“Diamonds and Pearls” by Prince – CULTURE CLASSICS
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“Diamonds and Pearls” by Prince and The New Power Generation is the 1991 classic that helped bring Prince back on the musical map. The song is the title track from Prince and the NPG’s album and is an upbeat ballad, with Prince’s usual rock edge to it. “Diamonds and Pearls” also features the vocals of NPG member Rosie Gaines who, with her powerhouse vocals, delivers a show stopping bridge.
The song and album were considered a comeback for Prince. A comeback because it was is first “proper album” in years as his previous two works were conceptual soundtracks for Batman and Graffiti Bridge. While they both had hits, people were waiting intently for a full fledged Prince project which he finally delivered with Diamonds and Pearls. The lead single is an expression of love not lust, as served as the predominant theme for the album.
The song was a top 10 hit, reaching number 3 on Billboard in the US and number 1 on the R&B chart. The single went platinum and helped the album to sell over 5.5 million copies worldwide. Like virtually every other song in Prince’s amazing catalogue, it was written, arranged and produced by the man himself. And for being a gorgeous, glittering expression of pure love, “Diamonds and Peals” by Prince is a certified #CultureClassic.
#FunFact
Within the song there are recurring spikes of sound that sound like an electric guitar. They go by quickly and are easy to miss if you’re not listening for them. But it turns out, they’re not guitars at all. It’s actually bits of synthesized sound emanating from the Purpleaxxe, a portable synth (think a keytar) that Prince invented and actually patented. Prince, a true renaissance man.
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We hope you enjoyed our article on “Diamonds and Pearls” by Prince. Check out more of our soulful #CultureClassics:
Written by @TalentedMrFord
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