Prince » Tracks » When Doves Cry

Prince – When Doves Cry (5:52)

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About This Track

“When Doves Cry” is a song by the American musician Prince, and the lead single from his 1984 album Purple Rain. Released on 9 June 1984, it was a worldwide hit and his first American number one single, topping charts for five weeks. According to Billboard magazine, it was the top-selling single of the year.

According to the Purple Rain DVD, Prince was asked by the director to write a song to match the theme of a particular segment of the film - one which involved intermingled parental difficulties and a love affair. The next morning, Prince had reportedly composed two songs, one of which was “When Doves Cry”.

The song was #1 in the US for five weeks, from 07/07/1984 - 08/04/1984. It kept the other big hit of that summer, Bruce Springsteen’s “Dancing in the Dark”, from reaching the top spot. “When Doves Cry” was voted as the best single of the year in The Village Voice Pazz & Jop critics’ poll. Billboard ranked it as the #1 single of 1984; however, on American Top 40 it was ranked as the number two song of the year as AT40 did not use Billboard’s rankings that year.

The B-side was the cult fan favourite “17 Days”, which was originally intended for the Apollonia 6 album. A 12-inch single issued in the UK included the album track, “17 Days”, and two tracks from Prince’s previous album, 1999, namely the title track and “D.M.S.R.”

Prince wrote and composed “When Doves Cry” after all the other tracks on Purple Rain were complete. In addition to vocals, he also played all instruments on the track. The song’s texture is remarkably stark. There is no bass line at all, which is very unusual for a dance song; Prince has said that there originally was a bass line, but decided that the song was too conventional with it intact.
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Albums featuring this track

  • The Very Best of Prince
    Prince Play
    Buy
  • Ultimate
    Prince Play
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  • When Doves Cry
    Prince
    Buy
  • 1983: New Orleans, LA, USA
    Prince & The Revolution Play
    Buy
See all 23 albums

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  • kemp678

    :o) :o) this song is yummy :o) :o)

    Wednesday evening

  • MariaChikatilo

    maybe you just like my mother................ aatoron ssamusica porran

    11 days ago

  • jasminder82

    If you don't like this song, you probably also hate puppies and kittens. Fact.

    20 days ago

  • AthenaRose2000

    Used to have a record of this song.I would play it over and over..Loved it still do..Best Of Prince...

    27 days ago

  • FoolmeThrice

    straight class

    last month

  • mannequinchaos

    V LOL

    March 2012

  • RhythmNgrunge

    Fat chicks need lovin', oooooooohhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!

    March 2012

  • changelingette

    What a good song this is, dang.

    March 2012

  • Sir_LePaul

    Love this song

    March 2012

  • emperorliu

    So classic it hurts.

    March 2012

  • marsjanka115

    i could listen to this on repeat for all of eternity [2]

    February 2012

  • A12STEPPA

    N0 One like him...he is a master

    February 2012

  • AlohaLauren

    i could listen to this on repeat for all of eternity

    February 2012

  • M4R1LIA

    by "Prince and the Revolution" love you purple Prince peace & b wild

    February 2012

  • funkquanaut1

    Really though how many of you can relate to what His Royal Badness is sayin? I bumped this flyte so loud , i had my mama screamin! Timeless! -- Funkquanaut1

    January 2012

  • Dealerka

    Ojj świetne, świetne..przesiąknięte latami 80

    January 2012

  • NekasJams

    Sexy song!!

    January 2012

  • OCD4CDz

    one of my personal all time favorites a simple and great rock song.

    January 2012

  • othersider95

    Cool song

    January 2012

  • SpiralOfWhite

    12 secs of him growling into the mic with the ball drop sounds... I am done... bleh you ruined batman and I have no idea why people like you.

    December 2011
See all 251 shouts

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