On Episode 65 of the Press Rewind – Prince Lyrics Podcast, I am once again joined by Julian Long to help me parse through the at times whimsical & cheerful and other times dark & melancholy, but always fascinating, “Paisley Park.” The titular record label and studio/home/concert venue that Prince would soon have built for himself in Chanhassen, MN, was named after a song from Prince’s 7th studio album, Around the World In a Day. Come to the park and play with us as we chat about the lyrics to this brilliant & meaningful song.
“Admission is easy, just say you believe.”
A lyrically dense and conceptually significant song such as “Paisley Park” deserves a lengthy lyrical analysis by two men of a certain age. Julian (a wonderful that hosts a weekly literature read-along show on Facebook and YouTube – link is above and in show notes) and I dive deep into the paisley waters to discuss the themes of forgiveness, inequality, and inner peace present in this complex narrative.
Before it was a home, before it was a studio, before it was a vanity label, Paisley Park was a song and a brilliant one at that. Take a listen for yourself and say you believe. Come to the park and play with us.
The goal of each episode of Press Rewind is to:
- Take a track by track look at the lyrical content of Prince’s discography
- Discuss my own interpretation of each song’s lyrics along with any guest I may have
- If submitted, discuss listener’s interpretations of each song’s lyrics
Thank you for joining me on this journey through Prince’s catalog!
