From the start, the finale of Prince’s Purple Rain album bored me. Not the movie (which, thanks to remote summers as a teen I’ve seen 50+ times), but the final tracks “Baby I’m a Star” and “Purple Rain”.
“Baby I’m a Star” sounds off-key, like someone playing with the pitch dial. For instance, in the chorus Prince sings “Oh baby I’m a” and the Revolution wanly warbles “…staaaar” like a cat wanting to get let in the house. I’ve spent 37 years trying to like it. But life only allots us a finite number of heartbeats, so I’m done trying.
People who have seen the movie feel obliged to languidly point one finger or whole hand upward then slowly sway their arm back and forth as “Purple Rain” plays. The First Avenue club extras in the movie did. But it feels like a shallow duty, like reciting the Pledge of Allegiance or standing respectfully while a foreign nation’s unfamiliar anthem plays. Are people genuinely moved beyond nostalgia, by resonant, personal emotions? Or do they mostly experience fondness for the movie or the album? Granted, the audience participation element feels great. But, oh, the ongoing repetitive guitar and basic drums that cycle for too many measures. The long fade out with synth strings into tinkling sounds that goes…so…long…
Waiting for you and far more moving, playful, charming, and shorter is “Adore”, the culminating song of Prince’s Sign o’ the Times album. He infused it with a range of genres (including doo wop & testimonial gospel) that run above and below and circles around a basic slow jam groove. His vocal harmonies and dissonances reflect the many facets of romantic feelings, yet soar at the end with warm, united enthusiasm. Outright lovely.
These lines at the midpoint always make me laugh:
This condition I got is crucial (crucial).
You could say that I’m a terminal case.
You could burn up my clothes, smash up my ride.
(Well maybe not the ride.)
He’ll love you for all time, pour his soul into this song and sacrifice most anything. But, please don’t mess with his car. He needs that.
Great, just great.
Listen below:
See? Hear? Isn’t that better than the song “Purple Rain”?
