It’s been five years since we lost the wondrous icon, Prince. His unique style and seemingly immortal talent left an indelible mark on the music world and his loss was a shock to peers and who considered him a musical oracle of sorts. One musician hit particularly hard by the loss was Bruce Springsteen.

Following Prince’s passing in 2016, Springsteen told Rolling Stone: “It was a terrible shame. It was a great loss and a tragedy. I felt a great kinship with Prince. And he was a guy, when I’d go to see him, I’d say, ‘Oh, man, OK, back to the drawing board.’ There was a film of him on the Arsenio Hall show, where he plays a series of songs in a row. It’s just some of the greatest showmanship I’ve ever seen. And he knew everything. He knew all about it, and then could put it to work.”

Springsteen took the opportunity to pay tribute to Prince at a live show in Brooklyn, delivering a moving rendition of the 1984 No. 1 “Purple Rain” on a stage bathed in purple light and the E Street band members wearing purple. It’s an anthemic track, so intrinsically linked to its creator that few are brave to even attempt it, but Springsteen’s take on the track feels more like the loss of a kindred spirit rather than romantic loss, making it a very fitting homage to its creator. Watch below.

Bruce Springsteen | “Purple Rain” 

Let’s remember the original in all its glory with this epic performance by Prince & the Revolution live at New York’s Carrier Dome in 1985. 

Prince & The Revolution | “Purple Rain” [Live 1985] [Official Video]

GET PRINCE ALBUMS ON VINYL, HERE. 

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