On This Date: Purple Rain

On this date in 1984, Prince released the "Purple Rain" album.

http://music-mix.ew.com/2009/06/prince-purple-rain-25th-anniversary.html

[link added by anx ]

LIBRA said:

PRINCE IS WATCHING U " When an Artist Creates, whatever they create belongs to society"

U can't polish a turd.. but u can roll it in glitter

25 years ago eh, it feels like it was ermmm....25 years ago

now i feel really bloody old! great!

Pro-You lying f***ing zebra!
Live and let live
www.silvercloudshop.co.uk

Crazy!

catpark said:

25 years ago eh, it feels like it was ermmm....25 years ago

now i feel really bloody old! great!

PRINCE IS WATCHING U " When an Artist Creates, whatever they create belongs to society"

U can't polish a turd.. but u can roll it in glitter

I listened to the album on my way to work this morning. It's amazing how I get the same feelings listening to it today as I did the day I tore wrapper off 25 years ago. I remember wondering how in hell I was going to be able to wait another month to see the movie - and how all the music would fit into it.

And now...here I sit at work...with my man out of town and no spare pan'ies.

chillichocaholic said:

catpark said:

25 years ago eh, it feels like it was ermmm....25 years ago

now i feel really bloody old! great!

25!!!! Damn I didnt want to think about that

Pro-You lying f***ing zebra!
Live and let live
www.silvercloudshop.co.uk

I was only a little 3 year old, so I didnt hear the album until 1992 when I was 'discovering' Prince. To this day it remains his most complete, perfect, timeless, brilliant piece of work (imo).

well .. my best friends mom took us to see the movie ... since we were not old enough to get in .. besides sneakin in ... inwich i would have done

the line to get in was crazy !!

people dressed up in their 80s outfits ... we had our parachute pants on ... mine had the diffrent color zippers !!!


those days are gone .... time goes so fast !!

i still remember the moment that flipped my switch to purple rain. it was summer vacation and i was watching tv one morning, and a commercial for the purple rain movie came on, and i heard the ending of "let's go crazy" for the first time, and i went absolutely NUTS over it. i couldn't believe these sounds were coming out of the TV, and i had to hear more. at the time i was 13 years old and living on a steady diet of culture club and michael jackson's thriller, but all that became yesterday's news after i got smacked in the head by that commercial. then i saw the "when doves cry" video and the whole choreographed part at the end made me a fast convert. clearly, things have never been quite the same for me since.

dearly beloved...

<3

wow, still sounds like it was made yesterday.

Timeless music.

Purple Rain was released, 7 years later I was born

good lawd, lawdy!. Bought it in the UK from WH Smiths on cassette for £4.99![old bastard aren't 1!]. Lost count how many times I played that tape, must have played LGC 50 times in a row, no mean feat when you have to keep pressing the rewind button, heck I lost my virginity with this tape playin in the background, split up with a chick years later and had this tape to console me on the motorway!. Truly an exceptional CD, amazing what just 9 killer trax can do [R U LLISTENING MR.P?!]

Damn, 25 years ago....I was walking out of the record with Purple Rain in my hand.....i'm getting old!

YA YA PURPLE RAIN MY FAVOR MOVIE AND SONG AND THE FINE,SEXY MAN THAT SING IT PRINCE IS STLL THE MAN HAPPY B/D ON PURPLE RAIN PRINCE WAS SO SOMEESLE IN THIS MOVIE STILL IN LOVE WITH SONG AND MOVIE STILL WATCH TO DAY AND HEAR.

sylvianice said:

YA YA PURPLE RAIN MY FAVOR MOVIE AND SONG AND THE FINE,SEXY MAN THAT SING IT PRINCE IS STLL THE MAN HAPPY B/D ON PURPLE RAIN PRINCE WAS SO SOMEESLE IN THIS MOVIE STILL IN LOVE WITH SONG AND MOVIE STILL WATCH TO DAY AND HEAR.

Wow..25 years. I was in middle school when this LP dropped. I just remember our school going crazy with kids dressing like Prince, Morris, and yes, even the young girls were dressing like Apples and the girls..minus the lingerie. The girls were wearing lace gloves and low cut tops. The fellas had their lace gloves and long jackets with the eye makeup. And I just remember our history teacher letting us play this LP/cassette over and over and over...every freaking day!! Those were the days.

Happy 25th, Purple Rain!!!

I guess I know what I will be watching tonight.
[Edited 6/25/09 14:43pm]

Got it the day it came out!

"Guitar" on Leno is the greatest performance in the history of rock ' roll

Second Funkiest White Man in America

It sure is nice having adults running our government now

Love every song on this album!

damn said:

wow, still sounds like it was made yesterday.

Timeless music.

Purple Rain was released, 7 years later I was born

I remember getting the album on vinyl and going to my friend's house to try to run the record backwards at the end of "Darling Nikki." It was a pain in the ass trying to keep up the proper speed by hand, but after a few tries we were able to listen to and figure out the entire message.

My favorite memory of when the Purple Rain album was released: I remember going to the wrecka stow to buy Purple Rain on vinyl (since CDs were not invented yet). I remember talking to a young girl who was also at the same store purchasing the Purple Rain album. We started talking about Prince, and about his upcoming tour. The young girl said that she also had tickets to the show, and was going as well. Memories.

Irish Diplomacy: The art of telling someone to go to hell, and having them look forward to the trip.

My give a damn is busted.

mfgreen said:

Irish Diplomacy: The art of telling someone to go to hell, and having them look forward to the trip.

My give a damn is busted.

Still to this day mesmerized by the performace of Computer Blue seguing into Darling Nikki--such passion, intense emotion, so raw--its as if you can taste the sweat dripping off Prince's body as he grinds the stage! And the performace of Purple Rain was heavenly--the lighting puts you in a utopia that I seem find every time I see Prince perform live. Truly legendary. Witnessing a great musician shoot to super stardon. Mesmerizing. Blown away. Awed!

-phunk

Phunk said:

My first exposure to the whole phenomenon was when a friend played "When Doves Cry" for me on his radio after the single had just started getting airplay. I didn't think much of it at the time honestly (where's the bass?), but then I saw the TV ads for the movie and that's what did it. "Let's Go Crazy" and "I Would Die 4 U" set to a rapid-fire montage of an exquisitely dressed man and his band--I had to get that album right then and there. Needless to say I loved the LP from start to finish.

My mom took me later to see the movie and we arrived late and missed the whole "Let's Go Crazy/Jungle Love" opening scene! Theaters were a lot more lax back then so we just stayed until the next showing and watched the beginning then left. I've since seen the movie more times than any other film.

Thanks for looking out Genesia!!! Like--no, LOVE that part of the performance!

[/quote]

Phunk said:

Thanks for looking out Genesia!!! Like--no, LOVE that part of the performance!

I remember it very well.

I was 11. I had been a Prince fan already because of 1999, LRC and Delirious, but I didn't know too much about him. When the video and single for WDC hit, I was completely in awe. I bugged my mom to take me to the store when the album came out, and I remember at first being like... WTF is this? LOL. Then I became completely in love with it.

I recorded the album onto a cassette tape (along with 17 days and erotic city), and played it on my walkman all summer. That summer of 1984 will always be associated with Purple Rain for me.

83 and 84 were terrific times in pop music, but Purple Rain was the apex.

Wow, and today's my birthday, too.

Little did I know I was celebrating my birthday when the album dropped. 11 years old at the time.

I didn't get the album until after the movie came out!!!

So I will celebrate my 36th with a quick listen of that album, my edit, with all the tracks extended as needed.

Yeah, that's the ticket!!!!

Congrats!!!!! I still wish I existed at that time it came out

The Political Abstract
"Nas is like"
http://www.youtube.com/Nastradumas

McAfrica

McAfrica

I was listening to Prince already, but my first "Purple Rain" memory is driving to the bank with my mom and best friend.
I was in the front passenger seat, mom driving and my buddy in the back seat..all of a sudden the opening of "When Doves Cry" comes on the radio and as they say.. the rest is history...

Retired Since Nov 2008

This year, this album, this movie changed my life.

Hate to say it but I was just graduating high school and getting ready for college and this whole summer into the next year was crazy. Loved everything about it. Met my future wife and new friends have followed the man ever since.

All hail Purple Rain...
[Edited 6/25/09 9:51am]

I feel old

1nonly said:

Irish Diplomacy: The art of telling someone to go to hell, and having them look forward to the trip.

My give a damn is busted.

Genesia said:

I listened to the album on my way to work this morning. It's amazing how I get the same feelings listening to it today as I did the day I tore wrapper off 25 years ago. I remember wondering how in hell I was going to be able to wait another month to see the movie - and how all the music would fit into it.

And now...here I sit at work...with my man out of town and no spare pan'ies.

Judas L Christ gets 'Lump in throat'.

Sorry, I haven't read all the replies yet.... but is there anyone that was at the June 7 1984 b-day party that could give us a story? I've seen some pics but no video has appeared and I have never heard any real stories about this great, exciting show.

Thanks.

i saw this movie what seems like FOREVER ago lol... i was then the age of my son now, in the movies with my mom, my good friend in michigan, her mother, her cousin and that girls mom - all those ladies are friends in michigan and visit when we go up - since now we live long distance.

anyway, jenny w. thats my prince lovin friend from michigan, been friends with her since our mom's were pregnant together - thats a long time huh? she was the prince fan and turned me on to him...boy did she!!! i've been a fan ever since

i loved the movie, still do, my kids love it too, even mom was into it... but i have to say there were a couple parts of the movie that made my momma a little nervous with all of us impressionable younsters in there watching it

gotta put the props out there, just got back from michigan, saw my grandmother while i was there, shes 87 years old now and moving pretty slow hard to believe that shes the one that took me out to buy the p rain album, yes i do mean album and shes also the one that was dancing in her living room when i opened it and put it on... that is one of my favorite memories of her

in my family, and really anyone i know, there is noone else that has a favorite singer they have stuck with for years...but EVERYONE knows my love for prince!! i still get calls after hes on tv or like when he did the superbowl, or the induction into the hall of fame from family and from even friends of my mom's i havent talked to in awhile when its over just so they can say "DAMN!!! DID YOU SEE THAT?????" i love that they think of me, i love that hes been around for so long, i love that the old stuff is still my favorite, and im so happy that everytime i watch this movie again i still feel like that young girl sittin in the movie - if i only knew the lifelong love i would have for him... its kinda cool!!!

happy birthday purple rain, and thanks for the ride prince!!!!

One of the best days of my life... http://prince.org/msg/100/291111


love is a gift

an artist with no fans is really just a man with a hobby....

I had just turned 14 when I heard When Dove's Cry on the radio in the car.I remember going to the store immediately and purchasing the 45, which I played over and over again, until the Album came out.After that, no one touched him in my book, yet 1984 was an amazing year musically.

..dig if you will, the picture..









I saw that movie 19 times!!!!!

It's the 25th anniversary of the album.

The 25th anniversary of the movie is July 27.

I heard Purple Rain and other songs all my life but I didn't get into it until I was about 12/13. The movie, however, I that back in 94/95 and even though I love this movie it's one of the reasons why I'm somewhat sexually and gender confused . Still, I'm happy that the music has proven the test the time and can't wait for the 30TH Anniversy. :beer:
[Edited 6/25/09 10:38am]

The Political Abstract
"Nas is like"
http://www.youtube.com/Nastradumas

McAfrica

McAfrica

NastradumasKid said:

I heard Purple Rain and other songs all my life but I didn't get into it until I was about 12/13. The movie, however, I that back in 94/95 and even though I love this movie it's one of the reasons why I'm somewhat sexually and gender confused . Still, I'm happy that the music has proven the test the time and can't wait for the 30TH Anniversy. :beer:
[Edited 6/25/09 10:38am]

JudasLChrist said:

NastradumasKid said:

I heard Purple Rain and other songs all my life but I didn't get into it until I was about 12/13. The movie, however, I that back in 94/95 and even though I love this movie it's one of the reasons why I'm somewhat sexually and gender confused . Still, I'm happy that the music has proven the test the time and can't wait for the 30TH Anniversy. :beer:
[Edited 6/25/09 10:38am]

Oh baloney. You'd be confused either way.

The Political Abstract
"Nas is like"
http://www.youtube.com/Nastradumas

McAfrica

McAfrica

NastradumasKid said:

Congrats!!!!! I still wish I existed at that time it came out

I remember being in a mall in Muncie, Indiana (lol) when the album was released...my college roommate and I were already big Prince fans but for some reason we didn't really keep track of when Purple Rain was being released (we would stop and stare tranfixed on the tv, though, whenever the video for "When Doves Cry" came on)...

I was in a Hallmark store or some small stupid store just mucking around...and there was a record store across the mall from where I was. All of a sudden I heard the screams from the end of "The Beautiful Ones" blaring throughout the tiny small town mall, and I said "What the hell is that!" lol...I went over to the record store, and just stood in the entry way listening, then said "Holy shit...that's Prince!"...the cashier smiled and nodded. My roommate saw me and walked over, and I pointed to the air inside the record store, said "Prince", his eyes got wide, and he bought the album on the spot

My roommate, my girlfriend and I all sat around together listending to the album...only time in my life I ever listened to a new album with other people like that. We wore that album OUT ...Also remember the VJs on MTV playing "Darling Nikki" backwards and talking about the message at the end of it...it was like a discussion group about Prince and the Purple Rain album. Made everything seem even more important at the time.

The 10-page oral history was compiled and written by Brian Raftery, who spoke to most of the key participants in the original project, including Wendy and Lisa, other members of the Revolution and the Time, Rob Cavallo (the film’s producer and Prince’s manager at the time), director Albert Magnoli, and the original screenplay writer William Blynn. Prince and the Time’s main man Morris Day did not participate.

“We did a full court press to get Prince himself involved,” said Brod. “He’s a pretty tough guy to get a hold of, and he doesn’t dwell much on nostalgia.”

I do remember being shocked when i got the album that 1999 wasn't on it. The video was always on-with Little Red Corvette, Take me with you and Purple Rain. Mabey the look confused me-i thought 1999 was in the movie too. The after the first time i saw the movie-to be honest-I remember Wendy as much as Prince. My first real guitar hero was actually her.
I was still at school in 84. one of my mates had a car-so we'd all cram in-and drive around Coventry and Birmingham blasting Purple Rain out-and a car full of lads singing along lol what memories
I also remember going picture selling for the first time-to buy all the albums before Purple Rain.

Man I still adore the movie. The album-mabey i over listened to it over the years as I rarely play it now. But i do get the dvd out or watch Syracruse or Atlanta regularly

This album and movie pretty much shaped my existence.

I was only 1 when it came out, but it was a huge part of my life.

I once did Let's Go Crazy at a school talent show when I was 6.

My mother tells me that when the movie or album would end, I would start to cry.

I still remember sitting on the floor with my little Sesame Street record player. Watching the record spin, and staring at the album cover.

lol-thats sooooo cute -lets go crazy-at 6. Brilliant

PS reminds me i used to watch charlies angels with a picture of Farrah Fawcett Majors on the arm of the chair-and apparently i'd get upset and cry if any baddies messed with her lol

happy bday.

It was the Summer of '84....(duh) and my cousin was spending a week of summer vacation with me. I was 11 and he was 13. Of course the mall was our hangout. And, of course, we had to visit the record store.

I bought this:

and he bought this:

Of course since he was staying at MY house I got to listen to my album first when we got home. Of course I'm all like "Who ya gonna call?" and stuff...
Well when we were done listening to my album I let him have his turn. He put the needle on the record and my whole world changed. The music coming out of my speakers was hypnotizing. The only word I can use explain it. I musically grew up that day. So of course the next weekend I immediately went and bought the album for myself and have been buying Prince ever since!

OldFriends4Sale said:

The 10-page oral history was compiled and written by Brian Raftery, who spoke to most of the key participants in the original project, including Wendy and Lisa, other members of the Revolution and the Time, Rob Cavallo (the film’s producer and Prince’s manager at the time), director Albert Magnoli, and the original screenplay writer William Blynn. Prince and the Time’s main man Morris Day did not participate.

“We did a full court press to get Prince himself involved,” said Brod. “He’s a pretty tough guy to get a hold of, and he doesn’t dwell much on nostalgia.”

The Political Abstract
"Nas is like"
http://www.youtube.com/Nastradumas

McAfrica

McAfrica

I watched the movie last night after a long time and I think I just fell in love with Prince's music all over again

The music on this album was the first contact I ever had with his music. I remember I had just finished middle school so there was nothing to do. I was at home and they aired the movie on VH1, so I decided to watch - I thought maybe that's where The Beautiful Ones was on, I wanted to listen to the original version since I loved Mariah's. I never expected to be as excited about his music as I was The music is just flawless.


Purple Rain

I didn't buy the album until my 15th birthday, though Purple Rain
[Edited 6/25/09 11:27am]

Nerdsexy

Heard you get it poppin'

The first time I heard the album was on the day I turned 11. I was thrilled to get it for my birthday,and promptly disappeared into my room to listen to it with my friend at the time. I remember both of us standing next to my stereo when I layed the needle to vinyl. I listened,and looked at the poster,which later would be hung on my purple walls. I also remember going to ask my Mom if I could listen to Darling Nikki,she said yes,and again we (my friend and I) stood at the stereo,and listened. After the song was done,I remember wondering what the big deal was. I assumed it would be much dirtier.

Happy Birthday Purple Rain!
[Edited 6/25/09 11:39am]

I had just turned 5 a month earlier.

My earliest memory of the Purple Rain album was staring at the album cover's white background with the exotic flowers tossed about it. It seemed so beautiful but so simple and made such a statement. The album stayed in heavy rotation no matter which family members house I was over. Everyone seemed to have it sitting on the counter or coffee table.

Alej said:

I watched the movie last night after a long time and I think I just fell in love with Prince's music all over again

The music on this album was the first contact I ever had with his music. I remember I had just finished middle school so there was nothing to do. I was at home and they aired the movie on VH1, so I decided to watch - I thought maybe that's where The Beautiful Ones was on, I wanted to listen to the original version since I loved Mariah's. I never expected to be as excited about his music as I was The music is just flawless.


Purple Rain

I didn't buy the album until my 15th birthday, though Purple Rain
[Edited 6/25/09 11:27am]

The Political Abstract
"Nas is like"
http://www.youtube.com/Nastradumas

McAfrica

McAfrica

...happy days!!..BUT..did anyone go to the purple rain 25th ann. PARTY on june 20th???...
..mzsexybaby

I was 5 years old this day in 1984. I had only knew about Prince for several months at this point but when I saw that he had a new song out called "When Doves Cry" I was very surprised to see him with something so new so soon to me. I liked the song a lot but when I saw that there was movie to this song and to this album called "Purple Rain", I was very surprised. I liked what I saw and I asked my mom if we could go to the movies to see PR. Mind you, I was 5 and Mom looked at me and said "No" and then laughed. I knew not to ask my mom for the album, but I became a fan thanks to WDC and the rest is history.


25 years of not only an incredible album and film, but 25 years since my life changed and for the better.

Prince.org is a cemetery where folks mourn Prince instead of celebrate him and his music. Last time I checked, Prince isn't dead yet.

purplecam said:

I was 5 years old this day in 1984. I had only knew about Prince for several months at this point but when I saw that he had a new song out called "When Doves Cry" I was very surprised to see him with something so new so soon to me. I liked the song a lot but when I saw that there was movie to this song and to this album called "Purple Rain", I was very surprised. I liked what I saw and I asked my mom if we could go to the movies to see PR. Mind you, I was 5 and Mom looked at me and said "No" and then laughed. I knew not to ask my mom for the album, but I became a fan thanks to WDC and the rest is history.


25 years of not only an incredible album and film, but 25 years since my life changed and for the better.

dreamfactory313 said:

purplecam said:

I was 5 years old this day in 1984. I had only knew about Prince for several months at this point but when I saw that he had a new song out called "When Doves Cry" I was very surprised to see him with something so new so soon to me. I liked the song a lot but when I saw that there was movie to this song and to this album called "Purple Rain", I was very surprised. I liked what I saw and I asked my mom if we could go to the movies to see PR. Mind you, I was 5 and Mom looked at me and said "No" and then laughed. I knew not to ask my mom for the album, but I became a fan thanks to WDC and the rest is history.


25 years of not only an incredible album and film, but 25 years since my life changed and for the better.

We're the same age!

Prince.org is a cemetery where folks mourn Prince instead of celebrate him and his music. Last time I checked, Prince isn't dead yet.

i just heard at the time Ray Parker Jnr and Ghostbusters kept When doves cry off number one .Is that right ?

I would LOVE to see Purple Rain on a big screen. I went to see Ghostbusters-but got into PR just after the movie was at the pictures i think so missed out

polkadotbliss said:

This album and film changed my life. I truly discovered Dance, Music, Sex. Romance when I watched it. I felt msuic for the first time.I now work in music and have so since I came out of that cinema at the age of 17. I still love Prince and his music, particulalry the golden era of 1980-88.

So many memories...

My first Prince discovery was 1999, but when I bought Purple Rain I knew I would be a fan for life.

I love the music & the movie.....

Hello... I'm Come funkateer 'Danceelectric'
from Housequake.com

Me in the Purple Rain movie and the Let's Go Crazy video.

Watching them film the movie was a highlight of my youth.

Damn it! I can't watch it.

The Political Abstract
"Nas is like"
http://www.youtube.com/Nastradumas

McAfrica

McAfrica

wow, beautiful pics, Squirrelgrease....

Hello... I'm Come funkateer 'Danceelectric'
from Housequake.com

squirrelgrease said:

So many memories...

veronikka said:

squirrelgrease said:

So many memories...

oooooh, nice photo!

The Political Abstract
"Nas is like"
http://www.youtube.com/Nastradumas

McAfrica

McAfrica

LIBRA said:

On this date in 1984, Prince released the "Purple Rain" album.

http://music-mix.ew.com/2009/06/prince-purple-rain-25th-anniversary.html

[link added by anx ]

I first listened to album on the day I heard I had passed my exams.

psychodelicide said:

1nonly said:

Wow, and today's my birthday, too.

Happy Birthday!

25TH ANNIVERSARY SCREENING OF PURPLE RAIN
SATURDAY JUNE 27TH-11:59 PM
NEW BEVERLY CINEMA

7165 West Beverly Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90036
one block west of La Brea
(323) 938-4038
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Prince Prince Prince!!!!!

"I knew a girl named Nikki, I guess you can say she was a sex fiend
I met her at a hotel lobby masturbating in a magazine...."

Oh God, the memories.....

The Political Abstract
"Nas is like"
http://www.youtube.com/Nastradumas

McAfrica

McAfrica

ericgreene said:

The Political Abstract
"Nas is like"
http://www.youtube.com/Nastradumas

McAfrica

McAfrica

ericgreene said:

TonyVanDam said:

LIBRA said:

On this date in 1984, Prince released the "Purple Rain" album.

http://music-mix.ew.com/2009/06/prince-purple-rain-25th-anniversary.html

[link added by anx ]

I was age 10 during the Purple Rain era. And this was THE movie that every child at school wanted to see (despite the R rating). And this was also THE album that pretty much convince every child to stop listening to Thriller.

True story!

NastradumasKid said:

Prince Prince Prince!!!!!

"I knew a girl named Nikki, I guess you can say she was a sex fiend
I met her at a hotel lobby masturbating in a magazine...."

Oh God, the memories.....

dannyd5050 said:

NastradumasKid said:

Prince Prince Prince!!!!!

"I knew a girl named Nikki, I guess you can say she was a sex fiend
I met her at a hotel lobby masturbating in a magazine...."

Oh God, the memories.....

Yeah, can't believe my parents let me listen to that song! What were they thinking? But then again they were in their late 20's so Guess they thought I was too young to understand.

The Political Abstract
"Nas is like"
http://www.youtube.com/Nastradumas

McAfrica

McAfrica

I was 14 yrs old when that album dropped....ahhhh the memories...I played it over and over and over and over and over and over and over.....by the time the movie came out, I knew every single word to every single song.

Ok so does anyone else think it's strange that MJ died on the 25th anniversary day that Purple Rain was released???

I was 18 -- just graduated a couple weeks prior from high school .... and I live in Minnesota. Ah such sweet memories when you add Purple Rain to them.

Peace-

Happy Birthday, "Purple Rain," I celebrate Prince's emotion in this song everyday of my life...

On this date, hearing that album with the poster with it, I was out of my mind! I swear, it was like a dream.

I couldn't wait for Purple Rain, having been blown away by 1999 during the previous year and a half.I remember going to the wrecka stow a week earlier (June 18) to buy it because that was the original release date, and being told it was postponed another week. Dang! But I got the 12" vinyl of WDC that day. I got the whole album at Strawberries in Shrewsbury, MA on June 26, 1984 and loved it from the get go. Early favorites were Take Me Wih U and I Would Die 4 U.

Lawdy Me...I'm still in love.

wow! I was all of 9 years old but already loving him from the videos of 1999 and Little Red Corvette that had been on MTV. I begged my mom and dad to get it for me and my older cousin ended up getting me the album. I mustve played that thing every day for years! Even would sit there and try to turn it backwards in the bit after Darling Nikki to hear what he was sayin. lmao. My god-Still is my most prized album of his. Very nostalgic for me.

PR - 25 years older and still sounds fresh and forever Timeless

Thank you Prince for the movie & the music - i enjoyed it from day 1 and I'm still loving It.

mplsbadgrl said:

I was 18 -- just graduated a couple weeks prior from high school .... and I live in Minnesota. Ah such sweet memories when you add Purple Rain to them.

Peace-

I was a shy, reserved boy of 14 at the time.

At the time I was all about Culture Club, Cyndi Lauper & Depeche Mode. Prince was too obnoxious for me.

I remember seeing the trailer for the Purple Rain movie on TV and being completely taken aback when MY DAD asked if I wanted to go see it.

I didn't take him up on the offer, and it was another 4 years before I completely became a purplehead.

SHOCKADELICA1 said:

I was 14 yrs old when that album dropped....ahhhh the memories...I played it over and over and over and over and over and over and over.....by the time the movie came out, I knew every single word to every single song.

how ironic that purple rain released 25 years ago today.....and michael jackson dies.....very eerie

mwilli said:

Smittyrock70 said:

KCOOLMUZIQ said:

mwilli said:

I bought the Let's Go Crazy single and was playing Erotic City. My parents heard the record and made me destroy it. I was hooked on Prince ever since.

KCOOLMUZIQ said:

I DJ'd in high school, so I had an advanced copy of When Doves Cry...and whenever I played it at a gig, I would only do a snippit mix/blend....the crowds would go nuts....

.....my first copy of the full album was the purple disc....I hate to sound like a wide-eyed fanatic, but that summer was all about PR and getting on line to see the movie...

I was such a prince-whore....

He was like a cock who thought the sun had risen to hear him crow.
(George Eliot)

the video for the above...
http://www.youtube.com/wa...re=related

i was 7 years old. i saw him for the first time on Countdown (Australia's music show of the 70s and 80s). he was the most beautiful thing i had ever seen. my parents bought me the album. it was the greatest thing, and still is. no other album has had the same affect on me.

I remember I was in Niagara Falls visiting my cousin around Easter or Memorial Day & was so happy to meet a couple of her friends who were also anxiously awaiting the purple rain album & movie. It was all we talked about for the week or so I was there. We must have been 15-16 & couldnt wait to see the movie!

The minute the album came out I raced out and bought it and played it so much that I think I had to replace it after about 2 months because it got scratched up! Bought new album and cassette and playe the crap out of those.

Went to movie opening day and declared it the greatest thing I ever saw. When the VHS video came out bought that & watched it over and over driving my mother & brother crazy. Even my brother who was a big metal freak had to admit he liked the movie, but always claimed P was gay. I declared him the most gorgeous speciman of man on the face of the earth, best musician ever, and my brother a jealous loser.

I new ever word in movie by heart after couple days of endless viewing. Funny, my little cousin was 4 or 5 at time and he use to insist that P pushed Apples into lake Minnetonka (spelling)- I would make him watch over and over and say "look he is no where near her, she jumps in herself..." He would say "nope Prince is pushing her in!" Funny! Even little Monte (my cousin) new the words to movie by heart and came over everyday begging me to play the video (he loved the movie).

When my other little cousin (danielle) came to visit from Maine, she was about 8 or 9, she too fell in love w/ movie and the entire summer (she would spend summers in NY w/ her father, my uncle) she begged me to play Purple Rain over and over. She too new it word for word and loved the music. When she left the end of that summer, I discovered she STOLE my Purple Rain tape! She had begged me to give it to her all summer, as she knew I had the album already. I told her no I needed both and the power of P's music moved her so much she actually stole the tape from me. I remember calling her a day or so after she got home and asking her about it and she said she had to have it and cried a river begging me to forgive her- how could I not, P was & is just mesmarizing w/ his music.

I am so glad I was around to see his rise to stardom and all his progression. His music is the soundtrack to my life. When I was young thang, full of teen hormones what better to listen to than P... from Head, to Erotic city, to Darling Nikki, Do Me Baby... I could go on and on but the passion P sang w/ on these tunes and the playful teasing , the questioning and challenging of authority, assumptions, etc. P was doing this while I was doing this (teen experience).

Such a wonderful time, can't believe it's 25 years! Damn I am getting old when 25 years seems like it shouldnt be anymore than 10 years ago!

mwilli said:

Just noticed I kept spelling knew as new- I am not an idiot just got excited thinking back. Great times!

Purple Rain was the first album I bought on my own, without any parental involvement. I remember seeing a cardboard cutout of Prince on that motorcycle and that was all she wrote. I fell in love with Prince and his music and have been obsessed ever since. Purple Rain was an album at the height of his creative genius. I love all his work but his 80's albums and bootlegs had a mad, frenetic genius to them that continues to entertain and inspire me today.

Purple Rain rocks now and forever.

I was 10! Let's Go Crazy was the 1st single I ever bought and I was blown away by the B-Side (Take Me With U). I then bought WDC/17 Days and then Purple Rain/God and was just confused by how this all came from the same man/band...

I asked for the album for my birthday the following year and I got ATWIAD - completely lost in Prince's world at this stage. I didn't get the Purple Rain album for another few years, but it does seem just like yesterday...

TonyVanDam said:

"PURPLE RAIN" marked the beginning of what has simply become a phenomenon.
The entire context for in how we listen to music has been revolutionized by PRINCE. With album after album release, PRINCE took music to a higher level and it never had stopped...not even now in 2009. "PURPLE RAIN," equals KNOWLEDGE!!
" THERE'LL NEVER BE ANOTHER LIKE HIM."
Nicky Tuzio
e-mail: tuztones@optimum.net

Wow, 25 years. I was ten when the movie came out and I fell really in love instantly. My mom had two of his albums that I used to like to listen to, well ,I still do. (I had no idea what the lyrics meant but I sure did like the music) I have been hooked on Price ever since...wow. He is such an amazing artist. Sorry MJ, but with Prince there is no comparison.

Happy 25th Anniversary Purple Rain!

Don't forget, tonight at 10pm, e.s.t. on emancipationradio.com we will be celebrating the 25th anniversary of this classic album with a ton of treats that a lot of you have probably never heard before. Tune in!

Work-in-progress versions of classic Purple Rain cuts
The B-Sides / The Extended Versions from the Purple Rain singles
What was Prince working on in June 1984, once the Album was ready for release?

BUT THAT'S JUST THE LEAD-IN TO THE MAIN FEATURE:

We will be airing, complete, the August 3, 1983 concert at First Avenue...
This was Wendy's first show with the Revolution...
The concert includes the first versions of five Purple Rain classics
performed NINE MONTHS before the release of the album, plus definitive versions of seven other songs, including the never-issued "Electric Intercourse".
Prince & the Revolution absolutely burn the house down and you don't want to miss it.

Plus other surprises?

10PM E.S.T. don't be late!
Keep your headphones on.
[Edited 6/26/09 16:13pm]

It's been a 25 year love affair.

Sorry I'm late but Rock on Boo! Congrats Prince!!!!!

mwilli said:

I am going to try to go to this:

http://www.newbevcinema.com/calendar.cfm

myfavorite said:

I was going into 7th grade. My parents had seperated and my dad got me for the weekend and took me to see the movie. I was just getting into girls and needless to say the filthiness of Prince music influenced me at the right time...or wrong. I fell in love with the guitar after that movie and still play to this day. After that summer my folks got back together and after that every time a Prince album came out he would come home from work with it for me. Prince kinda became our bonding thing. Purple Rain definitely was part of a very defining year for me.

It is mind blowing that 25 years have passed. on this date I was living in Memphis TN. I ran to the nearest record store and I waited in line. I was number 2.the truck pull up to unload the new LP. I LP was literal hot off the truck and I was the 2nd person to get it. I ran back to the student center and we played that thing like it was the Beatles sgt pepper.LOl life was so exciting then.

I was 16y old and was very in2 Hard-Rock/Hair Metal (Van Halen and rising stars Motley Crue!).
But that summer a lot changed 4 me,started 2 go 2 bars (where all the 16-17y old went,by 11 or 12 o'clock the bar was empty,we all had 2 be home
at time:lol: ) and one evening I asked wich song they were playing and the DJ showed me the cover of WDC.
After the summer vacation a girlfriend at school said she had Purple Rain and
she gave it 2 me 4 a couple of days...I put it on tape and became
a huge P-fan!
Some time later I bought PR,ATWIAD and 1999 at the same day.
Such exciting times

Oh Yeah,dear Prince,we want a special 25y edition REMASTERD with
outtakes ! Thanx.
[Edited 6/27/09 1:43am]

happy birthday purple rain. Man i feel old i was 14 and it was my first album purchase ever- after seeing the movie. thank you prince
[Edited 6/27/09 3:54am]

1nonly said:

psychodelicide said:

Happy Birthday!

Thank you. 36 is the new 25!!!

Irish Diplomacy: The art of telling someone to go to hell, and having them look forward to the trip.

My give a damn is busted.

Funny I just realized this...

I was a VanHalen/Motley Crue/ Rush/Pink Floyd kinda guy, then I saw the DC clip of I Would Die for U/Baby I a Star on MTV and PRETENDED it wasnt the greatest thing I ever seen.

Every time that video was cued up on MTV I was alone...but watching intently.

Purple Rain turns 25, but are you sure he still wants to see you standing in it?

Dare I say it? Purple Rain is not my favourite Prince song. Neither is it my favourite album. Maybe this is ...

Read full article here: http://escapolog.blogspot.com/

I remember it well.

I was 14, it was the summer when I saw the movie... I remember this well because I had a totally rad swimming pool party with all my friends for my 14th birthday.

I got to go see the movie without adults, we watched this and gremlins I do believe. Got into the theater because some cute guy or another's big brother worked there and let us all in. It was my birthday after all, and who can say no right? right? *teehee's*

I was a Prince fan long before the Purple Rain moments...

I had been a fan since I was like 8 or 9 years old.

I wasn't old enough to buy the records then, and my father despised Prince later on...but I got my Prince fix at a friends house -- her older sister loved Prince almost more than me. (heh.)

I just thought his music then was so 'musical' --- more so than some of the 'pop' bubblegum stuff that was going on at the time -- I was a musician and he stood out from the crowd as such to me.

I saw him in concert at Dodger Stadium... it was rad/awesome/coolerthanslicedbread what an entertainer...just the best.

What more can I say? --- Purple Rain was like icing on the cake for me...what I had been telling my friends for years finally caught up to them.

Prince was a genius ---- He still is forever... in my opinion anyways.
[Edited 6/27/09 22:43pm]

gyro34 said:

Happy 25th Anniversary Purple Rain!

computerblue72 said:

RedSodaPop said:

I was 14 years old. I was familiar with the singles from 1999(actually heard the whole album at a boy scout jamboree of all things) and When doves cry, but I had never bought any of his records. Then I heard Let's go crazy. That was it. I taped it off the radio and played it over and over again. Then I bought the album and I was hooked, buying all the rest of the albums in reverse order, singles, 12 inchs you name it

His best album for sure,

Prince will never top Purple Rain

Hello... I'm Come funkateer 'Danceelectric'
from Housequake.com

2020 said:

thedance said:

His best album for sure,

Prince will never top Purple Rain

When i heard "when doves cry" it was like not anything i would ever hear again. That is one of the best songs in the history of music. The rest of that record was a ground breaking trend setting piece of work. I would say from 1980 to 83, he was building his image and his sound to get to that ultimate creative musical peak. An amazing achievement indeed. I know i complain a lot over his most recent works.. but i'll always be a true fan through thick and thin.. I've been a fan for over 25 years now...

Ah Purple Rain. My mom took my brother to see this in the theater when it came out. I didn't get to see it on the big screen cuz I wasn't born yet. She did however make me watch it on vhs when i was around 10. Then, I hated it. I found it pretty boring and I thought Prince was weird (in an unappealing way, probably thanks to Darling Nikki). That didn't stop me from wanting to be Morris though. Several years later I rewatched it and I became hooked on Prince.... and the Revolution. Now I'd rather be Wendy. Purple Rain will no doubt remain my fav movie of all time!

mrsfrehley27 said:

Purple Rain was released the same year I graduated from high school. Watching this film on opening night, I remember what an incredible experience it turned out to be; people literally dancing in the aisles. A night I will never forget. That summer I ended up taking all of my friends to see this movie; I must have seen Purple Rain 15 times that summer.

LIBRA said:

On this date in 1984, Prince released the "Purple Rain" album.

http://music-mix.ew.com/2009/06/prince-purple-rain-25th-anniversary.html

[link added by anx ]

TurnItUp said:

LIBRA said:

On this date in 1984, Prince released the "Purple Rain" album.

http://music-mix.ew.com/2009/06/prince-purple-rain-25th-anniversary.html

[link added by anx ]

wrong date, I'm sure someone has corrected this. It was July 27th 1984. Not quite yet.

spookyass said:

thedance said:

His best album for sure,

Prince will never top Purple Rain

Thats just SO WRONG !!!

Dare I say it? Purple Rain is not my favourite Prince song. Neither is it my favourite album. Maybe this is because I wasn't there at the time. Maybe its because I've heard it 3 billion times (Ironically Joy in repetition is my Purple Rain) or maybe its because it's simply not his best work.

I am sure that the album has paid for many a pair of hand made silk boxer shorts, funny shaped guitars, golden walking sticks and dates with some of the worlds hottest babes, but he too must be bored to death with it by now. Maybe thats why he, quite controversially, stopped playing it at gigs for a while. Maybe its why he tried tarnishing the films golden success by following it up with Graffiti Bridge, the worlds worst ever film (sorry, the worlds most misunderstood film). Or maybe thats why he wrote 22 new albums since!

Yes, 25 years have passed and the album still sounds great, but I find it quite sad that despite those 25 years and the 22 albums they have spawned, people still say, "Prince? OK, apart from Purple Rain what else has he done?".

So to all of you Prince fanatics that find this article blasphemous, move on and remember - if you stand in the rain for too long you'll never get a sun tan.

He was like a cock who thought the sun had risen to hear him crow.
(George Eliot)

the video for the above...
http://www.youtube.com/wa...re=related

I'd heard the Prince songs "Little Red Corvette", "Delirious", "When Doves Cry", "Jungle Love" and "Let's Go Crazy" played on the radio and I didn't realize they were all by the same guy. What really hooked me and made me a fan was seeing the Purple Rain movie in the theater. Then I got Ice Cream Castles, Purple Rain, 1999, the Purple Rain singles and a tape that had both Dirty Mind and Controversy on it and the Prince Rock's Purple Reign book by Jon Bream.

i remember them saying purple rain was gonna be bigger than 1999. i laughed at the time. truly tho, purple rain really was one of a kind, like much of his 80s output.

I was in Highschool and ready to have prince as my boyfriend

I didn't get to see the movie until it was on HBO. After that, it was all about Prince! Then I went backwards and bought all of the tapes before Purple Rain. Kept up with all of them through the Love Symbol, then hit and miss.

sextonseven said:

Byron said:

I remember being in a mall in Muncie, Indiana (lol) when the album was released...my college roommate and I were already big Prince fans but for some reason we didn't really keep track of when Purple Rain was being released (we would stop and stare tranfixed on the tv, though, whenever the video for "When Doves Cry" came on)...

I was in a Hallmark store or some small stupid store just mucking around...and there was a record store across the mall from where I was. All of a sudden I heard the screams from the end of "The Beautiful Ones" blaring throughout the tiny small town mall, and I said "What the hell is that!" lol...I went over to the record store, and just stood in the entry way listening, then said "Holy shit...that's Prince!"...the cashier smiled and nodded. My roommate saw me and walked over, and I pointed to the air inside the record store, said "Prince", his eyes got wide, and he bought the album on the spot

My roommate, my girlfriend and I all sat around together listending to the album...only time in my life I ever listened to a new album with other people like that. We wore that album OUT ...Also remember the VJs on MTV playing "Darling Nikki" backwards and talking about the message at the end of it...it was like a discussion group about Prince and the Purple Rain album. Made everything seem even more important at the time.

squirrelgrease said:

So many memories...

I was a high school student in my kitchen washing the dinner dishes, I changed the radio station to WBLS(NYC) and heard this guitar screeching sound and then it was over....I knew it was Prince. I caught the tail end of Let's Go Crazy and couldn't wait to hear it from the begining.

My first LP. I was in 2nd grade. At the time my parents didn't have much money. I had my cheap little kmart record player, the box kind with a handle on it. I had just started spending my allowance on 45's. I had the 45's of When Doves Cry, Let's Go Crazy, I Would Die 4 U and Purple Rain, along with many others of the time like Billy Ocean's "Loverboy", ray Parker Jr's "Ghostbusters", Cyndi Lauper's "She Bop", Tina Turner's "Better Be Good To Me", etc. My mom would go shopping while I was in school, and I would give her a list of records to look for and my allowance. I didn't realize at the time 45's had a shelf life, so that particular day she couldn't find any of the ones I wanted. I came home from school and there on my bed was this big shiny album cover. Prince.. in all his fabulousness. I was only 7, so you can imagine at the time that such a small thing was such a big surprise to me. My mom said "well none of the records you wanted were there, so I added a couple dollars and got you this instead. This is the one you wanted right?'
My music obsession was solidified that day. That was the first time I ever had an album of my own, and one I had to play from start to finish. The 45's had all the edit versions, so it felt like an extra treat to hear the uncut versions of all the hits. songs like The Beautiful Ones, Computer Blue, and Darling Nikki were a whole new world to me. I was too young to understand what Darling Nikki was about. I had no idea that the weird thing at the end of Darling Nikki was a backwards message. I just knew my ears and my soul *felt* this music.
Happy Birthday! and sorry something tragic had to happen on that day to detract attention from the power of this great album.

I was 13, in my mums's Land Rover outside the back of Coles Supermarket. I had just bought it on cassette and heard it for the first time and have since spent thousands of dollars trying to recreate the feeling I got from that moment without success

LIBRA said:

On this date in 1984, Prince released the "Purple Rain" album.

http://music-mix.ew.com/2009/06/prince-purple-rain-25th-anniversary.html

[link added by anx ]

I will never forget that day! I cut school to go to the movies with my friends to see Purple Rain! I was 14 years old!
Funny- when I saw Appolonia's beautiful long hair I decided to grow my hair long too - and it's been that way ever since! LOL
I was already a HUGE fan - I began listening to Prince at age 9 in 1979. I just watched the amazing interview on PBS.org with Tavis Smiley and MAN it is good to hear the MAN speak! Michael may have been the King RIP dear Michael!), But my heart belongs to PRINCE!!

[Edited 7/10/09 11:55am]
[Edited 7/10/09 11:56am]

How many of y'all had this joint? I had 6.....
[Edited 7/10/09 21:45pm]

He was like a cock who thought the sun had risen to hear him crow.
(George Eliot)

the video for the above...
http://www.youtube.com/wa...re=related

and so the anniversary came and went, and we as prince fans celebrated in our own way, and then that was that. a landmark album deserving commemorating, and ignored yet again by prince. no remaster, re-release, nothing.

why does he suck so much? because you know wb would have done it. why oh why does he suck so much? WHY?

i listened to "sign of the times" yesterday, and it's virtually unlistenable, it is mastered so abysmally. as is "1999."

sigh.

It was the day after my birthday so I was still ona good note and "Purple Rain" made it even better,so much that I had to learn how to play it on my guitar before I learned anything else.

ZombieKitten said:

I was 13, in my mums's Land Rover outside the back of Coles Supermarket. I had just bought it on cassette and heard it for the first time and have since spent thousands of dollars trying to recreate the feeling I got from that moment without success

shakalakaboom said:

YAY!!!

shakalakaboom said:

harveya said:

He was like a cock who thought the sun had risen to hear him crow.
(George Eliot)

the video for the above...
http://www.youtube.com/wa...re=related

OW! That's why I love him. He's truly timeless. This stuff could be released NOW and still be as effective as it apparently (i wasn't born till 5 yrs later ) was back then.
Party on Partyman!

I first saw the movie at my aunt’s house when I was eight or nine (198?), and was intrigued, aroused and enchanted by what I saw/heard that day. At some point, I saw the video for “When Doves Cry” at a Circuit City in Augusta, GA, in the show room and fell in LOVE! Though the Batman soundtrack and Diamonds and Pearls were the first Prince albums I ever heard in their entirety, the magic of the Purple Rain tracks (and The Time’s amazing hits) started it all!

I'm with the idea of a special edition re-release. Remastered only if it can be improved upon.

my first memory of purple rain was five years ago when I was 20, it was the summer of 2004 and I just fell in love with Prince and his music when I heard hime sing 'Sweet thing' by Chaka Chan at his acoustic musicololy unplugged show on MTV. He just blue me away and from that moment everything in my life was just Prince. Funny enough that same month they had just released purple rain on DVD. I bought it, took it home and enjoyed every moment of it all summer long. Its hard to imagine that I was born in 1984 and that it took me so long to discover a genious like prince. Purple rain is now a soundtrack for the summer of 2004 for me but I wish I cud have seen it back in earlier days.