Origins of Purple Rain,
Purple Rain' was originally written as a country song, and was intended to be a collaboration with Fleetwood Mac singer Stevie Nicks.
According to Nicks, she received a 10-minute instrumental version of the song from Prince, with a request to write the lyrics, but she felt overwhelmed by the task.
She later said: "I listened to it and I just got scared. I called him back and said, 'I can't do it. I wish I could. It's too much for me.'"
Prince then asked his backing band to try the song: "I want to try something before we go home. It's mellow."
According to Lisa Coleman, Prince changed the song dramatically after Wendy Melvoin started playing the guitar to accompany the song: "He was excited to hear it voiced differently. It took it out of that country feeling.
"Then we all started playing it a bit harder and taking it more seriously. We played it for six hours straight and by the end of that day we had it mostly written and arranged."
Prince's explanation on the meaning of 'Purple Rain':
"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."
After recording the song, Prince phoned Journey member Jonathan Cain, to ask him to listen to it.
Prince was concerned that it might be too similar to Journey's 'Faithfully', a song composed by Cain which had recently been in the US charts.
However, Cain reassured Prince by saying that the songs only shared the same four chords.
"I thought it was an amazing tune," Cain said. "I told him, 'Man, I'm just super-flattered that you even called. It shows you're that classy of a guy. Good luck with the song. I know it's gonna be a hit.'"
Ladies and gentlemen,
Prince performing a special and an absolute classic song, Purple Rain, live at Paisley Park, in 1999.
Credits for the background information: @SmoothRadio
Fox News: You said hundreds of super tankers are headed to the Gulf of America to buy oil and gas from the US. What can you tell us about that?
Trump: Well, I can tell you that it used to be called the Gulf of Mexico. Now it's called the Gulf of America because of me. One of my little sidelines. People are so happy. I must tell you, I was thinking about calling it the Gulf of Trump.
Liftoff.
The Artemis II mission launched from @NASAKennedy at 6:35pm ET (2235 UTC), propelling four astronauts on a journey around the Moon.
Artemis II will pave the way for future Moon landings, as well as the next giant leap — astronauts on Mars.
@AmericanAir Second time in a month, delay and cancelled flight to get back home! We can get u there, getting home…meh? Kalispell Mt to Little Rock Ar. Impossible!
After giving away the home run ball, the Phillies brought Lincoln, the young fan, into the locker room, where he got a signed bat from Harrison Bader 👏❤️
(Via @irenekazakos)
Ask yourself: what would happen if Kamala Harris did this?
Yes. You saw right. This is Trump on stage at a rally, pretending to perform a sex-act on a microphone.
This is not normal. Trump is disgusting, unhinged and unfit to represent the United States. Vote him out.
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I’m opposed to the kind of Christianity that claims to stand for truth while spreading lies and bears false witness against their neighbors. 🧵
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Then Jesus said unto the poor, “this is your own fault.”
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“We’re all on your side now because you’ve made your point so well and in the right venue. You’ve come to the right place for a political conversation. Tomorrow we will read in the paper ‘Middle East 100% solved thanks to man at the Kudos arena stopping Jew Comedian. They stopped him and everybody in the Middle East went oh my God let’s get along. We can’t do that.’”
Bill Walton was one of the greatest basketball players of all time – a champion at every level and the embodiment of unselfish team play. He was also a wonderful spirit full of curiosity, humor and kindness. We are poorer for his passing, and Michelle and I send our deepest condolences to his family.