Tag: Psychedella

Let’s Go Crazy

To kick off the album we have, what can only be described as an iconic first few lines. The Dearly Beloved monologue is something I’ve heard and was familiar without before ever listening to this song.

After the monologue, the song turns into a very high energy opening track. It’s got this inspiring feeling that kicks off the album in the right way.

Take Me with U

The next song on the album brings the energy much lower. The sound is solid but less exciting progression to me.

What I like about this song is it is on theme with the message of love throughout this album. The lyrics are nice to listen to, but the song isn’t as enjoyable to me.

Computer Blue

This is the first and only song not written solely by Prince on this album. The other members of The Revolution (Doctor Fink, Lisa Coleman, and Wendy Melvoin) helped write it. Princes father, John L. Nelson, has a writing credit due to Prince’s guitar solo being inspired by a piece on the Piano his father did. Interesting bit of quiz trivia for you there.

The song feels even more 80’s in it’s choices of instruments than Take Me With U. However, the guitar lead from Prince is fantastic. One of the things I knew about Prince before listening to this album was how great of a guitarist he is.

This song, being 4th on the album, is very much a mid album song.

Darling Nikki

This song picks up the energy after Computer Blue. I really liked the story telling with the lyrics on this one. The themes on this album are apparently “love, loss, redemption, and spiritual reckoning”, which this song does embody.

However, in researching this album for my review I saw a Reddit post that said: “If you’re asking what a song by Prince is about, assume it’s religion and poontang”. This explanation honestly fits most of the songs on this album.

This song has a great rhythm and that with Prince’s guitar and vocals make this song really enjoyable.

When Doves Cry

Another song that everyone thinks of when they think of Prince. The guitar to open one of his most iconic songs is fantastic.

The sound is very 80’s to me but this time it has me bobbing my head and melting away into the music.

The song does a great job building throughout and while it is less explosive than some other songs on this album it’s still very much delivered in style by Prince.

I Would Die 4 U

This is a fast building song about dying for your love. At least that’s my take on it, you can only figure this out if you listen very carefully to the lyrics and progression of sound (don’t check the title, that doesn’t count).

This track has a tough gig being after When Doves Cry but it brings great vibes and a head bobbing beat. I enjoyed this one the more I listened to it.

Baby I’m a Star

Probably the most 80’s song on the soundtrack for me. This time it’s not in a bad way to me. It’s a high energy song for the penultimate track on this album.

Following on from I Would Die 4 U, it keeps that same energy but this time it’s a song about being confident in yourself. I can absolutely see this song killing live.

The song is a dance beat through and through. It does get a tad repetitive but that doesn’t make it any less enjoyable.

Purple Rain

This is the song that everyone knows. It’s the title track for both this album and the film that this album was made for.

For me, this is THE Prince song. It’s got a great composition, vocals that really let Prince get into his pocket, and a BANGING guitar solo. For a nearly 9 minute song, it really doesn’t feel like it.

This song has the ability to make me feel happy when I’m sad and sad when I’m happy. When it comes on you either close your eyes and let yourself be taken by the sound or you belt out the chorus. There’s no other ways to experience this song for me.

This song does exactly what it should. It takes the listener on a journey of incredible feelings and wraps up the album on the highest of highs.

So this is the first Prince album I’ve listened to. I must’ve listened to this album 10-20 times over the last week and I enjoyed it every time. Once I knew that all the songs were taking me on a ride that culminates in Purple Rain, I was excited every time it looped around to Lets Go Crazy and hearing Prince tell me why we’re all gathered here today. He says it’s to get through this thing called life, and this album is definitely one of the great ways to get through life.

The album, for the most part, is a cohesive flow of the same themes with energy coming and going. There’s a few songs I likely wouldn’t add to a playlist but that work great as part of the story this album is telling.

The songs that make this album one of the classics really slap. Lets Go Crazy, Darling Nikki, When Doves Cry, and Purple Rain are incredible.

Honestly you could give me 40 minutes of Prince voice memos but if you cap it off with Purple Rain, I’d probably still rate the album near enough the same.

Overall, I liked this album. I’m going to track down a CD to own forever (streaming sucks, physical rules) and I’m gonna tell as many people about this album as I can because everyone should experience this.