History Music / PurpleRainAlbum

Widely considered Prince's ''[[Music/TheRiseAndFallOfZiggyStardustAndTheSpidersFromMars Ziggy Stardust]]'', it won the UsefulNotes/{{Grammy Award}}s for "Best Rock Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group" and "Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media," the UsefulNotes/AcademyAward for "Best Song Score," and in 2012 was inducted into the Library of Congress' UsefulNotes/NationalRecordingRegistry in 2012. It is the third biggest-selling soundtrack of all time and is regarded by the broad majority of fans, critics, and music analysts as Prince's masterpiece.

Commercially, the album lifted Prince to megastardom. The album went ''13-times Platinum'' in the United States (later certified Diamond by the RIAA), and also double-Platinum in the United Kingdom. Globally, it has sold over 25 million copies, including 700,000 in 2016, the year Prince died.

It was ranked #76 on ''Magazine/RollingStone'''s [[UsefulNotes/RollingStone500GreatestAlbumsOfAllTime 500 Greatest Albums of All Time]] list in both 2003 and 2012, and lifted all the way to #8 [[UsefulNotes/RollingStone500GreatestAlbumsOfAllTime2020 on the 2020 list]].

''Purple Rain'' is the sixth studio album by American pop/rock musician Music/{{Prince}}, the first with the Revolution as his backing band. It acts as the soundtrack for the 1984 [[Film/PurpleRain film of the same name]]. It was released through Creator/WarnerBrosRecords on June 25, 1984.

[[caption-width-right:350:''Why do we scream at each other?\\
This is what it sounds like when doves cry'']]

->"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to get through this thing called 'life.' Electric word, 'life'; it means 'forever,' and that's a mighty long time. But I'm here to tell you there's something else: the Afterworld. A world of never-ending happiness; you can always see the sun, day or night. So when you call up that shrink in Beverly Hills-- you know the one, Dr. Everything'll-Be-Alright-- instead of asking him how much of your time is left, ask him how much of your mind, baby. 'Cause in this life, things are much harder than in the Afterworld; in this life you're on your own. And if the elevator tries to bring you down, go crazy: punch a higher floor!"

!!"I only wanted to see you troping in the purple rain":

[[caption-width-right:350:''"This is what it sounds like when doves cry."'']]

''Purple Rain'' is the sixth album by American pop/rock musician Music/{{Prince}}. The album was the first to have him co-billed with his backing band the Revolution (which would persist until the band's dissolution in 1986) and was the soundtrack to his 1984 [[Film/PurpleRain film debut]]. Widely considered Prince's ''[[Music/TheRiseAndFallOfZiggyStardustAndTheSpidersFromMars Ziggy Stardust]]'', it stayed on the ''Billboard'' Top 200 for 122 weeks, won the UsefulNotes/{{Grammy Award}}s for "Best Rock Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group" and "Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media," the UsefulNotes/AcademyAward for "Best Song Score," and in 2012 was inducted into the Library of Congress' UsefulNotes/NationalRecordingRegistry in 2012. It is the third biggest-selling soundtrack of all time and is regarded by the broad majority of fans, critics, and music analysts as Prince's masterpiece. It was ranked #76 on the UsefulNotes/RollingStone500GreatestAlbumsOfAllTime, behind ''Music/StarTime'', a box set by one of Prince's heroes, Music/JamesBrown.

The album produced five singles: "When Doves Cry", "Let's Go Crazy", "Purple Rain", "I Would Die 4 U", and "Take Me with U". While not released as a single, the track "Darling Nikki" did gain just as much notoriety thanks to it being a favorite of Kareana Gore Schiff, daughter of senator and later vice president Al Gore's daughter. Al's wife, Tipper, caught a then eleven-year-old Kareana singing along to "Darling Nikki", and, horrified that her child was singing along to such a blatantly sexual song, co-founded the Parent's Music Resource Center in 1985 with the aim of imposing an MPAA-like rating system on music releases. While the plan didn't work out due to accusations of censorship from the music industry, which came to a head in a court hearing in August that featured counterargument testimonies from the likes of Music/FrankZappa, [[Music/TwistedSister Dee Snyder]], and Music/JohnDenver, the PMRC did succeed in forcing the music industry to start applying warning stickers to the packaging of albums with explicit lyrics.

So, to put a long story short, this album indirectly caused the creation of the Parental Advisory sticker. Ironically, to this day ''Purple Rain'' has never received one.

As usual, you can find the basics at [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purple_Rain_(album) Wikipedia]].

#"Take Me With U" (3:54)

#"Baby I'm A Star" (4:24)

So, to put a long story short, this album indirectly caused the creation of the Parental Advisory sticker.

''Purple Rain'' is the sixth album by American pop/rock musician Music/{{Prince}}. The album was the first to have him co-billed with his backing band the Revolution (which would persist until the band's dissolution in 1986) and was the soundtrack to his 1984 [[Film/PurpleRain film debut]]. Widely considered Prince's ''[[Music/TheRiseAndFallOfZiggyStardustAndTheSpidersFromMars Ziggy Stardust]]'', it stayed on the ''Billboard'' Top 200 for 122 weeks, won the UsefulNotes/{{Grammy Award}}s for "Best Rock Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group" and "Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media," the UsefulNotes/AcademyAward for "Best Song Score," and in 2012 was inducted into the Library of Congress' UsefulNotes/NationalRecordingRegistry in 2012. It is the third biggest-selling soundtrack of all time and is regarded by the broad majority of fans, critics, and music analysts as Prince's MagnumOpus. It was ranked #76 on the UsefulNotes/RollingStone500GreatestAlbumsOfAllTime, behind ''Music/StarTime'', a box set by one of Prince's heroes, Music/JamesBrown.

** From "Let's Go Crazy"

* ADateWithRosiePalms: "Darling Nikki"

[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/purplerainalbum.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:300:''"This is what it sounds like when doves cry"'']]

->"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to get through this thing called 'life.' Electric word, 'life'; it means forever and that's a mighty long time. But I'm here to tell you there's something else: the Afterworld. A world of never-ending happiness; you can always see the sun, day or night. So when you call up that shrink in Beverly Hills-- you know the one, Dr. Everything'll-Be-Alright-- instead of asking him how much of your time is left, ask him how much of your mind, baby. 'Cause in this life, things are much harder than in the Afterworld; in this life you're on your own. And if the elevator tries to bring you down, go crazy: punch a higher floor!"

#"Let's Go Crazy"
#"Take Me With U"
#"The Beautiful Ones"
#"Computer Blue"
#"Darling Nikki"

#"When Doves Cry"
#"I Would Die 4 U"
#"Purple Rain"
#"Baby I'm A Star"

!!"This is what it sounds like when tropes cry":

''Purple Rain'' is the sixth album by American pop/rock musician Music/{{Prince}}. The album was the first to feature his backing band the Revolution (with whom he was co-billed until the band's dissolution in 1986) and was the soundtrack to his 1984 [[Film/PurpleRain film debut]]. Widely considered Prince's ''[[Music/TheRiseAndFallOfZiggyStardustAndTheSpidersFromMars Ziggy Stardust]]'', it stayed on the ''Billboard'' Top 200 for 122 weeks, won the UsefulNotes/{{Grammy Award}}s for "Best Rock Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group" and "Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media," the UsefulNotes/AcademyAward for "Best Song Score," and in 2012 was inducted into the Library of Congress' UsefulNotes/NationalRecordingRegistry in 2012. It is the third biggest-selling soundtrack of all time and is regarded by the broad majority of fans, critics, and music analysts as Prince's MagnumOpus. It was ranked #76 on the UsefulNotes/RollingStone500GreatestAlbumsOfAllTime, behind ''Music/StarTime'', a box set by one of Prince's heroes, Music/JamesBrown.

''Purple Rain'' is the soundtrack to Music/{{Prince}}'s 1984 [[Film/PurpleRain film debut]]. Widely considered Prince's ''[[Music/TheRiseAndFallOfZiggyStardustAndTheSpidersFromMars Ziggy Stardust]]'', it stayed on the ''Billboard'' Top 200 for 122 weeks, won the UsefulNotes/{{Grammy Award}}s for "Best Rock Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group" and "Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media," the UsefulNotes/AcademyAward for "Best Song Score," and in 2012 was inducted into the Library of Congress' UsefulNotes/NationalRecordingRegistry in 2012. It is the third biggest-selling soundtrack of all time and is regarded by the broad majority of fans, critics, and music analysts as Prince's MagnumOpus. It was ranked #76 on the UsefulNotes/RollingStone500GreatestAlbumsOfAllTime, behind ''Music/StarTime'', a box set by one of Prince's heroes, Music/JamesBrown.

-->''Prince's spoken-word monologue that opens the album''

-->"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to get through this thing called 'life.' Electric word, 'life'; it means forever and that's a mighty long time. But I'm here to tell you there's something else: the Afterworld. A world of never-ending happiness; you can always see the sun, day or night. So when you call up that shrink in Beverly Hills-- you know the one, Dr. Everything'll-Be-Alright-- instead of asking him how much of your time is left, ask him how much of your mind, baby. 'Cause in this life, things are much harder than in the Afterworld; in this life you're on your own. And if the elevator tries to bring you down, go crazy: punch a higher floor!"
-->Prince's spoken-word monologue that opens the album

The album produced five singles: "When Doves Cry", "Let's Go Crazy", "Purple Rain", "I Would Die 4 U", and "Take Me with U". While not released as a single, the track "Darling Nikki" did gain just as much notoriety thanks to it being a favorite of Kareana Gore Schiff, daughter of senator and later vice president Al Gore's daughter. Al's wife, Tipper, caught a then eleven-year-old Kareana singing along to "Darling Nikki", and, horrified that her child was singing along to such a blatantly sexual song, co-founded the Parent's Music Resource Center in 1985 with the aim of imposing an MPAA-like rating system on music releases. While the plan didn't work out due to accusations of First Amendment violations from the music industry, which came to a head in a court hearing in August that featured counterargument testimonies from the likes of Music/FrankZappa, [[Music/TwistedSister Dee Snyder]], and Music/JohnDenver, the PMRC did succeed in forcing the music industry to start applying warning stickers to the packaging of albums with explicit lyrics.

So, to put a long story short, Prince indirectly caused the creation of the Parental Advisory sticker.

[[caption-width-right:300:Let's Go Crazy]]

-->''"This is what it sounds like when doves cry"''


''Purple Rain'' is the soundtrack to Music/{{Prince}}'s 1984 [[Film/PurpleRain film debut]]. It stayed on the ''Billboard'' Top 200 for 122 weeks, won the UsefulNotes/{{Grammy Award}}s for "Best Rock Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group" and "Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media," the UsefulNotes/AcademyAward for "Best Song Score," and in 2012 was inducted into the Library of Congress' UsefulNotes/NationalRecordingRegistry in 2012. It is the third biggest-selling soundtrack of all time and is regarded as Prince's MagnumOpus. It was ranked #76 on the UsefulNotes/RollingStone500GreatestAlbumsOfAllTime, behind ''Music/StarTime'', a box set by one of Prince's heroes, Music/JamesBrown.

''Purple Rain'' is the soundtrack to Music/{{Prince}}'s 1984 [[Film/PurpleRain film debut]]. It stayed on the ''Billboard'' Top 200 for 122 weeks, won the UsefulNotes/{{Grammy Award}}s for "Best Rock Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group" and "Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media," the UsefulNotes/AcademyAward for "Best Song Score," and in 2012 was inducted into the Library of Congress' UsefulNotes/NationalRecordingRegistry in 2012. It is the third biggest-selling soundtrack of all time and is regarded as Prince's MagnumOpus.

''Purple Rain'' is the soundtrack to Music/{{Prince}}'s 1984 [[Film/PurpleRain film debut]].