Prince (March 14, 1995) Purple Medley - Single US

GlamSlamEscape
Mar 14, 1995
2 min read

Updated: May 24

A studio‑crafted megamix built as the explosive overture to The Ultimate Live Experience.

RELEASE DETAILS

Date: March 14, 1995

Catalogue: 7-17903 (7"), 0-43503 (12"), 2-17903 / 9362-43503-2 (CD), PRO-A-7481 / PRO-CD-7481-R (Promo)

Format: 7" Single, 12" Single, CD Single, 12" Promo, CD Promo

Country: United States

Label: Warner Bros. / NPG Records A-Side: Purple Medley

THE STORY

Released in the USA on March 14, 1995, Purple Medley arrived as a stand-alone single created specifically to support The Ultimate Live Experience tour. Promoters had requested a hits medley for the show; instead of performing one live, Prince assembled a full studio megamix at Paisley Park in late 1994, blending re-recorded vocals, fresh transitions, and samples from his most iconic tracks. The medley was paired with a video screened before concerts, acting as a retrospective of Prince’s 1980s and early-1990s catalogue.

CONTEXT & NOTES

This single served as a high-energy retrospective bridging Prince’s catalogue during a major tour period. It features the non-album Kirk J’s B-Sides Remix. The medley compresses over a decade of hits into one continuous piece. Issued across multiple commercial and promo formats.

TRACK LIST

7" Single (7-17903)

A. Purple Medley (Edit) — 3:14

B. Kirk J’s B Sides Remix — 7:00

12" Single (0-43503)

A1. Purple Medley — 11:00

A2. Purple Medley (Edit) — 3:14 B. Kirk J’s B Sides Remix — 7:00

CD Single (2-17903)

Purple Medley (Edit) — 3:14
Kirk J’s B Sides Remix — 7:00

CD Single (9362-43503-2)

Purple Medley — 11:00
Purple Medley (Edit) — 3:14
Kirk J’s B Sides Remix — 7:00

12" Promo (PRO-A-7481)

A. Purple Medley (Edit) — 3:14

B. Purple Medley — 11:00

CD Promo (PRO-CD-7481-R)

Purple Medley (Edit) — 3:14
Purple Medley — 11:00

All Variants

7" Single (7-17903)
12" Single (0-43503)
CD Single (2-17903)
CD Single (9362-43503-2)
12" Promo (PRO-A-7481)
CD Promo (PRO-CD-7481-R)

CHART PERFORMANCE US Billboard Hot 100: Peak No. 84 US Billboard Hot R&B Singles: Peak No. 74PERSONNEL

Prince – vocals, instruments, production, arrangement, editing
Kirk Johnson – remixing (B-Sides Remix)

PACKAGING HIGHLIGHTS

Front sleeve: Iconic Prince portrait with purple/blue styling and lightning bolt motif
Back sleeve: Live performance shot with full track credits
Labels: Standard Warner Bros. design with detailed production notes

WHAT THE LABEL / SLEEVE SHOWS Vibrant purple-themed artwork featuring Prince’s stylized portrait on the front and a dynamic live image on the back, with classic 1995 Warner Bros. label aesthetics.

RELATED MATERIAL

Prince O(+> presents The New Power Generation (20 March 1995) Get Wild - Single UK/Europe
Prince O(+> presents The New Power Generation (20 March 1995) Get Wild - Maxi-Single UK/Europe
Prince O(+> (September 19, 1995) I Hate U (The Hate Experience) - Maxi-Single UK/Europe/US

SOURCES Prince Vault • Discogs • US chart archives • Collector documentation

COPYRIGHT NOTICE All single artwork, photographs, logos, 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. No ownership of the original material is claimed or implied.