Friday, April 22, 2016

Rest in Purple

I'm not remotely qualified to write about Prince. His musical and cultural impact is difficult to overstate. I remember exactly where I was when I heard that Michael Jackson had died. I'd argue that Prince's musical legacy is greater.

It's hard to put into words how revolutionary Purple Rain sounded when it dropped. To this then-14 year-old, it was a complete revelation, from the sprint start of 'Let's Go Crazy' to the lovesick pop of 'Take Me With U', the blush-inducing (for a way too innocent suburban kid) 'Darlin Nikki' all the way through the sublime 'I Would Die 4 U' to the transcendent title track. That shit opened my eyes in ways music really hadn't before.



The little purple dude's Super Bowl halftime show set the standard by which those things should be judged, and his musical influence impacts us today in ways we don't even know. He put out a critically acclaimed record just last year - there's no telling how much great music we'll never hear now. He was, to use a cliche, a force of nature.

My favorite Prince track isn't one of the big ones, at least by his standards, but I've always loved it:


Prince  Seven by jeetprince7

Game over, Blouses.
Posted by rob at 6:22 AM
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24 comments:

zman said...

Agreed on all counts, including 7.

Purple Rain came out the summer between my 4th and 5th grade years and I spent most of the summer hanging out with my friend around the corner, Jesse. Jesse's mom LOVED Purple Rain and played that record (literally, on a record player) all the time, all day. Jesse and I eventually approached his mother to find out what "grind" meant. She seemed confused and replied that it meant to take something big and break it into small pieces. After we clarified that we wanted to know what "grind" meant in the context of Darling Nikki, she gathered herself and said "It means dancing wildly." We accepted that definition and moving forward she made a point to skip Darling Nikki when we were in the house.

9:34 AM, April 22, 2016
Clarence said...

You asked what "grind" meant but glossed right over "masturbating"?

10:12 AM, April 22, 2016
Mark said...

I was a late comer to Prince. I hated slow songs when I was young so Purple Rain didn't resonate with young, stupid me. A few years later I heard When Doves Cry again and was totally blown away. I dove in to Prince's catalog after that and have been a fan since.

I don't think you can truly appreciate him until you get a bit older and understand musicianship on a greater level. He's so much more than what you get from a cursory survey of his music.

10:58 AM, April 22, 2016
T.J. said...

We went to a concert last night and got home about 10:30. Jess then figured out we could play CDs through the DVD/Blue Ray player (yes I am dumb and didn't realize you could), and we proceeded to go through that entire Prince greatest hits double disc CD. That dude is fucking amazing. So many songs I had forgotten about.

11:01 AM, April 22, 2016
Clarence said...

I'd agree with Rob on all things except that Prince's musical legacy is greater than MJ's.

And you mentioned the Purple Rain classics except for the tour de force that is "When Doves Cry." That was the first song I heard off the album, listening to K-94 FM in 1984. Definite "whoa" moment. Followed soon thereafter by hearing "Erotic City" on the radio and thinking that it was supposed to be banned.

Clarence's Top 6.9 Prince songs:

6.9. Let's Go Crazy
6. Pop Life
5. Little Red Corvette
4. Erotic City
3. Delirious
2. Kiss
1. Raspberry Beret


Also, Rob... Prince was an outstanding Bite Me Randy Newman dude

11:03 AM, April 22, 2016
Clarence said...

"When You Were Mine" being played on WXPN right now. It's on my list, I just forgot it. Even Cyndi Lauper had a worthy cover.

The songs Prince wrote that became hits for others, you could just about fill an album. Manic Monday, I Feel for You, Nothing Compares 2 U, Sugar Walls. And he pretty much banged each of those singers.

11:08 AM, April 22, 2016
Mark said...

I like Raspberry Beret but it's not near the top of my Prince songs list. That's one of the many things that's great about Prince. So many songs and styles to choose from. A little something for everyone.

Also, say what you want about ARod but he used Erotic City as his walk up music last night.

11:26 AM, April 22, 2016
rob said...

as mark said last night, bomani jones' reflections on prince at playboy.com are terrific

12:43 PM, April 22, 2016
Donna said...

I recommend watching the tribute to Prince that the cast of "The Color Purple" on Broadway did last night at the end of their show. WOW!

1:02 PM, April 22, 2016
Shlara said...

I agree that Prince > MJ.
They are both leagues above almost everyone else.

And I seriously thought Prince would live to like 100--still so stunned by this. And sad.

2:02 PM, April 22, 2016
zman said...

Clarence, Jesse's older sister explained "masturbating" but she didn't know what "grind" meant either.

2:03 PM, April 22, 2016
zman said...

Prince was married twice--I did not know that. I have to imagine that any woman who could convince Prince to put a ring on it must have exceedingly high sexual WAR/PER stats.

3:44 PM, April 22, 2016
Danimal said...

Who plays Prince in the movie? Bruno Mars?

7:29 PM, April 22, 2016
TR said...

This was a funny set of Prince stories Kevin Smith told as part of some speaking tour he did that was turned into a documentary:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8LhcParuzpc

7:38 PM, April 22, 2016
zman said...

I'd say Andre 3000 but I think he already played Jimi Hendrix and I doubt he'd want to do both. Dave Chappelle already played that role. John Leguizamo is probably too tall. rob can't sing well enough or be sexy enough. Maybe Janelle Monae?

8:12 PM, April 22, 2016
rob said...

i surely can't sing well enough, z. you got that part right, anyway.

8:17 PM, April 22, 2016
Mark said...

I like the Janelle Monae angle on playing Prince.

8:39 PM, April 22, 2016
rob said...

here's a video of the first time prince ever played purple rain. 1983, at minneapolis' legendary first avenue. stupid good. http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/entertainthis/2016/04/21/prince-first-performance-purple-rain-video/83346434/

8:46 PM, April 22, 2016
zman said...

An under-appreciated angle on Prince. I'm sure there's a tribute to him going on at your local noodie bar.

http://www.salon.com/2016/04/22/the_prince_song_too_hot_for_the_strip_club_why_the_purple_one_is_always_a_go_go_bar_djs_go_to_jam/

9:24 PM, April 22, 2016
rob said...

i forgot about erotic city. god damn.

9:39 PM, April 22, 2016
rob said...

patton oswalt's wife, who was my age, died in her sleep last night. awful.

10:46 PM, April 22, 2016
Clarence said...

TR, Whitney referenced the Kevin Smith stuff in his inclusion of Prince (unfortunately, sorry, folks), in his D-bags of rock. Prince was complicated, and sometimes the off-putting nature of genius means you are a feminine product to people.

11:00 PM, April 22, 2016
Clarence said...

And we don't know our classmate Patton Oswalt, but even if we did, there aren't words to offer when people lose their mate in life's prime. Here in Norfolk one of our buddies lost his wife to an aneurysm 3 years ago when she was 8 months pregnant with their 3rd, and I've had 300 beers with him since but still don't have the solace to provide... nor does he expect it.

11:07 PM, April 22, 2016
zman said...

That's one of the saddest things I've ever heard. I say that for two of the last three comments.

11:53 PM, April 22, 2016

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