PRINCE - "PURPLE RAIN" 1984

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!