Prince's pop life, song by song, in chronological order.
-
The Belle of St. Mark
While “Glamorous” sounded tailor-made for Sheila’s particular talents (even if it wasn’t), “Belle” is well-crafted but faceless, embodying the essentialist cynicism of the publishing imprint Prince used for his female side projects: “Girlsongs.”
-
Purple Rain (Verse 1)
The origins of “Purple Rain” are murkier than the rest of the album that shares its title: No one seems to recall from where, precisely, the song emerged–even as everyone seems to have played a role in its conception.
-
Darling Nikki
“Darling Nikki” would become Purple Rain’s standard-bearer for the “danger” of Prince albums past.
-
I Would Die 4 U
More, perhaps, than any other song in Prince’s catalogue, “I Would Die 4 U” has transcended its original meaning to become something bigger than all of us.