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.
What Do U Want Me 2 Do?
Prince Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Could it be the way I play guitar?
Master of the soft, not to loud
One day, maybe I will be a star
I see you picked me out like you want something
But shame on you, baby, can't you see this ring?
[Chorus]
What do you want me to do, babe?
What do you want me to do, girl?
What do you want me to do, babe?
I got a woman, you got a man
So we got to do what's right
I said you'd get beheaded in other lands
If I were in your arms tonight
Quit tryin' to get me under that icy plunder
Boy, oh boy, what a scare, oh
[Chorus]
You picked me out of the crowd
And ooh, just so bold and so proud
And dressed like you want everybody to just say, "Wow!
Didn't her mama teach her better?"
Ow, dressed like that, somebody gon' get her
I see you picked me from the crowd
Could it be the way I play guitar?
Master of the soft, not to loud
I don't ever really wanna be where you are, where you are, no
What do you want me to do, girl?
Tell me, what do you want me to do, babe?
What do you want me to do, girl?
Tell me, tell me, what do you want me to do, babe?
I ain't tryin' to do that
What do you want me to do, girl?
The song "What Do U Want Me 2 Do" by Prince is about a woman who is actively pursuing him despite the fact that he is married. He questions her motives and wonders what she wants him to do. He recognizes that he is popular because of his skill with the guitar, and believes that the woman has singled him out because of it. However, he reminds her that he is already taken, and implies that her flirting could lead to danger if they were in a different country. Despite her advances, he insists that he does not want to be with her and won't abandon his wife.
The tone of the song is playful and light, with a hint of sarcasm. Prince is not angry at the woman, but rather amused by her persistence. The lyrics are cleverly written, with lots of wordplay and rhyming, creating a catchy rhythm. The chorus repeats the question "What do you want me to do, girl?" several times, indicating that he is sincerely confused about her intentions. Through the lyrics, Prince demonstrates his mastery of music and language, making the song an enjoyable listening experience.
Line by Line Meaning
I see you picked me out from the crowd
You singled me out among many people
Could it be the way I play guitar?
Perhaps you're attracted to my musical skills
Master of the soft, not too loud
I have a talent for playing soft and mellow music
One day, maybe I will be a star
I aspire to be a famous musician one day
I see you picked me out like you want something
You seem to have an ulterior motive behind picking me out
But shame on you, baby, can't you see this ring?
You should be ashamed of yourself for trying to hit on me when I'm already taken
What do you want me to do, girl?
What exactly do you want from me?
I got a woman, you got a man
We're both committed to other people
So we got to do what's right
We should behave ethically and avoid doing something we'll regret
I said you'd get beheaded in other lands
If we were in other cultures, our actions could have serious consequences
If I were in your arms tonight
If we were together tonight, things could get messy
Quit tryin' to get me under that icy plunder
Stop trying to seduce me with your cold and calculating tactics
Boy, oh boy, what a scare, oh
I'm frightened by your advances
And ooh, just so bold and so proud
You're very confident and assertive
And dressed like you want everybody to just say, "Wow!
Your outfit is designed to gain attention and admiration
Didn't her mama teach her better?
You should have been taught better than to behave this way
I don't ever really wanna be where you are, where you are, no
I don't want to be anywhere near you or your advances
Tell me, what do you want me to do, babe?
I'm asking you to be clear about what you want from me
I ain't tryin' to do that
I'm not going to indulge your inappropriate behavior
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: PRINCE ROGERS NELSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind