Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Dig, if you will, the picture
Of you and I engaged in a kiss
The sweat of your body covers me
Can you, my darling, can you picture this?
Dream, if you can, a courtyard
An ocean of violets in bloom
Animals strike curious poses
They feel the heat, the heat between me and you
How can you just leave me standing
Alone in a world that's so cold? (So cold)
Maybe I'm just too demanding
Maybe I'm just like my father, too bold
Maybe you're just like my mother
She's never satisfied (she's never satisfied)
Why do we scream at each other?
This is what it sounds like when doves cry
Ooh, he-he-he
Ooh, ooh-oh
Touch, if you will, my stomach (hm)
Feel how it trembles inside (hm)
You've got the butterflies all tied up
Don't make me chase you, even doves have pride
How could you just leave me standing
Alone in a world so cold? (World so cold)
Maybe I'm just too demanding
Maybe I'm just like my father, too bold
Maybe you're just like my mother
She's never satisfied (she's never satisfied)
Why do we scream at each other?
This is what it sounds like when doves cry
Ooh! Ooh
Doo-doo-doo, whoa-oh (yeah)
How can you just leave me standing
Alone in a world that's so cold? (A world that's so cold)
Maybe I'm just too demanding (maybe, maybe)
Maybe I'm just like my father, too bold (my father, you know he's cruel)
Maybe you're just like my mother (maybe you're just like my mother)
She's never satisfied (never, never satisfied, why scream?)
Why do we scream at each other? (Why?)
This is what it sounds like when doves cry
When doves cry (doves cry, doves cry)
When doves cry (doves cry, doves cry)
Don't cry (don't cry)
Ooh, no
Ooh, no
Ooh, no, yeah
Oh, no, yeah
Oh, no, yeah
Oh, no, yeah
When doves cry
When doves cry (whoo)
When doves cry (whoo)
Baby, baby, baby, baby
Baby, baby, yeah
When doves cry (when doves cry, doves cry, doves cry)
Don't cry
Darling, don't cry
Don't cry, don't cry, don't, don't cry
About This Song
"When Doves Cry" is a deeply introspective exploration of a passionate but troubled relationship, where Prince examines the intensity of desire alongside the pain of emotional dysfunction. The song's lyrics weave together vivid sensual imagery with raw vulnerability, as the narrator questions whether his demanding nature and resemblance to his father have doomed the romance. Musically, the track is revolutionary for its stark, minimalist production-notably lacking a bass line-built around a hypnotic drum machine, ethereal synthesizers, and Prince's soaring guitar work. The song captures the paradox of love's simultaneous beauty and destruction, using the metaphor of crying doves to represent the unnatural sadness that emerges when passion turns toxic. As the lead single from "Purple Rain," it became Prince's first number-one hit and showcased his ability to blend experimental production with deeply personal storytelling, cementing his status as a musical innovator.
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