Hello,
I've wanted to write a blog about one of the greatest CDs of all-time, Prince's "Purple Rain", for at least the last couple of years. However when I write a blog, I like to include videos, live clips and full concerts when available. For some reason Prince doesn't allow his amazing music to be on Youtube. Obviously my guess is it has to do with greed. Like Prince, or anyone else that financially benefits from his music, needs more money? With that background, here's the best blog I can write without the music for "Purple Rain's" 9 incredible songs. Perhaps some day Prince will allow his music to be available on Youtube. With Prince signing a new contract with Warner Brothers, maybe this will be the time that he'll allow his music on Youtube.
This is the best you'll find on Youtube for "When Doves Cry", it's the actual video but not the music:
Prince allows his music on Spotify, nearly all of his music is available there. I'm not sure why his music isn't available on Youtube. Spotify's royalties payment can't be that much more than that of Youtube. I strongly suggest all music lovers discover or rediscover "Purple Rain" on Spotify. (Don't worry it's free.) After you listen to "Purple Rain", I suggest you listen to his soundtrack to the late 80's "Batman" movie. That's probably my second favorite Prince CD. "1999", "Sign O' the Times", "Graffiti Bridge", "Diamonds and Pearls" and "Musicology" are also worth a spin or two.
The "Purple Rain" trailer:
"Purple Rain" was released on June 25th, 1984. One sign of a true classic CD is that still 30 years later it sounds as fresh as it did when it was released. Of course when it was released "Purple Rain" didn't sound fresh so much as it sounded like it was years ahead of it's time. Honestly "Purple Rain" still felt years ahead of it's time for most of the time it has been released. Even listening to it again today, I might love it more than I did when it was first released. I have a lot more life experience now than I did then. The lyrics mean so much more to me now than they did. For instance: as a divorced person "When Doves Cry" really resonates with me.
The "Purple Rain" soundtrack is:
1) "Let's Go Crazy" From "Dearly beloved", this CD grabs you by the collar and refuses to let go.
2) "Take Me With U" A great funk track and an exuberant invitation.
3) "The Beautiful Ones" A mellow love song.
4) "Computer Blue" Featuring Wendy and Lisa, another great song.
5) "Darling Nikki" Even by Prince's standards, this is a skanky song. But it's also a funk masterpiece.
6) "When Doves Cry" One of the 100 greatest songs ever.
7) "I Would Die For U" Yet another amazing song.
8) "Baby I'm A Star" And yet again, another amazing song.
9) "Purple Rain" Prince's most epic and beautiful ballad.
Prince Rogers Nelson was born June 7th, 1958. He loved music from a young age and was working on his music most of his life. Prince went on to be one of the 80's biggest stars, but he had to do a lot of work to get to superstardom. It's hard to believe that "Purple Rain" is Prince's 6th album. I'm not saying this CD came completely out of the blue, because "1999" certainly had some great songs. Any CD that has the songs "1999", "Delirious" and the funktastic "Little Red Corvette" is a solid CD. But a lot of musicians have had an album with a few great songs and you think they will blow up on their next CD. But for many of those musicians that stepping stone CD is actually their peak. For Prince "1999" was to that time his highlight, but it was just a hill to the Mt. Everest that was "Purple Rain".
Now let's discuss the actual movie "Purple Rain", I saw it back in the day. I'm not going to lie I absolutely loved it. I took a girl that I was into and she wore a purple dress. That was just one of the many great things of that night.
However I saw "Purple Rain" a few years ago, it hasn't aged well at all. And honestly Prince isn't a very good actor, the story is boring and I think the only reason Appolonia is in it so that they can show her naked as much as possible. But we will always have that amazing soundtrack.
I mentioned above how many years after it's release "Purple Rain" still sounds amazing. I keep on thinking someone will come along that would be as funktastic as Prince, over 30 years later I'm still waiting. Michael Jackson is also amazing, but he was a star before Prince was. Bruno Mars is decent, although he'll never be the artist that Prince is. Mars music is way too poppy. Why hasn't there been someone that can at least present a challenge to Prince?
I hope to someday update this blog with a lot of the music I've written about above.
themusicaddict
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