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FOT Community => General Discussion => Topic started by: Matthew_S on October 07, 2009, 01:16:51 PM

Title: What is your favorite song on Purple Rain?
Post by: Matthew_S on October 07, 2009, 01:16:51 PM
I was listening to this album today and thought this was an interesting question to pose.  I used to think that this was the rare album where it ended stronger than it began, but now I'm not so sure ...

3 huge singles of course - Let's Go Crazy, When Doves Cry, Purple Rain -- but I could see a case being made for almost every one.


Title: Re: What is your favorite song on Purple Rain?
Post by: yesno on October 07, 2009, 01:21:08 PM
I voted for "Baby I'm a Star" to be cool.  But really, of course, it's "When Doves Cry."  That and "Kiss," together with Kate Bush's hits from Wuthering Heights to Hounds of Love, show just how weird pop music can be.
Title: Re: What is your favorite song on Purple Rain?
Post by: Wes on October 07, 2009, 01:48:03 PM
Let's Go Crazy. Starts great, ends even better and is a perfect distillation of Prince from, the guitar work to the vocals to the overall peak of his gosp-perv songwriting approach.

Plus, more than anything else on the album, hearing it immediately triggers images from the movie/video, specifically Prince riding around his his Batgirl Motorcycle. So bonus points for that.
Title: Re: What is your favorite song on Purple Rain?
Post by: snogrog on October 07, 2009, 01:58:37 PM
Hearing it immediately triggers images from the movie/video, specifically Prince riding around his his Batgirl Motorcycle. So bonus points for that.

ZING!

(http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m50/wlcm2thdwn_2006/motorcycle.jpg)

(http://www.hollywood-diecast.com/batgirl%20batcycle%20still1.jpg)

AND FINALLY

(http://blog.newsarama.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10002/normal_batgirl-chiang.jpg)

...and it's "When Doves Cry."
Title: Re: What is your favorite song on Purple Rain?
Post by: JonFromMaplewood on October 07, 2009, 02:21:23 PM
"Take Me With U" is simple but it makes me happy. 

I'll be honest...I never liked this album all that much even though i bought it the minute it came out.  It may be that I respect Prince a lot, but do not really enjoy listening to his music that much.
Title: Re: What is your favorite song on Purple Rain?
Post by: buffcoat on October 07, 2009, 02:26:54 PM
Don't let the elevator bring you down.




The spoken intro is worth the price of admission.



Completely unrelated followup question: What's your favorite song on New Order's Republic?
Title: Re: What is your favorite song on Purple Rain?
Post by: snogrog on October 07, 2009, 02:28:14 PM
Completely unrelated followup question: What's your favorite song on New Order's Republic?

Regret. Definitely.
Title: Re: What is your favorite song on Purple Rain?
Post by: Matt on October 07, 2009, 03:41:41 PM
I voted for "The Beautiful Ones," but only to spread some votes around. There are no losers here!

"I Would Die 4 U" has my favorite lyric, though: "If you were evil I'd forgive you by and by."
Title: Re: What is your favorite song on Purple Rain?
Post by: Gilly on October 07, 2009, 03:48:00 PM
Purple Rain- Darling Nikki is a distant 2nd.
Title: Re: What is your favorite song on Purple Rain?
Post by: Steve of Bloomington on October 07, 2009, 04:16:42 PM
I like that 'I want to be a modernaire' song.
Title: Re: What is your favorite song on Purple Rain?
Post by: masterofsparks on October 07, 2009, 05:35:07 PM
I like almost all of this album, but it's got to be Baby I'm a Star. Seems like the sort of thing that could go on 10+ minutes in the right live setting.
Title: Re: What is your favorite song on Purple Rain?
Post by: yesno on October 07, 2009, 06:09:55 PM
My favorite Prince album is Parade.  It doesn't have the best songs but it holds together as a single work best.

It also sounds the least dated.  Prince never sounds very of his time in the way that some pop/r&b people can, but this album is the least mid-1980s sounding.
Title: Re: What is your favorite song on Purple Rain?
Post by: Matt on October 07, 2009, 06:34:27 PM
My favorite Prince album is Parade.  It doesn't have the best songs but it holds together as a single work best.

It also sounds the least dated.  Prince never sounds very of his time in the way that some pop/r&b people can, but this album is the least mid-1980s sounding.

It is pretty great. For most of the last two weeks, the only music I listened to in my car was a cassette of PARADE. The songs are awesome, but it's the sequencing that makes the album. (And I almost never notice that kind of thing.)

Someone called it SGT. PEPPER for the 80s, and I don't disagree.
Title: Re: What is your favorite song on Purple Rain?
Post by: fonpr on October 07, 2009, 06:50:09 PM
I listened to ... a cassette 

I sent Tom a cassette a couple weeks ago.   Should I ask Mike and TeRRReeZZZ to play it?

Tom didn't.  Just made a weird sideways reference to it.


Signed,

A Concerned Listener
Title: Re: What is your favorite song on Purple Rain?
Post by: ChrisRawk on October 07, 2009, 07:40:34 PM
Gotta be honest...I think every song is great.  I'm having a hard time deciding where to put my vote.
Title: Re: What is your favorite song on Purple Rain?
Post by: Trotskie on October 07, 2009, 08:03:00 PM
voted for I Would Die 4 U because, as a kid, I thought he was saying "ah-bble dah-bble do". 
Title: Re: What is your favorite song on Purple Rain?
Post by: buffcoat on October 07, 2009, 08:03:20 PM
Avalanche.
Title: Re: What is your favorite song on Purple Rain?
Post by: mcphee from the forum on October 07, 2009, 08:38:30 PM
I voted Beautiful Ones but I was torn between that and Purple Rain and also between that and every song that isn't Computer Blue.
Title: Re: What is your favorite song on Purple Rain?
Post by: akaJudge on October 08, 2009, 12:20:58 PM
Take Me With You
Title: Re: What is your favorite song on Purple Rain?
Post by: jamesp on October 08, 2009, 07:22:02 PM
2 votes for "Darlin' Nikki"? I assume one of these must be from Larry D. Pervison.
Title: Re: What is your favorite song on Purple Rain?
Post by: Christina on October 08, 2009, 11:37:34 PM
My favorite Prince album is Parade. 

I've been super into the dirty early eighties Prince lately. I keep going back to Controversy on the old iPod.
Title: Re: What is your favorite song on Purple Rain?
Post by: daveB from Oakland on October 09, 2009, 12:37:05 AM
I voted for "The Beautiful Ones" ... but I'm like YesNo, if I really think about it, I'd probably have to admit that "When Doves Cry" would be the desert-island song. If I was forced to choose one song.

But having said that, "Beautiful Ones" is a pretty amazing showcase for Prince the vocalist. I like how it begins with the fruity, breathy falsetto ... and ends up on the opposite end of the spectrum, super growly (like Eddie Murphy's impersonation of Teddy Pendergrass).

I like almost all of this album, but it's got to be Baby I'm a Star. Seems like the sort of thing that could go on 10+ minutes in the right live setting.

Around the time Purple Rain came out, MTV was heavy-rotating an extended live-performance clip of Prince and the Revolution doing a medley of "I would Die 4 U" leading into "Baby I'm a Star". I think it was in that order. Sort of re-creating the end sequence of the movie, but the MTV thing was more of a real-deal live performance.

... in any case it was fucking great. I would get super-psyched whenever MTV showed this thing. It was that live clip that really illuminated Prince's greatness to me. I'd love to see it on YouTube or somewhere ... but unfortunately the Purple One is super-fanatical about banning any YouTube clips of his music. Like many geniuses, he's a fairly annoying person.



Title: Re: What is your favorite song on Purple Rain?
Post by: daveB from Oakland on October 09, 2009, 12:48:51 AM
So hey, this is a good podcast episode to listen to if you wanna Nerd Out on Purple Rain

"Show 191: Prince's Purple Rain Album Dissection"    http://www.soundopinions.org/shownotes/2009/072409/shownotes.html

direct link to the show: http://audio.soundopinions.org/podcasts/sooppodshow191.mp3

Jim and Greg (aka "The Fat Guy and the Other one") talk about the album, and also have a chat with Wendy and Lisa.
Title: Re: What is your favorite song on Purple Rain?
Post by: masterofsparks on October 09, 2009, 08:53:35 AM
So hey, this is a good podcast episode to listen to if you wanna Nerd Out on Purple Rain

"Show 191: Prince's Purple Rain Album Dissection"    http://www.soundopinions.org/shownotes/2009/072409/shownotes.html

direct link to the show: http://audio.soundopinions.org/podcasts/sooppodshow191.mp3

Jim and Greg (aka "The Fat Guy and the Other one") talk about the album, and also have a chat with Wendy and Lisa.

I thought about listening to that show but then I remembered that Jim & Greg drive me crazy. I'm not sure why, but anytime I try listening to that show, I usually end up mad.
Title: Re: What is your favorite song on Purple Rain?
Post by: Steve of Bloomington on October 09, 2009, 08:56:36 AM
'I Would Die 4U' only has one note in the vocal part. I noticed this when I was at some restaurant, and there was a muzak version of the song playing.
Title: Re: What is your favorite song on Purple Rain?
Post by: jamesp on October 09, 2009, 09:31:35 AM
So hey, this is a good podcast episode to listen to if you wanna Nerd Out on Purple Rain

"Show 191: Prince's Purple Rain Album Dissection"    http://www.soundopinions.org/shownotes/2009/072409/shownotes.html

direct link to the show: http://audio.soundopinions.org/podcasts/sooppodshow191.mp3

Jim and Greg (aka "The Fat Guy and the Other one") talk about the album, and also have a chat with Wendy and Lisa.

I thought about listening to that show but then I remembered that Jim & Greg drive me crazy. I'm not sure why, but anytime I try listening to that show, I usually end up mad.

I can't stand fat guy Chicago voices. Jim has that fat guy sound that Patton Oswalt jokes about on his new special. I've also noticed that the guys adopt a "cool" voice when they'll talk to musicians, especially when they have in-studio guests.

That said - I love everything Purple Rain so thanks for the link.
Title: Re: What is your favorite song on Purple Rain?
Post by: crumbum on October 09, 2009, 08:20:11 PM
I've also noticed that the guys adopt a "cool" voice when they'll talk to musicians, especially when they have in-studio guests.

I like that show a lot but the thing that always bugs me is when they interview someone who they have harshly criticized in the past and then say something about 'some critics' giving that person a hard time. Jim especially will put on a very fake-sympathetic tone. I've heard them do this a number of times but the best example is when they interviewed DJ Shadow about two weeks after tearing his last record to pieces.

Anyway, back to the topic at hand -- 'I Would Die 4 You' all the way. One of my favourite songs ever though I'm not sure I can articulate why at the moment.
Title: Re: What is your favorite song on Purple Rain?
Post by: yesno on October 09, 2009, 08:33:31 PM
I still listen to that show because they do turn me on (bad phrase) to some good music now and again.  I really don't like just reading about music I've never heard before.  The show also has decent production values.

I almost always skip past their interviews.  And in some areas (hip hop, female-led bands) Jim has just the worst taste. 
Title: Re: What is your favorite song on Purple Rain?
Post by: masterofsparks on October 09, 2009, 11:44:00 PM
And in some areas (hip hop, female-led bands) Jim has just the worst taste. 

Fixed. Actually, I think Greg has the worse taste of the two. He's a sort of "lyrics critic," where he's willing to forgive all kinds of awful music if the lyrics are good, so you get him trying to justify his praise for horrible things like Randy Newman and recent Bruce Springsteen albums by pointing to nice turns of phrase. I dunno, it's just a pet peeve of mine.
Title: Re: What is your favorite song on Purple Rain?
Post by: Matthew_S on October 14, 2009, 12:22:48 PM
This poll closes today!

Happy to see that every song got at least one vote.

Surprised that over 35 people voted.  Way more than I expected!

Touching on some subjects mentioned...

Sound Opinions - ugh.  I LOVE the idea of the show; I hate the execution...

Prince Albums -- Parade, underrated!  Controversy, overrated!  And I agree with Jesse Thorpe who recently blogged that Dirty Mind is  potentially best of the bunch vs. Sign O'The Times.



Do this again?  Every Picture Tells a Story?  Doolittle?  London Calling?  Rush's Moving Pictures? Liquid Swords?
Title: Re: What is your favorite song on Purple Rain?
Post by: masterofsparks on October 14, 2009, 02:29:36 PM
Sure, do another one. A sprawling album like The White Album or Exile on Main Street would be interesting, just to see if anyone picks "Good Night" or "I Just Want to See His Face."
Title: Re: What is your favorite song on Purple Rain?
Post by: Matthew_S on October 14, 2009, 09:12:19 PM
Sure, do another one. A sprawling album like The White Album or Exile on Main Street would be interesting, just to see if anyone picks "Good Night" or "I Just Want to See His Face."

Not "Turd on the Run"?
Title: Re: What is your favorite song on Purple Rain?
Post by: masterofsparks on October 14, 2009, 09:30:54 PM
Sure, do another one. A sprawling album like The White Album or Exile on Main Street would be interesting, just to see if anyone picks "Good Night" or "I Just Want to See His Face."

Not "Turd on the Run"?


I love that song.
Title: Re: What is your favorite song on Purple Rain?
Post by: Christina on October 14, 2009, 09:49:51 PM
Sure, do another one. A sprawling album like The White Album or Exile on Main Street would be interesting, just to see if anyone picks "Good Night" or "I Just Want to See His Face."

Not "Turd on the Run"?


I love that song.

ME TOOOOeeesS!1111!!!!!!11!
Title: Re: What is your favorite song on Purple Rain?
Post by: daveB from Oakland on October 14, 2009, 10:32:40 PM
I ♥ "Turd on the Run" and "Just Want to See His Face". And I love "Casino Boogie", especially when Charlie's drums crash in after the first verse.

But "Good Night" is horrendous.

Title: Re: What is your favorite song on Purple Rain?
Post by: snogrog on October 22, 2009, 12:29:01 PM
But "Good Night" is horrendous hilarious.

Fixed. Seriously, the song make me giggle and I don't know why. It's insane.
Title: Re: What is your favorite song on Purple Rain?
Post by: dave from knoxville on October 23, 2009, 08:27:50 PM
This poll closes today!

Happy to see that every song got at least one vote.

Surprised that over 35 people voted.  Way more than I expected!

Touching on some subjects mentioned...

Sound Opinions - ugh.  I LOVE the idea of the show; I hate the execution...

Prince Albums -- Parade, underrated!  Controversy, overrated!  And I agree with Jesse Thorpe who recently blogged that Dirty Mind is  potentially best of the bunch vs. Sign O'The Times.



Do this again?  Every Picture Tells a Story?  Doolittle?  London Calling?  Rush's Moving Pictures? Liquid Swords?

Geez, I think one of these every week would be great.
Title: Re: What is your favorite song on Purple Rain?
Post by: fonpr on October 23, 2009, 09:03:54 PM
But "Good Night" is horrendous hilarious.

Fixed. Seriously, the song make me giggle and I don't know why. It's insane.
Please clarify is it the song or the giggling that is insane?

Inspiring minds want to know.
Title: Re: What is your favorite song on Purple Rain?
Post by: fletcher munson on October 24, 2009, 09:42:32 AM
I listened to ... a cassette 

I sent Tom a cassette a couple weeks ago.   Should I ask Mike and TeRRReeZZZ to play it?

Tom didn't.  Just made a weird sideways reference to it.


Signed,

A Concerned Listener

A "cassette"?
Geez, you really do like Tom.
Title: Re: What is your favorite song on Purple Rain?
Post by: fonpr on October 24, 2009, 10:43:33 AM
I listened to ... a cassette 

I sent Tom a cassette a couple weeks ago.   Should I ask Mike and TeRRReeZZZ to play it?

Tom didn't.  Just made a weird sideways reference to it.


Signed,


A Concerned Listener

A "cassette"?
Geez, you really do like Tom.

Yep.
Title: Re: What is your favorite song on Purple Rain?
Post by: fletcher munson on October 24, 2009, 11:09:22 AM
heh, heh, sorry, fonpr, I couldn't help myself.  
I just saw Deathproof again last night.  When the Rosario Dawson character tries to convince the stuntgals that she's sure some guy likes her by declaring, "he gave me a tape", the others gasp, "not a CD?", then agree, it must be for real.  Also I like the kewl of a lot of small labels ONLY releasing runs of cassettes or LPs these days.

Anyway, I vote for When Doves Cry.  
(http://i705.photobucket.com/albums/ww57/afamilyofturtles/prince.jpg)
Title: Re: What is your favorite song on Purple Rain?
Post by: fonpr on October 24, 2009, 11:12:14 AM
heh, heh, sorry, fonpr, I couldn't help myself. 
 "he gave me a tape", the others gasp, "not a CD?", then agree, it must be for real. 

What did I get?  The cold shoulder.
Title: Re: What is your favorite song on Purple Rain?
Post by: daveB from Oakland on October 31, 2009, 04:59:03 PM
Via Facebook, I've just learned that Phish is going to be taking a big dump on "Exile on Main Street" tonight, for their "Halloween Cover" set. And they're dragging Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings into the whole sorry mess.

Suddenly, Pussy Galore's version is sounding a whole lot better.