Release Date: July 27th 1984 - OMG! Was it really that long ago?
I first saw Purple Rain a few years after it was released. I couldn’t see it in theaters because I was like 14 when it came out and it is rated R. I had first heard of Prince when I was 12 visiting my older (WAY OLDER, she’s almost 50!) sister in California. Her and her roommate loved 1999 and Little Red Corvette. Instant love of the music!! I got the Purple Rain album (yes it was an actual vinyl album and I still have it) sometime around 15. I played the hell out of that album. Still to this day I can sing every word to every song on it.
Finally, in 1988 I saw the movie (on VHS) when I drove my sister’s (MUCH OLDER SISTER, the one that is almost 50!) friend to San Diego. It changed my life! I remember the apartment we watched it in, the feelings I felt while watching and the fact that when it was over I went out and sat on the porch by my self on a warm California evening reliving many of the scenes in my mind. I watched the movie many more times after that and bought the cassette tape and CD when it became available.
Fast Forward to February 3rd 2007, the night before THE BEST SUPERBOWEL HALF TIME SHOW EVER!! Purple Rain is being shown on TBS. I force my daughters to sit down with me to watch it. Of course they know the music, because they have heard the CD in the car, in the house or on the boat about a million times. And of course, they loved it and they sang and/or danced right along. Tal was amazed to find out that the sound track told a story. My reaction: Well, Duh! Where have you been since 1984!? I hadn’t seen it in years. It is SO 80’s looking and feeling and it is horribly acted, but the music is classic. No matter how cheesy it all was, I still think Prince is one damn sexy man, in the kind of creepy I don’t think I should be so hot for this little nasty short thing. He exudes sex appeal! I’d do him!
The next day we watched THE BEST SUPERBOWEL HALF TIME SHOW EVER!! and nearly blew the speakers out of the big screen.
It’s amazing to me that music can get to our very souls and I am grateful that something so deeply rooted in my teenage years is now planted within my daughters.
May 26th, 2008 at 12:05 am
Oh wow….I very much remember sharing the love of Prince & Purple Rain with you, and as well, keep that playlist handy. It’s a classic!! One of my favorite concert nights a few years ago was seeing Prince with about 20 or so of our friends at The Usana Amphitheater…it was such a blast!!! He really does know how to put on a great show! And I remembered how much you liked him & wished you were there to share it with us! We loved the Superbowl performance too…the guys weren’t too happy when we pushed rewind to watch it all over again instead of the actual football game that was starting again.
P.S….You trying to say that your sister is OLD?! :} It’s only a # right? :} You’ll be there soon too girlfriend!! :}
May 28th, 2008 at 9:18 pm
I too recall my introduction to Purple Rain. Likewise I knew all the words before seeing the movie & I saw it on VHS while I was babysitting. I also vividly recall watching it, and being raised as the good little Christian girl, the “sinful”
thoughts & feelings I had while watching it. Ohhh, that Apollonia made we crazy!! Whenever I see or hear Prince I am transported back to my young teen years! Thanks for the walk down memory lane.