PRINCE
"PURPLE RAIN"
1984
LET'S GO CRAZY - It's memorable opening line, "Dearly beloved, we are gathered here
today..." well you all know the rest! A powerhouse of a track,
blistering guitar solos and a backdrop of spiritual spoken words about
God and all things religious. Just a superb track which has many "air
guitar" moments for the wannabe Rock stars, even though by their
blinkered standards he was never thought of as a Rock guitarist...quite ridiculous in my opinion.
TAKE ME WITH U - A sultry Pop ballad sung with Apollonia Kotero. Jill Jones, Wendy and
Lisa sung on backing vocals to add "sexy fullness" to Apollonia's
vocal. It was released as a double A side with "Let's Go Crazy" and was
often played on the radio as an alternative. Allegedly it was going to
appear on an Apollonia album. Romantic, sultry and sexy, all in the
best possible Prince taste!
THE BEAUTIFUL ONES - harsh, sometimes angry song about the anguish of a boy wanting a girl to
choose between him and her. Lots of things going on in this very
experimantal, falsetto based track. The vocals becoming more and more
intense until Prince is positively screaming to the target of his
affections.
COMPUTER BLUE - Another song with a bit of everything, searing guitars, throbbing
drumbeats. The spoken intro between Wendy and Lisa was like some weird
Dominatrix leanings. After the initial dark overtones it drives into a
mega guitar and keyboards Rock fest. Add some Electronic effects and
this is just an awesome song. The guitar solo was based on a piano
piece by his father John L. Nelson.
DARLING NIKKI - A track I always used to play a little quietly when my mum and dad were
home! I used to giggle at the lyrics but now I don't bat an eyelid. At
the time it was known only for its explicit lyrics and masturbation
references. This song was the forerunner of Tipper Gore and the PMRC
(Parents Music Resource Center) placing Parental Advisory stickers on
records. Today it is nothign compared to some of the rappers's lyrics,
but then it was a major thing. The song is quite dark, sensual and
unnerving at the first listen and tells of "sex fiend" Nikki. After
following Prince for years, this kind of unusual, sexy, sensual,
romantic imagery is nothing new!
WHEN DOVES CRY - The song was unique, a kind of 80s Dance song but with no bass line, was
it Rock? Pop? nobody really knew, it was just one of those songs that
sounded brilliant and nobody really knew why they liked it! It was
Prince's creativity and inventiveness to do the things nobody would have
tried, genius!
I WOULD DIE 4 U - An upbeat Pop Rock track that is just under 3 minutes long, if you can
find the extended version of this, it is a mega jam and vastly superior.
BABY, I'M A STAR - the song that everyone realises that Kid is definitely a "star" at the
end of the "Purple Rain" film. It's fast, bright, an ego trip for a
rising star and danceable. Played live so many times and it always gets
the crowd on their feet. The almost jam like quality of the guitars,
keyboards and brass make it a raucous positivity laden smash.
PURPLE RAIN - Just epic, this is Prince's "Bohemian Rhapsody" moment, nearly 9 minutes
long on the abum, totally emotive, even more now he is gone. A pure
Rock ballad of gargantuan proportion. The guitar extended guitar solo
will make a grown man weep, it is one of the best solo's you will ever
hear on record. It always used to annoy me, that on the radio they
would cut the song off just before the solo, blasphemy!
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