I really believe Jimi Hendrix' "Angel" is the main musical inspiration for "Purple Rain" (the song). If you listen to "Angel" it's got the same feel as "Purple Rain". Not saying Prince ripped Jimi off or anything but the influence is clear imo. And we know Prince's clothing during this time (with the Edwardian ruffles) was Hendrix influenced.

Anyone else hear this?

C'mon, someone listen to Hendrix' "Angel".

LinnLM1 said:

I KNOW Prince has always been HEAVILY influenced by Hendrix. Musically and visually. BUT I do not hear where these two songs are similar. Their both ballads but the chord progressions, the stylings of the songs, to me, are vastly different. Jimi's feel on this is more classic r&b with Curtis Mayfield/Steve Cropper type of vibe. Whereas Purple Rain is straight gospel in it's vibe. Especially on the chorus. Musically, Purple Rain to me, ALWAYS reminded me of Journey's "Faithfully". Especially during the guitar solo. To say I'm a fan of Hendrix and Prince is an understatement. Both have been HUGE influences on me musically and as a lead guitarist. But I just don't hear it with these two.

I don't hear it.

blackguitaristz said:

Thats something people claim all the time, but it's not true. He surely was inspired visually, especially the way he acts while playing guitar, the gestures and stuff like that, but the sound of his guitar playing is totally different from Jimy. He sounds a lot like Carlos Santana, but not like Jimi imho.

Soulstar77A said:

I KNOW he sounds like Santana. BUT the thread obviously wasn't about P and Carlos. There is no way in hell I will ever say P wasn't influenced by Jimi on guitar because he was. Just like Eddie Hazel and Ernie Isley was. NOBODY's going to say when they hear the guitar solos in Let's Go Crazy, especially the one at the end, "Oh hey...that sounds like Santana!" Nah man...NOT happening....That's ALL Hendrix. And anybody who knows what Jimi sounded like will hear that. That's not even scratching the surface. I know P has used Carlos's phrasing and he uses the scales Carlos used, which is the minor penatonic scale. I KNOW that. But he has always borrowed from Jimi's phrasing and P's natural vibrato is Hendrix like as well. The overall way Prince attacks his guitar, his whole overtone to his playing, the "attitude" musically, P's sensibility while he's playing the guitar, from "Bambi" to "777-9311" (yes that's Prince) to ANY performance of "Purple Rain" to his live SNL performance of "Fury", all through out P's career, he has waved his Hendrix flag high in his playing. Prince has NEVER tried to hide his Hendrix influence on the guitar.