Prince: The Purple Reign by Kevin M. Hibshman

It was 1978. I was watching American Bandstand, the weekly dance show hosted by the once ubiquitous Dick Clark. Halfway through the episode, the musical guest, Prince was introduced.

It was clear to me this was an unusual artist. A young black man with a lascivious look playing a song that was two-thirds funk, one-third rock and delivered with one hundred percent attitude. When Dick Clark briefly interviewed the out of breath singer, Prince answered with flippant, one-word retorts. 

I later found out he'd been offended by Clark's opening line: “I can't believe you're from Minnesota!” 

        Not only was Prince from Minnesota, he would put his home state on the map by defining 80's pop and by becoming a living legend before his untimely death in 2016. 

        During his lifetime, Prince would release thirty-
two studio albums, four soundtrack albums, five live albums, nine compilation albums, star in five films and produce hit records for his notable proteges: The Time, Vanity/Apollonia 6, Jill Jones and Sheila E. among others. He worked with other musicians frequently including Kate Bush, Sheena Easton, The Bangles, Madonna and George Clinton. He seemed to be an endless creative force, inspiring many future pop stars. His talent was undeniable. He could sing, dance, act and play a multitude of instruments. I am going to play fan instead of critic and list my favorite albums from his vast catalog. I've enjoyed music from all of his releases but these are the records that remain must-haves for me decades after first becoming intrigued by his musical genius.

Dirty Mind,1980. This is Prince's third album and it's one of his most adventurous both musically and lyrically. Clearly influenced by new wave, this is his most daring album lyrically as he sings about incest, oral sex and threesomes in his falsetto voice, enhancing the androgyny of the album cover where he is clad only in a trench coat, black briefs and thigh high boots. As with the previous two albums, Prince plays all the instruments except for two synthesizer parts provided by long-term band member, Dr. Fink and a backing vocal from Lisa Coleman also a main stay as part of The Revolution, the band he would rocket to fame with. This record is a thirty-minute thrill ride and paved the way for sexually explicit subject matter as well as updating the sound of 80's rhythm and blues music.

1999, 1982. This was Prince's breakthrough album and set the stage for the enormous success of Purple Rain which would follow it two years later and catapult Prince into super-stardom. Originally released as a two-record set, it produced five singles. “International Lover” was his first Grammy nomination and the album was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2008. The salacious lyrics continued as did the new wave influence with most of the songs based on synthesizer arrangements. Prince once again, played most of the instruments. This maybe my very favorite Prince release as it's a showcase of his ability to adapt any musical style and make it his own. He also debuts the piercing screams he would begin using on the records that followed. 

Purple Rain,1984. Prince had been gearing up for world domination and in 1984, the double-whammy of Purple Rain, the film featuring his acting debut and the enormously successful soundtrack brought it home. This album featured full band performances courtesy of The Revolution and some of Prince's most memorable songs. It was the hardest rocking album he would make and united black and white music fans around the world. I'm not going to say much about this one because if you're reading this, I'm certain you own this or have at least heard it a few times. It sold 25 million copies world wide and is one of the most commercially successful albums of all time. Prince had arrived in style and now the whole world knew his name. 

Parade,1986. Like Madonna, Prince's movies often fell flat but he did turn out some great soundtracks. This album accompanied his film: Under The Cherry Moon. It traded his rock approach for a string-laden psychedelic sound. There are also subtle jazz elements sprinkled throughout. It's one of his most experimental records yet still produced the number-one single, “Kiss.” The French accents are due to the fact that the movie was based in France. Prince began referring to his music as “The Avant-Purple” during this period. Prince can still be as funky as it gets here and the pop melodies keeps the listener engaged.

        Prince broke the rules, pushed the boundaries and lived by his credo which he spelled out in a song from 1999: “D.M.S.R.: Dance, Music Sex, Romance.” For a time, he painted the entire world purple.