Head (Prince song)

Infobox Song
Name = "Head"


Artist = Prince
Album = Dirty Mind
Released = 1980
track_no = 6
Recorded = Somewhere in Uptown, 1980
Genre = Funk
Length = 4:40
Writer = Prince
Composer = Prince
Label = Warner Bros. Records
Producer = Prince
prev = "Uptown"
prev_no = 5
track_no = 6
next = "Sister"
next_no = 7

"Head" is the name of a song which first appeared on Prince's 1980 album "Dirty Mind".

"Head" (along with "Sister") were, at the time, considered amongst the most shocking songs ever released. As with most of Prince's early material, "Head" was written, produced and almost entirely performed by Prince himself. The only exceptions were Matt "Doctor" Fink's synthesizer solo and the spoken word part, which was done by then new band member Lisa Coleman after then keyboardist Gayle Chapman objected to the song's lyrics and left the band.

"Head" is about oral sex. It is a highly improbable story of a bride-to-be who is requested to give oral sex to a man who isn't her groom. The song features very minimalist funk, much like the rest of "Dirty Mind". Towards the end of the song is a long screeching synthesizer solo performed by Doctor Fink, who was showcased during the song's performance in Prince's live shows. The "Dirty Mind" album presents the tracks "Uptown", "Head" and "Sister" almost as a suite, with a similar segue between each song.

"Head" was a staple at nearly every Prince tour from its inception, throughout most of the 1980s. In concert it nearly always segued from "I Wanna Be Your Lover" and was usually extended into a long funk workout for the band. It appears to have been retired with Lovesexy Tour, ending in 1989, possibly because Fink left the band shortly thereafter. Also, with Prince's conversion to be one of Jehovah's Witnesses, it is highly unlikely he will ever perform the song again.

External links

* [http://www.dtt-lyrics.com/albums/dirty.html#head "Head" lyrics]
* [http://www.exclaim.ca/index.asp?layid=22&csid=1&csid1=34 Mention of Chapman's objections]