10 best Prince songs
Prince Rogers Nelson (June 7, 1958 - April 21, 2016) was an American singer, songwriter, musician, record producer, and actor. The recipient of numerous awards and nominations, he is considered one of the greatest musicians of his generation.
Singer's Room writes, "Prince was known for his flamboyant, androgynous look, his wide vocal range, which included falsetto, and his skill as a multi-instrumentalist. He also preferred to play all or most of the instruments himself while working in the studio."
The artist's music included a variety of styles: funk, R&B, rock, new wave, soul, synth-pop, pop, jazz, blues and hip-hop. In addition, Prince released his own albums and is considered the creator of a new genre of funk rock, the Minneapolis sound.
"Purple Rain"
"Purple Rain" is the title track of Prince's 1984 album of the same name, which became the soundtrack to the 1984 movie of the same name starring Prince. The song is a power ballad that combines rock, R&B, gospel and orchestral music.
"Purple Rain" reached number two on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and stayed there for two weeks. In addition, the song became a No. 1 hit in Belgium and the Netherlands, received a gold certificate from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and is considered one of Prince's best works.
"When Doves Cry"
"When Doves Cry" is the lead single from Prince's sixth studio album, Purple Rain. According to the DVD commentary for the movie Purple Rain (1984), director Albert Magnoli asked Prince to write a song that fits the theme of one of the movie's sequences, which intertwined parental difficulties and love.
The next morning Prince wrote two songs, one of which was "When Doves Cry". According to Prince's biographer Per Nielsen, the song was inspired by his relationship with Vanity Fair band member Susan Moonsie.
"Kiss"
"Kiss" was written and produced by Prince himself. Released by Paisley Park as the lead single from Prince and the Revolution's eighth studio album Parade (1986) on February 5, 1986, it became a No. 1 hit worldwide and peaked at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart for two weeks. In 1986, the single was certified gold by the RIAA with 1,000,000 copies sold.
"Let's Go Crazy"
"Let's Go Crazy" is a 1984 song by Prince and The Revolution from the album Purple Rain. It is the title track of the album and the movie Purple Rain.
"Let's Go Crazy" is one of Prince's most popular songs and has long been a staple of his live performances. Released as a single, "Let's Go Crazy" became Prince's second number one hit on the Billboard Hot 100, topping two charts - Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and Hot Dance Club Play - and a Top 10 hit in the UK.
"1999"
"1999" is the title track from Prince's 1982 album of the same name.
After Prince's death, the song re-entered the Billboard Hot 100 at number 41, and then peaked at number 27, marking the song's fourth separate entry into the Hot. 100.
"Little Red Corvette"
"Little Red Corvette" combines a Linn LM-1 rhythm and slow synth build with a rock chorus in which Prince, using metaphors, recalls a night out with a beautiful woman.
Released in 1983 as the second single from the album 1999, the song became Prince's best charting single at the time and his first single to reach the top 10 in the United States, reaching number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100. After Prince's death, in April 2016, the song "Little Red Corvette" re-entered the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
More than 900,000 copies of "Little Red Corvette" sold in the US
"Raspberry Beret"
"Raspberry Beret" is the lead single from Prince & the Revolution's 1985 album Around the World in a Day.
The track's sound expanded compared to Prince's previous arrangements: this version included strings, Middle Eastern finger cymbals, and harmonica. In addition, the composition became more pop than before, although the 12-inch single and video have a funky intro.
The song tells the story of a teenage romance and the first sexual experience with a girl wearing a crimson beret.
An extended version of "Raspberry Beret" was included on the Ultimate compilation album in 2006.
"Sign o' the Times"
"Sign o' the Times" is the lead single from Prince's 1987 studio album of the same name. It was originally intended for two separate studio albums by the artist, which were to be released in 1986 but were postponed: Dream Factory and Crystal Ball.
Prince performs all the vocal and instrumental parts in this song on his own.
It is known that "Sign o' the Times" was written on a Sunday when the singer was composing his most introspective stuff.
"Cream"
"Cream" is a song by Prince and his backing band New Power Generation, released in September 1991 as the second single from the 13th studio album Diamonds and Pearls (1991).
In 2004, in a special episode of MTV, the singer joked that he wrote the song while looking at himself in the mirror.
"Cream" became Prince's fifth and last number one single on the US Billboard Hot 100, staying at number one for two weeks. The track entered the top ten in 15 other countries, reaching the top three positions in Australia, Canada, Norway, and Switzerland.
"I Would Die 4 U"
"I Would Die 4 U" is a song by Prince and the Revolution, the fourth single in the United States from their 1984 album Purple Rain. This danceable, fast-paced song became a top 10 hit in the United States and reached number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100.
The lyrics are reminiscent of Jesus Christ's message to his followers, "If you are evil, I will forgive you" and "All I really need is to know that you believe."