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THE REVIEW
1984, USA: the place and time of Springsteen, and of his return with the blockbuster “Born in the USA,” jeans-clad butt on the cover. It would reach the top, sure, but it wouldn't stay there long due to the arrival of an unexpected competitor: in early August, Warner released the new 45 minutes of Prince, titled “Purple Rain,” which accompany the film of the same name. Result? Prince knocks Springsteen off the top and stays there for a very, very long time, and the eponymous movie enters the collective imagination, earning the genius an Oscar for Best Song, “When Doves Cry.” Why? How did Prince manage with this album to dethrone America's working-class hero from the chart peaks?
Because his album is, if possible, more American, rock, and catchy than Springsteen's, despite being experimental, inlaid as it is with funk, LSD, and new wave, and highly personal: it contains all his obsessions, from religion to sex, to ballads where he prostrates himself at the feet of his beloved. Just think of that masterpiece that is “When Doves Cry”: a mega-sold, overplayed single yet without a bassline, and with a guitar intro that's anything but pentatonic, with cold and melodramatic keyboards typical of the new wave, a skewed and staggering structure and an absolutely bare and minimal sound. Yet, incredibly catchy, a success. And “Take Me With You”? A psychedelic ballad with acoustic guitars prominently displayed, and a very simple structure; then there’s the opening track, “Let’s Go Crazy,” or lysergic Hendrix cubed meeting Devo (and to think that in the film, in the middle of the song, Prince inserts a dissonant piano solo); then there's the airy, hallucinatory, and evocative “The Beautiful Ones,” where Prince displays all his vocal talents to offer us an absolutely dramatic declaration of love; and then the almost-instrumental “Computer Blue,” a psychedelic tale of Prince's problems with a robot (easy to guess, given the character) with sexual functions. Does that seem like enough? Or does it seem there isn’t enough sex, indecency, extreme pornography in this album of his? Are you thinking “there you go, to get into the homes of merry American families, he self-censored...” You know the "parental-advisory" labels? Well, “Darling Nikki” is the reason. It's the story of a shocking sexual encounter (“my body will never be the same”) between Prince and a prostitute (in whom some even saw the devil) who is masturbating in a hotel hall, all proclaimed amid screams and orgasmic warbles. And then, there's the tight and concise funk of “I Would Die For You,” with lyrics of sexual-religious pretensions, and “Baby I’m A Star,” an anthem to himself and the arrival of his success, which once again convinces of the dual nature of this album: yet another step in the Prince's experimental path and a single-producing machine designed to sell. To conclude, a historic piece, a heartfelt and chilling tribute to the master, Jimi Hendrix: the title track, “Purple Rain,” a long litany in C between strings and piano, with an incredible guitar coda. A piece of rock history.
There is everything, too much, in Purple Rain: 45 minutes that are a tribute to two of the Prince's strongest influences, namely the ’60s psychedelia (see the then-upcoming "Around the World in a Day") and Hendrix’s hard-rock-blues, with a glance at the new wave with its minimal arrangements; all mixed in such a way as to be easily digestible by the general public and much appreciated by critics, a feat achieved just by the Beatles. A great album, in short, a step above “1999” and “Dirty Mind”; perhaps surpassed just by “Sign ‘O the Times”... But that's another story...
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Summary by Bot
Prince's 1984 album Purple Rain defied expectations by toppling Bruce Springsteen from the charts with an innovative blend of rock, funk, psychedelia, and new wave. The album features iconic tracks like "When Doves Cry" and the title track, showcasing Prince's unique artistry and experimental approach. Purple Rain combines catchy melodies with deeply personal and provocative themes, earning critical acclaim and lasting influence. It remains a landmark album blending mainstream appeal with bold experimentation.Tracklist Lyrics Videos
01 The Movie (00:00)
02 The Trailers (00:00)
03 Special Features (00:00)
04 8 Great Music Videos (00:00)
05 Let's Go Crazy; Nightlife (00:00)
06 The Beautiful Ones (00:00)
07 Who's The Lucky Girl? (00:00)
08 Gettin' Off It (00:00)
09 Wanna Be A Star? (00:00)
10 The Matter With This House... (00:00)
11 ...Across The Generations (00:00)
13 Never Get Married (00:00)
15 Darling Nikki (00:00)
16 Jungle Love (00:00)
17 Life Father, Like Son (00:00)
18 Sex Shooter (00:00)
19 Ride Of Rage (00:00)
20 Breaking Point (00:00)
21 The Day After; The Bird (00:00)
23 I Would Die 4 U (00:00)
24 Baby I'm A Star (00:00)
25 End Credits (00:00)
26 Purple Rain (1984) (00:00)
27 Crazy... At Home (00:00)
28 Under The Cherry Moon (1986) (00:00)
29 Graffiti Bridge (1990) (00:00)
30 Search For Sex-But-Not-Dirty (00:00)
31 Take Me With U (00:00)
32 Wrong Lake (00:00)
33 The Password (00:00)
34 Modernaire; Still A Group? (00:00)
35 Morris On The Make (00:00)
36 First Avenue: The Road To Pop Royalty (00:00)
37 Jungle Love (00:00)
38 The Bird (00:00)
40 Purple Rain: Backstage Pass (00:00)
41 Riffs, Ruffles And A Revolution: The Impact And Influence Of Purple Rain (00:00)
42 MTV Premiere Party (00:00)
44 Take Me With U (00:00)
46 I Would Die 4 U/Baby I'm A Star (00:00)
Prince
American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer; seminal figure in funk, pop and rock who led a prolific career from the mid-1970s until his death in 2016.29 Reviews
