Prince was an incredible artist. He wrote and recorded some of the most beautiful songs I have ever listened to. I believe some of the greatest music by Prince was written around the same time as he released “Purple Rain.”
It was a special era for Prince musically…
He wrote some of the most profound material, which still resonates strongly with me today after all these years. But, I want to look specifically at the meaning behind “Purple Rain” song by Prince. That’s because it was this piece of music that had the biggest impact on me from his extensive catalog.
Hopefully, delving deeper into the song will give you a better understanding of its history, recording, and, of course, the magnificent artist behind it.
Prince’s Early Life and Career
Prince was born in June 1958. What might be surprising to some is that Prince is his first name and not a stage name. It somehow seems so fitting. Although, I can understand why he decided to drop the Rogers and Nelson part of his name.
Hardly Rock ‘n’ Roll!
Prince began playing guitar and piano at a very early age. And, he showed an unusual aptitude to get a tune out of just about anything that was put in his hands. It is fair to say that he was a supremely gifted multi-instrumentalist.
He would come to use these immense skills when recording much of his music. This was certainly the case when he recorded “Purple Rain,” which I will be moving on to shortly.
Prince began recording when he was still in his teens. And he released his album For You, just two months shy of his 20th birthday. Then, on the day of his 20th birthday, on the 7th of June 1978, Prince’s debut single, “Soft & Wet,” was released.
Despite the quality of his early music…
There was very little to no interest shown in it. The single did manage to creep onto the US Billboard Top 100. However, international sales were close to nonexistent. My, how that would change.
Music was Prince’s passion. Honestly, you couldn’t ever imagine him ever having done anything else. So, very much undeterred, Prince continued to write and record music whilst working on building up a loyal fan base.
It didn’t take long for him to prove successful…
A year later, in August 1979, he released his third single, “I Wanna Be Your Lover.” In many ways, this was Prince’s breakthrough single.
It got to #11 in the US and #42 in the UK. Its best position was in New Zealand, where it reached #3. Additionally, it earned Prince gold discs at home and in New Zealand as well as a silver disc in the UK.
His second breakthrough came in 1982. Although he was still producing great music during this time, the release of 1999 took him to a whole new level. The song earned him his highest chart position in the US, where it reached #12. Its highest position was in the UK, where it reached #2.
However, and more crucially, it generated new interest in Prince globally. This was evident by the song charting highly in most major markets. That all neatly brings us to his next album, released in 1984.
Chart Success
Three more singles were released from the album 1999. Then, in 1984, his sixth studio album, Purple Rain, was released. From this came the single “Purple Rain.” Logically, you would have expected “Purple Rain” to have been released as the lead single, but that is not what happened.
“When Doves Cry” was chosen ahead of “Purple Rain” as the lead single. That move paid off. “When Doves Cry” is possibly Prince’s greatest song ever.
This was also something his fans and the buying public seemed to agree on. The single scored him his first #1, not only in the US but in Australia and Canada too. It also charted well globally, even more so than “1999”.
So, what about “Purple Rain”?
This was the second single to be released from the album and sold well. Total sales were very close to “When Dove Cry,” and chart positions were also not too dissimilar. However, the album Purple Rain was another matter. Sales went bonkers.
The album sold over 25 million copies globally, with chart positions very much to watch. He got his first #1 album in the US which was replicated in Canada, Australia, and The Netherlands. In the US, it went 13 times platinum, selling a staggering 13 million copies. It also went multi-platinum in Canada, Australia, and the UK.
So, how did this all happen?
No doubt that Prince had been slowly building a strong following of fans which certainly helped. As did the release of his previous incredible album, 1999. However, what made a major difference was the fact that the song “Purple Rain” was so popular. And, also that there was a movie titled “Purple Rain” out at the same time.
Even better, the movie also features Prince as both an actor in his debut movie, and a singer, thereby allowing him to showcase his immense talent.
This all meant that whether you were listening to the radio, watching MTV, or going to a movie theater, there was a good chance that you would be hearing Prince. And, of course, more specifically, hearing “Purple Rain.”
With this kind of exposure…
It would have been hard not to have noticed. Prince certainly did get noticed. To the degree that he managed to have a #1 single, album, and movie out at the same time. Such a rare feat that it has only ever been achieved by Prince as well as by The Beatles and the legendary Elvis. No one has been able to do it since.
Prince was now walking amongst legends, and his career catapulted to that of an international superstar. It was a position that he would never relinquish until his untimely death, which I cover fully in my look at How Did Prince Die?
Composition and Recording
The song has a very interesting story in both its writing and recording. It was initially written as a predominantly Country song and was ten minutes long.
Prince initially only wrote the music and then sent the song to Stevie Nicks, of Fleetwood Mac, with a request for lyrics. She subsequently listened to it and sent it back, saying she was unable to help as she was too scared of the song.
Undeterred, Prince then asked for help from his backing band, The Revolution. They worked with him and ended up taking some of the Country vibes out of the song. In a single session, Prince worked for six hours straight before finally coming up with a composition he was happy with, and the lyrics quickly fell into place.
Once the song had been rehearsed…
Prince did what only he could do. Rather than doing what just about everyone else would do and head to the studio, Prince recorded it live. He chose the First Avenue Nightclub in Minneapolis for the recording. It was put to tape as part of a benefit concert for a dance theater in Minnesota. Quite remarkable!
Even more epic is that Prince placed his trust in such an important song with a young 19-year-old guitarist, Wendy Melvoin. She was making her debut appearance with his band, The Revolution.
The band knew they were doing the gig only a few days prior. However, they didn’t know they were making a record. Also, they were not sure about the tie-up with the movie that was being made at the same time. The result was phenomenal and adds a huge amount of edge and authenticity to the final record.
The original recording was pretty much left intact…
Although, it is worth noting that a small amount of overdubbing was done later by Prince at Sunset Sound Studio in Los Angeles.
It is also worth mentioning that the original song was cut down by three minutes to ‘just’ eight minutes. That was because it was thought that the final verse about money only diminished the central message of “Purple Rain.”
So, What is the Meaning Behind “Purple Rain” Song By Prince?
The meaning of “Purple Rain” essentially centers around the apocalyptic ending of the world. To understand where this came from and why the song came to be, you must be aware of the historical context of the song/ That’s because it’s related to the time it was written in the early 80s.
During this period…
The world was in the middle of the Cold War between the USSR and pretty much everyone else. Tensions between East and West were running high. And the threat of nuclear war was ever-present and, sadly, a realistic proposition.
“Purple Rain” represented the possibility of a nuclear apocalypse. Although, it could equally have been written to represent a more biblical world ending. Therefore, purple rain represents blood in the sky as people begin to face their death, the ending of the world, and the journey to the next life.
Despite the rather gloomy and depressing theme, it is meant to be uplifting. You are encouraged to see that as you stand on the precipice of death, you will be doing so with God and the ones that you love standing beside you.
So, the song is based on the themes of spirituality and humanity…
It is about the strength of God and the love of people around you, even in the darkest of times. It’s about faith and joyfulness, and hope. And, it is easy to see why many religious people see this as a song to celebrate God and the afterlife. However, it could just as easily be interpreted as a song about new beginnings and rebirth.
The beauty of “Purple Rain” is that it can mean all these things at the same time. We will never fully know the true meaning behind “Purple Rain” by Prince, such is its ambiguity. But what we do know is that it is one of the most beautiful songs ever written.
Want To Learn About Other Famous Song Meanings?
Well, check out our thoughts on The Meaning Behind “When Doves Cry” by Prince, the Meaning Of The Song “Vienna” By Billy Joel, the Meaning Behind “Edge of Seventeen” Song By Stevie Nicks, and the Meaning Behind “In The Air Tonight” by Phil Collins for more interesting song insights.
Meaning Behind “Purple Rain” Song By Prince – Final Thoughts
This has been a fantastic trip down memory lane. And, a wonderful opportunity to listen again to this amazing song. From first listening to it, I had a reasonable understanding of what was behind it. However, taking a little more time to read through the lyrics has given me a better concept of the meaning behind “Purple Rain” by Prince.
I hope you have enjoyed revisiting the song, and I would welcome your thoughts on any alternative interpretations. Please let me know if you have anything to add. Or, if you have any interesting stories about Prince and his music, in the comments below.
Until next time, happy listening.
