Hey im new to the site, so if this topic has come up b4 4give (ill b pretty sure it has) but Which version of purple rain do U guys rate as the best or best 5 versions of it..? ive heard a few...and i cant blooody decide...i love the song so yea might b a bit biased... i love the Live @ new years eve 2000 (rave unto DVD)..the 1995 live @ atlanta Version rocks... (specially the guitar after 14 mins...that rift just blows me away heheh) And the Live @ melbourne version (heheh ok just cos i saw it live!!!)

neway woould love 2 hear others views!!~!!!

Wish I could help you DarkWalker. A song is a song is a song for me. Purple Rain is Purple Rain. I've never compared versions.

I can't tell you where or when as I don't collect bootlegs but if anyone out there has it they'll be able to let you know. It was somewhere in UK/Europe (went to every show sho it is all a bit of a blur), I think in 1992 on the D&P tour and he played an awesome version which broke down into the little drummer boy during the guitar outro and then back into the ooh hoo ooh ooh ooh with the lighters waving.

If anyone can throw some light on the date etc, I'd love to know as I would like to put it down in my Prince memories diary that I am compiling. Not sure why I have decided to do this after so many years but something is telling me I should catalogue the events etc.

My favourite is the version from the last Parade show (and last show with the Revolution). It's very emotional and the guitar solo is just screaming..

sabaisabai said:

That is a great version. It's on the bootleg "Septembre".
I guess that there were some busted strings on that one.

squirrelgrease said:

I read that somewhere. It sounds like he went through the strings on two guitars there. There's a pause in the middle of the solo (changing guitars?) then the overall solo doesn't go on for very long. There's that one screeching note that he hangs on to for ages... gets me on the floor playing air guitar every time.

ooh id love 2 get more bootlegs and versions!! the one u guys are talkin about sounds awesum...67t bird can u find out wat its called wen u can? and woo i love the guitar screaming...damn guitar cries in that song...

the best version, or at least my fave version, is the one he did at AMA 85. quality solo.

softandwet said:

yup. that and the LIVE '85 version

DarkWalker said:

You can't go wrong with "Gotta Shake This Feeling" (Purple Rain with different lyrics), from a PR tour rehearsal.

But, for a taste of this song before P wrote proper lyrics to it, try the version from the second piano sessions (from '83). The song hadn't yet been fully developed at this early stage so it is quite interesting to hear in its rough unfinished state.

But the one you ought to definitely seek out is the rehearsal version in preparation for the 3rd June 1983 show at First Avenue.

I dare say the guitar solo on the latter is a touch more inspired than the one on the officially released version.

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