Raspberry Beret

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was a 1985 single by Prince and the Revolution from the "Around The World In A Day" album. It has an arrangement fusing orchestrated late 60s psych-pop with funk: many consider this to be one of the key records of the time, leading directly to other integrations of non-rock 60s influences or even quasi-baroque arrangements into subsequent black pop (not afraid of that term: view it as Marcello does), while others dismiss it.

How do you assess this song, especially (but certainly not only) in relation to Prince's other work?

― Robin Carmody, Friday, 4 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago) link

It's all about the finger-chimes.

― Tracer Hand, Friday, 4 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago) link

"Raspberry Beret" is one of my favorite Prince songss of all time, but there were slight hints that this direction was soon coming -- one of which was off "Purple Rain", namely "Take Me With U", probably his most underrated song ever, especially for contributions from Wendy and Lisa. The string melody, the "ooh ooh"'s in the lyrics, and the chord progressions following closely of those late 60s psych- pop tracks. Either way, "Purple Rain" was certainly a more fluid transition into "Around The World In A Day" than people give it credit for.

"Pop Life" is certainly the weirder pole on that record.

― Brian MacDonald, Friday, 4 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago) link

even Dump can sound likeable while covering it so it must be a classic.

― keith, Friday, 4 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago) link

I think it's near the top of Prince's work, if not the very top, which is saying a grate deal.

― Andy K., Friday, 4 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago) link

I even like the Hindu Love Gods version (Warren Zevon w/ REM). You just can't ruin that song. It's too good.

― Mark, Friday, 4 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago) link

I remember vividly that it came out at around the same time as Phil Collins's "Sussudio"; each song can be sung to the other's backing track, I noticed rather quickly, and was thereafter never able to hear either without thinking of the other. Pity.

― Douglas, Saturday, 5 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago) link

Thanks for *sharing* that, Douglas, now we all have to suffer. Bastard.

A fucking great song, but Brian is right about "Pop Life" (which was actually the song my local radio station jumped all over first! along with "Paisley Park," which I lurv).

― Ned Raggett, Saturday, 5 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago) link

This thread frightens me because I am listening to this song right now and I usually never listen to Prince.

― Honda, Saturday, 5 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago) link

Always thought "Around the World . . ." was a bit lightweight, and more or less a dress rehearsal for "Parade." "Pop Life" definitely the key song, indebted to Heaven 17's "Let Me Go" though it may be.

"Condition Of The Heart" is however a masterpiece.

― Marcello Carlin, Saturday, 5 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago) link

The twinged flutes at the the beginning of the record and the subsequent titletrack are amongst the best openings I've ever heard.

I kind of agree with 'Raspberry Beret' being key, if not for the fact that he was sorta milking it a bit himself (note The Bangles' great "Manic Monday" which he wrote and produced), then for the reason that by that time he was already quite influential because of 'Purple Rain''s succes and the acclaim he was getting for his liveshows.

"Condition Of The Heart" is however a masterpiece
Total agreement on that one.

However, my favourite track off 'Around The World In A Day' is 'America'. Why did he start/stop the tape at the beginning? What is he muttering to his teacher at the rather ominous ending of the song?! The mind of a 9-year old boggles...

― Alacran, Saturday, 5 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago) link

Prince polarity - GRATE prefab pop throwaways ("RB", "Kiss", "When U Were Mine", "I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man"), AND fantastic ultra-weird loony-bin ranting ("Annie Christian", "Temptation", "Lady Cab Driver"), but fails when he tries to do something ordinary, like his last 30 or so albums

― dave q, Saturday, 5 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago) link

Alacran: try the 12" version of "America," where it goes on for 20 more or less glorious minutes.

― Douglas, Saturday, 5 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago) link

Prince is very short.

― Gage-o, Saturday, 5 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago) link

PRiNCe rox0r.

― |\|0|2|\/|/-\|\| |*|-|/-\'/, Saturday, 5 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago) link

Bigger fan of Pop Life, although it used to be different. Prince never fails to move yer ass.

― helenfordsdale, Sunday, 6 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago) link

For some reason (OK, it's the colour thing), I always confuse this song with 'Little Red Corvette', which I prefer, if only because of the way he sings "She's the kinda person who believes in making out once / Love 'em and leave 'em fast".

Around The World In A Day was supposed to be Prince's Sgt Pepper, wasn't it? He didn't want any singles released from it cause it was some kind of perfect art-pop symphony.

― N., Sunday, 6 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago) link

God how I love that song. The arrangement is really, really beautiful.

― Sean, Monday, 7 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago) link

It is definitely one of many Prince numbers Marc Bolan wrote for him beyond the grave. ;-)

― Ned Raggett, Monday, 7 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago) link

Raspbery Beret is a great song from a pretty great album. The other cool thing about Prince's releases at that time was the great remixes and b-sides that came from the period including "Hello", "She's always in my hair".

― Victor, Tuesday, 8 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago) link

four months pass...

prince is short and queer

― mick parkins, Friday, 31 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

"Paisley Park" is the psychadelic masterpiece off the album. If it wasn't for the violin part in the chorus, Raspberry Berret would be pretty forgetable.

― phil, Friday, 31 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

This, more than almost any other song ever, is beyond my ability to assess with any objectivity. Back in the late '80s on only my second visit to New York a very sexy dancer insisted on giving me a private show of her new routine - to this song. If anyone can come up with anything resembling objectivity after an experience like that, they're a stronger-minded person than I am.

― Martin Skidmore, Friday, 31 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

Who is working up the Sussudio/RaspBeret bootleg and what would it be called??

― Tracer Hand, Friday, 31 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

(sorry Martin I didn't see your response. it clearly owns this thread.)

― Tracer Hand, Friday, 31 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

ten years pass...

so so so beautiful

― i also enjoy in line skateing (spazzmatazz), Friday, 24 May 2013 06:23 (eleven years ago) link

love this song so much. might love 'pop life' even more, though.

― (The Other) J.D. (J.D.), Friday, 24 May 2013 06:31 (eleven years ago) link

ned's right that it does sound vaguely like a t. rex song.

― (The Other) J.D. (J.D.), Friday, 24 May 2013 06:32 (eleven years ago) link

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