Prince hinted during the Musicology tour that it may be the last time he plays the hits. Would you be disappointed if he stopped playing the warhorse hits of Purple Rain on a new tour? Personally, I am tired of PR and Lets Go Crazy, and I believe they are a ball and chain around his ankles. To stop playing them would be creatively freeing.

What do you think and are there any other songs that need to be retired?

"So many hits - so little time" - Prince

I don't think any songs should be retired completely imo

but ya know he's retired the real nasty ones

I think Prince has also said that Purple Rain is a favorite of his to play.
Who knows. He could retire a ton of his old stand-by's and still kill in concert.

squirrelgrease said:

yes this is true...

Now that I've actually seen him play in the Purple Rain. I think it's safe for him to retire the song Purple Rain if he so chooses and I wouldn't miss it. That performance of it during the Super Bowl is forever etched in my memory!

SexyBeautifulOne said:

Mine too. After seeing that, I knew that I wanted to learn more about him. It was the one thing that made me take the plunge and become the serious fan that I am.

I'll never forget how he played it so beautifully on his purple guitar, just the sound it made makes me smile.

But I wouldn't want him to retire it unless it's what he really wants to do. But I doubt it because its his most infamous hit, so people generally expect it.

Plus, I'd like to get the chance to see him perform it in concert personally.

I don't like the way he's arranged "Let's Go Crazy" these last 10 years or so.

I wish he'd go back to playing it like he recorded it. That's the best arrangement, IMHO.

"Purple Rain" is, was and always will be a killer, no matter how he arranges it.

DreamyPopRoyalty said:

Thats a real treat..I anticipated it every time I went ta see him in concert, because he plays it totally different every time. Charlotte 1997, he played part of the solo on base guitar and had IT screaming! That was the most amazing thing I'd ever seen, a base guitar screaming like a lead.....

He says that shit all the time.


He played Purple Rain at the Superbowl.

I think it is a mistake to 'retire' songs. He could put them on the shelf for a while and put some of them in slower rotation. Remember, not everyone that goes to his show is a rabid fan like we are, and they haven't heard PR on concert tapes and bootlegs. The best example I can give is that my wife and 2 friends went to see Prince at 3121 on 3/24. He played a few hits, but for the most part played songs that I loved hearing (Pink Cashmere, etc.) but although they loved seeing the man perform, there were large parts of the show that they couldn't sing or dance to and they found that if they were paying over $125 a ticket, at least make up a blend that makes old fans and the new ones that Prince hopes to lure to his shows, happy.

There are a lot of great songs that Prince doesn't play nearly enough (ATWIAD, Gold, ICNTTPOYM, etc.) that he could add to the mix and take out the occasional song that might be repeated too often. He shouldn't get bored with them, but I can't imagine seeing Billy Joel and him not playing PIANO MAN. I would feel ripped off as a casual fan.

If Prince wants to keep his audience growing, he'll have to continue to play some of the old songs as well as new ones. David Bowie tried retiring songs back in 1990. That was the last time I saw David Bowie.

madhouseman said:

This is so true. My friend also had that issue at 3121, she felt like she didn't know anything beyond Purple Rain and U Got the Look. I had to remind her that she did know Cream, lol. Luckily, she will still always go to the shows with me- although sometimes I have to offer to buy her ticket! But that being said, she does always enjoy herself anyway.

I hope he never stops playing Purple Rain- I love it, it always sounds great, often a little bit different than the last time I heard it live, plus it's his signature or trademark if you will. I mean come on, the album sold 10 million copies!! As said above, it should always be done for the people who just might be seeing him for the first time. I think anyone who has never been to a Prince show would (and probably should) feel cheated if he didn't.

In my opinion when any artist says that this most current tour will be the last time they play thier hits, they are just trying to get more ticket sells. It's all a stunt to sell more. Even though Prince could still sell out an arena. It just helps the sells out alittle more. The average fan or just someone who knows some of his stuff that normally wouldn't put out the cash to see a concert, might do it causes they might never get a chance to see a superstar play the big hits again.

Bry

Altho it'd b nice 2 hear other songs,I don't think he should ever retire the hits.I never get tired of 'em!

No Purple rain is IT! There's so much he can do with that song on vocals and guitar, He tried to get off stage without playing it in 2004 and got Booed.

purple rain should never be retired you know why?
because he always seems inspired by that song.every live version is diffrent and brings special emotion

he should retire lets go crazy until he rewamp it with original version

RodeoSchro said:

Go go go -- and take that arrangement with you!

paisley16 said:

I understand the need to be surrounded with the familiar but shouldn't an artist be allowed to move away from the past. Why force Prince to always repeat himself? Isn't it more interesting and rewarding to absorb new experiences? Do we experience the same books, movies, plays over and over again? I guess we do occasionally. I always thought Prince has done a brilliant job of pleasing fans of all stripes and himself in his performances.

jdcxc said:

I couldn't agree more! Sometimes I feel for Prince. It's not his fault that some folks don't know anything of his beyond Purple Rain. I know the thousands of times that I've seen and or heard him perform Purple Rain don't compare to the millions of times he's actually had to perform it but I'm getting tired of it...so I know Prince has got to be sick of it by now.

SexyBeautifulOne said:

I do too. But a long time ago (okay about a year), I didnt know that he was still around doing stuff. I thought that he was making a comeback with a new album cuz he was on Idol and GMA... call me ignorant if u want, but that was in the past.

I seriously doubt he'll get sick of it. You can't get sick of a song that means a lot of you personally the way it does for him. Plus, he always finds ways to make it sound brand new to him. No 2 performances I've seen him do of that song are alike.

DreamyPopRoyalty said:

How can he not get sick of it? After awhile the real emotion produced by the song will turn into predictable kareokee if it hasn't already. Including rehearsals, tours and showers, he probably has sung the song 5,000 times. How many arrangements can he come up with? I'm waiting for the reggaeton version of Let's Go Crazy.

jdcxc said:

Listen to Joe Jackson. On his live album, it covered several tours and each show had a different and very cool version of "Is She Really Going Out With Him". Prince is just as talented, if not more so, and could arrange it slightly different.

Of course Prince could do the opposite and go back to his "I hope you didn't come here tonight to get your purple rain on" comments. That sure won a lot of new fans didn't it! lol.

David Bowie 1990? worth going to see because I'd get a blend of old and new...
David Bowie now? Still talented, still the same dude, not interested in playing his hits? I'll stay home.

Prince isn't my monkey and doesn't play what I want him to play, but I sure hope that he decides to keep a healthy rotation of his older hits to throw out to us on occasion, otherwise he's just written off the people who loved him in his most popular era. Purple Rain is one of the biggest reasons he was able to do what he wanted. Why not honor it?
[Edited 4/5/07 22:12pm]

I heard him say in an interview that Purple Rain was "like an albitross around his neck"...I think he wants to be known for more than just that song.

girl66 said:

I've also heard him say on Leno that of all his songs, he would never retire that song. That's Prince for you, always keeping us guessing.

girl66 said:

I think he was talking about the enormous pressure the mindboggling success PR had raised the commercial expectations of his future work to unreasonable levels. His next albums after PR sold 5 million each worldwide and were considered failures. Audiences always want an artist to repeat themselves. Some people would rather go to the strip mall Applebys versus trying a new, creative, funky restaurant downtown.

How many lazy music journalists have you read who know nothing of the great Prince catalog post-1984?

Prince reminds me of Hamlet. Is he really mad or just putting on a crazy face? To Purple Rain or not to Purple Rain that is the question... so damn dramatic.

I am probably one of the only people in the world who could never hear Purple Rain again and be just fine. When I went to 3121 opening night, I walked out in the middle of it. Don't get me wrong, the music is fantastic... but it has become like the macarena to me!!! Enough already. Damn!

I could seriously do without hearing...

Raspberry Beret
Purple Rain
Let's Go Crazy
Take Me With U

So, conversely, what do you wish he'd play? If you walked in to 3121 this weekend, what song would you just die if he played?

lovesexy04 said:

I think I might need a Depends if he played -

Just As Long As We're Together
Still Waiting
Dirty Mind
Private Joy
Last Heart
All The Critics Love U In NY
Interactive
Mad