He was diminutive in stature but tall in talent. Described as a stage magician, Prince was a not only an incredible musician but an amazing songwriter. As well as his own seminal songs, he penned Manic Monday (The Bangles), I feel for You (Chaka Khan) and Nothing Compares 2 U (Sinead O’Connor). The music world is poorer for his passing on April 21, 2016. Let’s pay tribute to Prince …
This track from “Purple Rain” was different to many of his other songs because unlike most it was recorded at home without his ever-present backing band The Revolution. Loosely based on the story of his parents’ failed marriage, it is one of the few songs (and ground-breaking at the time) without a bass track. You can’t but help feel the emotion.
You can never dismiss prince’s B-sides. Erotic City was the flip to Let’s Go Crazy and is one of those songs where he makes sex feel like playtime. It has everything you need for a good bump and grind whether in the bedroom or on the dancefloor.
The theme song to the movie of the same name was not only a massive hit around the world but also won the Oscar for Best Original Song in 1985.What is purple rain? Only prince really knew but it definitely belonged in the strange universe he inhabited and it was that universe’s anthem.
For Prince fans now on, it will always snow in April. A track from the (somewhat unfathomable movie), this heart wrenching and desolate ballad is about the death of a dear friend. Devastating.
The first of his classics. The idea for the song came to him while he slept in the back of a bandmate’s bright pink Ford Edsel. In a signature move the song builds from mournful opening lines into climatic guitar riffs and fitting melodies.
A somewhat odd ode to intimacy, in this tender song, Prince wonders what it would be like to be his lover’s female best friend. He’s craving to know how it feels to enjoy the bonds of sisterhood.
Addressing everything from AIDS to natural disasters, this track showed Prince's political edge. A song that asked “just what is going on in the 80s?” but also said your doubts and fears can be ignored if you just dance them away. An edifice of super-synth soul.
A planet-wide hit that became a favourite stage cover for so many artists. The lead song on the album “Parade” it is full of the things we’d come to expect from Prince including the irresistible dance grooves.
The ultimate dance party tune, it doesn’t matter what year it is when you gyrate and groove to 1999. “It was a perfect gen X dance song built on the idea that the world's about to end so, to hell with it, let's dance."
RIP PRINCE ROGERS NELSON