Purple Rain (album)
Encyclopedia
Purple Rain is the sixth studio album
by Prince
, the first to officially be credited to Prince
and The Revolution
, and is the soundtrack album
to the 1984 film Purple Rain
.
Purple Rain is regularly ranked among the best albums in pop music
history. Time
magazine ranked it the 15th greatest album of all time in 1993, and it placed 18th on VH1
's Greatest Rock and Roll Albums of All Time countdown. Rolling Stone magazine ranked it the second-best album of the 1980s and 72nd on their list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time
. Zounds
magazine ranked it the 18th greatest album of all time. Furthermore, the album placed 4th in Plásticos y Decibelios' list of The Greatest Albums of All Time. Finally, in 2007, the editors of Vanity Fair
labeled it the best soundtrack of all time and Tempo
magazine named it the greatest album of the 1980s.
The 1000th issue of Entertainment Weekly
dated July 4, 2008 listed Purple Rain at number one on their list of the top 100 best albums of the past 25 years. The RIAA
lists it as having gone platinum
13 times over. To date, it has sold over 20 million copies worldwide, becoming the seventh best-selling soundtrack album of all time.
on June 25, 1984, and was Prince's sixth album. Prince wrote all of the songs on the album, some with the input of fellow band members. Some of the tracks had portions recorded live when Prince performed on August 3, 1983, at the First Avenue club in Minneapolis
. This show was a benefit concert
for the Minnesota Dance Theater. It was also the first appearance in Prince's band, The Revolution, by Wendy Melvoin
, his guitarist in the Purple Rain film and for a few years afterwards.
effects, drum machine
s, and other instruments. Musically, Purple Rain remained grounded in the Minneapolis sound
and R&B
elements of Prince's previous work while demonstrating a more pronounced rock feel in its grooves and emphasis on guitar showmanship
. As a soundtrack record, much of the music had a grandiose, synthesized, and even—by some evaluations—a vaguely psychedelic
sheen to the production and performances. The music on Purple Rain is generally regarded as the most pop
-oriented of Prince's career, though a number of elements point towards the more experimental pop/psychedelic records Prince would record after Purple Rain. As with many massive crossover albums, Purple Rains consolidation of a myriad of styles, from pop rock
to R&B
to dance
, is generally acknowledged to account in part for its enormous popularity.
In addition to the record's breakthrough sales, music critics noted the innovative and experimental aspects of the soundtrack's music, most famously on the spare, bass-less "When Doves Cry
". Other aspects of the music, especially its synthesis of electronic elements with organic instrumentation and full-band performances (some, as noted above, recorded live) along with its landmark consolidation of rock and R&B, were identified by critics as distinguishing, even experimental factors. Stephen Erlewine of Allmusic writes that Purple Rain finds Prince "consolidating his funk and R&B roots while moving boldly into pop, rock, and heavy metal" and identifies the record's nine songs as "uncompromising...forays into pop" and "stylistic experiments", echoing general sentiment that Purple Rains music represented Prince at his most popular without forsaking his experimental bent.
"Take Me with U
" was originally written for the Apollonia 6
album, but was later pulled for Purple Rain. The inclusion of this song necessitated cuts to the suite
-like "Computer Blue". The full version of this song was not subsequently given an official release, although a portion of the second section can be heard in the film Purple Rain
, in a sequence where Prince walks in on the men of The Revolution
rehearsing. The risqué lyrics of "Darling Nikki
" eventually led to the use of Parental Advisory
stickers and imprints on album covers by ways of Tipper Gore
and the Parents Music Resource Center
.
s in 1985 for Purple Rain, for Best Rock Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group
and Best Album of Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or TV Special
, and the album was nominated for Album of the Year
. Prince won a third Grammy that year for Best R&B Song (songwriter)
for Chaka Khan
's cover of "I Feel for You
". Purple Rain also won an Oscar
for Best Original Song Score in 1985.
Purple Rain sold 13 million units in the United States, including 1.5 million in its debut week,earning a Diamond Award from the Recording Industry Association of America
. According to Billboard
magazine, the album spent 24 consecutive weeks at #1 on the Billboard album charts (August 4, 1984 to January 18, 1985) becoming one of the top soundtrack
s ever. Purple Rain traded the #1 album chart
position with Bruce Springsteen
's Born in the U.S.A.
twice, during 1984 and 1985. Two songs from Purple Rain, "When Doves Cry
" and "Let's Go Crazy
", would top the U.S. singles charts and were hits around the world, while the title track
would go to number two on the Billboard Hot 100
. The album has sold more than 20 million copies worldwide.
; except "Computer Blue", words by Prince, music by Prince, John L. Nelson
, Wendy & Lisa
, and Dr. Fink
.
Side two
The track listing to the March 23, 1984 test pressing:
Certification
Singles
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
by Prince
Prince (musician)
Prince Rogers Nelson , often known simply as Prince, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Prince has produced ten platinum albums and thirty Top 40 singles during his career. Prince founded his own recording studio and label; writing, self-producing and playing most, or all, of...
, the first to officially be credited to Prince
Prince (musician)
Prince Rogers Nelson , often known simply as Prince, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Prince has produced ten platinum albums and thirty Top 40 singles during his career. Prince founded his own recording studio and label; writing, self-producing and playing most, or all, of...
and The Revolution
The Revolution (band)
The Revolution was an American rock band formed in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1979 by Prince. Although widely associated with rock music, the band's sound incorporated heavy metal, pop, funk, R&B and hard rock elements. Before their official break-up, The Revolution had released one studio album,...
, and is the soundtrack album
Soundtrack album
A soundtrack album is any album that incorporates music directly recorded from the soundtrack of a particular feature film or television program. In some cases, not all the tracks from the movie are included in the album; however there are rare cases of songs in the trailers that do not appear in...
to the 1984 film Purple Rain
Purple Rain (film)
Purple Rain is a 1984 film directed by Albert Magnoli and written by Magnoli and William Blinn. Prince makes his film debut in this movie, which was developed to showcase his particular talents, hence, the film contains several extended concert sequences. The film grossed more than US$80 million at...
.
Purple Rain is regularly ranked among the best albums in pop music
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
history. Time
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
magazine ranked it the 15th greatest album of all time in 1993, and it placed 18th on VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
's Greatest Rock and Roll Albums of All Time countdown. Rolling Stone magazine ranked it the second-best album of the 1980s and 72nd on their list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time
The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time
"The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time" is the title of a 2003 special issue of American magazine Rolling Stone, and a related book published in 2005.Related news articles:...
. Zounds
Zounds
Zounds are an English anarchist band formed in 1977 from loose jamming sessions around the Reading area. Originally they were part of the cassette culture movement, releasing material on the F**k Off Records label, and were also involved in the squatting and free festival scene...
magazine ranked it the 18th greatest album of all time. Furthermore, the album placed 4th in Plásticos y Decibelios' list of The Greatest Albums of All Time. Finally, in 2007, the editors of Vanity Fair
Vanity Fair (magazine)
Vanity Fair is a magazine of pop culture, fashion, and current affairs published by Condé Nast. The present Vanity Fair has been published since 1983 and there have been editions for four European countries as well as the U.S. edition. This revived the title which had ceased publication in 1935...
labeled it the best soundtrack of all time and Tempo
Tempo (magazine)
Tempo was a Serbia-based magazine devoted to sports, published weekly.-Beginnings:Tempo was founded in Belgrade in 1966, as a weekly sports magazine under Politika's umbrella. Most of its coverage centered around football, with basketball, handball, volleyball, and water polo also featuring...
magazine named it the greatest album of the 1980s.
The 1000th issue of Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
dated July 4, 2008 listed Purple Rain at number one on their list of the top 100 best albums of the past 25 years. The RIAA
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
lists it as having gone platinum
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
13 times over. To date, it has sold over 20 million copies worldwide, becoming the seventh best-selling soundtrack album of all time.
Background
Purple Rain was released by Warner Bros. RecordsWarner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies...
on June 25, 1984, and was Prince's sixth album. Prince wrote all of the songs on the album, some with the input of fellow band members. Some of the tracks had portions recorded live when Prince performed on August 3, 1983, at the First Avenue club in Minneapolis
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...
. This show was a benefit concert
Benefit concert
A benefit concert or charity concert is a concert, show or gala featuring musicians, comedians, or other performers that is held for a charitable purpose, often directed at a specific and immediate humanitarian crisis. Such events raise both funds and public awareness to address the cause at...
for the Minnesota Dance Theater. It was also the first appearance in Prince's band, The Revolution, by Wendy Melvoin
Wendy Melvoin
Wendy Melvoin is an American guitarist and singer-songwriter, best known for her work with Prince as part of his backing band The Revolution, and for her collaboration with Lisa Coleman as one half of the duo Wendy & Lisa....
, his guitarist in the Purple Rain film and for a few years afterwards.
Music
Purple Rain was the first Prince album recorded with and officially credited to his backing group The Revolution. The resulting album was musically denser than Prince's previous one-man albums, emphasizing full band performances, and multiple layers of guitars, keyboards, icy electronic synthesizerSynthesizer
A synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
effects, drum machine
Drum machine
A drum machine is an electronic musical instrument designed to imitate the sound of drums or other percussion instruments. They are used in a variety of musical genres, not just purely electronic music...
s, and other instruments. Musically, Purple Rain remained grounded in the Minneapolis sound
Minneapolis sound
The Minneapolis sound is a hybrid mixture of funk, rock, pop, R&B and New Wave that was pioneered by Prince in the late 1970s. Its popularity was given a boost throughout the 1980s, thanks to his musical adherents, including The Time, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, Morris Day, Vanity 6, Apollonia 6, Ta...
and R&B
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
elements of Prince's previous work while demonstrating a more pronounced rock feel in its grooves and emphasis on guitar showmanship
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
. As a soundtrack record, much of the music had a grandiose, synthesized, and even—by some evaluations—a vaguely psychedelic
Psychedelic rock
Psychedelic rock is a style of rock music that is inspired or influenced by psychedelic culture and attempts to replicate and enhance the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs. It emerged during the mid 1960s among folk rock and blues rock bands in United States and the United Kingdom...
sheen to the production and performances. The music on Purple Rain is generally regarded as the most pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
-oriented of Prince's career, though a number of elements point towards the more experimental pop/psychedelic records Prince would record after Purple Rain. As with many massive crossover albums, Purple Rains consolidation of a myriad of styles, from pop rock
Pop rock
Pop rock is a music genre which mixes a catchy pop style and light lyrics in its guitar-based rock songs. There are varying definitions of the term, ranging from a slower and mellower form of rock music to a subgenre of pop music...
to R&B
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
to dance
Dance music
Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement...
, is generally acknowledged to account in part for its enormous popularity.
In addition to the record's breakthrough sales, music critics noted the innovative and experimental aspects of the soundtrack's music, most famously on the spare, bass-less "When Doves Cry
When Doves Cry
A hit cover version by R&B singer Ginuwine was produced by Timbaland in 1996 for Ginuwine's The Bachelor album, Ginuwine's cover uses actual dove sound effects as texture for its jungle music-inspired instrumental track.-Charts:-Other cover versions:...
". Other aspects of the music, especially its synthesis of electronic elements with organic instrumentation and full-band performances (some, as noted above, recorded live) along with its landmark consolidation of rock and R&B, were identified by critics as distinguishing, even experimental factors. Stephen Erlewine of Allmusic writes that Purple Rain finds Prince "consolidating his funk and R&B roots while moving boldly into pop, rock, and heavy metal" and identifies the record's nine songs as "uncompromising...forays into pop" and "stylistic experiments", echoing general sentiment that Purple Rains music represented Prince at his most popular without forsaking his experimental bent.
"Take Me with U
Take Me with U
"Take Me With U" is a song by Prince and The Revolution, and the final U.S. single released from their album, Purple Rain. It is a pop song notable for the drum solo and finger cymbals that open the song and repeat again toward the end....
" was originally written for the Apollonia 6
Apollonia 6
Apollonia 6 was a 1980s female singing trio created by Prince as a continuation/succession of a previous group, Vanity 6.-Formation and Purple Rain:...
album, but was later pulled for Purple Rain. The inclusion of this song necessitated cuts to the suite
Suite
In music, a suite is an ordered set of instrumental or orchestral pieces normally performed in a concert setting rather than as accompaniment; they may be extracts from an opera, ballet , or incidental music to a play or film , or they may be entirely original movements .In the...
-like "Computer Blue". The full version of this song was not subsequently given an official release, although a portion of the second section can be heard in the film Purple Rain
Purple Rain (film)
Purple Rain is a 1984 film directed by Albert Magnoli and written by Magnoli and William Blinn. Prince makes his film debut in this movie, which was developed to showcase his particular talents, hence, the film contains several extended concert sequences. The film grossed more than US$80 million at...
, in a sequence where Prince walks in on the men of The Revolution
The Revolution (band)
The Revolution was an American rock band formed in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1979 by Prince. Although widely associated with rock music, the band's sound incorporated heavy metal, pop, funk, R&B and hard rock elements. Before their official break-up, The Revolution had released one studio album,...
rehearsing. The risqué lyrics of "Darling Nikki
Darling Nikki
"Darling Nikki" is a song produced, arranged, composed and performed by Prince and originally released on his Grammy Award-winning 1984 album, Purple Rain. Though the song was not released as a single, it gained wide notoriety for its sexual lyrics...
" eventually led to the use of Parental Advisory
Parental Advisory
Parental Advisory is a message affixed by the Recording Industry Association of America to audio and recordings in the United States containing excessive use of profane language and/or sexual references. Albums began to be labeled for "explicit lyrics" in 1985, after pressure from the Parents...
stickers and imprints on album covers by ways of Tipper Gore
Tipper Gore
Mary Elizabeth "Tipper" Gore , née Aitcheson, is an author, photographer, former second lady of the United States, and the estranged wife of Al Gore...
and the Parents Music Resource Center
Parents Music Resource Center
The Parents Music Resource Center was an American committee formed in 1985 with the goal of increasing parental control over the access of children to music deemed to be violent, have drug use or be sexual.The committee was founded by four women: Tipper Gore, wife of Senator and later Vice...
.
Reception
Prince won two Grammy AwardGrammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
s in 1985 for Purple Rain, for Best Rock Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group
Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal
The Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal was awarded between 1980 and 2011.The award was discontinued after the 2011 award season in a major overhaul of Grammy categories...
and Best Album of Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or TV Special
Grammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media
The Grammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack For Visual Media has been awarded since 1960. Until 2001 the award was presented to the composer of the music alone. From 2001 to 2006, the producer and engineers shared in this award...
, and the album was nominated for Album of the Year
Grammy Award for Album of the Year
The Grammy Award for Album of the Year is the most prestigious award category at the Grammys. It has been awarded since 1959 and though it was originally presented to the artist alone, the award is now presented to the artist, the producer, the engineer and/or mixer and the mastering engineer...
. Prince won a third Grammy that year for Best R&B Song (songwriter)
Grammy Award for Best R&B Song
The Grammy Award for Best R&B Song has been awarded since 1959. From 1969 to 2000 it was known as the Grammy Award for Best Rhythm & Blues Song, from 1962 to 1968 it was known as Best Rhythm & Blues Recording, and from 1959-1961 as Best Rhythm & Blues Performance...
for Chaka Khan
Chaka Khan
Chaka Khan , frequently known as the Queen of Funk, is a 10-time Grammy Award winning American singer-songwriter who gained fame in the 1970s as the frontwoman and focal point of the funk band Rufus. While still a member of the group in 1978, Khan embarked on a successful solo career...
's cover of "I Feel for You
I Feel for You
"I Feel for You" is a song written by Prince that originally appeared on his 1979 self-titled album. It became a hit single in 1984 for female R&B singer Chaka Khan, appearing on her album, which was also called I Feel for You...
". Purple Rain also won an Oscar
Academy Awards
An Academy Award, also known as an Oscar, is an accolade bestowed by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers...
for Best Original Song Score in 1985.
Purple Rain sold 13 million units in the United States, including 1.5 million in its debut week,earning a Diamond Award from the Recording Industry Association of America
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
. According to Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
magazine, the album spent 24 consecutive weeks at #1 on the Billboard album charts (August 4, 1984 to January 18, 1985) becoming one of the top soundtrack
Soundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
s ever. Purple Rain traded the #1 album chart
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
position with Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen , nicknamed "The Boss," is an American singer-songwriter who records and tours with the E Street Band...
's Born in the U.S.A.
Born in the U.S.A.
Born in the U.S.A. is the seventh studio album by American rock singer-songwriter Bruce Springsteen, released on June 4, 1984. A critical and commercial triumph, it found Springsteen marking a departure in his sound...
twice, during 1984 and 1985. Two songs from Purple Rain, "When Doves Cry
When Doves Cry
A hit cover version by R&B singer Ginuwine was produced by Timbaland in 1996 for Ginuwine's The Bachelor album, Ginuwine's cover uses actual dove sound effects as texture for its jungle music-inspired instrumental track.-Charts:-Other cover versions:...
" and "Let's Go Crazy
Let's Go Crazy
"Let's Go Crazy" is a 1984 song by Prince and The Revolution, from the album, Purple Rain. It was the opening track on both the album, and the film Purple Rain. "Let's Go Crazy" is one of Prince's most popular songs, and is almost always a staple for concert performances, often segueing into other...
", would top the U.S. singles charts and were hits around the world, while the title track
Purple Rain (song)
"Purple Rain" is a power ballad by Prince and The Revolution. It is the title track from the 1984 album of the same name, which in turn is the soundtrack album for the 1984 film of the same name, and was released as the third single from that album. The song is a combination of rock, pop, gospel,...
would go to number two on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
. The album has sold more than 20 million copies worldwide.
Track listing
All songs composed and arranged by PrincePrince (musician)
Prince Rogers Nelson , often known simply as Prince, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Prince has produced ten platinum albums and thirty Top 40 singles during his career. Prince founded his own recording studio and label; writing, self-producing and playing most, or all, of...
; except "Computer Blue", words by Prince, music by Prince, John L. Nelson
John L. Nelson
John Lewis Nelson , also known as Prince Rogers, was an American jazz musician.-Life:Nelson was born in Louisiana. He traveled to Minneapolis to become a musician in 1948...
, Wendy & Lisa
Wendy & Lisa
Wendy & Lisa are a music duo consisting of Wendy Melvoin and Lisa Coleman. They began working with Prince in the early 1980s and were part of his band The Revolution, before branching out on their own and releasing their debut album in 1987...
, and Dr. Fink
Doctor Fink
Matthew Robert "Matt" Fink, better known by the stage name Doctor Fink, is an American keyboardist, record producer, and songwriter. He is most known as a member of The Revolution, the backing band for pop musician Prince. Fink won a Grammy Award...
.
Compact disc
Vinyl
Side one- "Let's Go CrazyLet's Go Crazy"Let's Go Crazy" is a 1984 song by Prince and The Revolution, from the album, Purple Rain. It was the opening track on both the album, and the film Purple Rain. "Let's Go Crazy" is one of Prince's most popular songs, and is almost always a staple for concert performances, often segueing into other...
" – 4:39 - "Take Me with UTake Me with U"Take Me With U" is a song by Prince and The Revolution, and the final U.S. single released from their album, Purple Rain. It is a pop song notable for the drum solo and finger cymbals that open the song and repeat again toward the end....
" – 3:54 - "The Beautiful OnesThe Beautiful Ones"The Beautiful Ones" is the third track on Prince and The Revolution's soundtrack album Purple Rain. Produced, arranged, composed, and performed by Prince, the song was recorded at Sunset Sound in Los Angeles by Peggy Mac and David Leonard in early September 1983."The Beautiful Ones" is a haunting...
" – 5:13 - "Computer BlueComputer Blue"Computer Blue" is the fourth track on Prince and The Revolution's soundtrack album, Purple Rain. In the film, the song represents Prince's angst at the budding relationship between the characters played by Morris Day and Apollonia. The song was composed by Prince, with credit to his father, John...
" – 3:59 - "Darling NikkiDarling Nikki"Darling Nikki" is a song produced, arranged, composed and performed by Prince and originally released on his Grammy Award-winning 1984 album, Purple Rain. Though the song was not released as a single, it gained wide notoriety for its sexual lyrics...
" – 4:14
Side two
- "When Doves CryWhen Doves CryA hit cover version by R&B singer Ginuwine was produced by Timbaland in 1996 for Ginuwine's The Bachelor album, Ginuwine's cover uses actual dove sound effects as texture for its jungle music-inspired instrumental track.-Charts:-Other cover versions:...
" – 5:54 - "I Would Die 4 UI Would Die 4 U"I Would Die 4 U" is a song by Prince and The Revolution, and the fourth single in the U.S. from their 1984 album, Purple Rain. The up-tempo dance song was a top 10 hit in the U.S., reaching number 8 on the Hot 100....
" – 2:49 - "Baby I'm a StarBaby I'm a Star"Baby I'm a Star" is a song written and recorded by Prince from his album Purple Rain. It is also the B-side on the "Take Me with U" single.-Background and recording:...
" – 4:24 - "Purple RainPurple Rain (song)"Purple Rain" is a power ballad by Prince and The Revolution. It is the title track from the 1984 album of the same name, which in turn is the soundtrack album for the 1984 film of the same name, and was released as the third single from that album. The song is a combination of rock, pop, gospel,...
" – 8:41
Test pressings
The track listing to the November 7, 1983 test pressing:- "Let's Go Crazy"
- "The Beautiful Ones"
- "Computer Blue"
- "Darling Nikki"
- "Wednesday"
- "Purple Rain"
- "I Would Die 4 U"
- "Baby I'm A Star"
- "Father's Song"
The track listing to the March 23, 1984 test pressing:
- "Let's Go Crazy" (7:37)
- The Beautiful Ones (5:15)
- Computer Blue (7:23) [Long/Alternate Version]
- Darling Nikki (4:15)
- When Doves Cry (5:52)
- I Would Die 4 U (2:51)
- Baby I'm A Star (4:20)
- Purple Rain (8:45)
Chart history
| Chart (1984) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Kent Music Report Kent Music Report The Kent Music Report was a weekly record chart of Australian music singles and albums which was compiled by music enthusiast David Kent from May 1974 through to 1998... |
1 |
| UK Albums Chart UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... |
7 |
| U.S. Billboard 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
1 |
| U.S. Billboard R&B Albums Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The name of the chart was changed from Top R&B Albums in 1999... |
1 |
Certification
| Certification | U.S. shipments | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Gold & Platinum on August 29, 1984 | 1,000,000 | 1,000,000 |
| 8x platinum on November 13, 1984 | 7,000,000 | 8,000,000 |
| 9x platinum on January 16, 1985 | 1,000,000 | 9,000,000 |
| 10x platinum on February 22, 1989 | 1,000,000 | 10,000,000 |
| 11x platinum on July 11, 1994 | 1,000,000 | 11,000,000 |
| 13x platinum on May 16, 1996 | 2,000,000 | 13,000,000 |
Singles
- "When Doves CryWhen Doves CryA hit cover version by R&B singer Ginuwine was produced by Timbaland in 1996 for Ginuwine's The Bachelor album, Ginuwine's cover uses actual dove sound effects as texture for its jungle music-inspired instrumental track.-Charts:-Other cover versions:...
" (U.S. #1, R&B #1, UK #4, Australia #1)
- "When Doves Cry"
- "17 Days17 Days (song)"17 Days " is one of the most famous of musician Prince's B-sides...
"
- "Let's Go CrazyLet's Go Crazy"Let's Go Crazy" is a 1984 song by Prince and The Revolution, from the album, Purple Rain. It was the opening track on both the album, and the film Purple Rain. "Let's Go Crazy" is one of Prince's most popular songs, and is almost always a staple for concert performances, often segueing into other...
" (U.S. #1, UK #7, Australia #10)
- "Let's Go Crazy"
- "Erotic CityErotic City"Erotic City " is a song by the musician Prince. It was released as the B-side to the 1984 single "Let's Go Crazy" and the 12" version of the 1986 single "Girls & Boys". The dance mix of "Erotic City" was released as a 3" and 5" CD single in Germany in 1989 and 1990 respectively...
"
- "Purple RainPurple Rain (song)"Purple Rain" is a power ballad by Prince and The Revolution. It is the title track from the 1984 album of the same name, which in turn is the soundtrack album for the 1984 film of the same name, and was released as the third single from that album. The song is a combination of rock, pop, gospel,...
" (U.S. #2, UK #8, Australia #41)
- "Purple Rain"
- "God" (vocal)
- "God" (instrumental) — UK version only
- "I Would Die 4 UI Would Die 4 U"I Would Die 4 U" is a song by Prince and The Revolution, and the fourth single in the U.S. from their 1984 album, Purple Rain. The up-tempo dance song was a top 10 hit in the U.S., reaching number 8 on the Hot 100....
" (U.S. #8, UK #58, Australia #96)
- "I Would Die 4 U"
- "Another Lonely Christmas"
- "Take Me with UTake Me with U"Take Me With U" is a song by Prince and The Revolution, and the final U.S. single released from their album, Purple Rain. It is a pop song notable for the drum solo and finger cymbals that open the song and repeat again toward the end....
" (U.S. #25, UK #7)
- "Take Me with U"
- "Baby I'm a Star"
- "Let's Go Crazy" and "Take Me with U" were released as a double A-side single in the UK in 1985.
Personnel
- PrincePrince (musician)Prince Rogers Nelson , often known simply as Prince, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Prince has produced ten platinum albums and thirty Top 40 singles during his career. Prince founded his own recording studio and label; writing, self-producing and playing most, or all, of...
: Guitars, bass guitar, keyboards, piano, drums, drum programming, lead and background vocals - Brown Mark: Bass guitar, vocals
- Lisa ColemanLisa Coleman (musician)Lisa Coleman is an American Emmy® Award winning musician and composer. Coleman plays piano and keyboards. She was a member of Prince's backing band The Revolution from 1980-1986. She is currently one half of the musical duo Wendy & Lisa, formed with Wendy Melvoin in 1986.-Early life:Coleman's...
: Keyboards, piano, sitar, vocals - Wendy MelvoinWendy MelvoinWendy Melvoin is an American guitarist and singer-songwriter, best known for her work with Prince as part of his backing band The Revolution, and for her collaboration with Lisa Coleman as one half of the duo Wendy & Lisa....
: Guitars, vocals - Dr. FinkDoctor FinkMatthew Robert "Matt" Fink, better known by the stage name Doctor Fink, is an American keyboardist, record producer, and songwriter. He is most known as a member of The Revolution, the backing band for pop musician Prince. Fink won a Grammy Award...
: Keyboards, organ, vocals - Bobby Z.Bobby Z.Robert B. Rivkin , better known by the stage name Bobby Z., is an American musician and record producer, most known as being a member of Prince's band from 1978–1986, and as a member of The Revolution.-Biography:...
: Drums, percussion - Apollonia KoteroApollonia KoteroApollonia Kotero, born Patricia Kotero on August 2, 1959, is an actress, singer, former model and talent manager. Kotero, born in Santa Monica, California, is of Mexican descent...
: Vocals on "Take Me with U" - David Coleman: Violin
- Suzie Katayama: Violin, viola
- Novi NovogLauren WoodLauren Wood is an American singer-songwriter, voice-over artist and producer. She is most notable for the 1989 single, "Fallen," which was used in the 1990 movie Pretty Woman, and "Please Don't Leave," a duet with singer Michael McDonald in 1980...
: Violin, viola
See also
External links
- Purple Rain at DiscogsDiscogsDiscogs, short for discographies, is a website and database of information about audio recordings, including commercial releases, promotional releases, and bootleg or off-label releases. The Discogs servers, currently hosted under the domain name discogs.com, are owned by Zink Media, Inc., and are...