Prince is known for many albums. None so liek Purple Rain. And the irony is that of all the singles on the album and the great songs off the album 1 is the song he's best known for the tittle track.

Purple Rain was never a single was it,and it never had a video. Although this was a slow song without many sounds this is his most known song. Wonder why?

fluid said:

single- and vid in australia

i personally think WDC is the best song on the album (my fav is lets go crazy)
but PR has become his "signature song"

i never fail to get a tear in my eye, while watching the movie- when the kid dedicates PR to his dad

if im ever privileged enough to see P live- and he doesnt play PR - i'll feel a little cheated
:gettingreadytoholdlighterintheair:
[Edited 4/28/08 2:29am]

People always like anthems as they relate them to sad or loving moments in their lives. Purple rain the film had a sad theme about his father (in the film) and therefore I think people related that song with the emotion of the lyric never meant to cause you any sorrow etc


It therefore became a lighter holding arm waving anthem, a true 80s phenomenon you might say, the anthem concept - i dunno. its a bit like 'doing the wave' at concerts!! lol

Purple Rain wasn't about his father but a relationship with the higher power.
ANd I don't recall it being a single or video outside of in the movie.

in the States it went to #2 after his first two #1 songs WDC & LGC
the video was nothing more than edited down version of the movie performance, iirc
not my fav song off the album, but it is one of his best

fluid said:

b- side - God

I do believe there could still be a "Purple Rain" video, if Prince was interested. I like the concept of everyone in yellow...watching the tail end of the movie in the distance at the drive-in. Having everyone in the band, start singing occapella...people slowly coming out of their carz to join in...as it begins to rain purple on their yellow clothez...

I wouldn't mind the backseat, in the last row, extra role.

fluid said:

Purple Rain was issued as a single worldwide! And it was a huge hit in almost every country. It had a video as well, though that was just the movie footage.

I've heard it said that Purple Rain was intended for the white audience into rock. He was questioning why other artists (one in particular) were garnering such huge audiences and was told that it was the above. Apparently he then churns out Purple Rain and whadayknow, it, and he, go huge. Makes sense. White Westeners love anthems. Just look at bands like Snow Patrol for instance. Big stadium filling bands with big stadium filling songs.

Purple Rain is straight up magical gospel rock and is Prince's Stairway to heaven.

Why are people so willing to make rock a "white" thing? Rock, even stadium rock, has its roots in blues and the there are countless black contributors to the genre. The allusion to Hendrix is not accidental. There was no "intention" to appeal to white audiences. This was pre-racial Prince. Back when he saw all music as a multlicolored kalidoscope. He was as comforatble listening to JB as Zepplin or Joni...he wasnt trying to appeal to anyone or prove anything.

That said...of you'd put a gun to my head I'd say "Beautiful Ones" is the best on the album.

I am going to see it tonight here in Los Angeles. Anyone else going to see it?

fluid said:

Thank you, Prince's Memory!



I always LOVE it when people speak for Prince in certainties.

I think Purple Rain's lyrics are beautiful because they work on ALL levels. And who knows what Prince meant with the lyrics, except Prince?

fluid said:

Ah. You must have been asleep in 1984, as it was a worldwide hit.

Pssh, let's move away from singles! There are still some great album tracks that haven't been discussed! Darling Nikki anyone? Computer Blue?

Don't shoot me for saying this, but I get sick of Purple Rain (the song) after awhile. It ceases to be exciting after a certain number of listens!

cassingle said:

Aw lawd, I'm gonna be cricified for admitting this, but...


Every live version of Purple Rain since 1989 was kind of a potty break for me during concerts. Same with Nothing Compares 2 U. They do not really work for me...

PS; http://prince.org/msg/7/268791

I think Doves cry was momumental in its sound and drum programming.

I think Computer Blue is one hell of a rock song.

And The Beautiful ones is moving to the point of chills.

If I had to pick one it would be Computer Blue.

aalloca said:

Me too. Esp the first live version is a killer.

Computer Blue.

Best track on this album? When Doves Cry...hands down.

Computer Blue by far

They're showing Purple Rain in Los Angeles? We dodn't get that in Houston where theaters show old movies.

Rock was actually meant to appeal to white folks. While Little Richard and Chuck Berry are credited for inventing it it was Bo Didly who I believe was the oriinal. He said that he originally made the music to seduce white girls into having sex.

Hendricx and Price gave it a hard rock-metal feel.

And can we really think of Prince as a Rock artists? He is The Guitarist but major music store still vonsider him R&B. Strange since it only really takes sales to be considered Pop or not falling into any genre. Prince definetly does this. Seems the industry thinks of him as a SOuld singer whom does a little ROck,Hip Hop, Dance, and whatever.

For the last 30 years rock has been the main domain of predominantly white audiences and musicians. We all know that blues was the root to a lot of styles we now hear but there was music before that aswell you know. Blues had it's beginnings.

Purple Rain to me is a gospel song. Not classic gospel but gospel nonetheless. It works due to its great structure, uplifting melodies and rock guitar. Prince wailed on this track and everybody into rock loves a wailing guitar (Satriani/Gilbert next month, woo hoo!).

But is this thread going to become a black/white issue on who created rock music? Let's hope not ffs. Music adapts and changes. Occasionally styles are created that may well have their root in other places but seem so radically different that they in turn go on to influence and inspire new areas. Punk, Trance, Hip Hop. All new, all different.

And as for toilet break songs? Umm, Chelsea Rogers live. Really doesn't work live. Didn't last year when the beat was coming through milliseconds after it should have. Disco songs have gotta be tight.

It was a number 2 hit and huge, after 2 number one singles, the momentum had to slow, besides by October 84, most people had the album and had seen the movie. Still it was quickly turning into Thriller's little brother.
The album, my favourite track changes all the time, but its "The Beautiful Ones" the song builds up and its a powerful passionate lyric. Its even more effective if you are watching it in the movie, because you know the Kid is aiming it at Apollonia.
The whole album is amazing tho as its all killer and no filler.

fluid said:

Computer Blue was my favorite track on Purple Rain.

I never did think Darling Nikki was a song. I thought it was sort of an inbetween song or outro for Compter Blue. It was that and that weird message at the end. Combine that with the fact that it's so short I never thought of it as a song on the album. Besides it has no electronics and almost no drums. If you have the original album it's at the end of the first side. You then have to flip the record over and go into When Doves Cry.

The album was blessed with gems after gems..and the left out tracks (intended) were BLISSFUL! "ELECTRIC INTERCOURSE"

My fav is IWD4U

I think Prince and Michael should take all of their unreleased tracks before The 90s and put them on an album. It would be lik e a return to the old sound.
We could make videos, singles, radioplay, sing then on tour, and Michael could paint himself brown again and give that 80s feeling. I know Prince had some in storage song sreleases, but were they from the 80s and for Purple Rain specifically?

fluid said:

It dosent worry about the skin colour, its the groove and Michael and Prince still have it

It?