Born and raised in Minneapolis, Prince signed a record deal with Warner Bros. Records at the age of 19, soon releasing the albums For You (1978) and Prince (1979). He went on to achieve critical success with the influential albums Dirty Mind (1980), Controversy (1981), and 1999 (1982). His sixth album, Purple Rain (1984), was recorded with his new backing band the Revolution, and was also the soundtrack to the film of the same name in which he starred. Purple Rain garnered continued success for Prince and was a major commercial achievement, spending six consecutive months atop the Billboard 200 chart. The soundtrack also won Prince the Academy Award for Best Original Song Score. After disbanding the Revolution, Prince released the album Sign o' the Times (1987), widely hailed by critics as the greatest work of his career. In the midst of a contractual dispute with Warner Bros. in 1993, he changed his stage name to the unpronounceable symbol logo. Hollow circle above downward arrow crossed with a curlicued horn-shaped symbol and then a short bar (known to fans as the "Love Symbol") and was often referred to as The Artist Formerly Known as Prince (or TAFKAP) or simply The Artist.
After signing with Arista Records in 1998, Prince reverted to his original name in 2000. Over the next decade, six of his albums entered the U.S. top 10 charts. In April 2016, at the age of 57, Prince died after accidentally overdosing on fentanyl at his Paisley Park home and recording studio in Chanhassen, Minnesota. He was a prolific musician who released 39 albums during his life, with a vast array of unreleased material left in a custom-built bank vault underneath his home after his death, including fully completed albums and over 50 finished music videos. He also released songs under multiple pseudonyms during his life, as well as writing songs that were made popular after being covered by other musicians, most notably "Nothing Compares 2 U" by Sinéad O'Connor and "Manic Monday" by the Bangles. Estimates of the complete number of songs written by Prince range anywhere from 500 to well over 1,000. Released posthumously, his demo albums Piano and a Microphone 1983 (2018) and Originals (2019) both received critical acclaim.
Prince sold over 100 million records worldwide, ranking him among the best-selling music artists of all time. His awards included the Grammy President's Merit Award, the American Music Awards for Achievement and of Merit, the Billboard Icon Award, an Academy Award, and a Golden Globe Award. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004, the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2006, and the Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame in 2016, and was inducted twice into the Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame in 2022.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prince_(musician)
Studio albums
For You (1978)
Prince (1979)
Dirty Mind (1980)
Controversy (1981)
1999 (1982)
Purple Rain (1984)
Around the World in a Day (1985)
Parade (1986)
Sign o' the Times (1987)
Lovesexy (1988)
Batman (1989)
Graffiti Bridge (1990)
Diamonds and Pearls (1991)
Love Symbol (1992)
Come (1994)
The Black Album (1994)
The Gold Experience (1995)
Chaos and Disorder (1996)
Emancipation (1996)
Crystal Ball (1998)
The Truth (1998)
The Vault: Old Friends 4 Sale (1999)
Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic (1999)
The Rainbow Children (2001)
One Nite Alone... (2002)
Xpectation (2003)
N·E·W·S (2003)
The Chocolate Invasion (2004)
The Slaughterhouse (2004)
Musicology (2004)
3121 (2006)
Planet Earth (2007)
Lotusflow3r (2009)
MPLSound (2009)
20Ten (2010)
Plectrumelectrum (2014)
Art Official Age (2014)
HITnRUN Phase One (2015)
HITnRUN Phase Two (2015)
Posthumous releases:
Piano and a Microphone 1983 (2018)
Originals (2019)
Welcome 2 America (2021)
Prince also released two albums credited to Madhouse, three albums credited to the New Power Generation, and one credited to the N.P.G. Orchestra:
Madhouse:
8 (1987)
16 (1987)
The New Power Generation:
Goldnigga (1993)
Exodus (1995)
Newpower Soul (1998)
The N.P.G. Orchestra:
Kamasutra (1997)
For Serbian singer Princ, please use Princ.
Purple Rain (Full Length Versi
Prince Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I never meant to cause you any pain
I only wanted one time to see you laughing
I only wanted to see you laughing in the purple rain
Purple rain, purple rain
Purple rain, purple rain
Purple rain, purple rain
I only wanted to see you bathing in the purple rain
I never wanted to be your weekend lover
I only wanted to be some kind of friend
Baby I could never steal you from another
It's such a shame our friendship had to end
Purple rain, purple rain
Purple rain, purple rain
Purple rain, purple rain
I only wanted to see you underneath the purple rain
Honey, I know, I know, I know times are changing
It's time we all reach out for something new, that means you too
You say you want a leader, but you can't seem to make up your mind
I think you better close it, and let me guide you to the purple rain
Purple rain, purple rain
Purple rain, purple rain (If you know what I'm singin' about up here, c'mon, raise your hand)
Purple rain, purple rain
I only want to see you, only want to see you in the purple rain
The lyrics to Prince's "Purple Rain" evoke a sense of sadness and regret, but also a longing for connection and shared moments of joy. The song opens with an apology, with Prince expressing that he never intended to hurt the other person. He wanted to see them happy, to "see you laughing in the purple rain." This repetition of "purple rain" throughout the song serves as a metaphor for a space of possibility, a space where anything can happen and where love and connection can be found.
The second verse is tinged with a sense of melancholy, as Prince acknowledges that he could never be the person's "weekend lover" and that their friendship has come to an end. However, he still wants to be close to them, to "see you underneath the purple rain" and share in that space of possibility. The bridge of the song brings in a more political message, with Prince urging listeners to embrace change and seek out new opportunities. He wants to be a guide to this new world, this new space of possibility. Ultimately, the song is a complex mix of emotions: sadness, regret, longing, hope, and even a little bit of anger.
Line by Line Meaning
I never meant to cause you any sorrow
I did not intend to bring any sadness in your life.
I never meant to cause you any pain
I did not intend to cause you any physical or emotional pain.
I only wanted one time to see you laughing
I just wanted one moment to witness you being happy.
I only wanted to see you laughing in the purple rain
I wanted that moment to happen in the midst of a beautiful natural phenomenon, the purple rain.
Purple rain, purple rain
The mesmerizing sight of purple rain - nature's magic.
I only wanted to see you bathing in the purple rain
I had a desire to see you relaxed and surrendering to the beauty of nature in purple rain.
I never wanted to be your weekend lover
I did not just want a weekend fling, but something more serious and lasting.
I only wanted to be some kind of friend
My intention was to be a loyal and supportive friend of yours.
Baby I could never steal you from another
I respect your existing relationships and would never try to break them.
It's such a shame our friendship had to end
Unfortunately, our friendship could not survive the test of time and circumstances.
Honey, I know, I know, I know times are changing
I understand that times and situations are changing all the time.
It's time we all reach out for something new, that means you too
It's essential for all of us to look out for fresh opportunities and move ahead with the times.
You say you want a leader, but you can't seem to make up your mind
You seem confused and indecisive about finding a leader or mentor for yourself.
I think you better close it, and let me guide you to the purple rain
I suggest you put aside your confusion and allow me to guide you to the wonderful, soothing experience of purple rain.
If you know what I'm singin' about up here, c'mon, raise your hand
If you resonate with my message of finding solace in purple rain, show your acknowledgement by raising your hand.
I only want to see you, only want to see you in the purple rain
My wish for you is to experience the splendor of purple rain at least once and find peace in it.
Contributed by Jake F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
fattystools
Dude I've been at it for 43 years. You literally just brought tears to my fucking eyes with that. There was more feeling in those 7 minutes than most players throw out in a lifetime. Thanks for that.
Aido g
I'm with you on that 👍
Crazy talent... Absolutely magic!
geeeteee peee
yeah great solo, so much feeling
theerawatech
Agree, the best cover. I prefer this rather than the original
rampartthisis51
Amen dude!! I was wiping tears from my eyes when I saw this video.
Jules Verne Abarquez
Count me in
winksm
I’ve watched this video dozens of times and somehow every time it hits me hard. I feel the emotion in your playing and I’ll be a man and admit it puts tears in my eyes every time. You’re an amazing guitarist man. Hats off to you!
Walt Powell
Soft
J.N. Bryan
Thanks, Jack! One of the most amazing performances I've ever heard......you brought back his love and perfection! JB
Tom Ashworth-Jones
What a genius Prince was for writing this. Probably the most melodic, powerful and awe inspiring solo ever played. Prince would love this cover.