It opens with a lone guitar quickly followed by live drumming and a prominent organ, evoking images of church gospel music. Three verses are followed by a chorus, with a building emotional delivery. After the final chorus, a guitar-solo takes over the song. The song ends with a piano solo and orchestral strings.
Purple Rain
Prince Lyrics
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Never meant to cause you any pain
I only wanted to one time to see you laughing
I only wanted to see you in the purple rain
Purple rain
Purple rain
The lyrics of Prince's song "Purple Rain" seem to describe regret and sadness over causing pain to someone the singer cares about deeply. The opening lines "Never meant to cause you any sorrow / Never meant to cause you any pain" emphasize the singer's intentions to do good and his sadness over not succeeding in doing so. He then expresses a desire to see this person happy, saying "I only wanted to one time to see you laughing." This line suggests that the singer may have caused this person pain in the past, which makes him eager to see her happy.
The song's chorus, "I only wanted to see you in the purple rain / Purple rain," is a metaphor for the wish to see the person he cares about in a beautiful and peaceful moment, despite the chaos that may have occurred in their past. The purple rain could symbolize a moment of harmony or reconciliation between the two. The song's powerful instrumental section emphasizes the emotional intensity of Prince's vocals and conveys the feeling of the singer's longing for this person.
Overall, "Purple Rain" is a poignant example of Prince's ability to convey complex emotions through his music. The lyrics express feelings of remorse, pain, and longing, while the instrumental section serves as a cathartic release for the emotions bubbling beneath the surface.
Line by Line Meaning
Never meant to cause you any sorrow
I did not intend to bring sadness to your life
Never meant to cause you any pain
I did not intend to hurt you
I only wanted to one time to see you laughing
I just wanted to witness you happy and carefree at least once
I only wanted to see you in the purple rain
I desired for us to share a special moment together in the midst of a mesmerizing natural phenomenon
Purple rain
A phrase used to describe the captivating purple hue of the rain during a storm
Purple rain
Repeated phrase used to emphasize the significance and beauty of the experience being described
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Prince Rogers Nelson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind