Violet the Organ Grinder – English Lyrics

• By: Prince & The New Power Generation
• Album: Gett Off

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the provocative world of Prince with "Violet the Organ Grinder," a song filled with bold metaphors and a driving beat. Explore the double meanings and cultural references that make this track a quintessential Prince experience, and discover how its themes of passion and dedication resonate even today.

[English]

I am Violet

The organ grinder

And I grind all the live-long day

I live 4 the organ that I am grinding

I'll die but I won't go away

I am Violet

The organ grinder

And I grind all the live-long day

I live 4 the organ that I am grinding

I'll die but I won't go away (gett off)

Ooh, wait a minute

I think U better trip on this (gett off)

I was on my way 2 another room

When an image of U sweetly

Appeared in the mirror

Perhaps U recall

U and I were neatly

In the middle of a crystal ball

And it now serves as a reminder on the wall

Of U and I

The organ grinder

In the greatest concert of them all

I am Violet (I am Violet)

The organ grinder

And I grind all the live-long day

(I grind all the live-long day)

I live 4 the organ

(I live 4 the organ that I am grinding)

I'll die but I won't go away

Did U know that I still have your stockings?

I keep 'em in a drawer next 2 your brassiere

Come hither, my sweet

Lend me your attention

Come hither

Lend me your ear

I do believe my piano was stolen

I do believe that U want me near

Well, I can deal with a sucker

If he's in your mouth

But I can't deal with insincere

I am the 1 that lives in your heart

U love me no matter what U say

Swear U don't miss the organ grinder

Grinding on U every day

I am Violet (I am Violet)

The organ grinder

And I grind all the live-long day

(I grind all the live-long day)

Gett off

Ooh, wait a minute

I think U better trip on this

I took all the pictures U gave me

And I placed them right under my bed

And I pumped

And I pumped

'Til the 'gasm so much as jumped

From my feet 2 the top of my head

Oh, boy!

I am Violet (I am Violet)

The organ grinder (the organ grinder)

And I grind all the live-long day

(I grind all the live-long day)

I live 4 the organ that I am grinding

(I live 4 the organ that I am grinding)

I'll die but I won't go away

(I'll die but I won't go away)

Like a puppy (oh)

I licked your devotion (oh)

From your neck (oh)

From your eyes (oh)

From your ears (oh)

When U cried (gett off)

I became your emotion (gett off)

And if U ever cry like that again (gett off)

I'll B here (gett off)

'Cause I am Violet (I am Violet)

The organ grinder (the organ grinder)

And I grind all the live-long day

(And I grind all the live-long day)

I live 4 the organ I am grinding

(I live 4 the organ that I am grinding)

I'll die but I won't go away

(I'll die but I won't go away)

Not even

I am Violet

The organ grinder (peace)

And I grind all the live-long day

I live 4 the organ that I am grinding

I'll die but I won't go away

(Ooh)

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
grind /ɡraɪnd/ B1	verb - to crush or pulverize something
organ /ˈɔːrɡən/ B1	noun - a musical instrument
Violet /ˈvaɪələt/ A1	noun - a purple flower noun - a girl's name
day /deɪ/ A1	noun - a period of 24 hours
live /lɪv/ A1	verb - to have life; be alive
die /daɪ/ A1	verb - to stop living
way /weɪ/ A1	noun - a method or manner of doing something
minute /ˈmɪnɪt/ A1	noun - a unit of time equal to 60 seconds
room /ruːm/ A1	noun - a space within a building
image /ˈɪmɪdʒ/ B1	noun - a representation of the external form of a person or thing in art.
mirror /ˈmɪrər/ A2	noun - a surface that reflects light
ball /bɔːl/ A1	noun - a spherical or approximately spherical object
reminder /rɪˈmaɪndər/ B1	noun - a thing that causes someone to remember something
concert /ˈkɒnsərt/ B1	noun - a musical performance
stockings /ˈstɒkɪŋz/ B1	noun - a close-fitting covering for the foot and leg
drawer /drɔːr/ A2	noun - a sliding container in a piece of furniture
heart /hɑːrt/ A1	noun - the organ that pumps blood
picture /ˈpɪktʃər/ A1	noun - a painting or drawing
head /hed/ A1	noun - the part of the body above the neck
eyes /aɪz/ A1	noun - the organ of sight
devotion /dɪˈvəʊʃən/ B2	noun - love, loyalty, or enthusiasm for a person, activity, or cause.

Key Grammar Structures

• I am Violet

  ➔ Present Simple of the verb 'to be' for self-identification

  ➔ "I am" expresses the speaker's identity in present time.

• I grind all the live-long day

  ➔ Present Simple tense denoting habitual action

  ➔ "I grind" means the action is repeated regularly throughout the day.

• I live 4 the organ that I am grinding

  ➔ Relative clause using 'that' to specify 'the organ'

  ➔ "that I am grinding" describes which organ the speaker lives for.

• I'll die but I won't go away

  ➔ Future simple tense with negation and conjunction 'but'

  ➔ "I'll die" (I will die) expresses a future event; "but I won't go away" contrasts it with an action the speaker refuses.

• I was on my way 2 another room

  ➔ Past continuous tense showing an action in progress in the past

  ➔ "I was on my way" means the speaker was in the process of moving to another room at that time.

• Did U know that I still have your stockings?

  ➔ Past simple question form with auxiliary 'did' and embedded clause 'that I still have...'

  ➔ "Did U know" inverts subject and auxiliary for a question; "that I still have your stockings" is a noun clause acting as object.

• I became your emotion

  ➔ Simple past tense of the verb 'become' indicating change of state

  ➔ "became" shows that the speaker changed into 'your emotion' at a specific past moment.

• I took all the pictures U gave me

  ➔ Past simple tense with relative clause 'U gave me' specifying 'pictures'

  ➔ "took" is a completed past action; "U gave me" specifies which pictures were taken.