Through His Untimely Death, Prince Abdicates His Purple Reign

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Commentary and Chart Analysis by Rick Hiduk

I thought that I was shocked by David Bowie’s death, but I was absolutely bowled over by the surprise demise of Prince. In some ways, they had so much in common: crossing ethnic and gender lines, creating alternate personas, and only occasionally granting serious interviews. They were both funky, new wave artists, but quite different at the same time.

Just as I resisted the urge to eulogize Bowie too quickly, I took some time to mull over my memories and feelings about Prince. When my mother asked me how I felt about Prince’s death four days later, I knew that it was time to write something. (I was stalled in my efforts but figured the debate over the cause of his death afforded me some time to dig into his chart history.)

It was the overlapping of the careers of Bowie and Prince and a parallel mid-’80s heyday that will always endear both of them to me. I missed a personal connection to Prince because I never saw him concert, while seeing Bowie twice. Nonetheless, I loved dancing to his songs as much as I loved playing them on the radio and in clubs.

Elvis was remembered as the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll without every playing an instrument on his recordings. Michael Jackson was regarded as the King of Pop, and he might well have been.

But Prince burst on to the scene with that peculiarly singular name that assumed royalty. He seemed simultaneously part Little Richard and part Jimi Hendrix, and we weren’t sure we liked the Little Richard part at first. It took some people years to acknowledge his genius, but eventually most music critics couldn’t deny the Purple One’s claim to some esoteric throne.

What follows is a synopsis of his chart history from various perspectives and then, if you’ll indulge me, a list of my favorite prince songs. In an era when the record industry had all but left the concept of a two-sided hit record behind, Prince excelled with B-sides that found notoriety in alternative genres and medium. Many of them are included here ( / ).

He released 104 singles during his incredible career. Those from 1978 to ’84 were by Prince; 1984 to ’86 by Prince & the Revolution; 1987 to ’90 by Prince; 1990 to ’92 by Prince & the New Power Generation; 1992 as ‘the artist formerly known as Prince; and 1993 on mostly as Prince.

The rankings are based first on the highest position reached on each chart (the number after the ranking). Ties were broken first by the number of weeks at the peak position (in parenthesis for #1 & #2 hits), then the total number of weeks on the chart. The last number is the year the song peaked on the charts.

Top Pop Singles (US Billboard Chart)

  1. 1 When Doves Cry (5) / 17 Days 84
  2. 1 Cream (2) 91
  3. 1 Let’s Go Crazy (2) / Erotic City 84
  4. 1 Kiss (2) 86
  5. 1 Batdance (1) 89
  6. 2 You Got the Look w/Sheena Easton (2) 87
  7. 2 Purple Rain (2) 84
  8. 2 Raspberry Beret (1) 85
  9. 3 The Most Beautiful Girl in the World 94
  10. 3 Diamonds & Pearls 92
  11. 3 Sign ‘O’ The Times 87
  12. 5 Little Red Corvette 83
  13. 6 Thieves of the Temple 90
  14. 7 7 93
  15. 7 Pop Life 85
  16. 8 Delirious 83
  17. 8 I Would Die 4U / Another Lonely Christmas 84
  18. 8 Alphabet St. 88
  19. 10 I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man 88
  20. 11 I Wanna Be Your Lover 79
  21. 12 1999 82
  22. 12 I Hate U 95
  23. 18 Partyman 89
  24. 21 Gett Off 91
  25. 23 Money Don’t Matter 2 Night 92
  26. 23 Mountains 86
  27. 25 Take Me With U f: Appolonia 85
  28. 31 Let It Go 94
  29. 31 Betcha By Golly Wow! 96
  30. 36 The Arms of Orion w/Sheena Easton 89
  31. 36 My Name is Prince 92
  32. 40 1999 99
  33. 44 The Morning Papers 93
  34. 46 America 85
  35. 50 Pink Cashmere 93
  36. 52 Let’s Pretend We’re Married / Irresistible Bitch 84
  37. 56 1999 00
  38. 58 The Holy River 97
  39. 59 U Make My Sun Shine w/Angie Stone 01 / When Will We Be Paid?
  40. 60 Black Sweat 06
  41. 63 The Greatest Romance Ever Sold 00
  42. 63 Anotherloverholenyohead 86
  43. 63 Hot Thing 88 (b-side of # )
  44. 64 New Power Generation 90
  45. 66 Sexy M.F. 92
  46. 67 If I was Your Girlfriend 87
  47. 70 Controversy 81
  48. 72 Love Sign 94
  49. 75 Call My name 04
  50. 77 Insatiable 92
  51. 84 Purple Medley 95
  52. 88 Gold 95
  53. 92 Soft & Wet 78
  54. 101 Uptown 80
  55. 104 Let’s Work 81
  56. 107 Peach 94
  57. 108 Damn You 93
  58. 111 S.S.T. 05
  59. 120 Musicology 04

 

Top R&B Hits (US Billboard Chart)

  1. 1 When Doves Cry (8) 84
  2. 1 Sign ‘O’ The Times (3) 87
  3. 1 Kiss (4) 86
  4. 1 I Wanna Be Your Lover (2) 79
  5. 1 Diamonds & Pearls (1) 92
  6. 1 Let’s Go Crazy (1) 84
  7. 1 Thieves of the Temple (1) 90
  8. 1 Batdance (1) 89
  9. 2 The Most Beautiful Girl in the World (1) 94
  10. 3 Controversy 81
  11. 3 Raspberry Beret 85
  12. 3 Insatiable 92
  13. 3 Alphabet St. 88
  14. 4 1999 82
  15. 4 Purple Rain 84
  16. 5 Uptown 80
  17. 5 Scandalous! 90
  18. 5 Partyman 89
  19. 6 Gett Off 91
  20. 8 Pop Life 85
  21. 9 Let’s Work 81
  22. 10 Let It Go 94
  23. 10 Betcha By Golly Wow! 96
  24. 11 You Got the Look w/Sheena Easton 87
  25. 11 I Would Die 4U 84
  26. 12 Soft & Wet 78
  27. 13 Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad 80
  28. 14 Hot Thing 87
  29. 14 Money Don’t Matter 2 Night 92
  30. 14 Pink Cashmere 93
  31. 15 Little Red Corvette 83
  32. 15 Mountains 86
  33. 15 Somebody’s Somebody 97
  34. 18 Delirious 83
  35. 18 Anotherloverholenyohead 86
  36. 18 I Wish You Heaven 88
  37. 25 My Name is Prince 92
  38. 27 New Power Generation 90
  39. 27 Call My Name 04
  40. 32 Damn You 93
  41. 32 Love Sign w/Nona Gaye 94
  42. 35 America 85
  43. 39 Future Baby Mama 07
  44. 44 Glam Slam 88
  45. 44 The One 98
  46. 45 1999 99
  47. 40 Take Me With You f: Appolonia 85
  48. 55 Let’s Pretend We’re Married / Irresistible Bitch 82
  49. 61 7 92
  50. 62 Nothing Compares 2 U f: Rosie Gaines 94
  51. 62 Shhh 94
  52. 65 Still Waiting 79
  53. 65 Dirty Mind 80
  54. 68 The Morning Papers 93
  55. 71 Space 94
  56. 74 Purple Medley 95
  57. 77 Sexy M.F. 92
  58. 91 Just As Long as We’re Together 78
  59. 92 Gold 95

 

Top Pop Hits (UK Chart)

  1. 1 The Most Beautiful Girl in the World 94
  2. 2 1999 82
  3. 2 Little Red Corvette 83
  4. 2 Batdance 89
  5. 2 Thieves of the Temple 90
  6. 3 Alphabet Street 88
  7. 4 When Doves Cry 84
  8. 4 Girls & Boys 86
  9. 4 Gett Off 91
  10. 4 Sexy M.F. 92
  11. 5 Controversy (re-issue) 93
  12. 6 Purple Rain 84
  13. 6 Kiss 86
  14. 6 Sign ‘O’ The Times 87
  15. 7 My Name is Prince 92
  16. 8 Partyman 89
  17. 7 Let’s Go Crazy 84
  18. 7 Take Me With You 85
  19. 7 Cream 91
  20. 8 If I Was Your Girlfriend 87
  21. 9 I Wish You Heaven 88
  22. 10 I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man 87
  23. 10 Gold 95
  24. 10 1999 98
  25. 11 Paisley Park 85
  26. 11 Glam Slam 88
  27. 14 Peach 93
  28. 15 Mountains 86
  29. 15 Anotherloverholenyohead 86
  30. 19 Money Don’t Matter Tonight 92
  31. 19 The Holy River 97
  32. 19 Somebody’s Somebody 97
  33. 20 I Hate U 95
  34. 25 Raspberry Beret 85
  35. 25 Diamonds & Pearls 91
  36. 26 New Power Generation 90
  37. 27 7 92
  38. 28 Thunder 92
  39. 30 Letitgo 94
  40. 33 Purple Medley 95
  41. 36 Dinner With Delores 96
  42. 40 1999 99
  43. 41 I Wanna Be Your Lover 79
  44. 43 Cinnamon Girl 04
  45. 43 Black Sweat 06
  46. 52 The Morning Papers 93
  47. 58 I Would Die For You 84
  48. 60 Pop Life 85
  49. 60 Furry 06
  50. 81 Guitar 07
  51. 90 Pretzelbodylogic 14
  52. 113 Fallinlove2nite 14
  53. 121 Rock and Roll Love Affair 12

 

Upon Prince’s untimely death, Billboard Magazine’s Hot 100 Chart for May 7, 2016 showed Prince returning to the chart at the following positions based largely on airplay tributes on pop stations:

17 Purple Rain

20 When Doves Cry

28 Kiss

29 Little Red Corvette

39 Let’s Go Crazy

41 1999

On the Rock Chart, where he’d never done particularly well despite being critically acclaimed as a rocker, Prince fared even better with a handful of songs for the week ending May 7, 2016:

2 Purple Rain

3 When Doves Cry

4 Little Red Corvette

6 Let’s Go Crazy

My Favorite Prince Songs (based on my experience of sharing his music in clubs and with friends since I first heard of him in 1979):

  1. When Doves Cry 84
  2. 1999 82
  3. 7 93
  4. Raspberry Beret 85
  5. Little Red Corvette 83
  6. Gett Off 91
  7. Kiss 86
  8. Purple Rain 84
  9. 17 Days 84
  10. Cream 91
  11. Another Lonely Christmas 84
  12. Sign ‘O’ The Times 87
  13. Let’s Go Crazy 84
  14. Paisley Park 85
  15. I Wanna Be Your Lover 79
  16. Erotic City 84
  17. Alphabet St. 88
  18. Controversy 81
  19. I Would Die 4U 84
  20. Take Me With U f: Appolonia 85
  21. You Got the Look w/Sheena Easton 87
  22. Hot Thing 88
  23. The Most Beautiful Girl in the World 94
  24. Delirious 83
  25. Pop Life 85
  26. I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man 88
  27. Diamonds & Pearls 92
  28. Glam Slam 88
  29. Thieves of the Temple 90
  30. Mountains 86
  31. Let’s Work 81
  32. Housequake 87
  33. America 85
  34. Betcha By Golly Wow! 96
  35. If I was Your Girlfriend 87
  36. Partyman 89
  37. Let’s Pretend We’re Married 84
  38. She’s Always in My Hair 85
  39. Batdance 89
  40. Irresistible Bitch 84
  41. My Name is Prince 92
  42. Anotherloverholenyohead 86
  43. Sexy M.F. 92
  44. Insatiable 92
  45. Purple Medley 95

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