Track 12: Under the Cherry Moon
Prince and the Revolution, Parade
The cinematic follow-up to Purple Rain was called Under the Cherry Moon, and it was met with all the expected hype. MTV ran a premiere contest, and a lucky fan won a major preview event for her hometown (Sheridan, Wyoming!). With cameras trained on the MTV launch party, the whole world watched as Prince made his grand re-entrance. What they saw was an embarrassing slip, the awkward toppling of an artist who’d grown too comfortable in his towering heels. The patrician film was widely panned. USA Today warned its readers, “Don’t even turn up on the same continent where this is playing.” It had started innocently enough – with an emotional storyline that trailed naturally behind Purple Rain. A gigolo who sought sex and money (Prince’s character, Christopher Tracey) and a wealthy debutant who worshiped luxury found a better life in love.…show more content… It was the leadoff single, and it managed to get off the launch pad before the movie release halted his momentum. With its irrepressible groove mechanics, “Kiss” had no problem pushing its way to the top of the charts, lodging Prince his third #1 hit. Unlike his other, more ornate work, this song—and its supporting video—was stripped down to its sexy basics. The pursed arrangement showcased Prince’s rhythm guitar, while his girlish falsetto danced on top. The excellent video release was enticingly underdressed as well, and Prince bobbed and weaved around the stark set like a guitar lick in heels. Music and performance were back up front, and Prince’s magic shined again. Another return to basics helped to sustain the impact. It came in the form of a small-scale stage revue, and once again, Prince’s command of live performance secured his position of