An Album/Song A Week: Prince - Purple Rain

How did I listen to music before getting a place of my own.  Like many others, in my room playing one side of an album, and then getting up to turn it over to side B.  That's how it was until CD's came along.  And listen I did.  There are certain albums that I have listened to more than others.  Took up most of my listening time when they came out.  Purple Rain is one of those.  Here's something I'm proud of.  I was a Prince fan from almost the very beginning.  "I Wanna Be Your Lover" from 1979 is forever etched in my High School Memories.  But it was the 1980 album, Dirty Mind, that made me a lifelong fan. This is raw Prince.  New Wave/Soul/Rock.  His most dangerous period.  The two albums that came after were also great.  But one day driving home from work in May 1984, I heard the world premiere of "When Doves Cry" and knew he had a classic on his hands.  This set the stage for the album which came out a month later.  This is his commercial breakthrough.  That's my first thought.  But it was the release of the movie in July 1984 that puts the album over the top.  Prince has to be seen to be believed.  He's electric live (I saw him in 1993).  And the concert footage of him singing the songs from the album are the best part of the movie.  

Oddly enough, besides "When Doves Cry", my favorite song is "Beautiful Ones", which is a high point in the movie and comes off great without the visuals.  Purple Rain would go on to be Prince's commercial breakthrough.  And still my favorite album by him.  He'd go on to make other excellent albums (most love Sign o' The Times).  That he never topped Purple Rain sales-wise is okay.  Most performers only get one mega-seller in their lifetime anyway.  It played a big part in my life.  In 1984 I'm 20 years old still living at home and a year away from getting a job at the USPS.  And 2 years away from getting a place of my own.  Life was full of wonderful possibilities.  One could say the same for Prince after Purple Rain put him over the top.