Watch Prince sing Purple Rain (the song) before Purple Rain (the movie)

FEBRUARY 23, 2012

This video of Prince performing Purple Rain, reportedly in 1983 before the movie Purple Rain was released, is getting some attention on YouTube these days. (Thanks to original MTV veejay Alan Hunter posting it online.)

Is this really a pre-movie live performance at the First Avenue nightclub in Minneapolis? Either way, it's fun to watch (at least until Prince, who strongly polices his songs online, finds it and has it deleted.)

Posted by Steve Spears at 8:43:14 am on February 23, 2012 | Permalink | Comments

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Relive the '80s music, movies and culture with Tampa Bay Times entertainment news editor Steve Spears. A teen during the greatest decade ever, Steve is obsessed with everything from Duran Duran to Journey, John Hughes to John Cusack, and parachute pants to Reaganomics.

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