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.
The Line
Prince Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Can U tell me what I wanna hear?
Can U lay on me a good enough reason 2 cross the line?
Yeah, ho! {x2}
Can U be my lover and still be my friend? (Can U be my friend?)
Can U stick with me till the bitter end? (The bitter end)
Can U lay on me a good enough reason 2 cross the line?
CHORUS:
The line, line - it's a happy step 2 make
It takes time, time - all is what it takes
The line, line - and soon your life is so much better
The water's so much better on the other side (Cross the line)
Can U tolerate? Why am I not so free?
How I did the plan
Can U understand I'm a free man?
But will I stop the dam if I don't cross the line?
Yeah, ho! {x2}
Ow!
Hey
Cross the line sugar, cross the line {x2}
Cross the line
CHORUS
(Cross the line)
Cross the line sugar, cross the line {x3}
I want U 2 cross the line, hey! {sample used in "Acknowledge Me"}
Talk 2 me, say the things I wanna hear, oh!
Cross the line
Cross the line
Cross the line
Baby, baby, baby, can U make me cross the line?
Cross the line, sugar, cross the line
U know U got 2 cross the line!
(New dance) {repeat in BG}
People, people, I got a brand new dance {x2}
Ain't talkin' 'bout Housequake! No!
Ain't talkin' 'bout Shake 'N' Bake! No!
Ain't talkin' 'bout Rice-O-Roni! No!
I'm talkin' 'bout Macaroni? No!
Lord have mercy
Boni? (What?)
On the 2 (Yeah!)
What we gonna do? (Kangaroo!)
Say it! (Kangaroo!)
Come on
Boni? (What?)
On the 2 (Yeah!)
What U wanna do? (Kangaroo!)
Do the do (Do the do!)
Cross the line {repeat}
Baby, baby, baby, cross the line {repeat 2 fade}
Precious Lord, take my hand
Lead me on, help me stand
I try, I have need, I am whole
Through the door, through the shore
Precious Lord, I believe in your name
In the song "The Line," Prince is urging the listener to take a chance and cross the line into a new phase of their life, whether it's in love or otherwise. He poses several questions to his lover, asking if they can communicate with their bodies, if they can be friends and lovers, and whether they have a good reason to cross the line. Prince is essentially saying that it takes time and effort to make a big change, and it might take some risk-taking and vulnerability to get to the other side. He urges the listener to take that leap of faith and cross the line, promising that the water is much better on the other side.
The song has a catchy beat and groove to it, and the repetition of "cross the line" creates a sense of urgency and insistence in Prince's message. Additionally, the dance break towards the end of the song adds a fun and lighthearted touch.
Line by Line Meaning
Can U talk 2 me with your body, baby?
Can we communicate without words purely through our physical actions?
Can U tell me what I wanna hear?
Can you say what I want to hear and not just what you think I want to hear?
Can U lay on me a good enough reason 2 cross the line?
Can you provide me with a good enough justification to take a risk and go beyond my limits?
Can U be my lover and still be my friend? (Can U be my friend?)
Can we have a romantic relationship and still maintain the same level of friendship we had before?
Can U stick with me till the bitter end? (The bitter end)
Can you remain loyal to me and support me to the very end? Even when things get tough?
Can U tolerate? Why am I not so free?
Can you handle my behavior? Why do I feel restricted and not entirely free?
How I did the plan
How did I come up with the plan?
Can U understand I'm a free man?
Do you comprehend that I am an autonomous person who is capable of thinking and acting independently?
But will I stop the dam if I don't cross the line?
If I don't take a risk and try something different, will I be able to reach my goals?
The line, line - it's a happy step 2 make
The line, which represents taking a risk, is a positive move to take in life
It takes time, time - all is what it takes
Taking a risk requires time and patience to make it work
and soon your life is so much better
Once you take a risk and cross the line, your life will improve significantly
The water's so much better on the other side (Cross the line)
The result of taking a risk is worth it because there are benefits on the other side
Cross the line sugar, cross the line {x2}
Take a risk, my love, and cross the line
I want U 2 cross the line, hey!
I desire for you to take a risk and cross the line
Talk 2 me, say the things I wanna hear, oh!
Communicate with me by saying what I want to hear
I'm talkin' 'bout Macaroni? No!
I'm not discussing macaroni dancing
Cross the line {repeat}
Take a risk and cross the line
Precious Lord, take my hand
Lead me on, help me stand
I try, I have need, I am whole
Through the door, through the shore
Precious Lord, I believe in your name
A prayer to God asking for guidance, strength, and faith in taking risks and crossing the line
Contributed by Bailey P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@kjs9756
There is a better unreleased more "unfinished" version of this track that is faster paced with more "cheering type" background vocals and it includes spoken word by Prince in the middle..
The spoken word by Prince is:
Cross the line, go 2 school, get a job
U can rule while I'm tendin' the garden,
I would tend ur flowers, our children will be
the fine words we speak (funk me)
would taste so beautiful and smell so sweet
I'll lick ur body from ur head 2 ur feet (say the things I want to hear)
U can be my dame and I'll b ur Sheik
And ur legs, ur lover, ur slave, the way u b
The reason u keep him ur tongue, ur kind, u love it
Suck your man to understand
Then a vocal by Prince and background vocals:
I love u cuz God gave u 2 me so 4 ever I will b ur fantasy
4 ever I will be ur fantasy
Spoken word by Prince:
I know u r there, can u feel me?
Cross the line (ooh honey)
Cross the line
Toward the end of the song, after the "brand new dance verses" there is another really great solo vocal from Boni:
Precious Lord, take my hand
Lead me on, help me stand
I'm tired, I am weak, I am worn
Thru the door, thru the storm
Precious Lord, lead me on
Then it ends with Sheila's great solo on the percussion and congas.
@StarrdigitalProductions
First time for me hearing this. Nothing on the radio these days is even half as good as this.
@christophertracy7272
U mean 10%!!! I eat breakfast at a diner and they play WPLJ and they always play today's horrible pop. Prince's worst song sounds way better than any they play.
@jimmybonez8928
RIP Bonnie Boyer. She was a true talent.
@pappagetti
That 'Prince' dude wasn't too shabby either.
@aaliyahkeliso_
𝑅𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡. 𝐼 𝑙𝑜𝑣𝑒 ℎ𝑒𝑟
@willbateman156
Anyone here after disclosure stream?
@mrkp7400
Hell yeah.That was very interesting
@damo5791
Such a good stream last night. I liked Disclosure before, but I've got so much more respect for them now. Guy is insanely good at producing and comes across really well, level headed, intelligent and explains things really well.
@damo5791
I hope other artists take note and begin to do similar.
@jaydabliu
Oh yea... Had to find this tune ASAP..Hahaha