Prince And The Revolution (September 26, 1984) – "Purple Rain" b/w "God" Single: US
"Purple Rain" was issued as the third single taken from Purple Rain, the sixth studio album by Prince and the first album credited to Prince And The Revolution. The release also marked the second single to carry the Prince And The Revolution billing.
Arriving ten weeks after the album's release, the single received extensive international distribution and continued the remarkable commercial momentum generated by the Purple Rain project. One unusual aspect of the release was the inclusion of "God (Love Theme From Purple Rain)" on most international editions. Although widely available outside North America, the track was omitted from American commercial releases and never received an official standalone release in the United States.
The single further strengthened Prince's commercial success during 1984, becoming one of the defining releases of the era and extending the worldwide impact of the Purple Rain phenomenon.
RECORDING
The recording of "Purple Rain" originated from a live performance at First Avenue in Minneapolis on August 3, 1983, during a benefit concert for the Minnesota Dance Theatre. The concert was particularly significant as it marked Wendy Melvoin's first live appearance as a member of The Revolution.
Producer David Z. recorded the performance using a mobile Record Plant recording system. Following the concert, further work was undertaken at Sunset Sound in Los Angeles, where additional overdubs were added. Among these contributions was Lisa Coleman's string arrangement.
The original performance ran for approximately eleven minutes before being edited for commercial release. A complete verse was removed, resulting in the shorter version used for the album and subsequent single releases.
STYLE & THEMES
"Purple Rain" combines gospel, soul and rock ballad traditions within a large-scale, emotionally charged arrangement. The song developed from an earlier concept into the anthemic recording that ultimately became one of Prince's signature works.
Prince explained the title and imagery as representing transformation and spiritual guidance. The combination of red and blue forming purple was used symbolically to represent faith, love and finding direction through personal struggle.
The accompanying track, "God", explores more explicitly spiritual territory. Built around experimental vocal treatments and religious imagery, the recording incorporates references to biblical themes while extending the mystical atmosphere associated with the Purple Rain era.
TRACK‑BY‑TRACK NOTES
• Purple Rain — Originally captured live before being enhanced with studio overdubs. The recording became one of Prince's most celebrated compositions and remained a centrepiece of his live performances throughout his career.
• God — A spiritually themed companion piece. The track blended atmospheric production with religious imagery and experimental vocal approaches.
RELEASE HISTORY
Released on September 26, 1984 in the United States and issued internationally during the same period, "Purple Rain" was distributed in numerous territories and formats. Commercial editions included 7-inch and 12-inch singles, alongside several promotional releases.
International markets received "God (Love Theme From Purple Rain)" as the B-side, while American editions differed by not making the track commercially available. This distinction made the international releases particularly notable among collectors.
The single became another major chart success for Prince And The Revolution, reaching number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 4 on Billboard Black Singles. The song later returned to the charts following Prince's passing in 2016 and again during subsequent reissues and renewed public interest.
CHARTS & CERTIFICATIONS
AMERICA
USA: Billboard Hot 100 — Entry: October 6, 1984 — Peak: 2 — Weeks: 16
USA: Billboard Black Singles — Entry: October 13, 1984 — Peak: 4 — Weeks: 14
USA: Billboard Hot 100 (Re-entry) — Entry: May 7, 2016 — Peak: 4
USA: Billboard Hot 100 (Re-entry) — Entry: January 17, 2026 — Peak: 27 — Weeks: 1
PERSONNEL
Prince — lead vocals, backing vocals,
lead guitar, synthesizers, string arrangement
Wendy Melvoin — 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
PRODUCTION
Produced by Prince And The Revolution
Label: Warner Bros. Records
NOTES
• Third single released from Purple Rain.
• Second single credited to Prince And The Revolution.
• Released approximately ten weeks after the album.
• "God (Love Theme From Purple Rain)" appeared on international editions but was not commercially issued in the United States.
• Recorded live at First Avenue, Minneapolis, on August 3, 1983.
• Wendy Melvoin made her live debut with The Revolution during the recording performance.
• Recorded by David Z. using the Record Plant mobile recording unit.
• Additional overdubs were completed at Sunset Sound, Los Angeles.
• A UK 12" poster edition was issued under catalogue number W9174T.
RELEASE VARIANTS TABLE
Artist | Title | Label | Country | Catalogue | Date | Format |
Prince And The Revolution | Purple Rain | Warner Bros. Records | USA | 7-29174 | September 26, 1984 | 7" |
Prince And The Revolution | Purple Rain | Warner Bros. Records | Canada | 92 91747 | 1984 | 7" |
Prince And The Revolution | Purple Rain | Warner Bros. Records | Peru | F-WBR-0729174.9 | 1984 | 7" |
Prince And The Revolution | Purple Rain | Warner Bros. Records | UK | W9174 | September 10, 1984 | 7" |
Prince And The Revolution | Purple Rain | Warner Bros. Records | Ireland | W9174 | September 10, 1984 | 7" |
Prince And The Revolution | Purple Rain | Warner Bros. Records | Germany | 929 174-7 | 1984 | 7" |
Prince And The Revolution | Purple Rain | Warner Bros. Records | Spain | 929 174-7 | 1984 | 7" |
Prince And The Revolution | Purple Rain | Warner Bros. Records | France | 929 174-7 | 1984 | 7" |
Prince And The Revolution | Purple Rain | Warner Bros. Records | Italy | 92 9174-7 | 1984 | 7" |
Prince And The Revolution | Purple Rain | Warner Bros. Records | Portugal | 759 92-9174-7 | 1984 | 7" |
Prince And The Revolution | Purple Rain | Warner Bros. Records | South Africa | WBS 469 | 1984 | 7" |
Prince And The Revolution | Purple Rain | Warner Bros. Records | Japan | P-1904 | 1984 | 7" |
Prince And The Revolution | Purple Rain | Warner Bros. Records | Australia | MX209491-2 | 1984 | 7" |
Prince And The Revolution | Purple Rain | Warner Bros. Records | New Zealand | 729174 | 1984 | 7" |
Prince And The Revolution | Purple Rain | Warner Bros. Records | Philippines | WB-77-416 | 1984 | 7" |
Prince And The Revolution | Purple Rain | Warner Bros. Records | USA | 0-20267 | September 26, 1984 | 12" |
Prince And The Revolution | Purple Rain | Warner Bros. Records | Canada | 92 02670 | 1984 | 12" |
Prince And The Revolution | Purple Rain | Warner Bros. Records | Ecuador | 80000-29 | 1984 | 12" |
Prince And The Revolution | Purple Rain | Warner Bros. Records | Germany | 920 267-0 | 1984 | 12" |
Prince And The Revolution | Purple Rain | Warner Bros. Records | France | 920 267-0 | 1984 | 12" |
Prince And The Revolution | Purple Rain | Warner Bros. Records | Spain | MS 920 267-0 | 1984 | 12" |
Prince And The Revolution | Purple Rain | Warner Bros. Records | Australia | MX209615 | 1984 | 12" |
Prince And The Revolution | Purple Rain | Warner Bros. Records | New Zealand | 020267 | 1984 | 12" |
Prince And The Revolution | Purple Rain | Warner Bros. Records | USA | 7-29174 | September 26, 1984 | 7" Promo |
Prince And The Revolution | Purple Rain | Warner Bros. Records | USA | PRO-A-2192 | September 26, 1984 | 12" Promo |
Prince And The Revolution | Purple Rain | Warner Bros. Records | UK | W9174T | September 10, 1984 | 12" Poster Sleeve |
TRACKLIST TABLE (ALL FORMATS)
Format | Catalogue | Tracklisting |
7" | 7-29174 / W9174 and variants | A. Purple Rain (Edit) (4:02) B. God (3:59) |
12" | 0-20267 / W9174T and variants | A. Purple Rain (8:45) B. God (3:59) |
7" Promo | 7-29174 | A. Purple Rain (Edit) (4:02) B. Purple Rain (Edit) (4:02) |
12" Promo | PRO-A-2192 | A. Purple Rain (Edit) (4:02) B. Purple Rain (LP Version) (8:45) |
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.
Comments