Emancipation (1996)
After being persuaded to stop singing about pregnancy in the 70s due to it turning off his teen fanbase, it wasn’t until this declaration of intent was debuted at Prince and Mayte’s wedding reception in 1996 that the baby embargo was broken. No ambiguity here, the message is broadcasted as clear as an elderly aunt’s nudges. Baby please! But what beauty contained within. Intimate and vulnerable, Let’s Have a “Beh-bayyyy” is stripped down more than a Peter Paul’s Almond Joy but Prince can’t resist raiding his sound library for the old faithful ‘ticking clock’ effect, making the intro sound like Countdown’s about to start. When the FX are out of his system, what follows is a sensational piano ballad evoking How Come U Don’t Call Me Anymore and the One Nite Alone album. Prince tickles the ivories as bass synths flutter like white peacocks and incredible vocals melt all hearts within listening distance. Let’s Have a Baby makes for a hard listen knowing the history but its siren-like power is hard to deny. There’s a strong case for the song to be made illegal lest it causes an overpopulation crisis.
