I'm (or, to be exactly, a friend of me is) searching for an explanation of these lyrics:
http://lyricstranslate.com/en/Prince-When-doves-cry-lyrics.html
and best also a translation into German. There already is a translation but I doubt that it really reflects the meaning of these lyrics.
The problem is that they are written in a rather poetic way and/or use some kind of slang.
The lines that we have the most difficulties with are the following:
"Dig if you will the picture
Of you and I engaged in a kiss"
We think "dig" is meant in the meaning of "imagine", like in "can you dig that?".
"if you will" most likely is no future tense but rather means "if you are okay with that", "if you'd like to"
So, the sentence would be: "If you would like to do so, visualize the picture of the two of us kissing"
"Dream if you can a courtyard"
"courtyard" seems to refer to the inner yard of a building but I believe to have also seen quite different meanings of it.
"Animals strike curious poses"
I'm not sure what that's supposed to mean.
"Maybe I'm just like my father too bold"
What is the meaning of "bold" here?
And I'm pretty sure this line: " You've got the butterflies all tied up" refers to the idiom "to have butterflies in one's stomach" - is there something else to it? And I think "tied up" means "lashed", like a dog?
dig: yes here it is imagine
if you will: here it's please so 'if you'd like' is better
courtyard: doesn't have to be an inner yard, a courtyard is usually paved while a yard isn't
animals strike curious poses: animals stand amazed (at a loss) because they feel the heat between us
strike a pose: assume a pose (like in acting)
bold: abrupt or maybe daring or both
you've got the butterflies all tied up: no one else gives me the buttrflies but you
You can find a lot of explanations of the song here: http://rock.rapgenius.com/Prince-when-doves-cry-lyrics It's very helpful for anybody who wants to unsterstand the meaning of the song.
I think dig is more along the lines of to like something or think it is really cool.
I would suggest watching his film "Purple Rain" for more ideas, the music was very tied up with the plot, perhaps the scenes where this song is played give some idea of what Prince had in mind. The movie and his songs are laced with sexual innuendo. I think the animals strike curious poses may be sexually laden and tied to the movie which I saw a few years ago.
Edit: the line "feel the heat between me and you" in the song precedes, or maybe is after, the line about animals. This is clearly a reference to animals making strange positions in order to reproduce when they are "in heat" (brünstig, läufig).
Bold is daring, brave, swag, etc. here.
Butterflies are lashed, under control, as in he really likes her and would be nervous but has it under control.
I think "you've got the butterflies all tied up" is poetry, and literally means just what it says. Metaphorically, her power of attraction has brought something under her control, which is delicate, fragile, and usually quite free. It would be cruel and ruthless to tie up butterflies.
[quote=Sciera]" You've got the butterflies all tied up" I think it mean to have stomach knotted, I am not sure but I think so !
Not really interested in the lyrics anymore now 2,5 years later, but thanks for the input!