Dinner With Delores

Album: Chaos And Disorder (1996)
Charted: 36
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Songfacts®:

  • In this song, Prince tells the story of a night out with Delores. She pigs out at dinner, dances like a white girl, and seems rather uncouth. Prince often creates characters for his songs, like Cynthia in "Starfish And Coffee" and "Darling Nikki," so Delores might be completely made up. Prince never talked about the song, but we think there's a chance he was a Seinfeld fan and was riffing on one of their jokes. In the 1993 episode "The Junior Mint," Jerry is dating a girl but can't remember her name; he just knows that it rhymes with a part of the female anatomy. After cycling through names like Mulva, Bovary, and Aretha, he finally remembers: Delores.
  • Prince was embroiled in a dispute with his record label, Warner Bros., at the time, and had changed his name to an unpronounceable glyph. One theory is that Delores represents Warner Bros., gluttonous and tawdry. In the video, you'll see the word SLAVE on his cheek - his commentary on their relationship.
  • "Dinner With Delores" was released as a single in the UK and Australia, charting at #36 in the UK. It was part of his album Chaos And Disorder, his second after changing his name and last while still under contract to Warner Bros.
  • The music video, directed by Giorgio Scali, envisions Delores as a very pretty girl with awkward dance moves and a big appetite. It was shot at a club in Los Angeles. Tricia Telio, who was an extra at the shoot, shared her memories with Songfacts. "We weren't supposed to look at him. All of the dancers were served a delicious meal outside. Prince sat in his car during that. I met some really nice people and had a great time, other than my new black boots hurting from dancing so much. I remember that I was surprised how short Prince was... even in very high heels. What an honor it was to have been able to enjoy that experience."

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