In Remembrance: 13 Provocative Songs from Prince examines some of ‘The Purple One’s’ most risqué & sensual songs. 

“Do me baby, like you never done before / Give it to me till I just can’t take no more…” Yah, that’s sexy AF.  And, how about this: “Naked in a Cadillac, I’ll jack you off.” Hmm, probably not a good idea legally, but definitely freaky.  One more: “I wanna fuck you so bad it hurts, it hurts, it hurts /… I sincerely wanna fuck the taste out of your mouth / Can you relate?” Holy shit! Pardon my French, but Prince’s French is quite, um, provocative.

On April 21, 2016, the world lost a true musical genius – the iconic Prince Rogers Nelson, better known simply as Prince. As this list is being published, The Purple one has been deceased four years. He was the complete musician, playing multiple instruments, composing his own songs, and incorporating rock, pop, R&B, hip-hop, and jazz into his music.  In the 00s, despite maintaining his edge, The Purple One curbed the use of explicit language and the overt sexual nature of his music that characterized his music in his heyday – the 80s and 90s.  Here, on In Remembrance: 13 Provocative Songs from Prince, we examine some of his most risqué and sensual songs.  Some were hits, while others are rarer, overshadowed by more notable songs.

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1. “Head”

Dirty Mind • Warner • 1980

“I’ll give you head till you’re burning up / Head till you get enough / Head till your love is red / Head love you till you’re dead.” Oh boy… In the 00s, the late, great Prince was much tamer musically, particularly regarding sex, compared to his 80s (into the 90s) heyday where he was quite the provocateur.  While references to fellatio are much more rampant in contemporary music, particularly hip-hop and R&B, back in 1980 it was really pushing it.  Imagine how Dante Alighieri would’ve viewed the groovy, lustful “Head.”  In Dante’s eyes, would damnation to the second circle of hell be sufficient?

Funky and incredibly infectious, Prince’s dirty mind is fully realized on “Head,” one of my personal favorites if I’m being honest. Within the narrative, he meets a good, innocent girl, who is a virgin:

“You said ‘but I’m just a virgin and I’m
On my way to be wed
But you’re such a hunk
So full of spunk.’”

Of course, Prince corrupts her:

“I didn’t want you to be misled
But I’ve got to have you baby
I got to have you in my bed.”

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2. “Sexuality”

Controversy • Warner • 1981

According to The Purple One, “Sexuality is all you’ll ever need / Sexuality, let your body be free.”  Those are certainly liberating lyrics excerpted from the song “Sexuality,” the second song from his 1981 album, Controversy.  Continuing his liberating views, Prince asserts, “Reproduction of a new breed / Leaders, stand up, organize!” These lyrics are indeed provocative, particularly taken out of context, but does the sexually charged rock star have a bigger message?

The answer is yes, he does indeed have a bigger message, one that actually isn’t driven by sex itself. He uses the youth’s views (at the time) of sexuality as a means to show that the youth, the new generation, are a product of their environment and a lack of education.  If you don’t dig deeper, you could mistake sexuality as being about sex, where it’s much more transcendent.  Prince says it best, during the spoken interlude:

“We need a new breed, leaders stand up, organize
Don’t let your children watch television until they know how to read
Or else all they’ll know how to do is cuss, fight, and breed
No child is bad from the beginning
They only imitate their atmosphere.”

So, should “Sexuality” even appear on this provocative list?

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3. “Jack U Off”

Controversy • Warner • 1981

“If you’re looking for somewhere to go / Thought I’d take you to a movie show / Sitting in the back and I’ll jack you off.” Hmm, controversy indeed! Public sex acts are illegal AF, but Prince had other ideas. “Sexuality” is the tamer provocative song from Controversy. “Jack U Off,” the eighth and final cut from thee album, doesn’t have a transcendent message – it’s quite masturbatory to say the least.

Perhaps he’s not as filthy as musicians in the aughts and beyond, but “Jack U Off” is still risqué and certainly wouldn’t fly on radio even in 2020.

“Come on over to my neighborhood
We can jump in the sack and I’ll jack you off
If you’re tired of the masturbator
Little girl, we can go on a date
And if you like, I’ll jack you off.”

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4. “Little Red Corvette”

1999 • Warner • 1982

“I guess I must be dumb ‘cuz you had a pocket full of horses / Trojan and some of them used…” Hmm, Prince definitely knew the power of sexual innuendo… or just sex in general. Exhibit B: “I guess I should’ve closed my eyes when you drove me to the place / Where your horses run free / Cuz I felt a little ill when I saw all the pictures / Of the jockeys that were there before me.” The aforementioned lyrics confirm his knack for being suggestive without necessarily being explicit.  Sure, the lyrics from “Little Red Corvette” would never be welcomed in church or maybe even some extremely devout folks’ homes, but The Purple One has been more overt…

If it wasn’t crystal clear, “Little Red Corvette” isn’t really about a car! It’s all about sex, something that Prince put into song so, um, sexually.  Examining the aforementioned lyrics under a microscope, this woman who he plans to hook up with has been with plenty of guys.  Two of my favorite words are quite the source of suggestiveness: horses and jockeys.  Of course, I can’t mention “Little Red Corvette” without highlight the chorus, which is the centerpiece of the iconic record:

“And honey, I say, Little Red Corvette
Baby, you’re much too fast (Oh)
Little Red Corvette
You need a love that’s gonna last.”

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5. “Let’s Pretend We’re Married”

1999 • Warner • 1982 

“Little Red Corvette” certainly is “not that innocent,” #Britney Spears. That said, it’s not nearly as guilty as say, “Let’s Pretend We’re Married.”  Naturally, the song title glorifies premarital relations. Sure, you could make an argument (prior to hearing it) that The Purple One is focused mostly on the emotional connections of marriage before marriage, but then you hear and read the lyrics, and we know what Prince is getting at.  If only it stayed as innocent as “Excuse me, but I need a mouth like yours / To help me forget the girl that just walked out the door.” Even those lyrics are sketchy, considering two years prior, he did release a song entitled “Head”, sigh.

As to be expected, “Let’s Pretend We’re Married” focuses on fun in the bedroom. “There’s ain’t nothin’ wrong if it feels all right,” he sings on the chorus, adding, “I won’t stop until the morning light / Let’s pretend we’re married and go all night, tonight.” By ‘going all night,’ it’s clear that they are doing the deed.  And if for some reason it’s not, we bring in one of the lyrical excerpts I used to introduce this provocative playlist, in all it’s ‘fuckery’:

“I wanna fuck you so bad it hurts, it hurts, it hurts
… I sincerely wanna fuck the taste out of your mouth
Can you relate?”

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6. “Darling Nikki”

Purple Rain • Warner • 1984

“I knew a girl named Nikki / I guess you could say she was a sex fiend / I met her in a hotel lobby / Masturbating with a magazine…” Ah, its these are the lyrics from “Darling Nikki” that led to the creation of the Parental Advisoryon albums. Of course, if you’ve been following this provocative list prior to the Purple Rain track, you might characterize “Darling Nikki” as being tamer within the The Purple One’s discography, at least contextually.

Even with sex references running rampant in the 2020s, when masturbation is mentioned, it’s still a bit taboo, if markedly less than this scandalous reference from 1984.  Of course, while he masturbation reference is historically the biggest ‘offender’ on “Darling Nikki,” the record definitely should not be written off as innocent. Prince mentions grinding numerous times throughout the song.  Furthermore, with masturbation appearing in the first verse, and The Purple One being invited as a participant, it’s clear that sex is the next happening.  Not only is it vanilla sex, it kinky, judging by such lyrics as, “She had so many devices / Everything that money could buy.”  Of course, the results are something else, judging by this excerpt from the third verse:

“But my body will never be the same
Her loving will kick your behind
But she’ll sure enough
Show you how to grind.”

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7. “New Position”

Parade • Warner • 1986 

“Honey, we’ve got to make it better / Honey, before we go wrong / Got to try a new position, yeah / Something that’ll make it all right / New position, yeah, let’s go fishing in the river, the river of life.”  These ‘innocent’ lyrics hail from the brief “New Position,” which appears on The Purple One’s Parade – Music from the Motion Picture ‘Under the Cherry Moon.’  “New Position” isn’t the filthiest song that Prince has ever recorded, but there’s clearly a heaping dose of sexual innuendo.

Summing up “New Position,” basically, Prince and his girlfriend need to spice their sex life up. From the start, as the aforementioned lyrics showcase, improvement is on his mind.  On the second verse, he’s so concerned, he asserts, “Honey, we can’t last / … Without a shot of spunk / Honey forget your past / You’ve got to try my new funk.”  Yeah, Prince’s music is incredibly funky, but the man is talking about SEX here and it’s NOT debatable.

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8. “Adore”

Sign ‘o’ the Times • 1987

“When we be makin’ love / I only hear the sounds / Heavenly angles cryin’ up above / tears of joy pourin’ down on us…” “Adore” ranks among Prince’s best songs in my eyes. It definitely has an argument as the crown jewel of Sign ‘O’ the Times from 1987, even with the many hits that grace that album.  Something to note about “Adore” – it’s the sole song on Sign ‘o’ the Times that earns the ‘explicit’ tag. It’s probably due to the fact he drops the f-bomb on the second verse: “They know this is serious / I ain’t fuckin’ just for kicks.” Of course, it’s in a sexual context.

Otherwise, while “Adore” is sensual, it’s certainly classier than some of the records that grace this list.

“From the first moment I saw you
I knew you were the one
That night I had to call you
I was rappin’ ‘till the sun came up
Tellin’ you just how fine you look
In a word, you were sex
All of my cool attitude you took
My body was next…”

Yes, Prince is making love with an “angel.” Even so, there’s actually authenticity where an emotional connection with this woman is concerned.  In other words, he balances his inner freak with true, committed love transcendent of physicality.

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9. “Lovesexy”

Lovesexy • Warner •1988

“Anyone’s that ever touched it / They don’t want anything else (no they don’t) / And I got to tell the world / I just can’t keep it to myself.” Wonder what Prince is referring to here…  Well, if you had any doubts on “Lovesexy,” he gives us a pretty revealing hint: “You want me to write my name on your walls.”  Sounds like “Lovesexy” from Lovesexy (1988) definitely deserves a spot on this list.  One thing that’s interesting about the album itself is, it was released as one 45-minute-plus track, even though it’s comprised of a standard number of songs including the title track.  More interesting? The album cover… damn!

Let’s focus on “Lovesexy,” or at least, the lyrics referenced above. Focusing on the first set of lyrics shared, Prince is touting the power of his penis… Big dick energy? Anyways, as for those walls, he’s not talking about a room, but rather, sexual intercourse.  And the paint, well, it’s naturally produced… “Lovesexy” is underrated. Even so, it’s elaborately produced and shows Prince quite lustful to say the least.

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10. Prince & the New Power Generation, “Gett Off”

Ft. Eric Leeds

Diamonds and Pearls • 1991

“She said you told her a fantasy / That got her all wet / Something about a little box with a / Mirror and a tongue inside / What she told me then got me so hot / I knew that we could slide…”  Just reading those lyrics from “Gett Off” is pretty titillating to say the least.  “Gett Off” is quite characteristic of the New Jack Swing movement that dominated the 1990s in R&B music and is credited to Prince and the New Power Generation.  Notably, this risqué tune features Eric Leeds on the flute, a prominent sound on this record.

Despite being risqué, “Gett Off” was released as a single from Diamonds and Pearls.  Sure, Prince had been unapologetic leading up to Diamonds and Pearls, but examine the lyrics and they’re quite erotic, tinged with horniness. Furthermore, get off itself is slang for having an orgasm, so…

“Gett off – 23 positions in a one-night stand
Gett off – I’ll only call you after if you say I can
Gett off – Let a woman be a woman and a man be a man
Gett off – If you want to baby here I am (Here I am).”

While it’s clearly sexually charged, there also seems to be a bit deeper meaning with the line, “Let a woman be a woman and a man be a man.” There’s a number of colorful moments, whether it’s “I clocked the jizz from a friend.” or a personal favorite, ‘Now move your big ass ‘round this way / So I can work on that zipper, baby.”

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11. “Pheromone”

Come • Warner • 1994

“Her eyes are closed but there’s no penetration / He just makes her point the pistol to his nose / While he masturbates and now, I see a tear / Heading down towards her smile.” Oh boy… As we know from “Darling Nikki,” Prince is no stranger to referencing solo sex, sigh.  Once more, on the filthy “Pheromone” from one of his less noted, less popular albums, Come (it was still certified bold by the RIAA), he is freak AF.

As a whole, Come found Prince keeping sexuality in the forefront, hence a song like “Pheromone,” where The Purple One has been overtaken by the sexual scent of attraction. Clearly, the sex is saturated, something crystal clear in just about every section of the song.  The chorus, in particular, is quite, um, horny:

“Pheromone, rush over me like an ocean
Pheromone, controlling my every motion
Pheromone, I’m helpless as a pet
Pheromone, when your body’s wet.”

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12. “P Control”

The Gold Experience • 1995

“Pussy got bank in her pockets / Before she got dick in her drawers / If brother didn’t have good and plenty of his own / In love pussy never did fall…” Yeah, “P Control” ranks among the most provocative songs of the Prince discography, period.  Hailing from The Gold Experience from 1995, The Purple One – at the time, The Artist Formerly Known as Prince –tells a story where women control men’s brain.  Of course, the characters and references are all sexually explicit (“‘Cause I met this girl named Pussy / At the Club International Balls…”).

As filthy as it is, “P Control” is one badass song – definitely one of those underrated Prince gems. The sole rub? It overreaches as far as its explicitness.  Regardless, where creativity and artistry are concerned on this lascivious number, Prince’s falsetto on the chorus is untouchable.

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13. “Wonderful Ass”

Purple Rain Deluxe (Expanded Edition) • Warner • 2017

We conclude this provocative list of songs remembering Prince with a bonus cut.  It’s no secret what he refers to on “Wonderful Ass,” a cut appearing on the expanded edition of his iconic Purple Rain album – the BOOTY. Notably, at the time, the biggest ‘controversy’ of Purple Rain was undoubtedly a reference to masturbation in “Darlin Nikki”.  As mentioned, numerous times throughout this list, The Purple One has been far more explicit…

“Wonderful Ass” only furthers the Purple One’s penchant for sex back in the day. Notably, besides being so complimentary about booty, the expanded edition of Purple Rain features other provocative songs that you can check out for yourself:  “Velvet Kitty Cat”, “Electric Intercourse”,  and more explicitly, “We Can Fuck”. Hmm, I wonder what “We Can Fuck” is about?  Hehe…

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Photo Credits: Legacy, Warner

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