Wonderful Ass
Produced by Prince
Album Purple Rain (Deluxe Expanded Version)
Wonderful Ass Lyrics
You do not understand my quirky ways
My crazy logic leaves you in a daze
You think my neurosis is just a phase
You've got a wonderful ass
You're so wonderful
(You've got a wonderful ass)
You think that all my friends are my bedmates
True love before sex you just can't relate
My sensibilities you aggravate
Perpetrate
Stimulate, stimulate, stimulate
You say that you love me, it don't do no good
You want me to trust you, I wish that I could
You cannot build a house with plastic wood
You've got a wonderful, wonderful ass
[Spoken Interlude]
I guess what it is is that I hate your ideas of fun (Oh yeah?)
But baby I rate your ass number one
I don't usually have time to drink from your glass
But I can always find time for your ass
You know what I'm talkin' about baby?
(Yeah)
I'm talkin about that... ass (ew)
(Sexy in here, yeah)
The Revolution will be heard!
You're so wonderful!
You've got a wonderful ass (You've got a wonderful ass)
[Modified Verse 1]
Girl, you've got a wonderful
You've got a wonderful
You don't understand my quirky ways, yeah
(You don't understand my quirky ways, but..)
(You're in a daze, oh I like that ass)
But you've got that wonderful ass
Baby, you think all my friends are my bedmates, yeah
(Well, you sleep around all the time)
Hey now baby, true love before sex you can't relate, yeah (True true love)
But you've got that wonderful ass, babe
My sensibilities you aggravate (I understand)
(You try to fuck for love)
You, why can't, can't you relate, yeah
I like it (I like it)
I said I like it (Said I like it)
You know I like that ass (Really?)
About "Wonderful Ass"
"Wonderful Ass" was one of the most beloved (and bootlegged) rarities from Prince's legendary vault of unreleased music. It was finally given a sanctioned release when it was released on June 23, 2017 on the deluxe reissue of Purple Rain.
The midtempo pop-funk number features all of Prince's mid-80s signatures: a breathtakingly complex drum machine pattern, a sprightly synth line, virtuosic guitar fills, and lascivious lyrics (allegedly inspired by his former muse/protégée/girlfriend Vanity).
Prince recorded a solo/demo version of the song in November of 1982. At a later date, Wendy Melvoin and Lisa Coleman took the song and added additional instrumentation and vocals. It was originally thought that this occurred in 1986 at Sunset Sound in Hollywood during the waning days of the Revolution-era, as Prince was compiling music for what would become Sign 'O the Times. In a somewhat contentious move, the liner notes in the deluxe edition of Purple Rain dates Wendy & Lisa's overdubs to September of 1984, meaning it was a track that was being worked on during the Purple Rain tour.
"Wonderful Ass" Track Info
Written By Prince
Mastering Engineer Bernie Grundman
Recording Engineer Susan Rogers & Peggy McCreary
Instruments Prince
Background Vocals Lisa Coleman & Wendy Melvoin
Keyboards Lisa Coleman
Guitar Wendy Melvoin
Vocals Prince
Recorded At Kiowa Trail Home Studio, Chanhassen, MN; Sunset Sound, Hollywood, CA
Release Date June 23, 2017
Purple Rain (Deluxe Expanded Version) Prince and the Revolution
1. Let's Go Crazy
2. Take Me with U
3. The Beautiful Ones
4. Computer Blue
5. Darling Nikki
6. When Doves Cry
7. I Would Die 4 U
8. Baby I'm a Star
9. Purple Rain
10. The Dance Electric
11. Love and Sex
12. Computer Blue ("Hallway Speech" Version)
13. Electric Intercourse (Studio Version)
14. Our Destiny / Roadhouse Garden
15. Possessed
16. Wonderful Ass
17. Velvet Kitty Cat
18. Katrina's Paper Dolls
19. We Can Fuck
20. Father's Song
21. When Doves Cry (7" Single Edit)
22. 17 Days
23. Let's Go Crazy (7" Single Edit)
24. Let's Go Crazy (Special Dance Remix)
25. Erotic City
26. Erotic City (Make Love Not War Erotic City Come Alive) (Missing Lyrics)
27. Purple Rain (7" Edit) (Missing Lyrics)
28. God
29. God (Love Theme From "Purple Rain") [Instrumental Version]
30. Another Lonely Christmas
31. Another Lonely Christmas (Extended Version)
32. I Would Die 4 U (7" Single Edit)
33. I Would Die 4 U (Extended Version)
34. Baby I'm a Star (7" B-Side Edit) (Missing Lyrics)
35. Take Me With U (7" Single Edit)