Prince - Purple Rain

JGuy Grungeman · 05-26-2016, 11:32 AM

Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to get through this thing called life...

Style: Pop Rock, Funk Rock
Release: 1984
Length: 44 min.

Prince, a worthy and skillful rival to Michael Jackson in the realm of pop, released a film in 1984, and one of the most famous soundtracks in the world. Purple Rain is a great blend of pop rock and funk, synthesing its way through any crazy rhythm Prince puts out. And yes, the album is quite crazy. Unnecessarily synthesized voice-acting finds its way into most of the tracks and intros. A very energetic personality fills the romantic lyrics that only the pleasantly cheesy 80's could bring.

If you don't know what I'm talking about, zip it and watch some 80's dance movie like Dirty Dancing.

Unfortunately, some of the songwriting needs redoing. The album is great thanks to its playful synths, but rarely any song on the album coms close to the quality of the famed opening track, Let's Go Crazy. We do get to start off side B with When Doves Cry, a drum-heavy, simple, easy flowing but rough kind of song. Despite the lack of uniqueness in many songs, many may find something to greatly enjoy about the album because this album is about sheer energy. Everything in the album is energetic and likeable, even if it's flawed. The ending, title track, ie quite beautiful. The soft, romantic, and soothing synths have so much soul to it that it overpowers alost any flaw.

Prince was quite the entertainer, and Purple Rain is his opus that will live on forever. If all other Prince albums are lost in time, Purple Rain is a name that will be remembered. And rightfully so. This is one of the most eccentric albums I know. Well, off to find me more synth funk!

92/100 Not sure about the vote.

~~Cuthbert~~ · 05-26-2016, 12:53 PM

The Beautiful Ones is the best track on this imo.

Nice review btw.

Silhouette · 05-27-2016, 09:00 AM

Awesome review! My favorite is Darling Nikki. Wasn't it one of the first songs to be banned from the radio? I have an original vinyl copy of this my mom gave to me that she used to listen to in the '80s, so I love hearing it in that form.

I find a lot of red blooded males are closet fans of Prince so its so refreshing to hear it when a guy can get down with Prince and be proud. My husband is a proud Prince fan too and always tries to hit the high notes/scream/pouts only to epically fail, but its still cute.

Raust · 05-28-2016, 10:45 PM

It's a pretty great record. For the time he was pretty innovative when it came to artists. The man was insanely creative and was a breath of fresh air when it came down to popular music at the time when that record dropped.

When it comes down to my favorite songs, the self titled song is my favorite. The guitar work is pretty damn impressive especially when performed live. 'Darling Nicky', 'When Doves Cry' and 'Take Me With You' are pretty great to. **** there are no bad songs on this record it's all pretty solid there's nothing I don't like.

JGuy Grungeman · 05-30-2016, 05:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silhouette

Awesome review! My favorite is Darling Nikki. Wasn't it one of the first songs to be banned from the radio? I have an original vinyl copy of this my mom gave to me that she used to listen to in the '80s, so I love hearing it in that form.

I find a lot of red blooded males are closet fans of Prince so its so refreshing to hear it when a guy can get down with Prince and be proud. My husband is a proud Prince fan too and always tries to hit the high notes/scream/pouts only to epically fail, but its still cute.

Thanks! Which one got banned?

Silhouette · 05-31-2016, 09:33 AM

Darling Nikki

Quote:

Yet the song represented only one on the list of the PMRC’s “Filthy Fifteen” released the following year. Prince joined Madonna, Cyndi Lauper, Twisted Sister and lesser known acts with songs on the list the PMRC called for banning from radio.

Al Gore's wife called for parental advisory stickers on this album because of this song as well.

~~MicShazam~~ · 08-14-2016, 07:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silhouette

Awesome review! My favorite is Darling Nikki. Wasn't it one of the first songs to be banned from the radio? I have an original vinyl copy of this my mom gave to me that she used to listen to in the '80s, so I love hearing it in that form.

I find a lot of red blooded males are closet fans of Prince so its so refreshing to hear it when a guy can get down with Prince and be proud. My husband is a proud Prince fan too and always tries to hit the high notes/scream/pouts only to epically fail, but its still cute.

I didn't know that liking Prince was a thing to keep in the closet? I've got a ton of his albums and just assumed that was par for the course for music nerds.

~~Cuthbert~~ · 08-14-2016, 02:50 PM

The Beautiful Ones

I Would Die 4 U/Baby I'm a Star

>>>

The end of Baby I'm a Star >>>

Chula Vista · 08-14-2016, 02:53 PM

Nice review of a classic album. Defined that era for sure.

Terrapin_Station · 08-14-2016, 07:51 PM

Love Prince overall and love Purple Rain, though I wouldn't rank it above #5 for him. I'd at least put Around the World in a Day, Lovesexy, Parade and Sign o' the Times above it. Those would be my top four, probably in that order.

05-26-2016, 11:32 AM	#1 (permalink)
JGuy Grungeman Primo Celebate Sexiness Join Date: Apr 2014 Posts: 2,662	Prince - Purple Rain Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to get through this thing called life... Style: Pop Rock, Funk Rock Release: 1984 Length: 44 min. Prince, a worthy and skillful rival to Michael Jackson in the realm of pop, released a film in 1984, and one of the most famous soundtracks in the world. Purple Rain is a great blend of pop rock and funk, synthesing its way through any crazy rhythm Prince puts out. And yes, the album is quite crazy. Unnecessarily synthesized voice-acting finds its way into most of the tracks and intros. A very energetic personality fills the romantic lyrics that only the pleasantly cheesy 80's could bring. If you don't know what I'm talking about, zip it and watch some 80's dance movie like Dirty Dancing. Unfortunately, some of the songwriting needs redoing. The album is great thanks to its playful synths, but rarely any song on the album coms close to the quality of the famed opening track, Let's Go Crazy. We do get to start off side B with When Doves Cry, a drum-heavy, simple, easy flowing but rough kind of song. Despite the lack of uniqueness in many songs, many may find something to greatly enjoy about the album because this album is about sheer energy. Everything in the album is energetic and likeable, even if it's flawed. The ending, title track, ie quite beautiful. The soft, romantic, and soothing synths have so much soul to it that it overpowers alost any flaw. Prince was quite the entertainer, and Purple Rain is his opus that will live on forever. If all other Prince albums are lost in time, Purple Rain is a name that will be remembered. And rightfully so. This is one of the most eccentric albums I know. Well, off to find me more synth funk! 92/100 Not sure about the vote. __________________ I'm a pretty nice troll if you ask me.

05-27-2016, 09:00 AM	#3 (permalink)
Silhouette Groupie Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: Great Plains Posts: 48	Awesome review! My favorite is Darling Nikki. Wasn't it one of the first songs to be banned from the radio? I have an original vinyl copy of this my mom gave to me that she used to listen to in the '80s, so I love hearing it in that form. I find a lot of red blooded males are closet fans of Prince so its so refreshing to hear it when a guy can get down with Prince and be proud. My husband is a proud Prince fan too and always tries to hit the high notes/scream/pouts only to epically fail, but its still cute. __________________ Draggin' the line

08-14-2016, 02:53 PM	#9 (permalink)
Chula Vista Toasted Poster Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: SoCal by way of Boston Posts: 11,332	Nice review of a classic album. Defined that era for sure. __________________ “The fact that we live at the bottom of a deep gravity well, on the surface of a gas covered planet going around a nuclear fireball 90 million miles away and think this to be normal is obviously some indication of how skewed our perspective tends to be.”

05-26-2016, 12:53 PM	#2 (permalink)
~~Cuthbert~~ Account Disabled Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Black Country Posts: 8,827	The Beautiful Ones is the best track on this imo. Nice review btw.

05-28-2016, 10:45 PM	#4 (permalink)
Raust Music Addict Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 1,411	It's a pretty great record. For the time he was pretty innovative when it came to artists. The man was insanely creative and was a breath of fresh air when it came down to popular music at the time when that record dropped. When it comes down to my favorite songs, the self titled song is my favorite. The guitar work is pretty damn impressive especially when performed live. 'Darling Nicky', 'When Doves Cry' and 'Take Me With You' are pretty great to. **** there are no bad songs on this record it's all pretty solid there's nothing I don't like.

08-14-2016, 02:50 PM	#8 (permalink)
~~Cuthbert~~ Account Disabled Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Black Country Posts: 8,827	The Beautiful Ones I Would Die 4 U/Baby I'm a Star >>> The end of Baby I'm a Star >>>

08-14-2016, 07:51 PM	#10 (permalink)
Terrapin_Station Music Addict Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: NYC Man Posts: 877	Love Prince overall and love Purple Rain, though I wouldn't rank it above #5 for him. I'd at least put Around the World in a Day, Lovesexy, Parade and Sign o' the Times above it. Those would be my top four, probably in that order.