10 Best Prince Songs
Prince was renowned as a musical innovator, and was widely known for his eclectic work, flamboyant stage presence, and wide vocal range. Trying to pick 10 of the best Prince songs was no easy feat. Did your favorite make the list?
The song addresses speculation about Prince at the time such as his sexuality, gender, religion, and racial background, and how he could not understand the curiosity surrounding him.
Released as a single from the album ‘1999’ in 1983, the song was his biggest hit at the time, and his first to reach the top 10 in the U.S. It was also his first single to perform better on the pop chart than the R&B chart, due to the pop/rock format of the song!
“1999” is the title track from his 1982 album of the same name. The song is one of Prince’s best-known, and a defining moment in his rise to superstar status!
“Diamonds and Pealrs” is an upbeat ballad, given a rock edge with guitar and heavy drumming. The song also features the vocals of NPG member Rosie Gaines. The ballad is an expression of love and not lust, as is the theme on some of the other singles from the 1991 album. The infamous pearls in the music video come from Connie Parente, a Los Angeles jewelry collector and designer.
The song is a combination of rock, pop, gospel, and orchestral music. It reached No. 2 in the U.S. for two weeks. “Purple Rain” is widely considered one of Prince’s signature songs!
“Cream” is a song by Prince and The New Generation from the 1991 album ‘Diamonds and Pearls’. Prince says that he wrote the song while standing in front of a mirror!
“Raspberry Beret” is a song by Prince and The Revolution. It was the first US (and second UK) single from their 1985 album, ‘Around the World in a Day’. The sound of the song was different from any previous Prince tracks, incorporating Middle Eastern finger cymbals, string instruments and even a harmonica on the extended version.
“Kiss” started as a short acoustic demo, about a minute in length, consisting of a single 12-bar blues verse. Prince gave the song to the funk band Mazarati for their debut album. When Mazarati delivered the finished song to Prince, he was amazed at their work and decided to take back the song for himself. He replaced their lead vocal, added the guitar break in the chorus and edited the song to its present form.
Prince’s longest running No. 1 hit “When Doves Cry” the lead single from his 1984 album ‘Purple Rain’. It was a worldwide hit, and his first American number one single, topping the charts for five weeks. According to Billboard magazine, it was the top-selling single of the year.