NR Essentials #3: Prince - Purple Rain
 

 

Prince And The Revolution
Purple Rain
1984, Warner Bros. Records

The important thing to stress right off the bat [for the few possibly uninitiated who walk among us] is that there is not an ounce of irony in calling this album 'essential.' You will not read cliches such as "cover art that is more 80's than Miami Vice" or "synth parts so cheesy they're good." The truth is that this album just plain rocks, and has my vote for all time greatest soundtrack.

Though only 8 tracks long, the album has a dizzying array of sounds. From the gospel/preacher opening and segueing into guitar freakout of "Let's Go Crazy" to the synth/drum machine panic that turns into pure Sunday afternoon bliss on "Take Me With U" to the NOTES HE HITS ON "The Beautiful Ones" and the ode to singular female exploration on "Darling Nikki" which leads into (probably) the closest thing that Prince has ever come to an autobiography (right?) in "When Doves Cry" to the pop celebration of "I Would Die 4 U" -- it all leads up to the title track! THE TITLE TRACK.

Yes, this is an album for album purists. For [or I mean 4] those of us who think of a record as a film without video to distract us. It condenses so many genres that the Paisley One has touched upon into 45 minutes of incredible vocal delivery, guitar work and studio trickery -- part studio/part live recording really. Brilliant.

when Prince played Purple Rain at the super Bowl it made me weep

Serious?

for real. it was awesome! it was raining, and he played like 4-5 songs and it was great and then he busted into purple rain and it was fucking awesome.

it is unavailable on any youtube or video feed I can find

you got the feature to instantly keep me interested in things I wouldnt had thinked of I could be interested anyway

I remember. It WAS incredible. I mean, it RAINED during "Purple RAIN." Perfect.

Y'know why you cant find it anywhere? Cuz HE made everyone take the clips down. He's pretty well known for weird catty stuff like that. Like how he almost never approves of cover versions. He made youtube take down his SNL appearance from 2006 (which was also incredible-- he scorched thru an axe-smoking version of "Fury") and he made youtube and blogs get rid of him covering Radiohead live. Weird.

Haha, that's my plan.

yeah Ive heard about his paranoic behavior regarding youtube and every mass media too. funny little man...<---if he heard that I would instantly receive a beating of him

I'm more of a "Around the World in a Day" kinda guy

been around the world and you you you, you can;t find your baby?

haha.

bump

purple rain (superbowl halftime performance) :o

also snl has their clips taken down usually from youtube because of copyright issues. the nfl probably does the same thing with their clips.

this cover makes me laugh all the time.
good musician / composer
not my thing but who cares?

if you can play better guitar solos in higher heels you can say you are better then prince, who now remains after these recent deaths, the funkiest man alive [rip james brown]

i don't know about this album as a whole, but the title track fucking kills me each and every time. one of my favorite songs ever.

not my favourite prince album, he has finer...sign, controversy, around the world..., but yeah, it is as they say "epic in its proportions"....

respect for the post!

I'm a little annoyed by the 'irony' comment. If people can't like Prince without thinking of irony then... well, they don't like music. I'm not saying people should like Purple Rain... but if the idea of liking it is impossible without accusing people of being ironic, then you're no better than the slavering hordes of musical non-appreciators. Worse, if you claim to care.

I hated this album for quite a time before it hit me. It's a top-tenner for sure.

Incidentally, appreciators of this will likely enjoy Britney's Blackout, if you're able to ignore the 'great singles but guff albums' trend of her previous albums. See also: JT's first.

People should like Purple Rain because it is an incredible album. Every song on it is excellent. One of the greatest of the 80's definately. Computer Blue and The Beautiful Ones are my favorite. 80's rock gets a bad rap

The idea of liking it is possible without irony. That's sort of what I was trying to make clear.

Also, I'd recommend both JT albums. They're both excellent.

Mmm... the point I was making is that enjoying music isn't really about irony. Irony doesn't really enter into the equation. There's no-one who enjoys anything ironically. Irony is a non-sequitur in art. I believe that quite whole-heartedly. People may be mis-led, or just plain wrong, but irony doesn't really feature in the qualities that lead to appreciating any art.

I have to disagree. I think people like Knifehandchop, Kid606 or Girl Talk pretty much make a career out of irony as art.

Purple Rain is the shit.

Don't fuck with Prince. Minnesota pride, bitches.

Since the Trailways/Greyhound station is right down the street from 7th Street Entry, I got to see the club on a layover. I talked to a guy who was there during the early eighties when Prince and the Revolution were still playing there as a support act or (later) with their various support acts.



I love Purple Rain, but yeah, Around The World In a Day is a forgotten gem. It's my favorite.

I've mentioned this before, but the Purple Rain Original Motion Picture Soundtrack sparked the whole PMRC hearings thing.
http://64.233.169.104/search?q=cache...&client=safari
Thing is, the album has the lyrics printed right on it. Nevermind that it's also the soundtrack to an R-rated movie!

Um, I have the audio for his Superbowl XLI performance and also the warm-up gig from NFL Network. Have the video too, but alas, it's VHS. Yes, it was an amazing halftime show. Best ever.

I love Prince, but y'all want to listen to this
And find out where he got all his ideas from. Just listening to this today and funking out, it's nuts!
But yeah, Go Crazy, amazing, Doves Cry, super, Purple Rain= one of the best endings to an album ever. Half the songs on it wash over me though, there's a fair bit of filler. Looking at the track listing I can't remember what half the tracks sound like. Computer Love? Baby I'm a Star?
I would take a few tracks off each album over any one album of Prince's. Dirty Mind and Sign O the Times get more plays round here.

you're saying that like it's a good thing.

Take Me With U is purely amazing, lush and incredible...the intro & outro wall of sound is immense. It's certainly Wendy & Lisa's standout song. Wondering if anyone else has ever heard their touching ballad "This Is The Life."

When Doves Cry is intricate and intimate...melodic funky pop rock at its best...Prince's phrasing and multi-tracked vocal tones is are just remarkable. & the part in the video with the reverse imaging and all is magic.

Purple Rain and Let's Go Crazy are extremely good too! The others less so, but still fine.

I hope some of you downloaded the soundboards from the Purple Rain tour that I posted, I don't know, a year ago or so.

You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to Bytor Peltor again.

oddly, I actually DO have it on vinyl as well. :)

Minnesota won't shut up about it.
Prince eats it. Sorry.
Tasteless virtuosity and awful tone.
Nostalgia aside, fuck this music.
I really wish my town would get over the fucking 80s.