OMG! Be still my heart! It's the 40th anniversary of the release of Purple Rain. My former future husband released the unexpected hit Purple Rain 40 years ago. The sexual sensual Prince portrayed The Kid, a young tortured up and coming Minnesota musician. We join him in his discovery of collaboration as understanding how to navigate family and personal relationships.
The Purple Rain soundtrack was my coming-of-age anthem. 40 years ago, I could be found belting out the lyrics (off key) of the Purple Rain soundtrack. My neighbors probably were engaged in incessant prayer for a case of laryngitis or broken record for me. Yep, I had a vinyl copy of the album. The feel of placing the needle to the vinyl was almost as amazing as the album. Songs like Darling Nikki empowered this introvert to feel sexy and powerful. While Let's Go Crazy was a directive to live life.
The motorcycle scene with The Kid and Appolonia fueled fantasies about sexy guys and motorcycles. They were playful, edgy and free. Track number two "Take Me With You" was amazing. The refrain "I don't care where we go. I don't care what we do. I don't care pretty baby. Just take me with you". At that point in my life, I was still terrified of motorcycles. However, me and my awkward self would have happily mounted that bike. The feeling of carefree freedom was intoxicating. Years later I can be found on the back of my guy's bike hands in the air grooving to Prince. Carefree Freedom.
The girl group Apollonia 6 was pulled together by Morris in an attempt to oust The Kid from the Club First Avenue. Clad in lingerie gyrating singing "Sex Shooter". I know as a woman I should have been offended. Instead, I found myself at Frederick's of Hollywood purchasing a pink sexy teddy. In my teenage, addled mind all I needed was the teddy to pull off the dance sequence. If that was only true! Time after time, hour after hour I would play the dance sequence and then pause it. In the living room of that tiny third floor apartment, I practiced and practiced and practiced. I never quite mastered it. Never performed it for anyone but me. But the energy that coursed through that body can still make me smile today.
While the sensual moments were among my favorites, I was confused and heartbroken by the Kid's family dynamics. The Kid's homelife was filled chaos and violence. His musician father, Francis L seemed to battle his own demons. Francis L often could be seen beating his wife. The lost feeling in his eyes when confronted by Kid after finding his mother on the curb beaten again. The tortured father attempts suicide, leaving the Kid to literally and figuratively to clean the mess. The Kid had visions including his on death by suicide. It was in this moment the Kid finds it in his heart to listen to the demo tape created by his band members Lisa and Wendy. They previously had begged him to listen to no avail. This tape seemed to open the door to the movies signature song.
The rose-tinted glasses girl in me envisioned he was able to move beyond the tragic life, thriving in healthy relationships. The last song, the cover song Purple Rain was rumored to be about finding beauty in destruction. Being with the ones you love and letting God guide you. On some level I get that. I believe without the dirt of life there is no beauty. One of my favorite sayings is "No mud. No lotus." Without the mud of life, we are unable to fully experience the beauty.
Purple Rain was my coming-of-age story. While some may say it was too sexual, too violent. I say it was what the awkward seventeen-year-old me needed. Needed to see confusion and chaos can have a happy ending. That it is ok to be different. That dancing in lingerie is freeing. And family are the ones who support your dreams.
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