For those of you who have been fans from before the Purple Rain era, how did you feel/react when Purple Rain was released back in 1984? I've been a fan since Dirty Mind and I can remember being somewhat underwhelmed by PR, apart from The Beautiful Ones and Computer Blue (the latter of which seemed like an updated Something in the Water...). During all the PR hype, I can remember playing 1999 (album) over and over again as it seemed a more powerful and subversive work more in line with my perception of the real Prince. Nowadays, I appreciate PR for what it was and is but part of me still feels that a bit of the rawness was left behind with PR.

I can remember buying it on the day of release and listening to it twice through that evening.

It was obvious that it was full of a great pop tunes which would work well to showcase Prince's range in a film, and - with the right promotion -there were obvious signs that the Purple Rain project stood a good commercial chance of succeeding.

There were also indications that Prince had developed musically, although there was a small part of me that wondered how much he had 'sold out' to mainstream pop sensibilities rather than ploughing his own subversive purple furrow. It therefore made more sense when the film came out and it was great to see he continued to adopt the silent, enigmatic approach despite the escalation in attention, and let the music and preformances do the talking.

I LOVED IT!!!

Loved the music! Loved the movie! Loved the band! Loved the co-stars! Loved the clothes! Loved the hair! Loved the videos! Loved the tour! Love the awards shows! Love the magazine reports and interviews! Loved the pictures and posters!

I LOVED IT!!!

Purple Rain exposed the rest of the world to the Prince that I'd been crazy about for years and they saw what I'd always seen. That he was simply incredibly amazing.

totally loVe(d) it, listened 2 it over and over

It was also created 4 a film, which has a different purpose than 1999

I love the whole PR project including the B sides and movie/unreleased songs, as well as the Glamorous Life, I was a bit more disappointed with the Time & A6 album

I hated it. I was looking for 1999 part two. Very disappointing. It gradually grew on me that summer, especially with the videos.

purple rain was the second album i got, lotusflower being the first.. which is probably why i like it (lotus) so much. it got me into him.

i loved every track and still do. although the beautiful ones started out as my least favorite from PR because of the screaming. that had to grow on me, but now its my absolute favorite. the ending of darling nikki always creeps me out a little and gives me chills. the "ha-ha-ha-ha-ha" part mostly. but i like it for some reason.

bigbrother said:

For those of you who have been fans from before the Purple Rain era, how did you feel/react when Purple Rain was released back in 1984? I've been a fan since Dirty Mind and I can remember being somewhat underwhelmed by PR, apart from The Beautiful Ones and Computer Blue (the latter of which seemed like an updated Something in the Water...). During all the PR hype, I can remember playing 1999 (album) over and over again as it seemed a more powerful and subversive work more in line with my perception of the real Prince. Nowadays, I appreciate PR for what it was and is but part of me still feels that a bit of the rawness was left behind with PR.

Loved it

bigbrother said:

For those of you who have been fans from before the Purple Rain era, how did you feel/react when Purple Rain was released back in 1984? I've been a fan since Dirty Mind and I can remember being somewhat underwhelmed by PR, apart from The Beautiful Ones and Computer Blue (the latter of which seemed like an updated Something in the Water...). During all the PR hype, I can remember playing 1999 (album) over and over again as it seemed a more powerful and subversive work more in line with my perception of the real Prince. Nowadays, I appreciate PR for what it was and is but part of me still feels that a bit of the rawness was left behind with PR.

I didn't like it as much as 1999 but it certainly wasn't a disappointment.

HatrinaHaterwitz said:

I LOVED IT!!!

Loved the music! Loved the movie! Loved the band! Loved the co-stars! Loved the clothes! Loved the hair! Loved the videos! Loved the tour! Love the awards shows! Love the magazine reports and interviews! Loved the pictures and posters!

I LOVED IT!!!

Purple Rain exposed the rest of the world to the Prince that I'd been crazy about for years and they saw what I'd always seen. That he was simply incredibly amazing.

And I love your post. I felt exactly those same emotions about Purple Rain and everything associated with it at that time.

B 4 the hype hit. remember a radio show called "Radio Scope" previewed briefly the song "Purple Rain". was horrified. It sounded like a country western song 2 me. said this cannot be a Prince song or a hit. What is he thinking? Boy was wrong.

Then several months later WDC was added 2 radio it was like no other song ever heard. felt with the PR soundtrack, Prince was selling out and watering down his sound. But It was well put 2gether & a good concept album that fit the movie perfectly.

The movie, like others just wanted 2 c him walk & talk. Up until that point no one ever saw him do that. It was almost like he wasn't human. No one ever saw him walking among human beings b4...Only his videos which didn't really reveal much. kind of miss the Prince b4 "Purple Rain". The one b4 everybody jumped on the bandwagon. use 2 never consider the after Purple Rain fans fans.

will say the movie was very very good. To me it is the best rock & roll movie ever made. The movie gave the songs new life. It was like watching a MTV long form video channel @ its best.

The whole singles/soundtrack/movie had even the late MJ worried how he can top that. Which MJ never did.

Prince was able 2 build "Paisley Park" & bless us with more masterpieces from the millions he made from it.

Even though he sold out 4 superstardom with the watered down music soundtrack. PR is a part of his legacy now. Plus it adds more value 2 his masters. Which will be his bread & butter the rest of his life. So in that regard it will help him in the long run.

But always felt lost Prince after PR.

[Edited 5/23/11 19:38pm]

[Edited 5/25/11 0:59am]

^ om gawd.

Purple Rain is one of the greatest albums of all time, but it is sort of a "sellout" mainstream album for replacing Punk Funk with Guitar Pop.

i remember deciding that before i buy the album, let me check the film out. the movie was on point, the album was effective, the tour was ok, the tv apearances was great and of course the side projects were cool too.

I was only five when PR was released, but I can remember listening to Purple Rain and for the first time feeling completely in awe of the way everything sounded. It was so different from everything I'd heard, and still to this day, I listen to the title track as well as God (instrumental version), and you can feel it just as much as you hear it. It's really amazing.

nahenahenowemapa said:

I was only five when PR was released, but I can remember listening to Purple Rain and for the first time feeling completely in awe of the way everything sounded. It was so different from everything I'd heard, and still to this day, I listen to the title track as well as God (instrumental version), and you can feel it just as much as you hear it. It's really amazing.

I love this album and love the GOD instrumental

xlr8r said:

I hated it. I was looking for 1999 part two. Very disappointing. It gradually grew on me that summer, especially with the videos.

Didn't exactly hate it but I was caught off guard after the progression of albums from Dirty Mind to 1999. I bought the 45 (the purple vinyl one BTW) before the album's release and thought "Doves" was OK but liked "17 Days" much better. Still before the album's release, the local R&B station played the whole record and I was really underwhelmed. Now over 25 years later, in retrospect I appreciate it's importance musically, culturally and to Prince's career (it's certainly his best sequenced album). Sure I enjoy it now (especially the personal nostalgia attached to it) but still it's far from my favorite Prince album -- I know that's sacrilege to many here.

For what its worth Sgt. Pepper, Thriller and Electric Ladyland aren't my favorites from the Beatles, MJ and Jimi either. Big difference between "important" and "favorite" I suppose...

personally i think 1999 is the better album.

802 said:

Purple Rain is one of the greatest albums of all time, but it is sort of a "sellout" mainstream album for replacing Punk Funk with Guitar Pop.

LoL ... True ... P the artist did 'sell out' but, then again he was tryin' to 'make it' so I don't hold it against him. When he released A.T.W.I.A.D. he was going against the grain and against his new found fame. Look at him now and I've come to the conclusion that he's an independent artist, now that he's got the $

bigbrother said:

For those of you who have been fans from before the Purple Rain era, how did you feel/react when Purple Rain was released back in 1984? I've been a fan since Dirty Mind and I can remember being somewhat underwhelmed by PR, apart from The Beautiful Ones and Computer Blue (the latter of which seemed like an updated Something in the Water...). During all the PR hype, I can remember playing 1999 (album) over and over again as it seemed a more powerful and subversive work more in line with my perception of the real Prince. Nowadays, I appreciate PR for what it was and is but part of me still feels that a bit of the rawness was left behind with PR.

I have to agree with you. Alot of the PR that Prince received during the 80's created the excitement with each new album. I began to anticipate and get excited with the release date of all of his albums. I was kind of upset with Purple Rain because it was such a departure from 1999. But, I did get tickets for the premiere of Purple Rain

KCOOLMUZIQ said:

B 4 the hype hit. remember a radio show called "Radio Scope" previewed briefly the song "Purple Rain". was horrified. It sounded like a country western song 2 me. said this cannot be a Prince song or a hit. What is he thinking? Boy was wrong.

Then several months later WDC was added 2 radio it was like no other song ever heard. felt Prince was selling out and watering down his sound. It was well put 2gether & a good concept album that fit the movie perfectly.

The movie, like others just wanted 2 c him walk & talk. Up until that point no one ever saw him do that. It was almost like he wasn't human. No one ever saw him walking among human beings b4...Only his videos which didn't really reveal much. kind of miss the Prince b4 "Purple Rain". The one b4 everybody jumped on the bandwagon. use 2 never consider the after Purple Rain fans fans.

will say the movie was very very good. To me it is the best rock & roll movie ever made. The movie gave the songs new life. It was like watching a MTV long form video channel @ its best.

The whole singles/soundtrack/movie had even the late MJ worried how he can top that. Which MJ never did.

Prince was able 2 build "Paisley Park" & bless us with more masterpieces from the millions he made from it.

But PR is a part of his legacy now. Plus it adds more value 2 his masters. Which will be his bread & butter the rest of his life. So in that regard it will help him in the long run.

But always felt lost Prince after PR.

[Edited 5/23/11 19:38pm]

I remember Radio Scope. I made a tape of the long version of "Little Red Corvette" from that show! I think I still have that tape somewhere!

Jamzone333 said:

KCOOLMUZIQ said:

B 4 the hype hit. remember a radio show called "Radio Scope" previewed briefly the song "Purple Rain". was horrified. It sounded like a country western song 2 me. said this cannot be a Prince song or a hit. What is he thinking? Boy was wrong.

Then several months later WDC was added 2 radio it was like no other song ever heard. felt Prince was selling out and watering down his sound. It was well put 2gether & a good concept album that fit the movie perfectly.

The movie, like others just wanted 2 c him walk & talk. Up until that point no one ever saw him do that. It was almost like he wasn't human. No one ever saw him walking among human beings b4...Only his videos which didn't really reveal much. kind of miss the Prince b4 "Purple Rain". The one b4 everybody jumped on the bandwagon. use 2 never consider the after Purple Rain fans fans.

will say the movie was very very good. To me it is the best rock & roll movie ever made. The movie gave the songs new life. It was like watching a MTV long form video channel @ its best.

The whole singles/soundtrack/movie had even the late MJ worried how he can top that. Which MJ never did.

Prince was able 2 build "Paisley Park" & bless us with more masterpieces from the millions he made from it.

But PR is a part of his legacy now. Plus it adds more value 2 his masters. Which will be his bread & butter the rest of his life. So in that regard it will help him in the long run.

But always felt lost Prince after PR.

[Edited 5/23/11 19:38pm]

I remember Radio Scope. I made a tape of the long version of "Little Red Corvette" from that show! I think I still have that tape somewhere!

O M GEE! That is exactly where heard 4 the first time LRC(Long Version) 2. U brought that memory back! also recorded it & have it somewhere....That show on RadioScope with Steven Ivory who chatted with a few months ago about his exclusive news he use 2 have about Prince back then....

802 said:

Purple Rain is one of the greatest albums of all time, but it is sort of a "sellout" mainstream album for replacing Punk Funk with Guitar Pop.

i SERIOUSLY doubt PR is a 'sellout' mainstream album.

This 1st of all is a film album. The music has to suite the film. I don't hear anything on this album or the B sides that is mainstream.

Nothing on this album was 'mainstream' Prince was breaking grounds with this album as well

what songs do you consider Guitar Pop?

No I wasn't disappointed at all. The film did have some skippable moments (like the slap for instance and I never got the idea of that club owner always butting in on Prince but I love his and Morris' rivalry in the film though ) but it was a good film. Obviously the best film he ever did if you don't count the Sign O' The Times concert film.

+

[Edited 7/5/12 0:47am]

OldFriends4Sale said:

802 said:

Purple Rain is one of the greatest albums of all time, but it is sort of a "sellout" mainstream album for replacing Punk Funk with Guitar Pop.

i SERIOUSLY doubt PR is a 'sellout' mainstream album.

This 1st of all is a film album. The music has to suite the film. I don't hear anything on this album or the B sides that is mainstream.

Nothing on this album was 'mainstream' Prince was breaking grounds with this album as well

what songs do you consider Guitar Pop?

A lot of hard core Prince fans didn't like some of the vibe of Purple Rain and felt it was a big move in a more mainstream popular direction away from R&B on purpose... Epecially those who came from the Dirty Mind (electro falsetto punk demo) vibe.

Songs like "Let's Go Crazy, Take Me With You, Darling Niki, Computer Blue", and even "Purple Rain" itself could be interpreted as a more rock/pop mainstream vibe.

When I first heard it,I liked it but I wasn't blown away by it.Shocking,huh?

I mean,I loved "When Doves Cry" instantly,and "Computer Blue" as well.But my first impression was that the album was 'too rock',too mainstream.It wasn't as edgy or as funky as '1999',which I consider to be his best work.I was like "where are the funk jams?".The last album had daring funk jams like "DMSR" and "Lady Cab Driver",but there was none of that on 'Purple Rain'.

Of course,I grew to love 'Purple Rain',especially after seeing the movie.

millwall said:

personally i think 1999 is the better album.

I agree.

the buzz on the Doves was HUGE in the hood. i remember the world premier of the video. it was so funny how P had the "hard" hood dudes on lock, cats knew he could pull any female he wanted. but anywho, PR was NOT a disappointment. I/we were happy to see the rest of America (or those who'd slept) "discover" the diminutive genius who we met with Soft & Wet.

i didn't look at PR as "selling out", but a broadening of his sound, we'd heard guitar on tracks like Bambi, so I don't equate "more guitar" as pop, mainstream, or selling out, ESPECIALLY from a black artist who was SUPPOSED to fit in a box, that's actually anti-thetical to selling out at the time. the movie blew me away, i remember women screaming in the theater at every little move and gesture and the IWD4U hand movement caught on with them. PR is NOT my favorite album either, i think 1999 is better but PR was THE vehicle to catapult him.

SoulAlive said:

When I first heard it,I liked it but I wasn't blown away by it.Shocking,huh?

I mean,I loved "When Doves Cry" instantly,and "Computer Blue" as well.But my first impression was that the album was 'too rock',too mainstream.It wasn't as edgy or as funky as '1999',which I consider to be his best work.I was like "where are the funk jams?".The last album had daring funk jams like "DMSR" and "Lady Cab Driver",but there was none of that on 'Purple Rain'.

Of course,I grew to love 'Purple Rain',especially after seeing the movie.

I was a fan since 1979 and I felt kinda the same way when "Purple Rain" came out. I was used to Prince having rock tracks on the album so that was no surprise to me, I just thought there was not enough funk on the album. I still loved the album instantly though because it was still the same Prince sound I was used to, just without enough funk. I didn't care for "Take Me With U" too much though.

My first real disappointment with Prince came the next year though with "Around The World In A Day" which was waaaaaaay out there away from his previous stuff and every album after that was a disappointment until the 1990s began when I finally realized that Prince was never going to "snap out of it" and go back to being his previous self. Damn those European fans! If they hadn't embraced his new sound so much he would have had to go back because people were laughing at him here in the states.

datdude said:

the buzz on the Doves was HUGE in the hood. i remember the world premier of the video. it was so funny how P had the "hard" hood dudes on lock, cats knew he could pull any female he wanted. but anywho, PR was NOT a disappointment. I/we were happy to see the rest of America (or those who'd slept) "discover" the diminutive genius who we met with Soft & Wet.

i didn't look at PR as "selling out", but a broadening of his sound, we'd heard guitar on tracks like Bambi, so I don't equate "more guitar" as pop, mainstream, or selling out, ESPECIALLY from a black artist who was SUPPOSED to fit in a box, that's actually anti-thetical to selling out at the time. the movie blew me away, i remember women screaming in the theater at every little move and gesture and the IWD4U hand movement caught on with them. PR is NOT my favorite album either, i think 1999 is better but PR was THE vehicle to catapult him.

Not surprised. The hood had had his back since the debut.