Another one of America’s musical legends died this week. The death of Prince Roger Nelson seem to have taken the world by surprise. If you look over social media, you see so many different responses from sadness to anger. People are slipping into depression. Some are “demanding” answers as to how he died. While others are simply flooding the airwaves with his music. Whatever you need to do to cope with the death of this maestro, is completely fine and warranted.
Although I wasn’t a huge fan, I did enjoy his music. One of my favorite songs was “Purple Rain”. If I can be honest, I think it was the significant things that happened around the time the song came out. When the movie Purple Rain was released, my mom allowed me to go with my friends. This was the first time I had been able to go to the movies “alone”. Yeah, my brother was in the theater but he didn’t sit with us. So to me it was 
part of my history in the making!!!
Okay, sorry I digress. I was also excited about going to the movie hoping it would shine some light about what the song was really about because honestly I was confused. Okay, don’t act like I’m by myself on this one. Until that movie came out we all was trying to figure out – what in the world is Prince talking about?
The movie gave us all the impression that it was about his sexuality and the way he dealt with the controversies in his life. It also gave us the impression the song was about the love he had for some girl. Some even say he was releasing the woman he loved to live her life anyway she wanted and that he would always love her. Well, whatever you decide the song means to you is probably true. But I want to look at some things with you because I feel he was telling us all to find the “Purple Rain” in your life.
Let’s look at some of the words of the song…
I never meant to cause you any sorrow I never meant to cause you any pain I only wanted to one time to see you laughing I only wanted to see you laughing in the purple rain
Purple rain, Purple rain, Purple rain, Purple rain, Purple rain, Purple rain I only wanted to see you bathing in the purple rain
Honey, I know, I know I know times are changing It’s time we all reach out for something new, that means you too
Purple rain, Purple rain, I only want to see you in the purple rain
With all the hurt in the world. With all the controversies. This week a young girl lost her life because a group of her peers jumped her. History is being made with Harriet Tubman being added to the face of the $20 bill yet racism is at its all-time high. People are becoming bold with their disregard for God and sanctification. So what is this “purple rain”? I believe Prince was being very strategic with not only this song but with most of the songs he wrote. He was giving us a glimpse of what he saw to be the true demise of the world. It would be destroyed by the lack of willingness we have to love unconditionally.
In the first verse here says “it wasn’t meant to cause sorrow or pain”. Love should be the catalyst for bringing this world together but instead it is the love man has for his own desires that is tearing it further and further apart. Next, it says “times are changing and it’s time to reach for something new”. People don’t want to see change. They are stuck in the past and wanting things to remain the same. When he talks about “purple rain”, he is specific. He says he want to see the person “bathing” in purple rain. He wants to see the person “in” the purple rain. I believe the purple rain Prince was talking about was peace. A place of comfort. A place of refuge. A place where you are happy. And he didn’t want it to be a place you could go in and come out unchanged. When you are bathed in something you come out smelling like it. When you are in something, it becomes a part of you.
What is your “Purple Rain”? What is your place of solitude? How can you use this time to spread love instead of sorrow and pain? Will you be the change the world needs? Will you let the world see you “walking in the purple rain”??
Until Next Time
