Purple Rain (song)
"Purple Rain" | ||||||||||
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![]() US 7" single | ||||||||||
Single by Prince and The Revolution | ||||||||||
from the album Purple Rain | ||||||||||
B-side |
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Released | September 26, 1984 | |||||||||
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Recorded | Live, First Avenue, Minneapolis, August 3, 1983 | |||||||||
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Label | Warner Bros. | |||||||||
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Producer(s) | Prince and the Revolution | |||||||||
Prince and The Revolution singles chronology | ||||||||||
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"Purple Rain" is a song 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, R&B, gospel, and orchestral music. It reached number 2 in the United States for two weeks,[5] behind "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" by Wham!, and it is considered one of Prince's signature songs. It was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America in 1984, shipping one million units in the United States,[6] and it was certified silver by the British Phonographic Industry in 2013.[7]
Following Prince's death in 2016, the song rose to number one on the US and UK iTunes Charts, allowing "Purple Rain" to re-enter the Billboard Hot 100 at number 17, later reaching number four.[8][9] It also re-entered the UK Singles Chart at number 6,[10] making it two places higher than its original peak of number 8.[11] Originally peaking at number 12 in France, "Purple Rain" reached number one on the national singles chart.[12] As of April 30, 2016, it has sold 1,186,215 copies in the United States.[13]
Recording
The song was recorded during a benefit concert for the Minnesota Dance Theatre at the First Avenue nightclub in Minneapolis on August 3, 1983. The performance was guitarist Wendy Melvoin's live debut with The Revolution, at the age of 19. City Pages described the 70-minute performance as Prince's "sweatiest and most soulful hometown concert yet", and drummer Bobby Z stated, "it certainly was one of the best concerts we ever did".[14]
The concert was recorded by David Rivkin (a.k.a. David Z, brother of Bobby Z) using a mobile recording unit brought in from the Record Plant in New York City, staffed by engineers Dave Hewitt and Kooster McAllister.[15] David Z's connection to Prince is deeper than most professional relationships. David's older brother, Cliff Rifkin was the regional promotion executive for Warners in Minneapolis, who also expedited Prince's label signing. David Z's younger brother, Bobby Z, would then become Prince's drummer in the Revolution. David Z wasn't surprised when he was requested to set up the live recording in August 3, 1983, "With Prince, you never knew, " he says. "I thought we were recording a concert, but I wasn't sure if it was going to be a record, too. I knew they were working on the movie as, as well. You just had to go in prepared to record whatever it was going to be as well as you could."[16] The basic tracks for three songs were used on the Purple Rain soundtrack: "Purple Rain", "I Would Die 4 U", and "Baby I'm a Star". Prince performed overdubs while working at Sunset Sound in Los Angeles from August–September 1983. A solo and verse from the original recording were edited out and replaced with a different verse, changing the length from eleven to eight minutes.[14] The extra verse was about money, but was removed because it diluted the emotional impact of the song.
After recording the song, Prince phoned Jonathan Cain from Journey asking him to hear it, worried it might be too similar to "Faithfully", a Journey single composed by Cain which had recently been in the charts. Cain reassured Prince telling him the songs only shared the same four chords.[17]
Prince's explanation of meaning
Prince explained the meaning of "Purple Rain" as follows: "When there's blood in the sky – red and blue = purple... purple rain pertains to the end of the world and being with the one you love and letting your faith/god guide you through the purple rain."[18] The phrase "purple rain" did appear earlier in the lyrics of the Top Ten-charting song "Ventura Highway" by America in 1972. That song was written by Dewey Bunnell.
Song structure
"Purple Rain" opens with a lone guitar quickly followed by live drumming and a prominent Yamaha CP70 Electric grand piano, evoking images of church gospel music. Three verses are each followed by a chorus, with a building emotional delivery. In the context of the film, each verse ties into a different strained relationship Prince's character has and his desire to reconcile. The first verse is dedicated to his father, then his ex-girlfriend (Apollonia), and then his band mates. After the final chorus, a guitar solo takes over the song. The song ends with a piano solo and orchestral strings. Prince's vocal range spans from the low note of F3 to the high note of A5.[19]
Performances
The song was a staple of Prince's live performances. He 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. At Super Bowl XLI's halftime show, in which he was the featured performer, "Purple Rain" was featured as the last song of his set and was, appropriately, played during a downpour at the stadium, which when combined with the purple stage lighting created the song's signature image. Prince performed the song as the opening of a medley of his hits with Beyoncé at the 2004 Grammy Awards, and also at the 2006 Brit Awards. Purple Rain ended up being the final song Prince performed live during his final concert in Atlanta, Georgia on April 14, 2016.[20]
As a single
In order to be released as a single, the song was shortened from 8:45 to 4:05.
The B-side, "God", is a much more overtly religious number (Prince's most religious), 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", an edited portion of which appears in the film.
Reception and legacy
The song ranked number 144 on the Rolling Stone list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
Q magazine placed it at number 40 in its list of the 100 Greatest Guitar Tracks, and Pitchfork Media named it the best song of the 1980s.
The song is also included in The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll.[21]
Personnel
- Prince – lead vocals and lead guitar
- Wendy Melvoin – rhythm guitar and backing vocals
- Lisa Coleman – keyboards and backing vocals
- Matt Fink – keyboards
- Brown Mark – bass
- Bobby Z. – drums and percussion
- Novi Novog – violin and viola
- David Coleman – cello
- Suzie Katayama – cello
Track listing
7"
- A. "Purple Rain" (edit) – 4:02
- B. "God" – 3:59
12"
- A. "Purple Rain" – 8:45
- B. "God" – 3:59
12 " (UK)
- A. "Purple Rain" (long version) – 7:05
- B1. "God (Love Theme from Purple Rain)" (instrumental) – 7:54
- B2. "God" (vocal) – 3:59
Shaped picture disc (UK)
- A. "Purple Rain" (edit) – 4:02
- B. "God" – 3:59
7" promo (US)
- A. "Purple Rain" (edit) – 4:02
- B. "Purple Rain" (edit) – 4:02
7" promo (UK)
- A. "Purple Rain" (radio edit) – 4:19
- B. "Purple Rain" (long radio edit) – 5:37
12" promo (US)
- A. "Purple Rain" (edit) – 4:02
- B. "Purple Rain" (LP version) – 8:45
Charts and certifications
Weekly charts
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Year-end charts
Certifications
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Stacy Francis version
"Purple Rain" | |
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Single by Stacy Francis | |
Released | May 29, 2012 |
Format | Digital download |
Recorded | 2012 |
Genre | |
Length | 3:49 |
Label | Donovan Noel Productions |
"Purple Rain" became the debut single of American recording artist and The X Factor's season one finalist, Stacy Francis. She first performed the song on The X Factor Judges' Houses episode, in front of her mentor Nicole Scherzinger and Enrique Iglesias. Her powerful vocal performance received positive feedback, with Iglesias commenting: "I think the neighbors can hear that!"
Francis eventually released a studio version of the song as her debut single on May 29, 2012. She dedicated the single to her supporters who have been supporting her ever since she was eliminated from the competition and motivated her to do a studio cover of the song.
Dami Im version
Australian pop singer Dami Im performed a cover in week two of the fifth Australian X Factor series,[64] on 22 September 2013. All four judges gave her a unanimous standing ovation with Ronan Keating standing on the table.[65] Keating told Im that the competition "at the moment, is yours".[66] Her performance debuted at number 29 on the Australian Singles Chart.[67] It was Im's second consecutive standing ovation during the Live Shows.[68] During the Grand Final Live Decider Show on 27 October 2013 Dami reprised her iconic performance of the song as the "Best Live Show" Song,[69] again to a standing ovation from the judges and the audience.[70]
Im recorded a version of the song for her self-titled album, which debuted at number one in Australia. On the morning of 21 April 2016, Im performed live on Australia's Channel 7's The Morning Show in a tribute to Prince.[71] "Purple Rain" remains a part of Im's repertoire in many of her public performances. Im also performs the song acoustically. One notable such performance was at the John Legend Tour of Australia in 2014,[72] where she was the opening act for Legend.
References
- ↑ Slowikowski, Tim (May 31, 2009). "A Track-by-Track Rundown of 'Purple Rain'". PopMatters. Retrieved July 2, 2016.
- ↑ Partridge, Kenneth (June 24, 2014). "Prince's 'Purple Rain' at 30: Classic Track-by-Track Album Review". Billboard. Retrieved July 2, 2016.
- ↑ Jones, Chris. "Prince - Purple Rain Review". BBC. Retrieved July 2, 2016.
- ↑ The original single release credits the authors of the song as Prince and The Revolution, but the song's authorship is registered with ASCAP as solely by Prince.
- 1 2 "Prince – Chart history" Billboard Hot 100 for Prince. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
- 1 2 "American single certifications – Prince". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH
- 1 2 "British single certifications – Prince – Purple Rain". British Phonographic Industry. Enter Purple Rain in the field Keywords. Select Title in the field Search by. Select single in the field By Format. Select Silver in the field By Award. Click Search
- 1 2 "The Hot 100 - May 14, 2016". Billboard Hot 100. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
- ↑ Madeline Raynor. "Prince Is No. 1 on iTunes Today -- Vulture". Vulture. Retrieved 3 May 2016.
- 1 2 "Archive Chart: 2016-05-05" UK Singles Chart. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
- 1 2 "Archive Chart: 1984-10-06" UK Singles Chart. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
- 1 2 3 4 5 "Lescharts.com – Prince & The Revolution – Purple Rain" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
- ↑ "Hip Hop Single Sales: Prince, Desiigner & Drake". HipHopDX. April 30, 2016. Retrieved April 30, 2016.
- 1 2 Nilsen, Per (2003). Dance Music Sex Romance: Prince: The First Decade. SAF Publishing, pp. 153–155. ISBN 0-946719-64-0
- ↑ Daley, Dan (January 1, 2009). "Classic Tracks: Prince and the Revolution's "Purple Rain"". Mix. Retrieved April 25, 2011.
- ↑ Citation Daley, D. (2009, 01). Music: Prince and the revolution - "purple rain". Mix, 33, 58-61. Proquest
- ↑ "Hitlåtens historia, "Don't Stop Believin'" by Journey, Extramaterial: Prince trodde att han hade snott låten". svt.se. January 30, 2012. Retrieved February 18, 2012.
- ↑ NME.COM. "20 Things You Didn't Know About Purple Rain". NME.COM. Retrieved 3 May 2016.
- ↑ "Prince - Purple Rain Sheet Music". musicnotes.com. Arrangement Details. Retrieved October 4, 2011.
- ↑ Brent Lang,Katie Van Syckle. "Prince's Final Days: Inside His Last Concerts - Variety". Variety. Retrieved 3 May 2016.
- ↑ http://rockhall.com/exhibits/500-songs-that-shaped-rock-and/
- ↑ "Forum – ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts – CHART POSITIONS PRE 1989". Australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
- 1 2 "Austriancharts.at – Prince & The Revolution – Purple Rain" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
- ↑ "Ultratop.be – Prince & The Revolution – Purple Rain" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
- ↑ "Radio 2 Top 30" (in Dutch). Top 30. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
- ↑ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 9550." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
- ↑ CHART NUMBER 1454 – Saturday, November 10, 1984 at the Wayback Machine (archived 7 November 2006). CHUM.
- 1 2 "Offiziellecharts.de – Prince – Purple Rain". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
- ↑ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Purple Rain". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
- 1 2 "Dutchcharts.nl – Prince & The Revolution – Purple Rain" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
- ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 44, 1984" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40 Retrieved 6 September 2016.
- 1 2 "Charts.org.nz – Prince & The Revolution – Purple Rain". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
- ↑ "Topp 20 Single uke 49, 1984 – VG-lista. Offisielle hitlister fra og med 1958" (in Norwegian). VG-lista. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
- ↑ "Lista Przebojów Programu 3". LP3. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
- ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Prince & The Revolution – Purple Rain". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
- 1 2 3 "Swisscharts.com – Prince & The Revolution – Purple Rain". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
- ↑ "Volume 96 No. 47, NOVEMBER 24. 1984" (PDF). Billboard. New York, NY, USA. 24 November 1984. p. 49. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
- ↑ "Prince – Chart history" Billboard Mainstream Rock Songs for Prince. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
- ↑ CASH BOX Top 100 Singles – Week ending NOVEMBER 10, 1984 at the Wayback Machine (archived 11 September 2012). Cash Box magazine.
- ↑ "Archive Chart: 2007-08-18" UK Singles Chart. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
- ↑ "Archive Chart: 2008-11-01" UK Singles Chart. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
- ↑ "Archive Chart: 2009-11-21" UK Singles Chart. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
- ↑ "Archive Chart: 2011-11-05" UK Singles Chart. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
- ↑ "Archive Chart: 2012-10-27" UK Singles Chart. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
- ↑ "Australian-charts.com – Prince & The Revolution – Purple Rain". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
- ↑ "Prince - Chart History". Canadian Digital Songs. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
- ↑ "Prince: Purple Rain" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
- ↑ "Chart Track: Week 17, 2016". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
- ↑ "Italiancharts.com – Prince & The Revolution – Purple Rain". Top Digital Download. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
- ↑ "Prince – Chart history" Japan Hot 100 for Prince. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
- ↑ "Spanishcharts.com – Prince & The Revolution – Purple Rain" Canciones Top 50. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
- ↑ "Hot Rock Songs - May 14, 2016". Billboard Hot Rock Songs. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
- ↑ "Prince – Chart history" Billboard Digital Songs for Prince. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
- ↑ "Prince - Chart History". Billboard R&B Songs. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
- ↑ "Prince - Chart History". Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Digital Songs. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
- ↑ "Prince – Chart history" Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs for Prince. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
- ↑ "Prince - Chart History". Billboard Rock Digital Songs. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
- ↑ "Ultratop Jaaroverzichten 1984". Ultratop 50 (in Dutch). Retrieved 6 September 2016.
- ↑ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 9638." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
- ↑ "Dutch Jaaroverzichten Single 1984". Single Top 100 (in Dutch). Retrieved 6 September 2016.
- ↑ "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1984". Dutch Top 40 (in Dutch). Retrieved 6 September 2016.
- ↑ The CASH BOX Year-End Charts: 1984 at the Wayback Machine (archived September 11, 2012). Cash Box magazine.
- ↑ "New Zealand single certifications – Prince – Purple Rain". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved September 13, 2016.
- ↑ "Dami Im - Purple Rain Live Week 2 - The X Factor Australia 2013". YouTube. Retrieved 2016-09-24.
- ↑ [http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/tv/x-factor-australia-grand-final-dami-im-completes-demolition-with-army/story-e6frfmyi-1226748539552> "X Factor Australia Grand Final: Dami Im completes demolition with army"]. Retrieved 6 October 2016.
- ↑ "Dami Im Sings 'Purple Rain' The X Factor Australia 2013 Top 11 Live Show (VIDEO)".
- ↑ "Dami Im - Purple Rain (song) on Australian-Charts.com".
- ↑ Another standing ovation for Dami Im.
- ↑ "Dami Im - Best Live Show Song - Live Grand Final Decider - The X Factor Australia 2013". YouTube. Retrieved 2016-09-24.
- ↑ "X Factor Australia Grand Final: Dami Im completes demolition with army".
- ↑ "Dami Im - Purple Rain - Tribute To Prince on Channel 7 Morning Show". YouTube. Retrieved 2016-09-24.
- ↑ "Dami Im - Purple Rain (Live from Sydney Opera House, Sydney, Australia - 2014)".