Nothing Compares 2 U

Prince at Madame Tussauds 

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter
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2016 has already been dubbed the year of the celebrity death.  We've lots a lot of greats in already including David Bowie, Alan Rickman and Patty Duke.  But on April 21 in the span of 12 hours we learned of the passing of former WWE star Chyna and megastar Prince.  You can see my thoughts on Chyna in the video below.  

Purple Rain

Like the rest of the world, I was stunned to hear about Prince's death.  I didn't even realize he had been sick with the flu.  The outpouring of memories online has brought back a flood of childhood memories.  I was nine when 1999 was released.  I enjoyed the music on that album, but Purple Rain was the most memorable.  I was in junior high by then and can remember school dances including Let's Go Crazy getting everyone pumped up and Purple Rain slowing things down (this is when I exited the dance floor).  Of course this was all in the MTV era and music video kept us entertained for hours at a time.

Raspberry Beret

A year later Around the World in a Day was released.  My favorite tune by Prince is on that album, Raspberry Beret.  I can't give a reason why, it's just so upbeat and fun and reminds me of good times.  He performed the music for the original Batman film in 1989 and kept things going into my college years with Diamonds and Pearls and .

I had forgotten he wrote many great hits for other performers, including Nothing Compares 2 U for Sinead O'Connor and Manic Monday for The Bangles.  I know we're not supposed to put celebrities on a pedestal, but it's hard not to be sad when people we grew up watching and listening to are gone.

Today we all really know what it sounds like when doves cry.  Rest in peace Prince.