The Real Meaning Behind Prince's 'Kiss'

Publish date: 2024-05-05

"Kiss" may have bounced between Prince and Mazarati before being recorded by the Minneapolis native, but the beat and message are unmistakably the Purple One's. "Prince basically told women to forget everything Cosmo — and society in general — had been telling them about what how to attract a man and just be who we are," per USA Today.

"You don't have to be rich to be my girl / You don't have to be cool to rule my world," Prince sings in the chorus (via Genius). "Ain't no particular sign I'm more compatible with / I just want your extra time and your kiss." As "one of the few tracks that existed before the time of where women started calling out media and music for their sexist and rigid expectations," Story of Song noted that Prince's "message to all women" made him "culturally and politically ahead of his time."

Ranked at No. 464 on Rolling Stone's "500 Greatest Songs of All Time" list, "Kiss" is an undeniable highlight on Prince's Parade album. And by the way, when "Kiss" was number one on the U.S. music charts, The Bangles' "Manic Monday" was number two. That song? Also written by Prince. He originally wrote it in 1984 for Apollonia 6's album, but reportedly took it back from them (sound familiar?). Two years later, he offered it to The Bangles under the name "Christopher," after his Under the Cherry Moon character, per Story Of Song.

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