Prince’s Purple Rain
It’s been 40 years since Prince released his psychedelic pop masterpiece, Purple Rain. Hosts Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot revisit their classic album dissection of Purple Rain for its anniversary.
Purple Rain
Believe it or not, Prince's blockbuster album Purple Rain turns 40-years-old this month. To mark the occasion, Jim and Greg give Purple Rain the Classic Album Dissection treatment. They talk to former Revolution members Wendy Melvoin and Lisa Coleman about their relationship with Prince and the making of the album. Wendy & Lisa went on the become a musical duo, and also score music for TV shows like Heroes and Nurse Jackie, which won them an Emmy Award in 2010. But back in 1984, they were part of Prince's first major recording and performing team -- Wendy on guitar and Lisa on keyboards. As Jim and Greg explain, it was unique for Prince to be collaborate on this level. The auteur even shared songwriting credits with The Revolution. Jim and Greg also credit Wendy and Lisa with opening Prince up to new music and new sounds.
To continue their dissection, Jim and Greg talk about two specific songs from Purple Rain. Jim plays "Darling Nikki", one of the only songs on the album written solely by Prince. It was targeted by Tipper Gore and the PMRC for its suggestive lyrics, but Jim sees it as a love/lust story similar to The Beatles' "Norwegian Wood". Greg chooses "When Doves Cry". With no bass line, multiple guitar parts and a multi-tracked voice, it's a perfect example of Prince's modern and avant-garde side.
To wrap up this look back at Purple Rain, Jim and Greg pay tribute to the late artist, and they each highlight a song from Prince's huge vault of unreleased music that was not available until after the artists's death. Greg plays "Can’t Stop This Feeling I Got", and praises the song's stripped down nature, crediting one of Prince's former guitarists Dez Dickerson with having a heavy influence on the track. Jim continues in the stripped down lane with the song "You’re My Love", a song that Prince originally wrote for country superstar Kenny Roger
Featured Songs:
- Prince And The Revolution, "Purple Rain," Purple Rain, Warner Bros, 1984
- Prince And The Revolution, "Let's Go Crazy," Purple Rain, Warner Bros, 1984
- Prince And The Revolution, "Take Me With U," Purple Rain, Warner Bros, 1984
- Prince, "Head," Dirty Mind, Warner Bros, 1980
- Prince, "Controversy," Controversy, Warner Bros, 1981
- Prince, "Soft And Wet," For You, Warner Bros, 1978
- Prince And The Revolution, "The Beautiful Ones," Purple Rain, Warner Bros, 1984
- Prince And The Revolution, "I Would Die 4 U," Purple Rain, Warner Bros, 1984
- Prince And The Revolution, "Darling Nikki," Purple Rain, Warner Bros, 1984
- Prince And The Revolution, "Computer Blue," Purple Rain, Warner Bros, 1984
- Prince And The Revolution, "Baby I'm a Star," Purple Rain, Warner Bros, 1984
- Prince And The Revolution, "When Doves Cry," Purple Rain, Warner Bros, 1984
- Prince, "Can't Stop This Feeling," Graffiti Bridge, Warner Bros, 1990
- Prince, "You're My Love," Originals, Warner Bros, 2019
- Sprints, "Heavy," Letter To Self, City Slang, 2024
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