Beyond his distinctive image and musical talent, Prince is also known for having some pretty abstract lyrics in his songs. For the purposes of this list, let’s just assume not all of them are sexual innuendos. Here are 10 pretty bizarre lyrics, whose true meaning will only be found if Prince eventually donates his brain to science.
10. Song: “Dolphin”
Lyric: “If I came back as a dolphin/ Would you listen to me then?/ Would you let me be your friend?”
I think it’s fair to say Prince would have more friends if he were a dolphin. They are loveable creatures. It might be more difficult for this person to listen to him then, though, or at least be able to understand what he was talking about. Unless who he’s talking to is already a dolphin. Yeah, that’s gotta be it.
9. Song: “ManOWar”
Lyric: “U know I’m not a man of war/ Break the gold chain (Break the gold chain that I gave U)/Throw it down on the floor.”
Wait, which gold chain? Oh, the one from you. That makes sense, because before it wasn’t clear which one you were talking about. Glad we cleared that up.
8. Song: “The Sun The Moon And Stars”
Lyric: “Make a chippy wanna say: / ‘Whisper in the belly / 2 me rocking rose.’”
What does one do to make a chippy want to say that? And what does it all mean? For some reason, though, requesting a whisper makes this less weird than if the chippy said to yell. That would just be too awkward.
7. Song: “Kiss”
Lyric: “Act your age, not your shoe size.”
Classic diss. I’m sure most people know by now not to get in a rhetorical brawl with Prince. He really knows how to hit below the belt.
6. Song: “Raspberry Beret”
Lyric: “Overcast days never turned me on.”
The Pacific Northwest probably isn’t an ideal location for Prince. Considering how many of his songs are about being turned on, it’s probably fair to assume he mostly avoids clouds.
5. Song: “1999”
Lyric: “Mommy, why does everybody have a bomb?”
It’s a good question. Thankfully not everybody actually has a bomb, but for grandiose questions like this, it’s always good to go to your mom for answers.
4. Song: “Dig U better dead”
Lyric: “What started as an experiment / turned into a heaven-sent message that saved your ass from dyin’/ Somebody said”
That sounds like it was a close call. But, who said that? Sounds like they have an inside understanding about how and when this person could die, and that could be useful information in the future.
3. Song: “Endorphinmachine”
Lyric: “Perhaps U’d like 2 join us in a mission / of fishin’ 4 logic in a thing tank / unless, of course, u’re feelin’ like a punk and take the bank”
Not wanting to fish for logic with Prince pretty much does make you a punk, not that the think tank will produce anything more than nonsensical lyrics. But, it’s Prince.
2. Song: “Starfish and Coffee”
Lyric: “If U asked her what she had 4 breakfast, this is what she’d say / Starfish and coffee, maple syrup and jam / Butterscotch clouds and a tangerine, a side order of ham / If U set your mind free, baby, maybe U’d understand”
For some reason, this sounds pretty delicious. The side order of ham seems like the outlier when you consider the other magical breakfast options in Prince’s world.
1. Song: “Let’s Go Crazy”
Lyric: “Just look for the purple banana til they put us in the truck.”
That’s great advice. Keep your eyes peeled for the purple banana, cause they aren’t difficult to miss if you’re not careful. Pretty soon you’ll be in the truck, and the chances of seeing the banana then, well, they’re not good.