his last tear
A whole lot better off than the fools he left here
I used to cry for Tracy 'cause he was my only friend
Those kind of cars don't pass you every day
I used to cry for Tracy 'cause I wanted to see him again
But sometimes, sometimes life ain't always the way
Sometimes it snows in April
Sometimes I feel so bad, so bad
Sometimes I wish life was never ending
And all good things, they say, never last
Springtime was always my favorite time of year
A time for lovers holding hands in the rain
Now springtime only reminds me of Tracy's tears
Always cry for love, never cry for pain
He used to say so strong, oh unafraid to die
Unafraid of the death that left me hypnotized
No, staring at his picture I realized
No one could cry the way my Tracy cried
Sometimes it snows in April
Sometimes I feel so bad
Sometimes, sometimes I wish that life was never ending
And all good things, they say, never last
I often dream of heaven and I know that Tracy's there
I know that he has found another friend
Maybe he's found the answer to all the April snow
Maybe one day I'll see my Tracy again
Sometimes it snows in April
Sometimes I feel so bad, so bad
Sometimes I wish that life was never ending
But all good things, they say, never last
All good things they say, never last
And love, it isn't love until it's past
The lyrics to "Sometimes It Snows in April" tell a poignant story of loss and nostalgia. The song begins with the singer mourning the death of someone named Tracy, who had recently passed away after "a long fought civil war." The singer had been close to Tracy, and had been there to comfort him until the very end. Although Tracy is now gone, the singer acknowledges that he is likely in a better place than the "fools" who are still living.
The song then delves into the singer's memories of time spent with Tracy, and the sense of loss that he feels now that Tracy is gone. The singer used to cry for Tracy because he missed his friend, and also because he himself was lonely without him. The mention of "those kind of cars" that don't come around every day implies that Tracy was someone special and rare. Despite the singer's sadness over Tracy's death, he knows that life isn't always fair or predictable. Sometimes, even in the springtime when new life is blooming all around, the weather can turn and it can start snowing unexpectedly.
The song's final verses find the singer dreaming of Tracy in heaven, where he hopes his friend has found peace and happiness. While the singer knows that life can be unpredictable and that even good things must eventually come to an end, he still longs for a world where love does not have to be fleeting and temporary.
In summary, "Sometimes It Snows in April" is a song that explores the pain of loss and the longing for a love that never fades away. It is a testament to the power of memory and the enduring bond between friends, even in the face of death.
Line by Line Meaning
Ah
Prince is letting out a heavy sigh
Ah
Another sigh from Prince
Ah
One more sigh from Prince
Oh, oh
Prince is expressing sadness
Do
A vocalization from Prince, serving as an interlude
Um da da, ah
Another interlude from Prince, using nonsense words to convey his emotions
Tracy died soon after a long fought civil war
Prince's friend, Tracy, died shortly after a long and difficult battle with something, which may be metaphorical or literal
Just after I'd wiped away his last tear
Prince comforted Tracy during his final moments and helped him to pass away peacefully
I guess he's better off than he was before
Prince believes that Tracy is now in a better place than he was before he died
A whole lot better off than the fools he left here
Prince thinks that the people still alive on earth are foolish compared to Tracy, and that he is better off in death
I used to cry for Tracy 'cause he was my only friend
Prince is mourning the loss of his only friend, Tracy
Those kind of cars don't pass you every day
Prince acknowledges that someone like Tracy doesn't come along often
I used to cry for Tracy 'cause I wanted to see him again
Prince is grieving for the chance to see Tracy again, now that he's gone
But sometimes, sometimes life ain't always the way
Prince accepts that life doesn't always happen the way we want or expect it to
Sometimes it snows in April
Prince uses the snow in April as a metaphor for unexpected and uncontrollable events
Sometimes I feel so bad, so bad
Prince is expressing his deep sorrow and pain
Sometimes I wish life was never ending
Prince wishes that life was never-ending, so that he would never have to experience loss and mourning
And all good things, they say, never last
Prince reflects on the fact that good things are often fleeting and temporary
Springtime was always my favorite time of year
Prince used to enjoy the springtime, which is often symbolic of new beginnings and hope
A time for lovers holding hands in the rain
Prince recalls how springtime is often romantic and brings people together
Now springtime only reminds me of Tracy's tears
Prince's association with springtime has changed since Tracy died, and now he feels sadness
Always cry for love, never cry for pain
Prince believes that it's better to cry for the loss of love than for the pain we experience in life
He used to say so strong, oh unafraid to die
Tracy was confident and brave, unafraid of death
Unafraid of the death that left me hypnotized
Prince was impacted by Tracy's death and felt unable to move on from it
No, staring at his picture I realized
Prince is looking at a picture of Tracy and reflecting on his life
No one could cry the way my Tracy cried
Prince remembers Tracy's tears and how much he cried before he passed away
I often dream of heaven and I know that Tracy's there
Prince dreams of heaven and believes that Tracy is there
I know that he has found another friend
Prince believes that Tracy has made new friends in heaven
Maybe he's found the answer to all the April snow
Prince speculates that Tracy has found the reason for the unexpected events that snow in April symbolizes
Maybe one day I'll see my Tracy again
Prince hopes to see Tracy again someday
All good things they say, never last
Prince reiterates the idea that good things don't last
And love, it isn't love until it's past
Prince believes that love is only fully appreciated in hindsight, once it's gone
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Prince Rogers Nelson, Lisa Coleman, Wendy Melvoin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind