Prince, I Wanna Be Your Lover | Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶

In the 125^th edition of Throwback Vibez (2023), we recollect and reflect on “I Wanna Be Your Lover” by Prince.

“And I need your love, babe, yeah / That’s all I’m living for, yeah.” WOO! The vibes, the vibes, those Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶! Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 is a column that celebrates awesome songs from the past.  The records that grace this column are older, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re ancient – no fossils 🦴! All genres of music are welcome. In the 125^th edition of Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 (2023), we recollect and reflect on 🎵 “I Wanna Be Your Lover”, performed by 🎙 Prince. 

“I wanna be your lover / I wanna be the only one that makes you come running.” After failing to find commercial success with his 1978 debut album, 💿 For You, iconic musician extraordinaire 🎙 Prince (Prince Rogers Nelson) needed a hit. With 🎵 “I Wanna Be Your Lover”, The Purple One attained the first top-40 hit of his career. Surprisingly, looking back, “I Wanna Be Your Lover” was NOT one his 19 top 10 hits 🤯.  The highlight from 💿 Prince reached its peak on the pop charts in 1980, settling for no. 11 on the Billboard Hot 100.  A very good showing, of course. That said,  the beloved classic performed better on the R&B charts, spending two weeks at no. 1.

Why did “I Wanna Be Your Lover” become that breakthrough record for Prince? It truly showcases his abilities as an artist – incredible musicianship.  Vocally, he sounds magnificent, wowing with a falsetto for the ages.  Instrumentally, the soul factor is full force with an infectious groove where the rhythm section is ‘in the pocket.’ Melodically, the lines Prince sings are memorable, checking off the tuneful box we love for pop music to have.  The songwriting is infectious too. Basically, The Purple One is infatuated, so much so that he asserts in verse two, “I wanna be your brother / I wanna be your mother and your sister too.” Woo – he wants to be her all and everything! The loved is pronounced on 🎵 “I Wanna Be Your Lover” and we wouldn’t have it any other way.  Adding to the allure is the instrumental outro with Prince is in no rush to close things out.  He lets it ride out 💪.

🎙 Prince • 💿 Prince • 🏷 NPG / Legacy Recordings • 🗓 1979

Prince, I Wanna Be Your Lover: Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 No. 125 (2023) [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; NPG / Legacy Recordings; John Alan Sperry, PIRO via Pixabay]