The week of September 22, 1984, found John Waite atop the Billboard Hot 100 with ‘Missing You.’ A few weeks ago I wrote about that song and mentioned that it was the only 1984 chart-topper to spent just one week at #1. This was that week.
Right on its heels was Prince’s ‘Let’s Go Crazy,’ a week away from its own berth at #1, where it would spend two weeks. This was Prince’s second #1 hit, following ‘When Doves Cry’ a few weeks earlier.
Continuing my look at 1984, first by counting down my own top five albums of that year.
#3. Purple Rain – Prince
Only five albums reached #1 in 1984, and one of those was Michael Jackson’s Thriller, which was released the previous year but still spent the first 15 weeks of ’84 at the top of the Billboard 200. Thriller was the top-selling album of both 1983 and 1984.
The Random iTunes Fairy must still be in a tribute mood after this week’s Tom Petty retrospective. Here’s Prince with his classic ‘Purple Rain.’
I was surprised this song hasn’t shown up on the blog before now. In fact, only two songs from the Purple Rain soundtrack (‘Computer Blue’ and ‘The Beautiful Ones’) have been given the Song of the Day treatment, and both of those were on Random Weekends as well.
The fourth track from Prince’s classic Purple Rain soundtrack, ‘Computer Blue,’ underwent major changes between concept and final execution. The song originally ran about 14 minutes and ended with “three full minutes of screeching feedback,” according to Wikipedia. I’d say saner minds prevailed.
Apparently the song was trimmed after ‘Take Me With U’ was added to the album lineup, though I’m not sure what one thing has to do with the other.
OK, Seal was one thing, but I find it hard to believe that this is my first time featuring Prince on the blog. But that does indeed seem to be the case.
I’m not a big Prince fan, to be sure, but I respect the man’s talent and have enjoyed his music enough to dedicate a Song of the Day to him. Just didn’t happen. Once again, my thanks go out to Mr. Random iTunes Man.
Meet Me In Montauk 