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 Work
Prince Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It’s nice to meet you
My name Prince and it was just the end for me
Well in a good way
It’s the end for a new beginning (Yeah)
He working hard while loved ones floating like a air balloon
They trynna bring him down in this corrupted place he Rome
She feels abandoned by his actions, she won’t say but he knows
He letting everything go
(Yeah)
He done let everything go
(Uh)
He letting everything, he letting everything go
He letting everything go
(Yeah)
His life was a disaster until he took the lead like no more working for a pastor (Yeah)
You living life I’m living life but life is faster now
Don’t with these mind games he started another chapter
Now she like Prince Mark I want your energy
If I give you my heart, please don’t get rid of me
I got broken heart tatted where my heart should be
It’s gone be worth a wait the love is genuinely
She’s a force that pulls and won’t let go just like a magnet
Desire in you baby come close, get attracted
Attempting to get my attention this could be lasting
But there’s something you should know
(Yeah)
He working hard while loved ones floating like a air balloon
They trynna bring him down in this corrupted place he Rome
She feels abandoned by his actions, she won’t say but he knows
Fighting many obstacles he wanna let everything go
(Laughter)
He letting everything go
(Yeah)
He done let everything go
(Uh)
He letting everything, he letting everything go
He letting everything go
(Yeah)
The lyrics of Prince's song "The Work" are about perseverance and determination in the face of obstacles. Prince presents himself as the singer of the song, greeting the listener and introducing himself. He declares that his end is just the beginning of something new, indicating that he has made a significant change in his life and is ready to move forward in a positive direction.
Prince describes the struggles he faces, with loved ones drifting away from him like air balloons, and corrupt forces in the world trying to bring him down. He implies that he has made mistakes that have hurt the people close to him, but he is committed to forging ahead despite the difficulties. Prince states that he has let everything go, indicating that he has let go of the negative influences that have held him back in the past. The chorus of the song repeats this message, emphasizing the significance of this moment in Prince's life.
The second half of the song shifts from Prince's perspective to that of a woman who is drawn to his energy and wants him to be a part of her life. She is willing to take a chance on him, despite his past mistakes and broken heart. Prince encourages her to come closer, but he also acknowledges that there is something she needs to know. The song ends with another repetition of the chorus, emphasizing the theme of letting go and moving forward.
Line by Line Meaning
Hello?
Prince is opening up the song with a simple greeting.
It’s nice to meet you
Prince is pleased to be introducing himself to the listener.
My name Prince and it was just the end for me
Prince has reinvented himself by leaving behind his old persona.
Well in a good way
It’s the end for a new beginning (Yeah)
Prince has changed his life for the better and is excited for the new opportunities.
He working hard while loved ones floating like a air balloon
Prince is working hard to achieve his goals while his loved ones are not.
They trynna bring him down in this corrupted place he Rome
Prince has faced a lot of obstacles in his life which are trying to stop him from succeeding.
She feels abandoned by his actions, she won’t say but he knows
Prince's actions have made the person he loves feel abandoned and ignored but he understands her feelings.
Fighting many obstacles he wanna let everything go
He letting everything go
(Yeah)
He done let everything go
(Uh)
He letting everything, he letting everything go
He letting everything go
(Yeah)
Prince is tempted to give up and let everything go but he is still trying to fight through the obstacles and succeed.
His life was a disaster until he took the lead like no more working for a pastor (Yeah)
Prince has taken charge of his life and is not letting anyone else dictate his choices.
You living life I’m living life but life is faster now
Prince believes that life is fast-paced and everyone should be living their best life.
Don’t with these mind games he started another chapter
Prince is done with games and is moving on to a new phase in his life.
Now she like Prince Mark I want your energy
Someone admires Prince and wants to be just like him.
If I give you my heart, please don’t get rid of me
Someone is willing to open up to Prince and give him their heart but they fear being hurt in return.
I got broken heart tatted where my heart should be
It’s gone be worth a wait the love is genuinely
Someone has been hurt in the past but is still willing to wait for love that is genuine.
She’s a force that pulls and won’t let go just like a magnet
Desire in you baby come close, get attracted
Someone is attracted to Prince and won't let go, just like a magnet.
Attempting to get my attention this could be lasting
Someone is trying to get Prince's attention and hopes to start a lasting relationship.
He letting everything go
(Laughter)
He letting everything go
(Yeah)
He done let everything go
(Uh)
He letting everything, he letting everything go
He letting everything go
(Yeah)
Prince is still struggling to let everything go but he is trying his best to move on and succeed.
Lyrics © DistroKid
Written by: Prince Drake
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind