When David Bowie died a few months ago, I came across several posts in which bloggers expressed the significance of his music in their lives. Though I have several of my own Bowie favorites, and like everyone else was shocked by his passing, his music was never really a powerful part of my life.
However, the loss of Prince… this one hits hard.
I vaguely remember some of his hits from when I was a kid, “I Wanna Be Your Lover” standing out in my mind. I would have been eleven or twelve, and I distinctly recall the first time I saw his face on an album cover in Warehouse Records. It wouldn’t be until high school that I became a fan, but something about the face on that cover drew my attention and I was intrigued by his androgynous looks. Despite the hair on his chest and the mustache, he gave off an unmistakable feminine vibe.
About three years later, other singles were making the charts such as “1999”, “Little Red Corvette”, and “Delirious”, all of which I liked but he was still kind of under my radar for the most part.
Then Purple Rain happened. O…M…G! Don’t get me wrong, I fully realize that one of the main reasons the album Purple Rain had such an impact on me was because of its timing. It came out right as I started high school, and this thing was huge. And honestly, if it wasn’t for the movie–that cheesy ass movie–I don’t know if I would have ever become the Prince fan I became.
I’m not positive, but I’m pretty sure I didn’t buy the album until after I saw the film. The music on that soundtrack was so different than anything else I’d heard. Purple Rain made me take a closer look at Prince, and I was hooked.
Those who knew me in high school know I was kinda reserved and modest, at least compared to the theater crowd I ran with. I recall being at a party, all of us watching that movie, and the heat rising to my face during a particularly racy scene. And the number “Darling Nikki”? That was a seriously naughty song!
But I think my favorite song from the album is “The Beautiful Ones”. I will always remember the scene when he sings to Apollonia while Morris Day sits beside her, asking her to choose between the two of them. What girl would not die to have the man she loves sing those words to her? And the passion with which he sang it….Drool! (If you don’t feel like watching the whole thing, forward to 3:20.)
So yeah, his music was a huge part of my youth and high school memories. And because of Prince, Morris Day’s music was kind of big there for a while. Below is a picture of me and friends at the Hawaiian Dance in 1985, where we danced our little tushies off to “Jungle Love” by Morris Day and the Time. That’s me in the bottom right.
One thing I am very thankful for is I did have the opportunity to see him live about fifteen years ago. Tickets to his concert were the most I’d ever paid to see anyone, and my friend and I ended up having to leave a little early because I was experiencing girl cramps that night that nearly had me on my knees. (Stupid girl cramps!) But anyway, I didn’t really know what to expect from him in concert. Because he was so reserved, I always wondered if that reservedness was arrogance, and half expected him to have a bit of an attitude on stage. Not the case. He was one of the most gracious performers I’ve ever seen, and I feel blessed that I was given the experience of his music live.
So I’d like to thank him for being part of the wonderful memories of my youth I will forever hold dear, and for gifting the world with his brilliance.
Goodnight, sweet Prince.
After publishing this post, I had to add this clip from the Jimmy Fallon Show in which he shares his experience playing ping pong with Prince. This is a must see. The good part starts around 6:00. 🙂
Shelly Hickman 
Leave a Reply