Purple Rain is the ninth and final track on Prince's sixth album Purple Rain, the first album to be credited to Prince and the Revolution. Three months after the album's release, Purple Rain was released as the album's third single, available worldwide. The track is also featured in the movie Purple Rain.
In 1993, the track was included as the 18th and final track on the compilation album The Hits 2 (also included as the second disc of The Hits / The B-Sides).
In 2001, the track was included as the sixth track on the compilation album The Very Best Of Prince.
In 2006, the track was included as the eighth track on the first disc of the compilation album Ultimate.
Prince and the Revolution recorded the song live on 3 August, 1983 at First Avenue, Minneapolis, MN, USA (at the same concert where Electric Intercourse, I Would Die 4 U and Baby I'm A Star were also recorded).
This live version was worked on further between late August and September, 1983, at Sunset Sound, Hollywood, CA, USA, where the track was edited to omit a verse and a solo, and a new string section was overdubbed over the finale of the track (during the same set of sessions as The Beautiful Ones, a studio version of Computer Blue, a re-recording of Irresistible Bitch and Sugar Walls).
It was included as the sixth track on the 7 November, 1983 configuration of Purple Rain, before becoming the eighth and final track on the 23 March, 1984 configuration. It became the ninth and final track on the final 14 April, 1984 configuration after some tracklist changes to the album.
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Recording Information
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Recording Sessions
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Date
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Studio
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Additional info
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3 August, 1983
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First Avenue, Minneapolis, MN, USA
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Live recording
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late August - September, 1983
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Sunset Sound, Hollywood, CA, USA
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Editing and string overdubs
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Recording Personnel
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Versions
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Released Versions
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Video Versions
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Title
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Length
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Released
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Version
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Additional info
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Purple Rain
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6:47
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Purple Rain 20th Anniversary DVD
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Promo video
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See Purple Rain video for more details
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Purple Rain
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18:24
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Prince And The Revolution: Live VHS/laserdisc
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Live
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30 March, 1985, Carrier Dome, Syracuse, NY, USA
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Purple Rain
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T.B.C.
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Lovesexy Live 1 VHS
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Live
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9 September, 1988, Westfalenhallen, Dortmund, West Germany
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Purple Rain
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T.B.C.
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Rave Un2 The Year 2000 VHS/DVD
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Live
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18 December, 1999, Paisley Park, Chanhassen, MN, USA
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BRIT Awards
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12:20
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NPG Music Club WMA download
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Live
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15 February, 2006, 2006 BRIT Awards, Earls Court, London, England; part of medley containing Te Amo Corazón / Fury / Purple Rain / Let's Go Crazy
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Broadcasts/streaming (only)
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Title
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Length
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Released
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Version
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Additional info
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Purple Rain
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T.B.C.
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Live concert radio broadcast
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Live
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28 January, 1985, American Music Awards, Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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Purple Rain
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T.B.C.
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Live concert radio broadcast
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Live
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22 July, 1990, Estadio Vicente Calderón, Madrid, Spain
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Purple Rain
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T.B.C.
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Delayed concert TV broadcast
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Live
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29 July, 1990, Estadio Santa María del Mar, La Coruña, Spain
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Purple Rain
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T.B.C.
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Delayed concert TV broadcast
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Live
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31 August, 1990, Tokyo Dome (東京ドーム), Tokyo, Japan
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Purple Rain
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T.B.C.
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Live performance TV broadcast
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Live
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4 September, 1991 (mat.), Paramount Studios, Hollywood, CA, USA
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Purple Rain
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T.B.C.
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Live performance TV broadcast
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Live
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12 November, 1996, Emancipation Freedom Concert, Paisley Park, Chanhassen, MN, USA
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Purple Rain (Live From Las Vegas 1999)
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7:00
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Love4oneanother.com RealAudio stream
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Live
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29 May, 1999, MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, NV, USA
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Purple Rain
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T.B.C.
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Live awards performance TV broadcast
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Live
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8 February, 2004, 46th annual Grammy Awards Ceremony, Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA; with Beyonce
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The Superbowl
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11:52
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Lotusflow3r.com video stream
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Live medley
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4 February, 2007, Dolphins Stadium, Miami Gardens, FL, USA; medley of We Will Rock You / Let's Go Crazy / 1999 intro / Baby I'm A Star / Proud Mary / All Along The Watchtower / Best Of You / Purple Rain
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Sampled, Referred to, Quoted in...
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Unreleased Versions
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Title
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Version
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Additional Info
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Purple Rain
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Live
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3 August, 1983, First Avenue, Minneapolis, MN, USA; contains extra verse
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Purple Rain
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Live with overdubs
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3 August, 1983, First Avenue, Minneapolis, MN, USA; contains extra verse and string overdubs
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