There’s a difference between true artists who can make you really feel something and others who simply create something. The late Neo-Soul R’n’B superstar Prince was one of those true artists, and his lasting body of work and legacy is a testament to this.
Another such artist is Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine, who performed Prince’s smash hit “Purple Rain” for Howard Stern’s birthday party celebration. The rendition is spine-tingling and proves that both men are true artists.
The live performance begins with Levine onstage with a backing band, in front of a purple backdrop –– only fitting for the Prince cover he’s about to perform. He begins singing the famous lyrics while also playing guitar at the same time. His vocals match the song perfectly and show off his talents greatly.
As the song continues, backup singers come in, adding a gospel feel to the performance reminiscent of Prince’s own stage shows. After this, the lead singer from the band Train, Patrick Monahan, appears onstage to sing the next verse. It’s a good match for Adam Levine, as the two men enjoy good chemistry and vocally complement each other.
With Monahan singing, Levine then focuses on the song’s iconic guitar solo. He shreds the chords, adding to the ’80s feel that the song already emodies, since it was created in 1984.
They end the performance with a bang onstage complete with high energy, while Howard Stern gets up at the side of the stage to give a standing ovation. Levine wishes him well, exclaiming: “Thank you guys, thank you very much Howard Stern. You’re amazing, happy birthday, good luck” as Stern blows Levine a big kiss before saying “Wow wow wow” into his own microphone. It’s an impressive performance of an iconic song, made even bigger by the circumstance where it was performed.
Prince wrote the song in 1984 as the title track to his album of the same name. It also won him an Oscar for the now defunct category of Best Original Song Score. The song is often included in lists of greatest rock songs of all time and is included in The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll.
While Prince performed at the Super Bowl XLI halftime show in 2007, the song was the last of his set. Rain actually started to fall as he was performing, while purple lights lit up the stage and stadium, marking the event with literal purple rain.
Prince was a one-of-a-kind person, the real definition of a true artist. We’re lucky that his musical legacy lives on, and that we have other incredible artists who continue that legacy by performing his work.
What did you think of Adam Levine’s “Purple Rain” cover? Let us know in the comments and be sure to pass on to any Prince or Maroon 5 fans you know.