What with Prince dying and all, I looked up the lyrics of his song "Purple Rain." For the life of me I can't figure out why anyone thinks the song is so great.
Lyrics go like this:
I never meant to cause you any sorrow
I never meant to cause you any pain
I only wanted to one time to see you laughing
I only wanted to see you
Laughing in the purple rain
Purple rain, purple rain
Purple rain, purple rain
Purple rain, purple rain
I only wanted to see you
Bathing in the purple rain
I never wanted to be your weekend lover
I only wanted to be some kind of friend
Baby, I could never steal you from another
It's such a shame our friendship had to end
Purple rain, purple rain
Purple rain, purple rain
Purple rain, purple rain
I only wanted to see you
Underneath the purple rain
Honey, I know, I know
I know times are changing
It's time we all reach out
For something new, that means you too
You say you want a leader
But you can't seem to make up your mind
I think you better close it
And let me guide you to the purple rain
Purple rain, purple rain
Purple rain, purple rain
If you know what I'm singing about up here
C'mon, raise your hand
Purple rain, purple rain
I only want to see you
Only want to see you
In the purple rain
From the Wikipedia page "Purple Rain:"
Prince once explained the meaning of "Purple Rain" is as follows: "When there's blood in the sky - red and blue= purple... purple rain pertains to the end of the world and being with the one you love and letting your faith/god guide you through the purple rain."
Maybe the composition was good, but if the lyrics are supposed to be somehow apocalyptic, they aren't. They make me say, "Huh?" Maybe he quit before he was finished with that song. Pretty much every Merle Haggard tune had better lyrics. Merle never wrote or sang a bad song.
Steve.
