isthisdadawn said:

o laaawd! folks pull outcha popacorn cuz this gon b one long ass thread with a buncha english and philosophy majors strainin their brain to figure out the meaning...easily put pr is a movie..the song is about the movie and the events leadin up to the end...but then u got those religion nuts who think pr rain is about god..whatever its still a kick ass song.

If you look at the lyrics, it would suggest Prince is wistfully singing about the breakup of a relationship ('it's a shame our friendship had to end') and Prince is apologising if he inadvertantly caused any problems ('I never meant to cause you any sorrow').

The big question has always been, why purple? In my opinion, purple is associated with luxury, plushness, royalty. If he'd sang 'I only wanted to see you in the POURING rain' it would have been a negative message, by adding purple it subtly makes the rain seem positive, comforting and beneficial. Obviously the rain is not literal, it is a metaphor for a place where the woman is happy and at peace, and Prince thought he could have helped her/could still help her achieve that place (let me guide you to the purple rain).

If you wanna look at it with a religious eye, the rain could be associated with baptism and the cleansing of the soul, he wanted the woman's problems to be all washed away and be reborn fresh, happy and satisfied. In this case, the rain would be god's beneficial love coming straight from heaven, making it purple makes it seem more mystical.

It's an old Celtic Metaphor for vaginas.

it means turn off your computer and walk awayyyyy

Moonwalkbjrain said:

Boom! Word!

I think it's cos purple is the Minnesota football's team color. Seriously, you-all. Prince loves Minneapolis. That is why he picked purple. That is why he is associated with the color purple.
[Edited 9/17/04 7:29am]

metalorange said:

This is a great interpretation of the meaning of Purple Rain.

Now apply your second paragraph to the infamous deleted barn love scene. Here is an excerpt from the script:

(61) INT. BARN-- DAWN

DAWN LIGHT burns through the wooden slats... STEAM rises from the wet hay scattered throughout. The air is thick and damp. It begins to RAIN

Vanity (or Appolonia) stands in the middle of the barn, gazing at the storm. Beads of perspiration glisten on her forehead. She turns slowly, watches as Prince retrieves old blankets from a nearby stall. Their eyes search one another out, their breathing becomes short, expectant. She hesitates a moment, then pulls off her blouse, discards it to the moist, dusty floor.

(62) INT. BARN--DAY

ANOTHER ANGLE

RAIN patters strongly against the barn. A deep THUNDER rolls. She's on top of him, moving deliciously, her body glowing in the PURPLE, dawn light. Moist, PURPLE water shadows streak and course her skin as she moves slowly, then deliberately against him. He watches her avidly, his hands firmly on her thighs, and thrusts into her again and again...and again.


Here is your true meaning of Purple Rain. It is almost unbelievable that this beautiful scene was actually filmed but never considered for inclusion in the finished version. Mr. Fargnoli never intended to use this scene in it's entirety but merely as a snippet for the When Doves Cry montage. Truly unbelievable. Check out the When Doves Cry portion of the film and watch the snippet of the love scene. You will truly see the purple rain as they kiss.

Someday, somehow, I will see this scene in it's entirety.

I always figured it simply related to princes love of purple. He'd dropped hints before - "purple lawn" in Leaving for New York - the "1st day of November we need a purple high" line on the 1999 album. I always figured that it was a colour he associated with beauty and positivity and i guess that relates to what metalorange was saying before.

I dont think there's meant to be any message, i think hes simply trying to paint a picture of this woman laughing and dancing in the purple rain, and its exrtemely effective as i think most people get what he's trying to say, even if they dont really understand why they get it.

isthisdadawn said:

The rain looked purple one night when he was inspired to write the song. Neon lights flooded the sky, along with the rain. The lights were, of course, purple.

Hence, Purple Rain.

Luv & Peace,
Alex
Did rock just die?

Purple stands 4 spiritual.

Now, add in the deleted lines from the uncut version of the song and explain THAT to me.

"I don't want your money, no no no. I don't even think I want your love. If I wanted either one I'd take some money and buy it. I only want to see you laughing in the purple rain."

Based on things he has said before and since about purple, the entire purple rain album, and the apocalypse, the song means that before anything else he wants this persons soul to be saved.
He has mentioned that there will be red blood in a blue sky at the end of the world, Purple rain would be the cleansing after that. Put this in the perspective of how much of Purple Rain the album is written from the Christ perspective.

Having said that though I think this is one of the songs in the world that everyone can find a private meaning in.

OK IF I WANTED TO READ THIS CRAP YALL SAYIGN I WOULD HAVE WENT TO CHURCH A COUPLE OF MINUTES AGO

ABeautifulOne said:

As Pook said recently, if it's a prince song it's about God or vaginas.


I'll add
sometimes even God's vagina

ThomasBjj said:

wtf?!?! where'd that come from.


christ perspective huh? so puhleeese don't tell me u mean that darlin nikki and computer blue was writin from a christ perspective too....

Moonwalkbjrain said:

I can't site my source, but I have heard many times that I would die for u was written from the Christ perspective and that Prince himself said so

The meaning doesnt matter to me..i think of it as a kickass love song that any boy or man should sing to his future girl....i dunno....
Purple Rain is to me a kickass badass classic love song that only one genius could make....

PURPLE RAIN IS THE TEARS!!!!!


(purple)= purple is the cross between pink and blue. girl and boy. male and female.....thus the joining of man and woman.

(rain)= the tears at the end of a loving relationship that wasn't meant to be.

say anything else and your over analyzing it.

MaquisVixen said:

hahaha good one
my fave flavor by the way

jacknapier said:

okay then...that was so deep...seriously..it wasvery deep and very simple..thank you.

MissJamieStarr said:

no, thank you missjamiestar, ive heard that "simple" word before, but noone has ever said that i had a thought that was deep!

but.... to be honest i had a fling with a girl that i loved, end right when i bought "purple rain" and thats just how i perceived it(the song), so my vision of it could be clouded.

It's whatever Prince wanted it to be at the time, and whatever he's changing it to mean now.



(I still think it's about grape jelly!)


"Only want to see your toast, in the purple rain..." edit
[Edited 9/19/04 20:36pm]

Moonwalkbjrain said:[quote]

ThomasBjj said:

wtf?!?! where'd that come from.



If you watch or listen to the concert at First Avenue from August 1983 when he recorded the basic live tracks for many of the purple rain songs, Purple Rain has this extra verse in it.

There is also a boot CD called "1983 Live" which is a rehersal of several purple rain era songs, and it also includes the deleted verse in the performance of Purple Rain.

jacknapier said:

well hey you explained it in a very good way so right on 2 ya!!

paintsprayer said:

*****

No offense to those who don't like to discuss religious issues.

I agree that it's semi about "The blood of Jesus and the Apocalyse"

In 1999 P sang "Sky was all purple there were people running everywhere."

But of course, mix in America's Ventura Highway, some Jimi, and a few lines from John "Woman please let me explain I never meant to cause you sorrow or pain." Some Bob Seger. And Prince's own uniqueness.

It's great to see a song and a movie have that much impact.

paintsprayer said:

i can see lyrics wise why one would think that, but if that was his intention i don't think he would change the lyric "i'm your messiah" for the tour.

jacknapier said:

on the tour, he did change it...instead of saying "I'm your messiah" he said "He's your messiah".

rstokey2 said:

Okay, I've read this before, but I just noticed how many times it uses words like moist, damp, wet, etc.... we get the point. And it's EW.

And how is the floor moist and dusty?? Wouldn't that be, like, muddy?