What Prince Said About the Meaning of ‘Purple Rain’

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Prince was a musician who produced too many masterpieces to depend. Though he made quite a few nice albums, Purple Rain may stand as his most necessary album. The album’s title music stands as probably the most acclaimed album closers within the historical past of music.

Some Prince songs are straightforward to interpret. “Purple Rain” is a bit more indirect, which is what offers it a few of its mystique. This raises an fascinating query: What are the lyrics of the music truly about?

Prince acting on stage | Richard E. Aaron/Redferns

The shocking shade symbolism in ‘Purple Rain’

Some lyrics of “Purple Rain” seem to handle a former lover, resembling ” I by no means needed to be your weekend lover/I solely needed to be some form of buddy.” Prince sings elements of the music as if he’s going to interrupt into tears. Due to this, some followers interpret the observe as a lament of the breakdown of a romantic relationship.

Nevertheless, that interpretation doesn’t actually clarify the music. A few of the observe’s lyrics don’t seem to have something to do with romance. In spite of everything, what precisely does purple rain symbolize? Why would you wish to see somebody “dancing within the purple rain?”

“Purple Rain” by Prince

Prince felt the colour purple symbolized the top of the world. To him, the music “Purple Rain” was about discovering divine steerage throughout Armageddon. Based on NME, he stated “When there’s blood within the sky – pink and blue = purple… purple rain pertains to the top of the world and being with the one you like and letting your religion/god information you thru the purple rain.” Prince would say the apocalyptic connotations of the colour purple made it his favourite shade.

The apocalypse was on Prince’s thoughts within the 1980s. Based on Alan Gentle of Spin, these themes grew to become extra distinguished due to the last decade’s arms race. The lyrics to “1999” are additionally about Armageddon. Prince stated “1999” was designed to provide folks hope on the finish of the world.

Lisa Coleman’s interpretation of the music

Wendy Melvoin, Prince, and Lisa Coleman onstage | Bettmann

In fact, Prince was not the one artist behind the music. Lisa Coleman created the music’s string association. Coleman stated the 2 phrases within the title of the music symbolized totally different ideas. Coleman advised People the music’s title signifies “a brand new starting. Purple, the sky at daybreak; rain, the cleaning issue.”

Coleman related the title “Purple Rain” to the inventive renewal Prince had by studying to work with others on the album of the identical identify. Coleman stated Prince acquired his begin composing songs alone however ultimately allowed different musicians to work with him. “Purple Rain”was the primary music Prince wrote alongside the members of his band.

Prince stated “Purple Rain” is in regards to the apocalypse whereas Coleman stated the music is about renewal. These two interpretations will not be mutually unique. Some Christian teams take into account the top of the world to be a brand new starting for humanity the place God rewards the simply and cleanses evil from the world. Prince was raised a Seventh-day Adventist, so it’s all the time doable that Adventist concepts in regards to the finish instances influenced the writing of “Purple Rain.” Whatever the music’s which means, its lyrical ambiguities have helped it endure as a traditional music.

Additionally see: Prince: Why He Refused to Perform on ‘We Are the World’