Prince and the Revolution (September 10, 1984) – "Purple Rain" b/w "God" Single: UK
Updated: 2 days ago
Released on 10 September 1984 in the UK, Purple Rain was the third single from Prince’s sixth album Purple Rain, and the second to be credited to Prince and the Revolution. Arriving ten weeks after the album, the single continued Prince’s global momentum, receiving widespread international release.
Unusually, God (Love Theme From Purple Rain) appeared on international editions of the single but was not released in the United States, where it has never had an official standalone issue.
The single sustained Prince’s chart success, reaching number 2 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 4 on the Billboard Black Singles Chart.
RECORDING
Purple Rain was recorded live on 3 August 1983 at First Avenue, Minneapolis, during a benefit concert for the Minnesota Dance Theatre. This performance marked Wendy Melvoin’s live debut with the Revolution.
Producer David Z. captured the concert using a mobile recording unit from the Record Plant in New York.
Subsequent overdubs, including Lisa Coleman’s string arrangement, were added at Sunset Sound in Los Angeles. The original 11‑minute performance was edited to 8:41 for album release, with a verse removed to strengthen the emotional impact.
STYLE & THEMES
The song blends gospel, soul, and rock ballad elements, evolving from an early country‑styled concept into a powerful, anthemic composition.
Prince described the meaning of Purple Rain as symbolic of apocalyptic transformation, combining red and blue into purple — a metaphor for faith, love, and guidance through emotional turmoil. The B‑side God is a more overtly religious piece, featuring experimental vocal delivery and thematic references to Genesis.
TRACK‑BY‑TRACK NOTES
• Purple Rain — A live recording transformed through studio overdubs, becoming one of Prince’s signature songs and a cornerstone of his live performances.
• God — A spiritual, atmospheric composition presented in both vocal and instrumental forms on international releases.
RELEASE HISTORY
Released 10 September 1984 in the UK as a 7" single, 7" shaped picture disc, 12" single, and multiple promotional formats. Issued worldwide with numerous regional variants. The single reached #2 on the US Billboard Hot 100, #1 on the US Cash Box Top 100, and re‑entered charts globally following Prince’s passing in 2016.
PERSONNEL
Prince — lead & backing vocals, electric lead guitar, synthesizers, string arrangement
Wendy Melvoin — electric rhythm guitar, backing vocals, string conductor
Lisa Coleman — synthesizers, backing vocals, string arrangement, string conductor Matt Fink — Yamaha CP‑70 electric grand piano, backing vocals
Brown Mark — bass guitar, backing vocals
Bobby Z. — Simmons SDSV, Linn LM‑1, cymbals Novi Novog — violin, viola
David Coleman — cello
Suzie Katayama — cello
Artist: Prince and the Revolution Title: Purple Rain
Label: Warner Bros. Country: United Kingdom Catalogue: W9174 / W9174T
Date: September 10, 1984
Format: 7" Single, 12" Single
Tracklist (7"):
A — Purple Rain (Edit)
(4:02) B — God (3:59)
Tracklist (12"):
A — Purple Rain (Long Version) (7:05)
B1 — God (Love Theme From Purple Rain) (7:54)
B2 — God (3:59)
Region | Chart / Certification | Peak / Award | Notes |
Australia | Weekly chart | ||
Austria | Weekly chart | ||
Belgium | Weekly chart | ||
Belgium | Weekly chart | ||
Canada | Weekly chart | ||
Finland | Weekly chart | ||
France | Weekly chart | ||
Guatemala | Weekly chart | ||
Ireland | Weekly chart | ||
Italy | Weekly chart | ||
Japan | Weekly chart | ||
Luxembourg | Weekly chart | ||
Netherlands | Weekly chart | ||
Netherlands | Weekly chart | ||
New Zealand | Weekly chart | ||
Norway | Weekly chart | ||
Scotland | Weekly chart | ||
Spain | Weekly chart | ||
Sweden | Weekly chart | ||
Switzerland | Weekly chart | ||
UK | Weekly chart | ||
UK | Weekly chart | ||
USA | Weekly chart | ||
USA | Weekly chart | ||
USA | Weekly chart | ||
USA | Weekly chart | ||
West Germany | Weekly chart | ||
Australia | 4× Platinum (280,000) | Certification | |
Denmark | Platinum (90,000) | Certification | |
Italy | Platinum (100,000) | Certification | |
New Zealand | 5× Platinum (150,000) | Certification | |
Spain | Gold (30,000) | Certification | |
United Kingdom | 3× Platinum (1,800,000) | Certification | |
United States | Gold (1,000,000 physical) | Certification | |
USA Digital | 1,720,968 | Digital | |
Greece | Gold (streaming) | Streaming |
Notes: International releases included multiple 7", 12", promo, shaped disc, and purple vinyl variants. UK 12" edition issued with and without poster. God (Love Theme From Purple Rain) was not released in the US.
SOURCES Prince Vault, Discogs, sleevographia2.
All single artwork, photographs, labels, and original text excerpts remain the property of their respective copyright holders. This entry is a transformative, non-commercial archival summary created for historical documentation and educational reference.
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