It's been seven years since Prince has passed away, but it feels like the 80s-era music legend has never truly left us. Maybe it's because he claimed such a special seat at the table of music history. Or maybe it's because of his inspiring vault mentality; the man left so many completed songs behind (including his most recent estate releases of “7 (E Flat Version)” and “All a Share Together Now”) that he could probably live on as a musical ghost until the end of humankind.
Because of his androgynous style, incredible falsetto abilities, and instrumental versatility, Prince is hailed as something more than a mere mortal. But the artist did have humble beginnings. He was born in Minneapolis on June 7, 1958, the son of jazz singer Mattie Della (née Shaw) and pianist and songwriter John Lewis Nelson. Prince initially hated his first name and was referred to as "Skipper" by his classmates. He also made it on the news by commenting on a teacher's strike, experienced his parents' separation, and had troubles with his new step-brother. He eventually got kicked out of his house. But he found peace in music, creating his first song at seven, playing in a high school band, and getting signed to a record deal at 19.
After releasing his albums For You (1978) and Prince (1979), he achieved critical success with the records Dirty Mind (1980), Controversy (1981), and 1999 (1982). Then came the monumental Purple Rain (1984), which was recorded with his new backing band the Revolution, and was also the soundtrack to the film of the same name in which he starred. Purple Rain turned Prince into a superstar, and he continued to have landmark successes until his death in 2016.
We don't know why we've waited so long to tackle a Top 10 list of Prince hits, but we're finally filling that gap in our content. Ready to go crazy and dance in the purple rain"? Here are our picks for Prince's best 10 songs.
10. "Darling Nikki"
The steamiest Prince song there ever was. "Darling Nikki" may be last on our list, but it's one of our faves – even with all the NSFW lyrics about masturbation, S&M, and prostitution. It tells the story of Prince's sexual encounter with a very freaky girl named Nikki. After their night together, she leaves him behind and he gets hooked on her lovin'. What makes this song more than just a horny ballad is the masterful music production. We love how the verses sound quiet, rhythmic, and mischievous, while the guitar riffs after each verse roar to accompany the narrative action. It gives "Darling Nikki" an old-school cabaret feel to it. Kinda like Kate Bush's "Babooshka"...but way filthier.
Fun fact: "Darling Nikki" is partly the reason why we have the Parental Advisory sticker on albums with explicit content. Legend has it during the 80s, Tipper Gore, then-wife of Al Gore, bought Purple Rain for her 11-year-old daughter. Upon hearing "Darling Nikki," she was stunned and became angry. It prompted her to form the Parents Music Resource Center, who are “dedicated to monitoring objectionable content in music” and subsequently, the Parental Advisory sticker was born.
9. "Little Red Corvette"
The greatest song about a one-night-stand and hookup culture ever written? We think so. In "Little Red Corvette" Prince compares a girl who moves much too fast in her relationships to the iconic sports car. The song was released as the second single from 1999 and became Prince’s first of fourteen top 10 hits in the 80s. Its success then pushed the album’s first single, “1999,” up to a later higher peak of #12 (after stalling at #44 previously).
We love how the lyrics in "Little Red Corvette" are actually kind of...funny? Whether its Prince referring to Trojan condoms as "horses," saying this girl's body should be in jail because it's "obscene," or describing all the pictures she has of other men in her room, he makes this tune a very wild ride. Prince wrote virtual liner notes in the 90s for some of his biggest hits as a feature on one of his first websites. For “Little Red Corvette,” he wrote in the third person: "After another marathon all-night recording session [Prince Rogers Nelson] wrote this in the front seat of Lisa’s pink car (brand of car can be gotten from her) whom PRN drove when she was in LA. PRN always considered the song a dream because it was written between 3 or 4 catnaps and he was never fully awake."
8. "I Would Die 4 U"
Another song from Purple Rain we adore. (Sorry – you're going to see a lot of Purple Rain songs on this list. It is Prince's magnum opus, after all.) Despite the macabre title, "I Would Die 4 U" is a jubilant-sounding banger that would be the last top ten hit from Purple Rain. It reached #8 on the Billboard Hot 100 around the time of its release. With a brisk beat and hopeful, soaring keys, you can't help but get heavenly images when listening to this. And that's exactly what Prince intended.
You see, "I Would Die 4 U" is chock full of biblical and religious references, and casts Prince as a sort of Messianic figure. Despite Prince's relevancy in pop culture and the inspiration he gave to people in the LGBTQ+ community, he was actually a pretty conservative Christian and later became a Jehovah's Witness. "I Would Die 4 U" may be his most religious tune. But it doesn't sound corny, structured, or safe in any way. It's just pure spirituality and love.
7. "Sign O' The Times"
A fan-favorite, but still oh-so underrated in Prince's catalogue. "Sign O' The Times" is the opener of Prince's 1987 album of the same name. He used the bop to address the biggest epidemics of the mid-to-late eighties...though many of the struggles he describes still resonate today.
Complimented by a more delicate shade of blues-y funk than his previous singles, Prince reflects on drug abuse, AIDs, gang violence, and poverty within his neighborhood and circle of friends. But he never judges anyone or anything too harshly: the lyrics are full of empathy. (This song is even stylized as “Sign “☮” the Times.”)
"Sign O' The Times" actually came about because of a very bad day Prince experienced. Susannah Melvoin, a collaborator and Prince’s then-fiancée, told the story on a podcast in 2020. The morning of July 13, 1986 they were jolted awake by the Oceanside Earthquake. It set Prince on edge, so they left Los Angeles and flew back to Minneapolis. Before departing for the airport, he looked at the front page of that day’s Los Angeles Times: it contained stories about the growing AIDS crisis and President Reagan’s Strategic Defense Initiative, referred to as “star wars.” That same day, the front page of the Minneapolis Star Tribune had an account of murder caused by a gang called the Disciples. Those news stories – plus the dread and unease caused by the earthquake – prompted Prince to quickly write, record, and mix "Sign O' The Times." It was done two days later, on July 15. The song was finally released on February 18 the following year and peaked at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100.
6. "Raspberry Beret"
This song is just as sweet as a raspberry! "Raspberry Beret" was released in 1985 and immediately became a hit, reaching #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 when it was a dropped. It was a concert staple all of Prince's life, and was his biggest hit off his seventh studio album, Around the World in a Day.
Story-wise, "Raspberry Beret" is simply about a lover girl Prince's character meets while working at a five-and-dime (the pre-cursor to dollar stores). He motorbikes her over to a farm and they, well...get freaky. But the funky, summery, and even folksy violin sounds give you a warm, fuzzy feeling. It'll make you remember your first love, or your first part-time job, while living in a small town.
5. "Kiss"
Prince's falsetto skills have never sounded better or sexier than on his 1986 track "Kiss." It was released as the lead single from his eighth album Parade, which served as the soundtrack to Prince’s second film, Under the Cherry Moon. While the movie flopped, the album became a commercial success thanks to the popularity of this song. People went nuts over it thanks to the blend of tenderness and eroticism Prince infuses in his vocals, as well as the hardcore funk production.
Despite being one of Prince’s trademark songs, “Kiss” almost didn’t see the light of day, let along as a Prince single. The song was originally conceived as a blues song for the funk-rock band Mazarati, with whom Prince was working for at the time. They rearranged the instrumentals and transformed the song into the slick funk number it is now. Prince then reclaimed the track, removing a bassline, singing it an octave higher, and adding the song’s signature guitar riff/solo.
4. "1999"
Remember when everyone was freaked out about Y2K? Well, this was the theme song to that whole panic. But it was a great theme song because despite being a little doomy and gloomy (there are some apocalyptic lyrics about a purple sky and "people runnin' everywhere"), it was made to accompany the party of your life!
Released all the way back in 1982, "1999" was the biggest single of Prince's breakout album, which shared the same title. "1999" would be his signature track until all the songs on Purple Rain dropped two years later. When Prince initially submitted his 1982 LP to Warner Bros., “1999” did not exist. But the label asked him to produce a song that summarized the theme of the record. So "1999" was recorded in Minnesota on the same day as “Little Red Corvette” on August 7, 1982. Originally, the song was supposed to be a 3-part harmony between Prince and the Revolution members Dez Dickerson and Lisa Coleman. Jill Jones also provides additional vocals. It’s assumed Prince uses the Vox Wah machine that makes the robotic and toddler voices at the beginning and end of the song.
In a rare interview with Larry King, Prince talked about the genesis of the song. "We were sitting around watching a special about 1999, and a lot of people were talking about the year and speculating on what was going to happen," he said. "And I just found it real ironic how everyone that was around me whom I thought to be very optimistic people were dreading those days, and I always knew I’d be cool. I never felt like this was going to be a rough time for me...I just wanted to write something that gave hope, and what I find is people listen to it. And no matter where we are in the world, I always get the same type of response from them.”
3. "Let's Go Crazy"
Arguably Prince's most dance-able tune. Purple Rain – both the album and movie – open with this incredible song. Ironically, it all starts with a death sermon: something you hear to commemorate an ending. "Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to get through this thing called 'life'", Prince preaches. "Electric word, life. It means forever, and that's a mighty long time. But I'm here to tell you there's something else: the afterworld." After some more monologuing, the music picks up and explodes into a celebration of keys and guitar riffs.
Contrary to what the title suggests, "Let's Go Crazy" is actually about beating temptation. "And if de-elevator tries to bring you down" is a metaphor for Satan, vices, and just the overall hardships of life. Once "Let's Go Crazy" was released as a single in 1984, it became Prince’s second #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, and was part of a Purple Rain single chart streak for the artist. What was his first #1? That would be our next pick...
2. "When Doves Cry"
This song had one of the best 80s music videos of all time, in our eyes. "When Doves Cry" was Prince's first #1 on the Hot 100, and was partly inspired by his relationship with Vanity 6 member Susan Moonsie. Prince was asked to create a track for his film version of Purple Rain, to compliment a segment which involved intermingled parental difficulties and a love affair. The next morning, he reportedly composed two songs – one of which was “When Doves Cry.”
What makes "When Doves Cry" so iconic is that it noticeably doesn't feature a bassline: a rarity for a Prince song. This happened because when Prince was in the studio, he was frustrated with the original mix of the track, which included bass. Collaborator Jill Jones came to visit and Prince showed her what the song would sound like if he "had his way". It was only drums and a xylophone with vocals. Jill encouraged Prince to keep his idea of the song, especially since everyone who passed by the studio that day was allegedly enthralled by the strange sound. The version of "When Doves Cry" that made it to the radio was Prince's, and critics praised the song's stark mix because it created a sense of “something missing” that fits with the tune's lyrical theme.
1. "Purple Rain"
No surprise here: this was considered Prince's signature song throughout his lifetime. The passionate "Purple Rain" just doesn't feel right coming out of any other mouth besides Prince's. You may be surprised to learn this legendary power ballad only reached #2 on the Hot 100. But that's only because it trailed behind Wham's "Wake Me Up Before You Go Go," which...we'll admit, very much defines the 80s. But the song has made up for that faltering by being on Rolling Stones' 500 Best Songs of All Time list. In 2015, Pitchfork crowned it the best song of the 1980s.
Prince explained the concept of purple rain “pertains to the end of the world and being with the one you love and letting your faith/god guide you through.” Bandmate Lisa Coleman shared it means “a new beginning. Purple, the sky at dawn; rain, the cleansing factor.” Upon finishing this lush track, Prince was concerned the song was too close in sound to the Journey tune “Faithfully,” so he played it for Journey keyboardist Jonathan Cain. He told him not to worry about being sued.
There are so many reasons why "Purple Rain" is so magical and special in the context of Prince's life. Besides being the title of his masterpiece album and film combo, Prince got to play "Purple Rain" while it was actually downpouring during his Super Bowl performance in 2007. The dazzling moment would go down as the best Halftime Show in NFL history. And rather appropriately, "Purple Rain" was the last song Prince played live, closing out his concert in Atlanta on April 14, 2016. He would die of an accidental drug overdose only a couple days later.
"Purple Rain" is what transformed Prince from a kid into a star. Prince will forever go down in history as music royalty, and "Purple Rain" is his crowing achievement.
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Article Image: Prince performing in Hungary in 2011. (Northfoto via Shutterstock.)
