50 Geeky Facts About Prince

So Prince is set to release an 'unconventional' memoir in 2017. Titled 'The Beautiful Ones', the forthcoming autobiography takes its name from a song off his 1984 album 'Purple Rain'. To celebrate, here's a half century of nerdy factoids about the Purple One.

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  Did you know Prince played guitar on Madonna’s ‘Like a Prayer’? Well he did, and according to co-writer Patrick Leonard there was loads material the Purple One recorded for the song, but Madge and co. cut most of it!

  Photo: Getty

  Added: 30 May 2014

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  When John Lennon was murdered in New York in 1980, Prince was staying only a blocks away. The musician's a huge Beatles fan, and has been known to cover Fab Four tracks such as 'Come Together'. Albeit with more glam. Obviously.

  Photo: Getty

  Added: 30 May 2014

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  Prince has no shortage of nicknames and aliases: across his career, he's been known as The Kid, The Purple Purv, The Minneapolis Midget, Alexander Nevermind, Christopher Tracy and The Artist Formerly Known As Prince. His real name's Prince Rogers Nelson and when he was a kid he was known as Skipper.

  Photo: Getty

  Added: 13 Feb 2014

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  You know you've made it when you have your very own Wikipedia spin-off site. Princepedia was created by fans a few years ago and remains a popular resource among Prince devotees.

  Photo: Getty

  Added: 23 Apr 2014

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  Prince initially asked Stevie Nicks to write lyrics for 'Purple Rain'. "It was so overwhelming, that 10-minute track... I listened to it and I just got scared," she said. "I called him back and said, 'I can't do it. I wish I could. It's too much for me.” And so Prince went his own way and ‘Purple Rain’ was born.

  Photo: Getty

  Added: 30 May 2014

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  Despite Prince’s small stature at just 5’2, he's a talented basketball player and once played for one of the best school teams in the Minnesota state.

  Photo: Getty

  Added: 30 May 2014

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  On tour in the UK in 1987, Prince had found no way of getting a baby grand piano up the stairs of the London’s Chelsea Harbour Hotel for him to practice on. Therefore, the workaholic star hired a crane and brought it in through the window. As you do.

  Photo: Press

  Added: 10 Feb 2014

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  ‘Purple Rain’ was originally a whopping 11 minutes long. A verse and chorus were cut, apparently because the theme of money was deemed inappropriate. The original lyrics are as follows: "Honey I don't want your money, no, no. I don't even think I want your love. If I wanted either one I would take your money and, I want the heavy stuff."

  Photo: Getty

  Added: 30 May 2014

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  Prince belongs to the Jehovah’s Witness faith and refuses to swear in his songs or regularly sing old songs that champion sexual freedom, such as 'Darling Nikki' and 'Little Red Corvette'.

  Photo: Getty

  Added: 30 May 2014

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  The week of July 27 1984, Prince topped both the film box office, single and albums charts, with his film ‘Purple Rain’ and ‘When Doves Cry’ respectively. Total dominance, that.

  Photo: Getty

  
  READ MORE GEEKY FACTS ABOUT PRINCE: http://www.nme.com/photos...ium=social