PRINCE & The Revolution’s “Purple Rain” Get Grammy Induction + My Thoughts

Purple Rain Original Movie Poster

We woke up this morning with an email from the Grammy Board letting us know that the classic "Purple Rain" will be inducted in the Grammy Hall Of Fame.

Album's are only eligible after 25 years of release and to be honest, with the other albums nominated, Prince and the Revolution's "Purple Rain" is the young pup.

With such stellar material, from the opening organ of "Let's Go Crazy" to the duet of "Take Me With U" to the feelings and emotions of "The Beautiful Ones", those 3 tracks alone would have made this a top 10 album of all time.  But why stop there?

The raw funk of "Computer Blue" to the nastiness of "Darling Nikki" which helped create the PARENTAL ADVISORY label on records and increase sales of every act by doing so.  Then came the track that stood out like Sofia Vergara in a tight dress; "When Doves Cry" the song that to that point would be Prince's crowning achievement.   "When Doves Cry" is what makes a Prince song Prince's...and no one else's!

Then he takes it up a notch and throws a dance party in our honor.  "I Would Die 4 U" and who would disagree that he wouldn't?  "Baby, I'm A Star" is an artist who knew he was about to hit the big time and no one would forget how bright his star would shine. 

Then, the title track.  "Purple Rain" a song so good, it needed a movie named after it.  There are 2 things the industry got wrong in the 80's; "Purple Rain" only making it to #2 on the Billboard singles charts and Rolling Stone making "Purple Rain" only the 2nd greatest album of the 80's, giving the title of #1 to "London Calling" by The Clash.  Is it too late for a recount now?

Aside from me wearing out 3 copies of "Purple Rain" on cassette the first summer I ever discovered it, this is more than just a movie soundtrack; this album, and Prince's music itself, is a soundtrack to people's lives.  The body of work that Prince along with the Revolution and others he has worked with is beyond compare. 

Quite simply, no one can touch Prince.  No one can touch Purple Rain.  You could line up the best producers of the past 25 years and they couldn't touch it.

I want to thank Dr. Fink, Brownmark, Bobby Z., Wendy Melvoin & Lisa Coleman for getting me through some times in life where all I had to turn to was your music, your sound.  Words could not express what it means so please just take my thank you and know that there is so much more behind it.

To Prince, thank you.  Thank you so much.  Thank you for the music.  Thank you for the drive you had inside yourself to create something so amazing, so funky, so full of emotion and feeling, that it has moved generations.  Despite what people think, we don't know each other on any level, only on the professional sense, but your music has been a friend when in need, and sometimes, it's better that way.  No taking, just always giving. 

 Again, I thank you Prince Rogers Nelson for giving us your gift of your music and "Purple Rain" and I congratulate you on another award that you so deserve.

Much Love and kick some tail for me this month in Jersey and New York.-Dr.FB