On episode 158 of the Press Rewind – Prince Lyrics Podcast, I dig deep into my northern European ancestry in an attempt to relate to the northern Midwest accent Prince uses for the chorus to “Yah, You Know” off the 1999 Super Deluxe release.
“We’re all grossed out ‘cuz you spit when you talk.”
This new wave synth number shows off Prince’s sense of humor without losing important elements, such as songwriting. The song is mostly remembered for the northern Midwest accent he uses in the chorus and the outro, but also the synth line, which places it in the early 80s era it was recorded. Wendy & Lisa added some overdubs, and Eric Leeds and likely Atlanta Bliss added horns for a version a few years later that also went nowhere. I think the song was a bit too quirky to be considered for a proper Prince album.
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!