I could write posts and posts on the genius that was Prince in the 1980s – but alas, Prince doesn’t like the Internet. And his videos are very difficult to find as a result.
Fortunately, some videos do exist of Prince’s 1984 Purple Rain, the semi-autobiographical movie that launched him into superstardom. The movie is mediocre at best, but the music and concert performance scenes are as great as ever:
Purple Rain showcased just how easily Prince could transition between R&B, funk, rock, and everything in between. That, coupled with his unparalleled musicianship and songwriting ability, made him one of the most versatile stars of the 1980s.
But his career, even at the height of Purple Rain’s popularity, was never without controversy. Although his most successful songs from Purple Rain were PG-rated lyrically, some of the album’s tracks (like “Darling Nikki”) were not, leading to the eventual creation of the parental advisory sticker for albums with “objectionable” content in the United States.
Prince would continue to produce successful albums throughout the 1980s, but afterward he would get caught up in more controversies that often detracted from his musical output, even today. Few would argue, though, that his live concerts today remain just as legendary as they were during his purple reign.
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