Imagine that,in 1984,Warner Bros. told Prince that they would fund the 'Purple Rain' film ONLY if he used all old songs in the film.Imagine that they were scared to invest in a film that uses unfamiliar songs.What older songs do you think would work instead of the 'Purple Rain' songs that were used? Here's my list...


***Instead of "Let's Go Crazy"---the song "1999" would work well in the opening scene.It starts out like the beginning of some great big epic anyway.

***Instead of "Take Me With U"---hmmm,that's a hard one.I'll have to think about it.

***Instead of "The Beautiful Ones"---the song "With You" could work in this scene,although it would be less dramatic.

***Instead of "Computer Blue"---the song "Something In The Water (Does Not Compute)" is perfect for this scene.

***Instead of "Darling Nikki"---the obvious choice would be "Little Red Corvette",which Prince would sing sarcastically to Apollonia..."she had a pocketful of horses,Trojan and some of them used"...making her run out the club,crying

***Instead of "When Doves Cry"---the song "Lady Cab Driver" could be used.Like "WDC",it deals with Prince's frustrations and problems in the cold world he lives in.

***Instead of "I Would Die 4 U"---gotta think about this one

***Instead of "Baby I'm A Star"---don't know about this one

***Instead of "Purple Rain"---the song "Free" could be the big song that makes everything alright for Prince.



Yeah,I know this is kinda silly...lol...but have some fun with it and pick the songs that could be used.

Interesting idea, but why limit yourself to only songs from 1999? (Except for With You).

Why not add in some really old songs, like Uptown, Controversy, etc.?

I think Controversy could be the opening song, while Uptown could replace Computer Blue.

This goes for The Time too . . . imagine them singing 777-9311!

Se7en said:

I imagine The Time singing "Cool" instead of "Jungle Love" and "The Walk" instead of "The Bird"

I like your other suggestions.

Oh my gosh!! I have always wondered this, too. I always thought of Head to replace Darling Nikki.

Instead of "Take Me With U" - "When U Were Mine"
Instead of "I Would Die 4 U" - "I Wanna Be Your Lover"
Instead of "Baby, I'm A Star" - "Private Joy"
Instead of "Purple Rain" - "Do Me, Baby"
Maybe . . .

Great Idea Man."Erotic City","17"days would have fit real well IMHO.The Time"Wild&Loose" would have been cool IMHO.

I used to listen to each album when it came out, trying to match it up to a previous album's track.

For instance, Nikki and Sexuality, because they both used the AAOOWA scream and talked about the nastiness.

Ditto to uhh, Partyup and 1999 - both revlutionary, both ending with a chant, etc. I thought back then that he was INTENTIONALLY taking a song and progressing it on the next album. For example, Jack U Off was Lets Go Crazy. Same beat, same blues-based riff, same vibe.

My assumptions aren't so much based on LYRICAL content as MUSICAL content.

So with THAT in mind, here's my take:

Let's Go Crazy -- Jack U Off

Take Me With U -- Little Red Corvette (singalong, pure pop)

Beautiful Ones -- Do Me Baby

Computer Blue -- Automatic (same dry funky delivery, Lisa's monotone lyrics)

Darling Nikki -- Head, (or Bambi?) DEFINITELY Head.

When Doves Cry -- well. he broke the mold there. No bass. drum loop. MAN that's the greatest song ever. Still.

I Would Die/Baby I'm a Star -- Sexuality

Purple Rain -- FREE

Here's what I would replace the songs from Purple Rain with:

Let's go crazy- party up

Take me with you- little red corvette

The Beautiful ones- do me baby

Computer blue- automatic

Darling nikki- head

When doves cry- I'm sorrry, but you just can't replace this one

I would die 4- sexuality

Baby I'm a star- 1999

Purple Rain- free