The band went nameless for almost three years while supporting Prince live and appearing in his music videos. Chapman and Cymone left in the early 1980's and were replaced by Lisa Coleman on keyboards and Brownmark on bass. The first album on which The Revolution performed was the 1982 Prince release, 1999, which has the band's moniker written in reverse on the back cover.
When the 1999 Tour ended in 1983, Dez Dickerson left the band for religious reasons and was replaced by Lisa's childhood friend and soon-to-be lover Wendy Melvoin on guitar. The first album officially released as Prince & The Revolution was Purple Rain in 1984, which sold over 16 million copies in the United States alone.
The band's sound incorporated heavy metal, pop, funk, R&B and hard rock elements. Wendy Melvoin & Lisa Coleman formed a particular creative bond with Prince and greatly influenced the band's output during the rest of their tenure. The band achieved two number-one Billboard 200 albums (Purple Rain & Around The World In A Day), six top ten singles on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and won three Grammy Awards.
In 1985, members of the soon-to-be-defunct group The Family (which, in turn, included former members of another group, The Time) joined The Revolution, along with people from Sheila E.'s band. This included the addition of three dancers/vocalists/comic foils (known as The Bodyguards).
The last lineup of Prince & the Revolution was informally known as the Counter-Revolution and consisted of:
- Jerome Benton (The Bodyguards)
- Atlanta Bliss (trumpet)
- Greg Brooks (The Bodyguards)
- Lisa Coleman (keyboards, piano and vocals)
- Doctor Fink (keyboards and vocals)
- Eric Leeds (saxophone)
- Brown Mark (bass guitar and vocals)
- Susannah Melvoin (backing vocals)
- Wendy Melvoin (guitar and vocals)
- Prince (lead vocals, guitar, and piano)
- Wally Safford (The Bodyguards)
- Miko Weaver (guitar)
- Bobby Z. (drums)
The Revolution was officially disbanded by Prince in 1986 after the Hit N Run tour, which supported Parade, the soundtrack for the movie Under the Cherry Moon. Melvoin and Coleman went on to a successful career as Wendy & Lisa.
Temptation
Prince & The Revolution Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Temptation
Lust
Pop go mama
Everybody on this earth has got a vice
And mine, little darlin', mine is the opposite of ice
Mine is the running hot water of the daughter of morality
Baby, baby, baby
I'm guilty in the first degree
Temptation
Working my body with a hot flash of animal lust
Temptation
All my fingers in the pool go splash we must
Everybody in this room
Everybody in this room has got an urge
What's yours, baby?
Mine is temptation, it reigns at a party where lovers splurge
Pop go mama when daddy gets a little to much
You know what I'm talkin' 'bout?
Purple electricity whenever our bodies touch
Ooh baby, I love it when our bodies touch
Temptation
Working my body with a hot flash of animal lust
Temptation
All my fingers in the pool go splash we must
Temptation, temptation, temptation
Wait a minute now
Temptation
Working my body with a hot flash of animal lust
Temptation
All my fingers in the pool go splash we must
Temptation
Working my body, working my body, working my body
Temptation
I'm not talkin' about just ordinary temptation, people
I'm talking about the kind of temptation that'll make you do things
Oh, oh, temptation
Oh, darling, I can almost taste the wetness between your
Temptation, temptation
I'm not talking about any ol' kind of temptation, people, I'm talkin'
About, I'm talkin' about, sexual temptation
A lover
I need a lover, a lover, I need a, right now
You, I want you
I want you in the worst way
I want you
Oh, silly man, that's not how it works
You have to want her for the right reasons
I do!
"You don't, now die"
No, no
Let me go, let me go
I'm sorry
I'll be good
This time I promise
Love is more important than sex
Now I understand
I have to go now
I don't know when I'll return
Goodbye
In Prince & The Revolution's "Temptation," the singer confesses his lustful desires towards a woman. He admits that he often thinks provocatively about this woman and he feels guilty about the intensity of his thoughts, describing his feelings as 'running hot water of the daughter of morality', possibly referring to the struggle between morality and sensuality. As the song progresses, it becomes more erotic in nature and the singer admits to the irresistible temptation of physical pleasure. He is caught up in the excitement of the moment and admits that his actions are driven by pure animal lust. The singer later admits that he understands the difference between love and lust and that love is more important. The song can be interpreted as a commentary on the pull of sexuality and how it can be hard to resist, even when we know our desires may be morally wrong.
Line by Line Meaning
Sex
The act of physical intimacy
Temptation
The desire to engage in sexual activity
Lust
A strong longing, sexual desire
Pop go mama
Expression to convey an overstimulated state of excitement
Everybody on this earth has got a vice
All individuals have their weaknesses and shortcomings.
And mine, little darlin', mine is the opposite of ice
Prince's weakness is not being cold, rather he is hot and passionate about his desire for sexual pleasure.
Mine is the running hot water of the daughter of morality
His desire for morality is strong, but he can not resist the heated temptation of sex.
In other words, this little prince thinks a lot about you, see?
Paraphrased: Prince is deeply consumed by temptation and lustful thoughts for a specific individual
Baby, baby, baby
I'm guilty in the first degree
Prince acknowledges his wrongdoing and confesses his guilt and temptation.
Everybody in this room
Everybody in this room has got an urge
What's yours, baby?
Prince views sexual temptation as a shared earthly desire that everyone experiences.
Mine is temptation, it reigns at a party where lovers splurge
Prince's temptation takes over at parties full of passionate lovers.
Pop go mama when daddy gets a little to much
You know what I'm talkin' 'bout?
Prince declares his sexual desires and need for pleasure as a trigger that turns him on (pop goes his excitement)
Purple electricity whenever our bodies touch
Ooh baby, I love it when our bodies touch
Prince describes a sensation of electric energy that occurs when enjoying intimate moments with a partner.
Temptation,
Working my body with a hot flash of animal lust
Temptation,
All my fingers in the pool go splash we must
Prince's lustful and sexual temptations control his body and need for pleasure.
Temptation, temptation, temptation
Wait a minute now
Prince struggles to restrain his desires and speaks to himself in an attempt to resist temptation.
I'm not talkin' about just ordinary temptation, people
I'm talking about the kind of temptation that'll make you do things
Oh, oh, temptation
Prince emphasizes that his desires are so strong; they can cause him to do anything required to fulfill them.
Oh, darling, I can almost taste the wetness between your
Temptation, temptation
Prince's sexual desire toward his partner is intense, and he can feel their arousal through anticipation.
I'm not talking about any ol' kind of temptation, people, I'm talkin'
About, I'm talkin' about, sexual temptation
Prince stresses that his temptation is specifically related to sexual desires instead of general hopes and wishes.
A lover
I need a lover, a lover, I need a, right now
You, I want you
I want you in the worst way
I want you
Prince taunts and teases with his desires for sexual intimacy with his romantic partner.
Oh, silly man, that's not how it works
You have to want her for the right reasons
I do!
"You don't, now die"
No, no
Prince is confronted by the angel, who tells him that he is not truly motivated by love, but by lust. However, Prince tries to convince himself and others that his desires are grounded in love.
I'm sorry
I'll be good
This time I promise
Love is more important than sex
Now I understand
I have to go now
I don't know when I'll return
Goodbye
Prince comes to a realization that love is more important than sex, he apologies, promises to improve his behavior, and departs without assurance of return.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Prince Rogers Nelson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind