Purple Rain: The Five Best Versions of the One of Music’s Best Songs [Video]

Last week, Kelly Clarkson was in Prince's hometown of Minneapolis, Minnesota and, appropriately, did a cover of "Purple Rain."  Well, that song, by Prince, is definitely in my all-time Top Ten list.  I absolutely love it and I get chills every single time I hear it.  So, Kelly's version inspired my to create a Top 5 list.  I mean, the song is thirty years old and has been covered by nearly everyone and I think I have heard just about every one.  So, here we go.  The Top Five Versions of "Purple Rain."

#5- Kelly Clarkson

Kelly earns a spot in the countdown because she inspired it.  And, let's be real for a second.  Kelly Clarkson has one of the best voices in the history of popular music.  She is a rare artist who really can sing anything.  As Paula Abdul used to say on American Idol, she "makes it her own."  And, Kelly's version of "Purple Rain" is reverent to the original but ambitious enough to alter some of the melody and tempo.  Paula was right.  Kelly really makes this her own.

#4- Jackson Taylor & The Sinners

What do you get when you cross one of the best country songs ever written with one of the best pop songs ever written?  This!  An unexpected and Southern-rocked infused mashup of George Jones' "He Stopped Loving Her Today" and Prince's "Purple Rain."  I know, I know.  On paper, that doesn't seem like a good idea.  But on stage, it's freaking awesome.  And the crowd at Billy Bob's Texas is loving it.

#3- Dami Im

Some of you are thinking, "Who is Dami Im?"  She was the absolutely vocal powerhouse on the the 2013 season of The X Factor Australia.  Prince's song is genetically-engineered and structured for a big voice and a big performance.  And I have a hunch that's why it's a staple on bombastic TV singing competitions.  But I love bombast and I love this. She slayed that song . . . purple lighting, plastic wings, and all.

#2- Stacy Francis

The U.S. version of The X Factor struggled from the onset.  But the show actually had a TON of talent on it.  And Stacy Francis was no exception.  And, when she grabbed the mic to perform "Purple Rain" in the super-silly "Judges' Homes" episode, she single-handedly righted the ship and reminded the audience that the show wasn't about real estate.  The show as about talent.  And she took "Purple Rain" to church and gave the song a gospel-tinged flavor the literally echoed through the canyons of Southern California.  This reduced a Pussy Cat Doll and special guest mentor Enrique Iglesias to tears.  It will absolutely give you chills.

#1- Prince

Well, of course.  The #1 version of "Purple Rain" has to be by the man who wrote and performed the song.  The master.  The artist (formerly known as).  The legend.  Growing up, I was a HUGE Prince fan.  Seriously.  I was the middle school kid who carted around cassette tapes of Prince's earlier work.  Seriously.  Can you imagine what my parents thought when BMG Music Club was sending me cassettes of Dirty Mind and Controversy?  LOL!  I had them.  And I loved him.  But it was the Purple Rain soundtrack that elevated Prince to icon status.  And, as good as that album is track for track, nothing resonates with power and the longevity of the title song.

It's hard to find video footage of Prince on YouTube, so you'll have to forgive the quality of this video.  But it's clear enough to prove why Prince's version of "Purple Rain" will always be the definitive one and why it's one of my absolute all-time favorite songs.

http://youtu.be/LYUvCStLYJI