...the final track recorded for Purple Rain

History

According to the Purple Rain DVD, Prince was asked by the director to write a song to match the theme of a particular segment of the film – one which involved intermingled parental difficulties and a love affair. The next morning, Prince had reportedly composed two songs, one of which was "When Doves Cry". According to Per Nilsen, Prince's biographer, the song was inspired by his relationship with Vanity 6 member, Susan Moonsie.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/

From Nov. 99 Bass Player article...

The Artist’s all-time biggest hit, "When Doves Cry" [Purple Rain], is most distinctive because of its lack of a bass line. The song had one but it was pulled at the last minute. "They were almost done editing the movie," he explains, referring to his big-screen debut in Purple Rain. "‘When Doves Cry’ was the last song to be mixed, and it just wasn’t sounding right." Prince was sitting with his head on the console listening to a rough mix when one of his singers, Jill Jones, walked in and asked what was wrong. "It was just sounding too conventional, like every other song with drums and bass and keyboards. So I said, ‘If I could have it my way it would sound like this,’ and I pulled the bass out of the mix. She said, ‘Why don’t you have it your way?’" From the beginning Prince had an inkling the tune would be better bass-free, even though he hated to see the part go. "Sometimes your brain kind of splits in two -- your ego tells you one thing, and the rest of you says something else. You have to go with what you know is right."

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In DanceMisicSexRomance, Per Nilsen reports that Jill Jones and others attended many of the recording sessions at Sunset Sound during this period, and engineer Peggy McCreary gives this account of recording ,When Doves Cry':

'"He started the song the way he always did, with a drum machine... Then he added bass and synths, then this and that". The rough track completed, McCreary and Prince convened in the control room to mix the song. "Something was bothering him about it, but he couldn't put his finger on it at first. Finally, he reached over and punched out the bass track. That's when we knew we had something special. He said somethng like, "Nobody would have the balls to do this, You just wait, they'll be freaking." He knew exactly what he was doing... and just knew he had a hit. It was just the two of us in the studio".'

The music video (directed by Prince himself) was released on MTV in June 1984. It opens with white doves emerging from double doors to reveal Prince in a bathtub. It also includes scenes from the Purple Rain film interspersed with shots of The Revolution performing and dancing in a white room. The final portion of the video incorporates a mirrored frame of the left half of the picture, creating a doubling effect. The video was nominated for Best Choreography at 1985's MTV Video Music Awards.

There is no bass line, which is very unusual for a dance song; Prince has said that there originally was a bass line, but decided, after a conversation with singer Jill Jones, that the song was too conventional with it intact

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/

Dig if u will the picture
Of u and I engaged in a kiss
The sweat of your body covers me
Can u my darling
Can u picture this?

Dream if u can a courtyard
An ocean of violets in bloom
Animals strike curious poses
They feel the heat
The heat between me and u

How can u just leave me standing?
Alone in a world that's so cold? (so cold)
Maybe Im just 2 demanding
Maybe Im just like my father 2 bold
Maybe you're just like my mother
Shes never satisfied (shes never satisfied)
Why do we scream at each other
This is what it sounds like
When doves cry

Touch if u will my stomach
Feel how it trembles inside
Youve got the butterflies all tied up
Don't make me chase u
Even doves have pride

How can u just leave me standing?
Alone in a world so cold? (world so cold)
Maybe Im just 2 demanding
Maybe Im just like my father 2 bold
Maybe you're just like my mother
Shes never satisfied (shes never satisfied)
Why do we scream at each other
This is what it sounds like
When doves cry

How can u just leave me standing?
Alone in a world that's so cold? (a world that's so cold)
Maybe Im just 2 demanding (maybe, maybe Im like my father)
Maybe Im just like my father 2 bold (ya know he's 2 bold)
Maybe you're just like my mother (maybe you're just like my mother)
Shes never satisfied (shes never, never satisfied)
Why do we scream at each other (why do we scream, why)
This is what it sounds like

When doves cry
When doves cry (doves cry, doves cry)
When doves cry (doves cry, doves cry)

Don't cry (don't cry)

When doves cry
When doves cry
When doves cry

When doves cry (doves cry, doves cry, doves cry
Don't cry
Darling don't cry
Don't cry
Don't cry
Don't don't cry

Audience: Is there a version of "When Doves Cry" with a bass line in it?

Susan Rogers: The bass is on the multitrack tape, but it was muted in the final mix. It's interesting listening to this record again, and being reminded of how real genius knows when to show it off and when to just be simple. Simple chord progressions are fine; you don't have to be really sophisticated. A simple drum pattern is fine. You can add the complexity in other elements. It can be in the sonic elements, in the virtuoso great guitar solo, the complexity can be in your lyrics. You don't have to show off everything. Keep it all really simple and have one magic ingredient, maybe two. It was smart record-making. I don't know how he knew how to do that, but he knew what he was doing.

LOL I read that one,

I like how your ID picture is looking over at the pix you posted

OldFriends4Sale said:

DISC ONE

1 WHEN DOVES CRY (3:37)
Produced, Arranged, Composed and Performed by Prince
Recorded at Sunset Sound by Peggy Mac and David Leonard
Published by Controversy Music, administered by WB Music Corp. ASCAP
From PURPLE RAIN

In one of the monumental crap shoots in show business history, Prince and his managers spent nearly four million dollars on the production of PURPLE RAIN while they maniacally chased their “negative pick-up” deal. The agreement, which called for Warner Films to pay the producers six million dollars upon delivery of the negative, wasn’t sealed until the very evening the cast and crew were attending a wrap party. Were it not for the eleventh hour high finance, post-production might have been canceled and Prince might not have found himself in Los Angeles recording still another song for the soundtrack, WHEN DOVES CRY.

Dr. Fink remembers, “Bobby Z and I were in L.A. and Prince took us for a ride to hear this new song. We had thought the album was finished. My first reaction? I really didn’t care for it. I remember saying to him, ‘There’s no bass.’ He said, ‘That’s right.’ So of course I had to ask how come? All he said was, ‘I tried it, it just didn’t work. I just didn’t like it.’ Needless to say, the song grew on me.”

It grew on a lot of people. The first hint of the purple onslaught to come, WHEN DOVES CRY was released in May 1984, and quickly became the biggest selling single of the year and Prince’s first No. 1 record.

LadyZsaZsa said:

"The video was nominated for Best Choreography at 1985's MTV Video Music Awards." Did it win? That jump up, spin in the air, tap dance, then stop on a dime move that Prince does should have.

I don't remember, I do like that dance step they did, liked seeing it on the Lovesexy tour with Cat too

Not an easy song to perform tho

Aaron6 said:

I am just curious, has anyone heard the original version of WDC with bass line intact?

OldFriends4Sale said:

LadyZsaZsa said:

"The video was nominated for Best Choreography at 1985's MTV Video Music Awards." Did it win? That jump up, spin in the air, tap dance, then stop on a dime move that Prince does should have.

I don't remember, I do like that dance step they did, liked seeing it on the Lovesexy tour with Cat too

Not an easy song to perform tho

My favorite Prince song and video of all time.

(ps. I've always had a fantasy where my girlfriend comes home and I'm in the bathtub with steam coming out of it and then as she opens the door to the bathroom doves fly out of the room and I exit slowly and crawl toward her. I'd probably look as badass as Prince right?)

I just love it. A funky song and cool video, easy to see why it was such a huge hit.

PURPLE RAIN
PRINCE AND THE REVOLUTION
Warner Bros.

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The spirit of Jimi Hendrix must surely smile down on Prince Rogers Nelson. Like Hendrix, Prince seems to have tapped into some extraterrestrial musical dimension where black and white styles are merely different aspects of the same funky thing. Prince's rock & roll is as authentic and compelling as his soul and his extremism is endearing in a era of play-it-safe record production and formulaic hit mongering.

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The Hendrix connection is made overt here... with the manic burst that opens When Doves Cry

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Anyone partial to great creators should own this record. Like Jimi and Sly, Prince is an original; but apart from that, he's like no one else.

-- KURT LODER

Spanky said:

My favorite Prince song and video of all time.

(ps. I've always had a fantasy where my girlfriend comes home and I'm in the bathtub with steam coming out of it and then as she opens the door to the bathroom doves fly out of the room and I exit slowly and crawl toward her. I'd probably look as badass as Prince right?)

lol nice

Dig if u will the picture - of u and I engaged in a kiss. The sweat of your body covers me.

Can u picture this, my darling?

An ocean of violets engulf our persons.

A bird screams.

At 1st, I think it's u and u thought it was me.

Oh, if only violets could talk.

Insecurities.

Do u know who u are?

Then it doesn't matter who screamed 1st.

Did it matter who ate of the apple 1st?

The end result was negative.

Can u pass me the pepper?

Why, because u told me salt was bad 4 me.

I thought u liked eggs.

I thought u liked me.

Well, eggs are the only thing I can make besides a baby.

Why do u look at me like that?

What are u thinking?

I know u better than u think I do.

There's this purple suspicion that lurks in the anals of my mind that u and I are alike in more ways than 6.

Can u relate?

oh yeah?

Then what's the difference between a beautiful man and an ugly man with money?

Nothing - as far as you're concerned.

Do u still want 2 spend the night? Good.

Come on. U said u would wash my hair.

Shall we go swimming 1st? U can't swim. Wonderful.

"I'll teach u 2 swim, I'll teach u 2 try, I'll teach u 2 laugh, but not 2 cry.

I'll teach u 2 trust me when u think I lie, I'll teach u 2 love me until we die."

It's from a song I wrote.

Do u believe that?

U do?

Well, I lied.

I just made it up.

Pretty good, huh.

It's not nice 2 lie.

I think we're on the right track.

Shall I wash u 1st or shall u wash me?

You know, OldFriends4Sale, I love it when you post these retrospectives, and don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining at YOU... It's just that, when you put up screengrabs of all these classic, old school, so fondly remembered videos, it makes me apopleptic that our favorite Purple Munchkin is so anti-streaming-video.

.

Here's a guy who could program his very own YouTube/VEVO channel filled with videos that I (and most Orgers) would watch over and over and over. He would get MILLIONS of hits... but he'd rather slink around in his Jehovah's Witness-fueled zombie state.

.

Sigh. I guess it is what it is. Just don't let my ramblings keep you from putting up all this excellent stuff, though!

OldFriends4Sale said:

Dig if u will the picture - of u and I engaged in a kiss. The sweat of your body covers me.

Can u picture this, my darling?

An ocean of violets engulf our persons.

A bird screams.

At 1st, I think it's u and u thought it was me.

Oh, if only violets could talk.

Insecurities.

Do u know who u are?

Then it doesn't matter who screamed 1st.

Did it matter who ate of the apple 1st?

The end result was negative.

Can u pass me the pepper?

Why, because u told me salt was bad 4 me.

I thought u liked eggs.

I thought u liked me.

Well, eggs are the only thing I can make besides a baby.

Why do u look at me like that?

What are u thinking?

I know u better than u think I do.

There's this purple suspicion that lurks in the anals of my mind that u and I are alike in more ways than 6.

Can u relate?

oh yeah?

Then what's the difference between a beautiful man and an ugly man with money?

Nothing - as far as you're concerned.

Do u still want 2 spend the night? Good.

Come on. U said u would wash my hair.

Shall we go swimming 1st? U can't swim. Wonderful.

"I'll teach u 2 swim, I'll teach u 2 try, I'll teach u 2 laugh, but not 2 cry.

I'll teach u 2 trust me when u think I lie, I'll teach u 2 love me until we die."

It's from a song I wrote.

Do u believe that?

U do?

Well, I lied.

I just made it up.

Pretty good, huh.

It's not nice 2 lie.

I think we're on the right track.

Shall I wash u 1st or shall u wash me?

Gees. I havent read that in years. Maybe even decades!!!

GiggityGoo said:

You know, OldFriends4Sale, I love it when you post these retrospectives, and don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining at YOU... It's just that, when you put up screengrabs of all these classic, old school, so fondly remembered videos, it makes me apopleptic that our favorite Purple Munchkin is so anti-streaming-video.

.

Here's a guy who could program his very own YouTube/VEVO channel filled with videos that I (and most Orgers) would watch over and over and over. He would get MILLIONS of hits... but he'd rather slink around in his Jehovah's Witness-fueled zombie state.

.

Sigh. I guess it is what it is. Just don't let my ramblings keep you from putting up all this excellent stuff, though!

LOL yes I understand, it messes with my mind as wellAll that wasted material, videos, concerts, shows etc

GiggityGoo said:

You know, OldFriends4Sale, I love it when you post these retrospectives, and don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining at YOU... It's just that, when you put up screengrabs of all these classic, old school, so fondly remembered videos, it makes me apopleptic that our favorite Purple Munchkin is so anti-streaming-video.

.

Here's a guy who could program his very own YouTube/VEVO channel filled with videos that I (and most Orgers) would watch over and over and over. He would get MILLIONS of hits... but he'd rather slink around in his Jehovah's Witness-fueled zombie state.

I feel the same way! It's as if Prince doesn't want his fans to celebrate and enjoy his past achievements