When Doves Cry

Prince

About When Doves Cry

"When Doves Cry" is a song by American singer Prince, and the lead single from his 1984 album Purple Rain. According to the Purple Rain DVD, Prince was asked by the director to write a song to match the theme of a particular segment of the film – one that involved intermingled parental difficulties and a love affair. The next morning, Prince had composed two songs, one of which was "When Doves Cry". According to Per Nilsen, Prince's biographer, the song was inspired by his relationship with Vanity 6 member Susan Moonsie. "When Doves Cry" was Prince's first Billboard Hot 100 number one single, staying there for five weeks, and was also a worldwide hit. According to Billboard, it was the top-selling single of 1984. It is certified 3x Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). It was the last single released by a solo artist to receive a Platinum certification before the certification requirements were lowered in 1989. "When Doves Cry" was ranked number one on the Billboard Year-End Hot 100 singles of 1984."When Doves Cry" is regarded as one of Prince's signature songs. Following Prince's death, the song re-charted on the Billboard Hot 100 chart at number eight, its first appearance in the top 10 since the week ending September 1, 1984. 


66 
#1

 Become A Better Singer In Only 30 Days, With Easy Video Lessons!

Dig if you will the picture
Of you and I engaged in a kiss
The sweat of your body covers me
Can you my darling
Can you picture this?

Dream if you can a courtyard
An ocean of violets in bloom
Animals strike curious poses
They feel the heat
The heat between me and you

How can you just leave me standing?
Alone in a world that's so cold? (So cold)
Maybe I'm just too demanding
Maybe I'm just like my father too bold
Maybe you're just like my mother
She's never satisfied (She's never satisfied)
Why do we scream at each other
This is what it sounds like 
When doves cry

Touch if you will my stomach
Feel how it trembles inside
You've got the butterflies all tied up
Don't make me chase you
Even doves have pride

How can you just leave me standing?
Alone in a world so cold? (World so cold)
Maybe I'm just too demanding
Maybe I'm just like my father too bold
Maybe you're just like my mother
She's never satisfied (She's never satisfied)
Why do we scream at each other
This is what it sounds like 
When doves cry

How can you just leave me standing?
Alone in a world that's so cold? (A world that's so cold)
Maybe I'm just too demanding (Maybe, maybe I'm like my father)
Maybe I'm just like my father too bold (Ya know he's too bold)
Maybe you're just like my mother (Maybe you're just like my mother)
She's never satisfied (She's never, never satisfied)
Why do we scream at each other (Why do we scream, why)
This is what it sounds like 

When doves cry
When doves cry (Doves cry, doves cry)
When doves cry (Doves cry, doves cry)

Don't cry (Don't Cry)

When doves cry 
When doves cry 
When doves cry 

When doves cry (Doves cry, doves cry, doves cry
Don't cry
Darling don't cry 
Don't cry
Don't cry
Don't don't cry

 The easy, fast & fun way to learn how to sing: 30DaySinger.com


Prince

Prince Rogers Nelson (born June 7, 1958 - found dead in his home April 21, 2016. He died of an accidental overdose of the drug fentanyl), was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. Known by his mononym Prince, he was an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and actor. He produced ten platinum albums and thirty Top 40 singles during his career. He wrote several hundred songs plus produced and recorded his own music for his own music label. Prince had a wide vocal range and was known for his flamboyant stage presence and costumes. His releases sold over 100 million copies worldwide. He won seven Grammy Awards, a Golden Globe, and an Academy Award. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004, the first year he was eligible. Ro… more »

24 fans

Written by: Prince Rogers Nelson

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


15 facts about this song

Release Date
"When Doves Cry" was released by Warner Bros. Records on May 16, 1984.
Chart Performance
This song was a commercial success, reaching number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 and topping the charts in many other countries.
Album Belonging
"When Doves Cry" is from the album "Purple Rain," which is also the soundtrack album to the 1984 film of the same name.
Song Position
It is the lead single from Prince's 1984 album "Purple Rain."
Music Video
A music video was made for the song, directed by Prince himself, showing him performing the song with his band The Revolution, intercut with scenes from the film "Purple Rain."
Duration
The album version of the song has a length of 5 minutes and 52 seconds, while the single version is 3 minutes and 48 seconds long.
Lyrical Themes
The lyrics of "When Doves Cry" explore a troubled love story, and it’s packed full of emotional intensity.
Instrumental Uniqueness
This is a very notable song as it contains no bass line, which is very unusual for a dance song.
Grammy Award
Despite not winning, "When Doves Cry" was nominated for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance at the 27th Annual Grammy Awards.
Cover Versions
The song has been covered by many artists, such as Patti Smith, Razorlight, Damian Rice, Ginuwine, and Quindon Tarver.
Platinum Status
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) certified "When Doves Cry" as a platinum single, for selling over two million copies.
Place in Music History
"When Doves Cry" is considered one of Prince's signature songs, and it remains one of his most popular tracks. Rolling Stone magazine ranked it as #52 in their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
Lyrics
Prince wrote the entire song himself, encompassing the music, lyrics, and arrangement.
Music Innovations
The unconventional composition and arrangement of the song, especially the absence of a bass line, is often seen as evidence of Prince's eagerness to experiment and push boundaries in his music.
Soundtrack Success
As a part of the "Purple Rain" soundtrack, "When Doves Cry" helped the album to stay at number one on the Billboard 200 for 24 weeks.

Discuss the When Doves Cry Lyrics with the community:

0 Comments

    Citation

    Use the citation below to add these lyrics to your bibliography:

    Style:MLAChicagoAPA

    "When Doves Cry Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 18 Apr. 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/22147242/Prince/When+Doves+Cry>.

    Missing lyrics by Prince?

    Know any other songs by Prince? Don't keep it to yourself!

    Watch the song video

    When Doves Cry

    58.9M
    480.7K     19,052

    Top Hot 100 Songs 1984

    Billboard #1


    Browse Lyrics.com

    Quiz

    Are you a music master?

    »
    Who wrote the most songs in the band Supertramp?
    A John Helliwell
    B Roger Hodgson & Rick Davies
    C Rick Davies
    D Roger Hodgson

    Free, no signup required:

    Add to Chrome

    Get instant explanation for any lyrics that hits you anywhere on the web!

    Free, no signup required:

    Add to Firefox

    Get instant explanation for any acronym or abbreviation that hits you anywhere on the web!

    Prince tracks

    On Radio Right Now

    Loading...

    Powered by OnRad.io


    Think you know music? Test your MusicIQ here!

    Movies soundtrack

    When Doves Cry

    »