Warner Bros.We’ve finally got a release date for that massive Purple Rain reissue package we’ve been promised since last year.
Warner Bros. and Prince‘s own NPG records revealed Friday that the late music legend’s album masterpiece will be re-released June 23, with pre-orders beginning today. By the way, June 23 is just two days shy of June 25, 1984 album release date.
A lot’s been written already about the reissue. There are two packages: Purple Rain Deluxe includes two CDs — the original album, and a second CD of ” From the Vault & Previously Unreleased” tracks. Just as exciting — the original album is a long-promised remaster, which Prince himself oversaw and that was completed at Paisley Park in 2015.
The second package, dubbed Purple Rain Deluxe — Expanded Edition, includes the two Purple Rain Deluxe CDs, plus a third CD of single edits and B-sides. There’s also a DVD of Prince & The Revolution on his Purple Rain tour, performing at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse, NY, on March 30, 1985.
If you pre-order either of the packages now, you’ll instantly receive the previously unreleased Prince track “Electric Intercourse,” a studio version he recorded in 1983 of a song he only ever performed live.
Both Purple Rain packages will be available from the usual online outlets but as of Friday morning, that pre-order availability was limited. Hopefully that’ll be resolved soon.
Friday, April 21 marked one year since Prince’s death at age 57. Billboard reports that according to Nielsen Music, Prince’s catalog, counting both albums and songs, sold 7.7 million copies in the U.S. since then, with “Purple Rain” the best-selling song, and Purple Rain the second-best-selling album, after The Very Best of Prince.
Here are the reissue track lists:
Purple Rain Deluxe
Disc One: Original Album (2015 Paisley Park Remaster)
1. “Let’s Go Crazy”
2. “Take Me with U”
3. “The Beautiful Ones”
4. “Computer Blue”
5. “Darling Nikki”
6. “When Doves Cry”
7. “I Would Die 4 U”
8. “Baby I’m a Star”
9. “Purple Rain”
Disc Two: From the Vault & Previously Unreleased
1. “The Dance Electric”
2. “Love and Sex”
3. “Computer Blue” (“Hallway Speech” version)
4. “Electric Intercourse” (studio)
5. “Our Destiny/Roadhouse Garden”
6. “Possessed” (1983 version)
7. “Wonderful A**”
8. “Velvet Kitty Cat”
9. “Katrina’s Paper Dolls”
10. “We Can F***”
11. “Father’s Song”
Purple Rain Deluxe — Expanded Edition
Includes Purple Rain Deluxe Disc One and Disc Two, plus…
Disc Three: Single Edits & B-Sides
1. “When Doves Cry” (edit)
2. “17 Days”
3. “Let’s Go Crazy” (edit)
4. “Let’s Go Crazy” (Special Dance Mix)
5. “Erotic City”
6. “Erotic City” (“Make Love Not War Erotic City Come Alive”)
7. “Purple Rain” (edit)
8. “God”
9. “God” (Love Theme from Purple Rain)
10. “Another Lonely Christmas”
11. “Another Lonely Christmas” (extended version)
12. “I Would Die 4 U” (edit)
13. “I Would Die 4 U” (extended version)
14. “Baby I’m A Star” (edit)
15. “Take Me With U” (edit)
DVD: Prince and The Revolution, Live at the Carrier Dome, Syracuse, NY, March 30, 1985
1. “Let’s Go Crazy”
2. “Delirious”
3. “1999”
4. “Little Red Corvette”
5. “Take Me with U”
6. “Do Me, Baby”
7. “Irresistible B****”
8. “Possessed”
9. “How Come U Don’t Call Me Anymore?”
10. “Let’s Pretend We’re Married”
11. “International Lover”
12. “God”
13. “Computer Blue”
14. “Darling Nikki”
15. “The Beautiful Ones”
16. “When Doves Cry”
17. “I Would Die 4 U”
18. “Baby I’m a Star”
19. “Purple Rain”
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