Meaning of "I Wanna Be Your Lover" by Prince

The lyrics of "I Wanna Be Your Lover" by Prince convey a sense of longing and desire for love and affection. The speaker starts by acknowledging their lack of financial resources, potentially highlighting their insecurities and feeling inadequate compared to others surrounding the person they are addressing. Despite this, they express their willingness to be different, to stand out and not let the person down like others may have done in the past. The repetition of wanting to be the lover emphasizes the speaker's desire to be the sole source of love and passion for this person. They long to be the one who brings them happiness, making them come running and turning them on both emotionally and physically. The speaker even goes a step further by expressing their desire to be not just a lover but also a brother, mother, and sister to this person. This reveals their willingness to fulfill a wide range of roles, emphasizing their devotion and commitment. The mention of feeling discouraged suggests a lack of reciprocation or attention from the person they love, which causes frustration and uncertainty. Despite being perceived as shy by others, the presence of this person brings out a wild side in the speaker, highlighting the intensity of their emotions and the transformative power of love. While they express an awareness that pressuring someone is not the way to win them over, the overwhelming desire to be loved and wanted drives the speaker to express their feelings openly. Overall, the lyrics communicate the speaker's yearning for love, their willingness to do whatever it takes to be the person their love interest relies on, and their hope to be the sole source of love and happiness in their life.