If you ever REALLY wanted to know what it sounds like “When Doves Cry,” but your curiosity has been immersed for 35 years in Prince’s percussion dominated, guitar intense rock/funk artistry, veteran pianist/keyboardist Starr Parodi and former Temptations singer Louis Price have fashioned a glorious answer.
Blending their talents beautifully and seamlessly, the two strip away the sonic edges for a lush piano/vocal duet that allows them space to excavate the deeper emotional intensity of the lyrics and the lilting lyricism of the song’s infectious melody in compelling and unexpected ways. The flow features high-low dynamics that take us on a journey Prince’s classic version never fathomed, with Price tempering his gospel/soul intensity with moments of pin-drop intimacy, and Parodi easing from elegant and mystical accompanist into a solo section whose ever-building passion underscores and emphasizes the song’s intrinsic heartbreak. Starr and Louis have a unique history that extends back to when she was a teenager.
There was a special moment when they were onstage together and performed the song spontaneously. Many years later, on the 35th anniversary of Purple Rain and a few years after Prince’s passing, they decided to pay homage with an inspired re-imagining that will no doubt greatly expand your perception of the song and its meaning. The track was co-produced by Starr and her husband, TV and film composer Jeff Eden Fair, and mastered in the UK by Tim Young, whose previous work includes Massive Attack and The Killers.
Listen to the track here: