Most of us have probably been guilty of only paying attention to a song’s hook. Sometimes, it captures the essence of a song’s meaning. Other times, the hook gives us the completely wrong impression of what the song is actually about. Prince’s “Pop Life” falls in the latter category.
Videos by American Songwriter
Because it’s such a catchy hook, it’s easy for Life, it ain’t real funky, unless it’s got that pop to be our takeaway from Prince’s 1985 hit. But the second single from Around the World in a Day was inspired by feelings about being a pop star that came from a much more negative place. It’s a critical take on the pop-star lifestyle that fits right in on Prince’s understated follow-up to Purple Rain, even though he wrote the song before the preceding album and accompanying movie took his stardom to the highest levels.
Throwing a Sharp Elbow
A careful listening of “Pop Life” will reveal that Prince is being facetious when he is singing about life needing “that pop.” Susan Rogers, Prince’s engineer and manager of the late artist’s famous vault, clarified what inspired him to write a song complaining about pop-star culture. In an interview with Uncut magazine, Rogers said, “It was a bright, sharp, funky elbow in the ribs to anybody who regarded their cup as being half-empty. He could be a finger-wagging scold, and that’s what ‘Pop Life’ is about.”
If “Pop Life” was Prince’s way of throwing an elbow to entitled pop stars, then his elbow was pretty sharp. The song’s first verse is a not-too-gentle nudge to star performers who aren’t keeping the blessings of their financial wealth in perspective.
What’s the matter with your life?
Is the poverty bringing you down?
Is the mailman jerking you round?
Did he put your million dollar check in someone else’s box?
The second verse could apply to anyone—not just pop stars. Prince takes aim at people who are dissatisfied because they didn’t get what they want, even when it’s something that’s out of their control. This could be an attribute Prince sees as endemic among pop stars, as the verse is where he first introduces the song’s hook.
Tell me, what’s the matter with your world?
Was it a boy when you wanted a girl?
Don’t you know straight hair ain’t got no curl?
Life, it ain’t real funky, unless it’s got that pop
Dig it
Some Friendly Advice
Then in the chorus, Prince spells out the perspective he would like his pop-star comrades to have. He recognizes the adrenaline rush that comes with competition. However, Prince counters that by stressing the importance of knowing that you can still make a contribution, even when you’re not “on top.”
Pop life, everybody needs a thrill
Pop life, we all got a space to fill
Pop life, everybody can’t be on top
But life, it ain’t real funky, unless it’s got that pop
Dig it
Just in case you thought Prince was done with his “finger wagging,” he makes some more pointed observations in the third verse. He accuses his fellow performers of being brainless—What’s underneath your hair? Is anybody living there?. Then he admonishes them to take a more open and curious approach, as opposed to an entitled one—Show me a boy who stays in school, and I’ll show you a boy aware.
An Early Take on Drugs for Pain Management
In the fourth and final verse, Prince moves on to another troublesome aspect of pop-star culture, drug addiction.
What you putting in your nose?
Is that where all your money goes?
The river of addiction flows
You think it’s hot, but there won’t be no water when the fire blows
Dig it
Rogers said this verse showed how Prince’s perspective regarding drug use for pain management changed over time. She told Uncut, “He really despised self-pity: ‘Woe is me, I have to do drugs to get over the pain.’ Which is ironic, given what we know now of Prince taking drugs, not recreationally, but to literally survive physical pain. But at that time in his life he didn’t understand that at all and he had no sympathy for it.”
The Impact of “Pop Life”
After “Raspberry Beret” went to No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 as the lead single from Around the World in a Day, “Pop Life” gave Prince a second Top 10 entry from the album. It peaked at No. 7 on the Hot 100 and No. 8 on Billboard’s R&B chart. Those two singles helped Around the World in a Day to become the second of four No. 1 albums for Prince on the Billboard 200 (the others being Purple Rain, the Batman soundtrack, and 3121). The album spent three weeks at No. 1 and was certified Double Platinum in July 1985.
Elvis Costello was going to record and release a cover of “Pop Life,” but did not get permission from Prince. Instead, Costello wrote “The Bridge I Burned,” which used “Pop Life’s” chord sequence. He included the song on his 1997 compilation album Extreme Honey: The Very Best of the Warner Brothers Years and the 2001 reissue of All This Useless Beauty. The song includes the words “pop lie” sung as a backing vocal part, and Costello says “dig it” at the conclusion of a spoken-word sample.
Dead or Alive did a full-fledged cover of “Pop Life” for the 1999 compilation album, A Tribute to Prince: Party o’ the Times. They were one of several ‘80s new wave or synth pop acts to contribute a cover to the album.
Even though “Pop Life” was one of Prince’s bigger hits during his unstoppable mid-’80s run, it doesn’t rank as one of his more popular songs in the streaming era. For example, its 17 million streams on Spotify leaves it well outside of Prince’s 10 most-popular songs on the service. Bemoaning “Pop Life’s” relative lack of commercial staying power completely misses the song’s point, though. It was an important statement about Prince’s relationship to stardom and pop-star culture, and not being “on top” does nothing to diminish “Pop Life’s” message or its excellence.
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Photo by Michael Montfort/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
