Released: November 19, 1996

Songwriter: Prince

Producer: Prince

[Verse 1]
If I ever held a hand
It was only because I'd never held your hand
That was part of the plan
I had to get it right if I was to be your man
And if I ever kissed your lips
I needed time to cross the others off my list
(Off my list)
A higher high to the trip
(Trip)
I wanted you to go, that was my wish
Yes it was
(Ooh my)

[Chorus]
Friend, lover, sister, mother, wife
Air, food, water, love of my life

[Verse 2]
If I ever shared a bed
It was only because I wanted to live up to what the people said, oh yes
(What they say, what they say?)
Now I'm living instead
Everyday just to say you're the only one who's in my head
(The only one)
Oh yes you are
And if I ever made you cry
All I have to do is think about it and I just want to die
(I just want to die)
(I just want to break down and die, die, die, die)
How I'd ever make it by
(I don't know)
Without you, baby
(Without you, baby)
I don't know (No!)
I hope I never have to try, yeah
(Please don't ever leave me)
Oh, listen to me

[Chorus]
Friend, lover, sister, mother, wife
My sweet, sweet wife
Air, food, water, love of my life

[Instrumental Break]

[Bridge]
The eyes of my child I see every time you look at me
(I see a sweet baby smile)
A sweet baby smile like a light that shines for all to see

[Verse 1]
If I ever held a hand
It was only because I'd never held yours
That was part, part of the plan
I had to get it right if I was to be your man

[Chorus]
Friend, lover, sister, mother, wife
Air, food, water, love of my life
Friend, lover, sister, mother, wife
Air, food, water, love of my life
Teacher (teacher), healer (healer), feeler (feeler), sight for sore eyes
(Let me look at your eyes, you're so pretty)
Oh, yes you are, baby
(Ooh my)
Don't you know you're my friend, my lover, my sister, love of my life
(Mother, wife)
Yeah, baby, yes you are
(I'll stay with you forever)
(I'll stay with you forever)
Till death do us part, baby
(Yes sir!)
Air (te amo), food (te amo), water (te amo), love (love of my life)
You are the only, only love of my life
My friend, lover, sister, mother, wife

Prince

An American singer-songwriter, musician, multi-instrumentalist, and actor that produced 22 RIAA-platinum albums during his 40-year career, Prince may be known for one of many different things – his turn as “The Kid” in the iconic film/album/8 ½ minute ballad “Purple Rain”, being the writer behind the acclaimed anthem “Kiss,” rivaling Michael Jackson at the pinnacle of his career, being the inspiration behind censorship laws, or being the artist addressed as an unpronounceable symbol throughout the 1990s—but while many know of Prince, most don’t fully understand the impact his legacy left on this world.

Going by many aliases throughout his life, Prince Rogers Nelson was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota on June 7, 1958 with his father’s (John L. Nelson) stage name as his own given one. Growing up, Prince suffered from serious epileptic seizures at a very young age, but he had wrote his first composition of many by age seven, and outside of his love for basketball, he wanted music to be his purpose in life. His tumultuous childhood, witnessing alcoholism and abuse, caused him to find refuge in neighbor André Cymone’s home in his teens, where the two competed in local band competitions, leading to Prince’s introduction to Morris Day alongside music with his cousin’s band 94 East, leading him to be courted by record labels and ultimately signed to Warner Bros. Records with complete creative control; at 19, his debut album, For You (1978) was released – Prince played all 19 instruments on the record.

Influenced by the likes of Miles Davis, Rick James, and James Brown, Prince desired to form a music dynasty and after the success of his next albums – the platinum-selling Prince (1979), the sexually-charged Dirty Mind (1980), and politically-motivated Controversy (1981) – he negotiated for the ability to form his own label and manage artists of his own. Prince’s trademark sexual/religious rhetoric within pop-and-dance, funk-rock sound gained him a following, but his opening slates for Rick James and The Rolling Stones were both negatively received and facing bankruptcy, the young artist began to reach for mainstream popularity. Cashing on the drug-influenced doomsday mania of the times, 1982’s 1999 easily achieved that mainstream appeal, landing him on MTV, music charts, and radio stations across the world.