Prince's Song "The Most Beautiful Girl In the World" Taught Me How Women Should Be Treated

While other Prince fans will remember partying like it was 1999, or trying to figure out exactly when doves cry as their first real memory of the prolific pop music icon in the wake of Prince's death at the age of 57, I will remember being a 9-year-old girl watching the video for "The Most Beautiful Girl In The World" with my little sister over and over on VH1. This was in 1994, right after Prince had become the Artist Formerly Known As. He had just taken on that unpronounceable symbol as his moniker, and the first thing he did was release this ballad about his soon-to-be wife, Mayte Garcia. It's a rather cheesy love song, with a sexy groove that is not too provocative for a 4th grader who wasn't really that interested in boys. It's a song that most Prince fans probably wouldn't admit they love.

Certainly, with his impressive lists of hits, it's worth only a passing mention, but, it was the one song I immediately thought of after Prince's death was officially confirmed to Bustle in a statement: "It is with profound sadness that I am confirming that the legendary, iconic performer, Prince Rogers Nelson, has died at his Paisley Park residence this morning at the age of 57. There are no further details as to the cause of death at this time." With all of his hits — and he's got so many hits — this was the song that would never define his career, but it could be the example of who he was as a person. Someone who loved and respected the women he collaborated with in life, love and work — and more often than not, all three.

"The Most Beautiful Girl In The World" is a tribute to one woman, but it sounded as if it was a dedicated to all women. In that falsetto, Prince sang about physical beauty, the kind only God could create, but he also sang about the kind of beauty you won't see just by looking at someone. "And if the stars ever fell one by one from the sky/ I know Mars could not be too far behind," Prince speak-sang on the bridge. As a kid, it made me laugh. But, as I got older, I started to appreciate for its last two lines, "Cuz baby, this kind of beauty has got no reason to ever be shy/ 'Cuz honey, this kind of beauty is the kind that comes from inside." Prince had sexy songs, but this was about love and devotion. Here was this guy who surrounded himself with beautiful women, letting them know he bowed down to them.

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