i don't actually like the song purple rain.
the hype about this song has always baffled me.
IMHO it's dull! nothing happens; the song goes on 4 2 long, the lyrics r mediocore, the vocals r nothing special, the guitar solo is no big deal compared 2 what prince is capable of....

don't get me wrong, i am not a naysayer and i love the vast majority of prince's music. it's just that 2 me, this song isn't actually very good.

i know 2 some, my confession will sound almost blasphemous, but i just wanted 2 get it off my chest. it is hard being a prince fan when u don't even like the song that most people (well, casual or non-fans anyway) remember him 4.

thanx 4 listening 2 my rant. i feel so much better now.

im glad you said that and im in agreement, maybe some people get caught up in the whole "thing" but its not the best of his abilities.
*shrugs*

randomduck, what the f***! This is the song that really got me into Prince (I had heard some of 1999 album but never truly digged his music at that time). If it hadn't been for Purple Rain I wouldn't be sitting here with my shelves overflowing with his music.

Whilst the song may have grown old through over familiarity it is still always a live highlight for me and brings back all my feelings when I first heard it.

Now, if you were to talk about When Doves Cry, I might agree as I do believe this is vastly over hyped as his best material. But I digress, no disrespect but you need to open your eyes to what that one song did for Prince and his career. Would half of the fans have stuck with him without such glory day songs as this?

GoldTimer said:

u misunderstand me. i am not disrespecting any1 who loves the song and holds it close 2 their heart, and i appreciate that this was a major cross over hit 4 prince that got him noticed by alot of people. i was just voicing my own opinion about the song, that's it.
peace

randomduck..

OK that's 8)

I guess it's a subject so close to my heart that I'm easily drawn in to a debate concerning it. I appreciate where you are coming from - I'm sure all Fams have particular songs that they can't get into that go against the mass opinion.

Well I don't care much about the Purple Rain song.... the album version... but I know some live performances where I get goosebumbs from... again and again!

SexLovely said:

ouch! that barge pole hurt!
like i said i love a vast majority of his music and i would find it difficult 2 pick just 1 song that represents his abilities. i am right now listening 2 'small club' and prince thruout that cd kicks ass compared 2 the song purple rain. :p

random duck - OK have to say that "Small Club" does rock but you really have asked for it in starting up this confession. Prepare to be slaughtered by the masses....

GoldTimer said:

at least some1 understand me!

GoldTimer said:

Bring it on!

SexLovely said:

u don't wanna know;). lol.
seriously, i think both those songs r okay. better than PR!

SexLovely said:

lol just don't use the barge pole, okay?

I love the song Purple Rain because of the lyrics and the emotion the song brings. I noticed in the favorite songs thread, hardly anyone mentioned it.

This song is special because of what the ‘Purple rain’ meant to me. It's about a break-up and he’s telling his girl about how maybe amidst through all their problems and hers, he only just wanted to see her happy with him. He just wanted to be with her, be her friend and her lover. Although their relationship started as casual, he did fall fall for her. But now she seems to want to be leading herself away from him. Although he believes that she is to only be happy with him, since she then can't decide on being with him or not, he decides for her, and tells her to go. As he watches her leave him', he now feels the sorrow and cries for her deep inside. I see this song as how one feels at the brink of a break-up, when it is all happening right then there, and then it all ends.

I've always imagined it somewhat this way, I know others see it differently, but in style, the guitar playing and everything else puts the emotion into the lyrics and the music. This song best describes my moods. I could hear it anyday and I feel like that's just me. I love this song! It's what brought me to Prince, the song, the performance, and everything else.
[This message was edited Mon Mar 4 17:28:01 PST 2002 by purpleleaf7]

randomduck said:

..do 17 'hail princey's' and listen to 'newpowersoul' for 24hours and your sin shall be absolved my child..

High,

Eye never cared 4 that song as well. As soon as Prince hit it big with that movie and album Eye was bummed out! But then he turned around and gave us Around the world in a day and Eye was in love again...

Live4Love...Liquid

I think the song is great!

randomduck said:

I don't think it's blasphemous. But I don't understand why it would be hard for you just because casual fans love the song and remember him for it.

GoldTimer said:

Nothing wrong with "Doves" at all. In fact it's innovative whereas "Purple Rain" isn't. "Rain" has some very soulful and anguished guitar playing. The only thing that may be even slightly wrong with "Rain" is that you guys being hardcore fans and all, probably have heard it too many times when radio has played it for almost 20 years. Any song can be played to death on the radio to the point of people being unmoved by it.

Purple Rain has always been one of my least favorite Prince "hits". And since I didn't particularly love it when the song was new, after 18 years of hearing it over and over and over again, I really could go the rest of my life without ever hearing it again. I don't think it's a bad song --- but I never thought it was that special. When Oprah interviewed him a few years back and was sitting next to him at a piano, and he asked her what she wanted to hear --- and she of course begged for Purple Rain, I just wanted to cry. If I had been sitting beside the man, it's probably the LAST song I would have asked to hear -- what a waste.

I love Purple Rain but...I have to admit, I' ve always hated the studio version of Kiss and 1999...something about those two songs have annoyed me from the beginning...I mean..HE didn' t even like the studio version of Kiss..come on now...


Hey..I feel better now too...

AnnaStesia said:

That's exactly how I feel! About the song and the Oprah interview!

I know it isn't popular amongst the diehards, but it still is one of the most powerful songs of its time. It's a culmination of the entire Purple Rain experience.
Just admit you like it. It's okay.

i have always liked this song.

however...i loved it when:

i saw the video of the concert which they took the song from for the album. this is incredible. its at first avenue. all of the people there are hearing this song for the first time and are totally digging it.

my gfriend is a casual fan and this video gave her chills and she got all teary eyed.

also...musically it is a pretty complex progression. granted it is only four chords...but it is four chords put together that you have never heard before.

i have to admit that i am not a big fan of housequake and that seems to be one of everyone's favorites.

Purple Rain to me still is unbelievable. I wanted our band to play this in high school and I brought it in for my music teacher. He didn't think much of prince but when he heard this he thought it was groundbreaking. He said it had country, gospel and Hendrix all mixed into one song. He became a Prince fan after this. This song is a classic for all time. Right up there with Layla and Freebird on the all time rock classics! I do appreciate anyone's honesty though on this board. It seems sometimes there is no criticism of Prince's music, and you can't love everything. Personally, this song made me learn how to play guitar and piano. I had to play it! I wouldn't stop until I could learn this song. It still is one of my all time favorites. I don't need to hear it live anymore though. I really liked the version on the Purple Rain concert video. Awesome.

It's not my fave, but it's a great, GREAT song & I'll never get sick of hearing it. It's perfectly fine for him not to play it live, but I don't groan when he does - I smile b/c the emotion in the song moves me & I know the solo will be amazing each & every time. He seems to go into a trance at times during that solo, which is incredible to watch...

Had he named the film, "When Doves Cry," maybe the marginal fans would hold that song in the highest esteem instead of PR - who knows? Movies do a lot to brand our brains...

Well, in total honesty, "Purple Rain" isn't excactly his best song ever, but it is great when he plays it live!!! That's when U can C that he is still in this song!!!
So go go go go Prince
Peace 2 U all
Marco from Belgium