Maybe "Right the Wrong"?

Has a twang to it.

Coincidentally I was also thinking about this the other day. The only thing that comes to mind would be The Truth. It's not country but I consider it to be very darn close.

He did some country music on an episode of "Muppets Tonight," in a silly skit that said he appeared on a fake country show called "Hoo Haw."

And he wrote a song for Kenny Rogers.

I think it was Big Chick who thought Purple Rain was a country song upon first hearing it. There are several with a little twinge of country, like Raspberry Beret, Delirious, Jack U Off which the latter two are actually more rockabilly but that counts too i think. Also, every so often he'd enunciate like a country singer, or maybe it was the minnesota accent, such as when he sang the live version of nothing compares to you. However, sometimes he was emulating Patti Labelle who had a tinge of country to her too. (so did Whitney if you listen for it). However, a true country song? Not to my knowledge, he used to joke about it though. He said in RS "you can always renegotiate a contract, all you have to do is say 'ya know? I think I'm going to make my next album a country and western album".

somethinginthewater said:

FragileUndertow said:

somethinginthewater said:

That's no bear that's a gator!

Muppet: Them ain't no bear tracks.

Prince: They ain't?

Muppet: Nuh uh....Thems gator tracks. AAAAAAAAAAAAH! LOL!

Wasn't "KISS" originally a country song before it was re-worked?

heymistermusic said:

Wasn't "KISS" originally a country song before it was re-worked?

IMO, I don't think a blues/rock'n'roll chord structure makes it a country song.
The original "Kiss" take is more of a blues.

The chorus of "Right The Wrong" comes close.
"Still Waiting" is a good catch.

"Purple Rain", yes and no. A little because of the chords, even though but SKipper goes more gospel than country. The subject ("our love story is over"), the ballad feel, if sped up or played in 6/8, could qualify as.

After that, there are the melodies, which some can bear some influences.
But "define 'Country' ", I would say.

Live, Rock and Roll Love Affair sounded quite country to me.

Also, check out Alphabet Street live on It Ain't Over.

He covered Shania Twain's "Still the One" in concert. I think the Truth was also pretty country twangy (if that was the all acoustic album in the mid 90s?)

Raspberry Beret could easily be turned into a country song; it's about driving your sickle out to Old Man Johnson's farm, after all.

vladimir said:

PeteSilas said:

I think it was Big Chick who thought Purple Rain was a country song upon first hearing it. There are several with a little twinge of country, like Raspberry Beret, Delirious, Jack U Off which the latter two are actually more rockabilly but that counts too i think. Also, every so often he'd enunciate like a country singer, or maybe it was the minnesota accent, such as when he sang the live version of nothing compares to you. However, sometimes he was emulating Patti Labelle who had a tinge of country to her too. (so did Whitney if you listen for it). However, a true country song? Not to my knowledge, he used to joke about it though. He said in RS "you can always renegotiate a contract, all you have to do is say 'ya know? I think I'm going to make my next album a country and western album".

There's a funny quote about his response to hearing it: "Big Chick came into the office raving," says [Alan] Leeds. "He said, 'Wait until you hear the song he did last night. It's gonna be bigger than Willie Nelson!'"

I googled the quote, which I remembered hearing years ago, and a reference to Alan Light's Let's Go Crazy: Prince and the Making of Purple Rain came up: "Funk maestro George Clinton later agreed with the bodyguard’s assessment. He said, 'Purple Rain always reminded me of Jimi Hendrix singing country music -- take all the effects off and it’s a country-and-western song.'"

You add a fiddle and slide to it, it becomes "country". Shania did that album where one version was pop, the other was country.

maplesyrupnjam said:

The one u wanna c always sounded a bit countryish to me.

Yup - that song is straight-up country.

And of course, he did a "country-fied" version of Alphabet St. at his 7/7/7 show.

count the days??...right the wrong??..dont know if they qualify

Courtin' Time is straight up Texas Swing, very much in the style of Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys.

Sister!

In my opinion - no. There's nothing in Prince's catalogue that I could play at the rodeo and have it accepted as a country song. IMO "Purple Rain" isn't anywhere near a country song; HOWEVER, Brad Paisely did one heck of a homage to "Purple Rain" back in 2011. This song is straight-up "Purple Rain", all the way down to Paisley's guitar solo. If I get the chance to see him next year, I'll get confirmation or not from him on my assertion. But tell me what YOU think!

"Right The Wrong" is definitely country rock.

"With You" is country, and Jill's version lends to that even more.

"Purple Rain" could be a country song, but I don't want anyone else trying it. Leann Rhymes did already.

I would also vote for "Still Waiting".

Also "Gotta Broken Heart Again". Gheezus in lyric alone, that's a cry-in-your-beer country tune circa 1979.

Aerogram has a good idea with "Rocknroll Loveaffair", in that the newer Phase two version lends a country swing vibe.

For intensive purposes, "Take Me With U" is a country pop song.

.

Other songs to be considered, for me, are "Raspeberry Beret", and "I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man".

.

If you look at his rockabilly stuff (discussed here recently), those could be added to a broader list.

Junglehop said:

The 1 U Wanna C

sorta