Purple Rain (song)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| "Purple Rain" | ||
|---|---|---|
 |
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| U.S. 7" single | ||
| Single by Prince | ||
| from the album Purple Rain | ||
| B-side(s) | "God" "God" (Instr.) (UK 12") |
|
| Released | 26 September 1984 | |
| Format | 7" single 12" single |
|
| Recorded | Live, First Avenue, Minneapolis, Summer 1983 | |
| Genre | Rock, Pop, Gospel | |
| Length | 7" edit: 4:05 Album/12": 8:45 |
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| Label | Warner Bros. Records | |
| Writer(s) | Prince | |
| Producer(s) | Prince | |
| Certification | Gold - (5 December, 1984) | |
| Chart positions | ||
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| Prince singles chronology | ||
| "Let's Go Crazy" (1984) |
"Purple Rain" (1984) |
"I Would Die 4 U" (1984) |
| Prince (UK) singles chronology | ||
| "When Doves Cry" (1984) |
"Purple Rain" (1984) |
"I Would Die 4 U" (1984) |
"Purple Rain" is a power ballad by Prince and the The Revolution. It was his third US single (second UK) and title track from the legendary 1984 album Purple Rain. The song is quite emotional and combines elements of rock and roll, pop and gospel music. It won the Oscar for Best Original Score in 1984.
[edit] History
The song was recorded live at the Minneapolis club First Avenue in 1983. The performance was the live debut of Wendy Melvoin, and also netted the final three songs of the Purple Rain album, although the songs would undergo studio overdubs later. "Purple Rain" contained an extra verse about money that was edited out, as it diluted the emotional impact of the song.
"Purple Rain" opens with a lone guitar quickly followed by live drumming and a prominent organ, evoking images of church gospel music. Three verses are followed by a singalong chorus, with a building emotional delivery. After the final chorus, a searing guitar-solo takes over the song, delivering just as much impact as the lyrics. The song ends with a gentle piano solo and orchestral strings.
The emotional lyrics have multiple meanings; on the surface, they seem to be an apology from one lover to another, though on a deeper level, they become more of a spiritual allegory. It is a theory that "Purple Rain" is a metaphor for heaven, inspired by the testimonies of a woman who died on the operating table that the afterlife is full of falling purple rain.
The song is a staple of Prince's live performances. He has played it on nearly every tour since 1984, except for a period after his name change when he avoided his older hits for a few years. The song reached #2 in the U.S., and is often considered Prince's signature song. He perfomed this during the halftime show at Super Bowl XLI (ironically during a downpour). This was the last song on the set.
This song has been covered by dozens of other artists ranging from popular artists of various genres such as Tori Amos, Ani DiFranco, LeAnn Rimes and The Waterboys to jazz and orchestral versions.[1] In March 2005, Q magazine placed it at number 40 in its list of the 100 Greatest Guitar Tracks. Rolling Stone ranked it #143 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
The B-side, "God" is a much more overtly religious number (Prince's most religious to date), recalling the book of Genesis. The song also features extensive vocal experimentation. Towards the end, Prince mentions "The Dance Electric", which was a song given to former band member André Cymone. In the U.K., the 12" single also included an instrumental of "God", also known as "Love theme from Purple Rain" from which an edited portion appears in the film.
[edit] Trivia
- In the Mortal Kombat series of video games, a character named Rain is given a curiously purple outfit. Mortal Kombat co-creator Ed Boon is a known Prince fan.
- Prince performed the song as the opening of a Medley of his hits with Beyonce at the 2002 Grammys..
- Prince also performed the song concluding his performance in the Super Bowl XLI Halftime Show. It was rather symbolic as the game and performance were held in a driving rainstorm. The rain combined with the purple stage lighting produced the illusion of actual purple rain falling down during the performance.
- The Bizzy Bone song "Murdah Me" heavily samples Purple Rain.
- The band Phish does a rendition of "Purple Rain" with Fishman playing a vacuum cleaner.
- One parody cover was "Coleman's Train," played by a Detroit radio just after "Purple Rain" was released. It referred to the controversy over Mayor Coleman Young's plan for the Detroit People Mover.
[edit] External link
- "Purple Rain" lyrics
