Prince: RIP in an eternal Purple Haze

 

Published in Watertown TAB April 29, 2016

Prince Rogers Nelson (June 7, 1958 – April 21, 2016)
RIP in an eternal Purple Haze

Some listeners lost their virginity listening to Prince. I lost my hearing.

The Internet is jammed with eloquent hosannas praising the artist, dead at 57 years old.
 
His sixth album, “Purple Rain,” is the reason I am hard of hearing today.

In my car, at full volume, I played the nine songs on that 1984 cassette over and over and over. It was a majestic ride from funk to R&B, pop, rock and a dash of heavy metal – I don’t think Prince ever got it any better. I cranked it so loud it occasionally made me dizzy.

A 250-watt amplifier powered the two ADS speakers mounted on the kick panels a few feet away. I wasn’t satisfied listening. I wanted to feel it ricochet through my bones. The whole Alfa Romeo GTV vibrated like a Boeing 737 MAX lumbering down the takeoff runway. I didn’t care that in the afterglow my ears would ring after the downpour of dazzling guitar licks and Prince's shimmering falsetto radiating sexually provocative lyrics. .

Tinnitus is the daily soundtrack for me today. You only lose your virginity once. It takes repetition and reckless abandon to lose your sense of hearing. Prince was my pied piper, his mesmerizing marching songs begged to be played at stadium audio levels. I still get a rush listening to Prince's "Purple Rain" album (earplugs firmly in place). I have a few regrets over the loss of my hearing. I have mighty regrets over the loss of Prince.

Fifty-seven is too young to die. In Prince’s case, out of the blue. Did he have any idea how much his music affected and influenced others? Or how much we admired him?

He can’t hear it now. But the people around you who make up your own constellation of friends, family, lovers, co-workers, they can hear. Say the words to them today that might be too late to say tomorrow.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SFNW5F8K9Y

Prince, Tom Petty, Steve Winwood, Jeff Lynne and others perform "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" at the 2004 Hall of Fame Inductions. The video is about six minutes long. Tune in at the 2:40 mark to see how it's going before Prince takes over at the 3:25 mark.

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/pictures/super-bowl-halftime-shows-ranked-from-worst-to-best-20140128/4-prince-2007-0718626

Superbowl 2007 Prince sings "Purple Rain" in a rainstorm...and has the Miami stadium singing along with his epic anthem.

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Purple Rain, 1984
Side One
“Let’s Go Crazy”
“Take Me With You”
“The Beautiful Ones”
“Computer Blue”
“Darling Nikki”

Side Two
“When Doves Cry”
“I Would Die For You”
“Baby I’m A Star”
“Purple Rain”

Comments

[Katherine Burton Jones]

Paul,

Your personal memory of Prince and this album in particular brings back my own version of his poignant presence in my world of music. My listening was in a living room not a car but I can still feel the pulsing pleasure that you must have felt with the volume turned up.

As you say, others have written about Prince too but reading more personal memories allows me (all of us) to let our own purple colored stories of the musician and his wonderful music come back in full force.

KBJ

[Christopher Huggins]

Who knew you were such a Prince fan! Enjoyed your thoughts and the links. I found myself clicking on this amazing performance, too.

[Mishy Lesser]

What a stunning tribute ... I really enjoyed reading this one and now I know what's going on with your hearing (not!). Thank you, Pa

[Paul A. Tamburello, Jr. aka pt at large]

Thank you, Mishy. Back in the day, no one I knew was attuned to how to preserve your hearing! The neighbors all knew when I was driving home, could hear Prince blasting from my car radio all the way to their houses.

[Mark Engleberg]

Wonderful, Paulie, well done. May he rest in peace.

[Bill Ives]

I saw Purple Rain the movie when it first came out. Now we plan to see it again, hopefully by getting it form the library. Cindy and i have been wearing purple this week in his memory. Thanks for sharing yours.

[Katherine Burton Jones]

Paul,
I have to comment again now that I've found the Prince Tribute channel on Sirius XM. I turned up the volume and know that Prince would have wanted us to feel the intimacy of the music that way, with the big booming bass and his enticing voice and lyrics. I sat in my car today to hear all of Purple Rain after being entertained for the whole ride with some of my favorites and some songs I had not heard before. I am sure Prince is sorry about your hearing and mine and everybody else's but the music is meant to be felt as you know.

KBJ (feeling it in the car)

[Paul A. Tamburello, Jr. aka pt at large]

Thanks,Bill,
Tributes, anecdotes, and praise from an amazing range of entertainers and everyday folks have been flooding the internet since Prince died on April 21. It happens that you and Cindy are wearing your tribute.
pt