The song follows the general spiritual theme of Christianity throughout the album. Many have interpreted the 'dove' as being a symbol of the Holy Spirit.
According to the Purple Rain DVD, Prince was asked by the director to write a song to match the theme of a particular segment of the film - one which involved intermingled parental difficulties and a love affair. The next morning, Prince had reportedly composed two songs, one of which was "When Doves Cry."
The song was #1 in the US for five weeks; July 7-August 4, 1984. It kept the other big hit of that summer, Bruce Springsteen's "Dancing in the Dark," from reaching the top spot. "When Doves Cry" was voted as the best single of the year in The Village Voice Pazz & Jop critics poll.
The B-side was the cult fan favourite "17 Days," which was originally intended for the Apollonia 6 album. A 12-inch single issued in the UK included the album track, "17 Days," and two tracks from Prince's previous album, 1999, namely the title track and "D.M.S.R."
Prince wrote and composed "When Doves Cry" after all the other tracks on Purple Rain were complete. In addition to vocals, he also played all instruments on the track. The song's texture is remarkably stark. There is no bass line at all, which is very unusual for a dance song; Prince has said that there originally was a bass line, but decided that the song was too conventional with it intact. During live performances of the song on the Purple Rain Tour, Brown Mark, Prince's then-bass player, added bass lines in this song and other songs without a bass line. The song features an intro of a guitar solo and drum machine, followed by a looped guttural vocal. After the lyrics, there is another, much longer guitar and a synthesizer solo. The song ends on a classical music-inspired keyboard piece backed by another synthesizer solo.
"When Doves Cry" has gone on to become one of Prince's signature songs. Spin Magazine ranked the song 6th greatest single of all time. It was number #38 in Movement's list The Greatest Songs of All Time. Rolling Stone ranked When Doves Cry #52 on their list 500 Greatest Songs of All Time (which makes it number three among songs of the 1980s). In 2006, VH1's "The 100 Greatest Songs of the '80s" ranked the song #5 on the list.
The music video (directed by Prince himself) was released on MTV in June, 1984. It opens with white doves emerging from double doors to reveal Prince in a bathtub. It also includes scenes from the Purple Rain film interspersed with shots of the Revolution performing and dancing in a white room. The final portion of the video incorporates a mirrored frame of the left half of the picture, creating a doubling effect. The video was nominated for Best Choreography in 1985's MTV Video Music Awards
When Doves Cry
Prince & The Revolution Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Of you and I engaged in a kiss
The sweat of your body covers me
Can you my darling
Can you picture this?
Dream if you can a courtyard
An ocean of violets in bloom
They feel the heat
The heat between me and you
How can you just leave me standing?
Alone in a world that's so cold? (So cold)
Maybe I'm just too demanding
Maybe I'm just like my father too bold
Maybe you're just like my mother
She's never satisfied (she's never satisfied)
Why do we scream at each other?
This is what it sounds like
When doves cry
Touch if you will my stomach
Feel how it trembles inside
You've got the butterflies all tied up
Don't make me chase you
Even doves have pride
How can you just leave me standing?
Alone in a world so cold? (World so cold)
Maybe I'm just too demanding
Maybe I'm just like my father too bold
Maybe you're just like my mother
She's never satisfied (she's never satisfied)
Why do we scream at each other?
This is what it sounds like
When doves cry
How can you just leave me standing?
Alone in a world that's so cold? (A world that's so cold)
Maybe I'm just too demanding (maybe, maybe I'm like my father)
Maybe I'm just like my father too bold (you know he's too bold)
Maybe you're just like my mother (maybe you're just like my mother)
She's never satisfied (she's never, never satisfied)
Why do we scream at each other? (Why do we scream? Why?)
This is what it sounds like
When doves cry
When doves cry (doves cry, doves cry)
When doves cry (doves cry, doves cry)
Don't cry (don't cry)
When doves cry
When doves cry
When doves cry
When doves cry (doves cry, doves cry, doves cry)
Don't cry
Darling don't cry
Don't cry
Don't cry
Don't, don't cry
"When Doves Cry" by Prince & The Revolution is a song that begs for the audience's imagination to be captured from start to finish. The song begins with a very visual opening stanza that invites the listener to imagine two lovers in a kiss with the sweat of one partner's body covering the other. The second verse changes the scene which now features a courtyard with an ocean of blooming violets and animals posing curiously while feeling the heat between the two lovers. The chorus begins and highlights the singer's confusion and pain of abandonment, wondering how his partner could leave him alone in the cold world. In the third verse, the singer asks his partner to touch his stomach and feel how he trembles.
The rest of the song continues with the chorus, mirroring the confusion and desperation of the singer. The title "When Doves Cry" can be interpreted in various ways. It refers to a sense of purity or innocence, that even these birds who are known for their gentle coos and beautiful feathers can cry. The song also shows how some of the most beautiful things in the world - love, nature, and music, can become chaotic and painful. The words "how can you just leave me standing?" make it clear that the singer has been suddenly abandoned, and none of his efforts to save the relationship were enough.
Line by Line Meaning
Dig if you will the picture
Imagine the scene I'm describing
Of you and I engaged in a kiss
We're kissing and it feels great
The sweat of your body covers me
We're both hot and sweaty from being intimate
Can you my darling
Can you visualize it too?
Can you picture this?
Can you imagine what I'm describing?
Dream if you can a courtyard
Imagine a beautiful courtyard
An ocean of violets in bloom
There are lots of purple flowers in the courtyard
Animals strike curious poses
Some animals are acting strange
They feel the heat
The heat between us is making them behave differently
The heat between me and you
Our attraction is strong and people notice it
How can you just leave me standing?
Why did you leave me alone like this?
Alone in a world that's so cold? (So cold)
I feel isolated in this cruel world
Maybe I'm just too demanding
Maybe I'm asking for too much
Maybe I'm just like my father too bold
I might be stubborn like my dad
Maybe you're just like my mother
Perhaps you're similar to my mom in some way
She's never satisfied (she's never satisfied)
My mom is always wanting more
Why do we scream at each other?
What's causing all of our fights?
This is what it sounds like
The sound of our arguments
When doves cry
Even gentle creatures like doves experience sadness
Touch if you will my stomach
Put your hands on my belly
Feel how it trembles inside
I have butterflies in my stomach from being nervous
You've got the butterflies all tied up
You're making me feel even more nervous
Don't make me chase you
Don't play hard to get
Even doves have pride
I have a sense of dignity too, even though I'm vulnerable with you
A world that's so cold
The world can be cruel and unforgiving
Maybe, maybe I'm like my father
It's possible that I'm similar to my dad
You know he's too bold
My dad can be stubborn and headstrong
She's never, never satisfied
My mom always needs more than what she has
Why do we scream? Why?
What's causing our arguments and fights?
When doves cry, doves cry
Even gentle creatures experience sadness and pain
Don't cry
Please don't shed tears over our problems
Darling don't cry
Please don't be upset
Don't, don't cry
Please don't cry
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Prince Rogers Nelson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ritaandleo
Only Man on Earth that can wear Eyeliner, Heels and Lace and still get tons of Women, and still have and show masculinity! R.I.P Prince.
@kalaong
No, David Bowie could rock the sparkle as well.
Bishonen never die. They simply become too fabulous for the mere mortals to comprehend.
@archeraimsaarrow3864
They both be purple and orange that's why
@sophieallchorne7594
So true 🎵💙
@pauladulisse1553
Poppop lol 0
@gregplitt6629
Good point…
@JustaComment93
The scene of him riding the motorcycle is the most badass moment ever recorded in the history of the human race. How is he so cool ?
@mrstephenpariah
Lots of hairspray
@JustaComment93
@@mrstephenpariahI could use twenty bottles of hairspray and still wouldn’t have an ounce of his Swagger.
@someonelovesyouhere
SOMEONE LOVES YOU HERE