Released: June 26, 1989
Songwriter: Prince
Producer: Prince
[Chorus]
Yo mister, how's your daughter?
You really ought to know
For every thing you taught her
Don't matter when she's all alone
[Verse 1]
My crazy friend named Cara
After all of us told her "No"
S-s-she did another speed ball
Now, she's going nowhere slow
Her papa caught her for the first time
And put her out on the street
Cara told me to remind him
That she was only seventeen
[Chorus]
Yo, mister, how's your daughter?
You really ought to know
How's your girl?
Every thing you taught her
It don't matter when she's all alone
How's your girl?
[Verse 2]
Cara got hooked up with the wrong kids
Then s-s-she started skipping school
Then Cara got high to make disappear
A world full of fools
In her eyes
Her father was the biggest fool of them all
When she was speeding
That's what she'd say
Maybe, maybe
Maybe she wouldn't talk so stupid
If she knew how much she needed this fool today
[Chorus]
Yo, mister how's your daughter?
You really ought to know
How's your girl?
For everything you taught her
Don't matter when she's all alone
[Post-Chorus]
She needs you right now, mister
Cause she ain't got long to live
It's so easy to say I love you
But it's harder to forgive
[Verse 3]
Her father cried
When I told him that Cara twice got knocked up
He said, "Just like her mama, uh-huh
She shows her body
When she wants to show love
She tried that stuff with me
But I beat her down
There's no way I could let her stay
Couldn't let her stick around
Cause I tried so hard to raise her right"
He said, "What made her turn out this way?"
I don't know
What made her turn out this way
I don't know
I don't know
And I said and I said and I said
[Chorus]
Yo, mister
How's your daughter?
You really ought to know
Everything
Everything you taught her
Don't matter when she's all alone
[Post-Chorus]
But she needs you right now, mister
She ain't got long to live
It's easy to say I love you
But it's harder to forgive
How's your daughter tonight?
[Outro]
Yo, mister
How's your daughter?
How's your daughter tonight?
Yo, mister
How's your daughter?
How's your daughter tonight?
Yo, mister
How's your daughter?
How's your daughter tonight?
Yo, mister
How's your daughter?
How's your daughter tonight?
Yo mister, how's your daughter?
You really ought to know
For every thing you taught her
Don't matter when she's all alone
[Verse 1]
My crazy friend named Cara
After all of us told her "No"
S-s-she did another speed ball
Now, she's going nowhere slow
Her papa caught her for the first time
And put her out on the street
Cara told me to remind him
That she was only seventeen
[Chorus]
Yo, mister, how's your daughter?
You really ought to know
How's your girl?
Every thing you taught her
It don't matter when she's all alone
How's your girl?
[Verse 2]
Cara got hooked up with the wrong kids
Then s-s-she started skipping school
Then Cara got high to make disappear
A world full of fools
In her eyes
Her father was the biggest fool of them all
When she was speeding
That's what she'd say
Maybe, maybe
Maybe she wouldn't talk so stupid
If she knew how much she needed this fool today
[Chorus]
Yo, mister how's your daughter?
You really ought to know
How's your girl?
For everything you taught her
Don't matter when she's all alone
[Post-Chorus]
She needs you right now, mister
Cause she ain't got long to live
It's so easy to say I love you
But it's harder to forgive
[Verse 3]
Her father cried
When I told him that Cara twice got knocked up
He said, "Just like her mama, uh-huh
She shows her body
When she wants to show love
She tried that stuff with me
But I beat her down
There's no way I could let her stay
Couldn't let her stick around
Cause I tried so hard to raise her right"
He said, "What made her turn out this way?"
I don't know
What made her turn out this way
I don't know
I don't know
And I said and I said and I said
[Chorus]
Yo, mister
How's your daughter?
You really ought to know
Everything
Everything you taught her
Don't matter when she's all alone
[Post-Chorus]
But she needs you right now, mister
She ain't got long to live
It's easy to say I love you
But it's harder to forgive
How's your daughter tonight?
[Outro]
Yo, mister
How's your daughter?
How's your daughter tonight?
Yo, mister
How's your daughter?
How's your daughter tonight?
Yo, mister
How's your daughter?
How's your daughter tonight?
Yo, mister
How's your daughter?
How's your daughter tonight?
- Be Yourself (1989)
- You Are My Friend
- Got to Be Real (live)
- Ain’t No Way
- Love Ballad
- I Hear Your Voice
- Sometimes Love
- Joy to Have Your Love
- My Love, Sweet Love
- I Keep Forgetting
- Yo Mister
- Not Right but Real
- Love Don’t Live Here Anymore
- Unpredictable
- Silly
- Love 89
- Every Year, Every Christmas
- Most Likely You Go Your Way (And I’ll Go Mine)
- I’m Scared of You
- Your Song
- Still In Love
- Dan Swit Me