Prince is one of my all-time favorite musicians. I don’t think there is a single song of his that I don’t like. However, “When Doves Cry” is undoubtedly my favorite. It might not have been Prince’s most popular song, but I think the musical structure and lyrics were his best work.
Consequently, it is great to be able to discuss the meaning behind “When Doves Cry” by Prince and have the opportunity to delve a little deeper into both the song and the artist. So, let’s get to and begin by looking at this remarkable artist’s early life.
Prince’s Early Life and Career
Prince Rogers Nelson was born in June 1958. He was delivered playing guitar and singing, much to the surprise of his mother, midwife, and doctor. Subsequently, he barely put the guitar down for the rest of his life before his untimely death at the age of 57 due to an accidental fentanyl overdose. What a tragic waste of life and a waste of enormous talent.
Before he met his untimely death, he became one of the most famous, successful, respected, and recognizable performers on the planet. His talent was virtually unparalleled, and he was genuinely a musician who could do it all.
Prince was a naturally gifted multi-instrumentalist who could intuitively play just about anything you thrust into his hands. He used these skills to record all the instruments on many of his tracks and albums. This includes the song “When Dove’s Cry,” which I will be taking a much closer look at very shortly.
Prince started his recording career at just 20 years old…
This was with the release of “Soft and Wet” in 1978. To be precise, this debut single came out on the 7th of June 1978, which was his 20th birthday. I bet that was a party to remember.
The single was taken from his debut album, For You, which had been released exactly two months earlier. The single charted just inside the Billboard top 100, and the album just outside of it. Very little interest was shown in his music outside of the US.
He kept on releasing music regularly and began to develop a loyal following…
As a result, chart success and record sales slowly started to build. His first success came with his third single, released a year later, “I Wanna Be Your Love,” which charted at #11 on the US Billboard charts, #3 in New Zealand, and #42 in the UK. It also went gold in the US and New Zealand and silver in the UK.
Another breakthrough came in 1984 with the release of the now iconic Prince song, “1999”, which was the title track of the album of the same name. The single went to #12 in the US and #2 in the UK, but more significantly, received a much-increased level of international attention. Subsequently, it charted in the Top 10 in many countries.
The album went multi-platinum in the US and platinum in Canada as well as the UK. Chronologically speaking, this brings us close to the release of “When Doves Cry,” which I am now going to take a look at in more detail.
Chart Success
“When Doves Cry,” which was released in 1984, marked another big step in Prince’s incredible career. That is because it was Prince’s first song to reach #1 on any mainstream charts. He achieved this in the US, Canada, and Australia. Additionally, it charted well on just about every major chart in the world.
The song also had huge significance because it was released as the lead single from his hit album Purple Rain. A little surprising given that Prince had recorded a single also named “Purple Rain.” It proved to be the most successful Prince album. And it was that record, more than any other, that brought him global recognition and superstardom.
There were lots of reasons for this…
“Purple Rain” was his sixth studio album but was also used in the movie of the same name. Prince made his acting debut in the movie, and it allowed him to showcase his remarkable musical talent to a much wider audience.
Undoubtedly helped to propel his career to dizzying heights, but there is also no denying the sheer quality of his songs was the driving factor. The quality of the movie and its direction helped as well.
In a perfect storm of perfection…
Prince rode the waves and watched as he became one of only three artists, in the illustrious company of The Beatles and Elvis Presley, to have a #1 album, single, and movie at the same time. Additionally, his music won an Academy Award for Best Movie Score.
Plus, the album went 13 times platinum in the US, selling 13 million copies. It sold over 25 million copies worldwide, making it one of the most successful albums of all time. It was an epic performance by an epic artist.
We’ll get into the meaning of “When Doves Cry” by Prince shortly. But first, we need to look at the music of “When Doves Cry” and the accompanying video.
Recording and Video
This is where things get even more interesting. That’s because, incredibly, “When Doves Cry” was recorded in less time than it takes most people to lay down their vocals. Prince, such was the brilliance of the man, waltzed into the studio and laid down the entire song in just 16 hours. Now, that is some feat. But, there is more.
Just to make things even more difficult, he played all the instruments himself and did it with only a solitary recording engineer to help him. From handwritten lyrics and a few ideas to a musical masterpiece in a day. Staggering!
However, there is more, a lot more…
This wasn’t a standard recording. Prince laid down a complex multi-layered piece of music that was rich and full. There were very few artists at the time coming out with anything like this. The recording was on another level, and the quality of production and mixing was sublime.
What was also on another level was the lyrics. I will get on to those shortly. But first, I’ll say a few words about the video that accompanied the song, which was also truly incredible.
The video was sensational…
And it played to the ever-expanding audience on MTV. If ever there was a great time to release a brilliant video, it was 1984, and Prince was there to capitalize on it.
The opening scene began with the release of lots of white doves emerging from a pair of beautiful doors. We then see Prince in an ornamental bathtub, and the scenes consequently shift between the video scenes made for the single and scenes from the movie Purple Rain.
It was set up perfectly to promote everything Prince, and no doubt his promoters loved it. I loved it, and of course, just about everyone else that watched it loved it too. Prince had arrived big time.
Lyrics and Meaning
Lyrically speaking, the meaning behind “When Doves Cry” by Prince very much mirrors the plot in the movie. The main theme of “When Doves Cry” is tied up with his love affair with his girlfriend, Apollonia. Sadly, this is in its final stages as their relationship is beginning to crumble around them.
Prince uses some complicated writing and uses a series of metaphors together with symbolism to express his emotions and the depth of his suffering and despair at their failing love for each other. The way he words things are genius and strongly evokes his feelings of defeat.
In the third verse…
Prince begins to question if the reason for the failed relationship might have something to do with him having taken on the negative attributes of his parents.
The song, though sad, does have a fundamental message of love, peace, and new beginnings. The dove has a strong spiritual significance and is, therefore, highly symbolic of all of these things. Consequently, we can assume that, ultimately, this is a song of hope.
Any way you look at it, this is truly a great song. I believe it is Prince’s best-ever song and a sign of his musical genius.
Interested in Learning About the Meaning of Other Hit Songs?
If so, check out our thoughts on The Meaning Behind “With or Without You” by U2, The Meaning Behind “Paint It Black” by The Rolling Stones, The Meaning Behind “Smooth Criminal” by Michael Jackson, the Meaning Behind “In The Air Tonight” by Phil Collins, and the Best Songs With Deep Meaning for more great song selections.
The Meaning Behind “When Doves Cry” by Prince – Final Thoughts
I have loved looking at this classic Prince song once more and listening to it again more than a few times. One thing that sticks in my mind is that it doesn’t feel old or dated. Now that, especially for an 80s piece of music, is the sign of a great song in my eyes.
I hope you have enjoyed looking deeper into the meaning behind “When Doves Cry.” I also hope you have enjoyed digging into Prince’s amazing life. Finally, if you have anything to add or any interesting stories about him or his songs, be sure to let me know in the comments below.
Until next time, happy listening.
