✦ Purple Medley - Single US: Mar. 1995

A high‑energy, career‑spanning megamix created for The Ultimate Live Experience tour — blending Prince’s greatest hits into one explosive release

Release Date

• March 14, 1995 (USA)

Formats

• 7" Single

• 12" Single

• CD Single

• 12" Promo

• CD Promo

Catalogue Numbers

• US 7": 7‑17903

• US 12": 0‑43503

• US CD: 2‑17903

• US CD (alternate): 9362‑43503‑2

• 12" Promo: PRO‑A‑7481

• CD Promo: PRO‑CD‑7481‑R

Track Variants

• Purple Medley (Edit) — 3:14

• Purple Medley — 11:00

• Kirk J’s B Sides Remix — 7:00

Chart Performance

• US Billboard Hot 100: No. 84

• US Billboard Hot R&B Singles: No. 74

Production

• Produced, arranged and performed by Prince

✦ SUMMARY

Released in the USA on March 14, 1995, Purple Medley was issued as a stand‑alone single to coincide with The Ultimate Live Experience tour in Europe. The medley was created at the request of the tour promoters, who wanted Prince to incorporate his classic hits into the show. Instead of performing a traditional hits medley live, Prince produced a studio‑crafted megamix, accompanied by a video screened before the concerts.

The track features re‑recorded segments and samples from a wide range of Prince’s most iconic songs, spanning the 1980s and early 1990s. While exact recording dates are not known, the medley was likely assembled in late 1994 at Paisley Park Studios. An edited version was originally planned for the 2006 Ultimate compilation but was removed before release.

Purple Medley was issued across multiple formats, including 7", 12", CD, and promotional editions. The single charted modestly in the US, reaching number 84 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 74 on the Billboard Hot R&B Singles chart.

✦ HIGHLIGHTS

• Released 14 March 1995 (USA)

• Stand‑alone single tied to The Ultimate Live Experience tour

• Studio‑crafted megamix of Prince’s classic hits

• Includes non‑album remix Kirk J’s B Sides Remix

• US Billboard Hot 100 Peak: No. 84

• US Billboard Hot R&B Singles Peak: No. 74

• Multiple formats including 7", 12", CD and promo editions

✦ MEDLEY CONTENT

The medley includes re‑recorded or sampled segments from:

Batdance (sampled), When Doves Cry, Kiss, Erotic City, Darling Nikki, 1999, Baby I’m A Star, Diamonds And Pearls, Purple Rain, Let’s Go Crazy, Sexy Dancer, Let’s Work, Irresistible Bitch/Sexy M.F., I Wanna Be Your Lover/Kiss (coda), Alphabet St., Thieves In The Temple, 777‑9311 (bass line), A Love Bizarre, If I Was Your Girlfriend, Raspberry Beret, Little Red Corvette, Peach/Cream (lyrics only), It’s Gonna Be A Beautiful Night (instrumentation).

The edit fades out during the Let’s Go Crazy segment.

✦ TRACK DETAILS

7" Single (US: 7‑17903)

A. Purple Medley (Edit) — 3:14

B. Kirk J’s B Sides Remix — 7:00

12" Single (US: 0‑43503)

A1. Purple Medley — 11:00

A2. Purple Medley (Edit) — 3:14

B. Kirk J’s B Sides Remix — 7:00

CD Single

US: 2‑17903

Purple Medley (Edit) — 3:14

Kirk J’s B Sides Remix — 7:00

US: 9362‑43503‑2

Purple Medley — 11:00

Purple Medley (Edit) — 3:14

Kirk J’s B Sides Remix — 7:00

12" Promo (US: PRO‑A‑7481)

A. Purple Medley (Edit) — 3:14

B. Purple Medley — 11:00

CD Promo (US: PRO‑CD‑7481‑R)

Purple Medley (Edit) — 3:14

Purple Medley — 11:00

All tracks produced, arranged and performed by Prince.

✦ CHART PERFORMANCE

United States

• Billboard Hot 100: Peak No. 84 (2 weeks)

• Billboard Hot R&B Singles: Peak No. 74 (3 weeks)

✦ PRINCE 1995 MINI‑TIMELINE — THE ULTIMATE LIVE EXPERIENCE ERA

✦ Late 1994

Prince begins assembling a studio megamix of his classic hits at Paisley Park, responding to promoter requests for a hits medley for the upcoming tour.

✦ Early 1995

The Ultimate Live Experience tour is prepared for Europe, with Purple Medley created specifically to accompany the show.

✦ 14 March 1995

Purple Medley is released as a stand‑alone single in the USA, tied directly to the tour’s promotional cycle.

✦ Spring 1995

The Purple Medley video is screened before concerts, acting as a retrospective of Prince’s 1980s and early 1990s catalogue.

✦ Mid‑1995

The single charts modestly in the US, reaching No. 84 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 74 on the R&B chart.

This period marks Prince’s transitional mid‑90s phase — a mix of nostalgia, reinvention and live experimentation.

✦ GSE— PURPLE MEDLEY VS. THE ORIGINAL HITS

Purple Medley

• A studio‑crafted megamix blending Prince’s most iconic songs

• Re‑recorded vocals, new transitions, and fresh production

• Designed as a tour opener rather than a traditional single

• A kaleidoscopic journey through Prince’s greatest hits

When Doves Cry

• Minimalist, emotionally raw, no bass line

• One of Prince’s most groundbreaking singles

• A stark contrast to the dense layering of Purple Medley

Kiss

• Tight, stripped‑back funk

• Playful falsetto and sharp rhythmic precision

• Its inclusion in the medley adds a jolt of pure pop energy

1999

• Apocalyptic party anthem

• Synth‑driven, communal, celebratory

• Acts as a central pivot point within the medley

Purple Rain

• Epic, emotional, guitar‑driven ballad

• The medley uses only a brief excerpt, but its presence anchors the entire piece

Little Red Corvette

• Smooth, seductive synth‑rock

• One of Prince’s most recognisable melodies

• Adds warmth and nostalgia to the medley’s final stretch

Together, these contrasts show how Purple Medley functions as both a celebration and a reinvention — a compressed, high‑energy retrospective of Prince’s most defining work.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hU2XNGB6wog

✦ SOURCES

US chart archives

Label release documentation

Prince Vault

Wikipedia

Discogs

Collector and marketplace references