The words "purple rain" are in the lyrics of America's "Ventura Highway"....who knew?

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Is this as strange as it seems to me? Sorry, with all the polls and lists, just thought I'd throw this factoid out for discussion...(been indulging guilty pleasures in 70s AM classiques)

Wishin on a falling star
Waitin for the early train
Sorry boy, but Ive been hit by PURPLE RAIN
Aw, come on, joe, you can always
Change your name
Thanks a lot, son, just the same

Ventura highway in the sunshine
Where the days are longer
The nights are stronger than moonshine
Youre gonna go I know

iago g., Thursday, 16 August 2007 02:30 (eighteen years ago)

In that "50 Worst Singles" thread, the writers of the book referenced cringed at the notion that Prince might have cribbed the phrase from America.

Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Thursday, 16 August 2007 02:31 (eighteen years ago)

of course it's always possible his idea was inspired by these lyrics instead:

All through the morning rain
I gaze - the sun doesn't shine -
Rainbows and waterfalls run through my mind

In the garden - I see west
Purple shower, bells and tea
Orange birds and river cousins dressed in green

xhuxk, Thursday, 16 August 2007 02:36 (eighteen years ago)

Might have? What are the chances of two people coming up with that ridiculous phrase? That doesn't take anything away from what Prince did with it. Thanks for the reference...

iago g., Thursday, 16 August 2007 02:36 (eighteen years ago)

What's that? Alfred, Lord Tenny(soto)syn?

iago g., Thursday, 16 August 2007 02:37 (eighteen years ago)

I meant what is the second quote

iago g., Thursday, 16 August 2007 02:39 (eighteen years ago)

"Strawberry Letter 23" (a very proto-Prince song, which doesn't mean he wasn't an America fan, too.)

xhuxk, Thursday, 16 August 2007 02:40 (eighteen years ago)

Tennyson would never have written shit like that.

Rockist Scientist, Thursday, 16 August 2007 02:43 (eighteen years ago)

The B-side of "Uptight" by Stevie Wonder was called "Purple Raindrops".

musically, Thursday, 16 August 2007 02:44 (eighteen years ago)

It seems to me I saw purple rain in a pre-Prince comic book type thing with an apocalyptic theme, but I could just be imagining this. I certainly have no idea what it might have been.

Rockist Scientist, Thursday, 16 August 2007 02:47 (eighteen years ago)

tennyson did write some crap

Frogman Henry, Thursday, 16 August 2007 02:57 (eighteen years ago)

it would be better if they'd said "chocolate rain" instead

Curt1s Stephens, Thursday, 16 August 2007 04:59 (eighteen years ago)

One of Prince's first lyrics was "sitting here on the purple lawn" (though I can't remember where I read or heard this, at the moment), but that's still probably after the Brothers Johnson single and definitely after "Ventura Highway."

Pete Scholtes, Thursday, 16 August 2007 11:12 (eighteen years ago)

I love Ventura Highway, I don't care what anyone says. Even though it's terrible.

Matt #2, Thursday, 16 August 2007 11:28 (eighteen years ago)

Purple rain might as well have been something John Lennon could have come up with in 1967 as a result of too much LSD.

Geir Hongro, Thursday, 16 August 2007 13:17 (eighteen years ago)

It seems to me I saw purple rain in a pre-Prince comic book type thing with an apocalyptic theme, but I could just be imagining this.

The Purple Teardrop Explodes?

nickn, Thursday, 16 August 2007 20:49 (eighteen years ago)


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