The behind-the-scenes account of Prince's debut of his chart-topping hit single: A pink Mercury, not a red Corvette, was the automotive muse for the musical genius.
Prince Rogers Nelson, the Minneapolis-born musical prodigy, began his career at a young age, writing his first song at the tender age of 7 and mastering the guitar and drums by the time he was 14. This early talent would eventually lead to the creation of one of his most iconic songs, "Little Red Corvette".
Born to a jazz singer mother and a pianist and songwriter father, Prince's musical roots ran deep. He signed with Warner Bros. Records in 1977, securing creative control and retention of publishing rights for three albums. This freedom allowed him to create music that was truly his own.
The inspiration for "Little Red Corvette" came to Prince in a pink-and-white 1964 Mercury Montclair car, which belonged to Lisa Coleman, keyboardist with Prince's band The Revolution. After an all-night recording session in the spring of 1982, Prince dozed off in the Montclair. It was during this nap that the first lines of the song took shape in his mind.
The song's rhythm was created on a Linn LM-1, a groundbreaking drum machine at the time, and is melded with rock guitars and a big 4/4 rock chorus. The recording involved Prince on vocals and virtually all instruments, Lisa Coleman on vocals, and Dez Dickerson on vocals and guitar solos.
"Little Red Corvette" was released as a single on 9 February 1983 and quickly became a career high point for Prince. It reached No.6 in the US, No.7 in the UK, No.8 in Australia, and No.11 in Canada. The song's success marked a significant moment in Prince's career, as it was his first single to break into the US top 10 and cross over to the mainstream.
The song's lyrics, which use a car as a metaphor for a casual sexual encounter, made it one of the most sexually explicit songs ever to appear in the mainstream pop charts. Despite its explicit nature, or perhaps because of it, "Little Red Corvette" remains a favourite among fans and critics alike.
After Prince's death in 2016, "Little Red Corvette" re-entered the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at No.20. This resurgence in popularity serves as a testament to the enduring power of the song and the legacy of Prince himself.
In an interview with Mark Savage of BBC News in November 2019, Lisa Coleman explained the origins of the song's lyrics. She recalled how Prince would often write songs in the car, and how the lines for "Little Red Corvette" came to him as he slept in the back seat.
"Little Red Corvette" remains a groundbreaking song in Prince's discography, a peerless slice of funk-pop that still has the power to enthral more than 40 years on. Its creation is a testament to Prince's prodigious talent and his ability to create music that resonates with audiences around the world.
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