Purple Rain

The original live recording of Purple Rain

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After Prince died in 2016, a bunch of Prince videos suddenly flooded onto YouTube. These included both the legit, MTV videos, which Prince wasn’t allowing on YouTube before, as well as crazy bootleg recordings of various Prince concerts.

Among these, you can now find the original live recording of Purple Rain.

​​It turns out the album version, the same one that’s in the movie, was really recorded live in 1983 at a benefit concert in Minneapolis. I find this pretty incredible — but it’s a testament to how tight of a band Prince ran and how crazy talented they all were.

I think there are a bunch of persuasion and influence lessons that could be squeezed out of this whole story and the live performance that Prince and the Revolution put on. ​​But for today, I want to give the persuasion stuff a bit of a break — something I called “persuasion bleach” in an earlier email.

Instead, I just want to share with you the original live recording of Purple Rain.

​​If you’re not a Prince fan, this probably won’t be meaningful to you and you will want to pass. ​But if you do like Prince or at least his particular song, then this original version is definitely worth a look and listen. ​​Here it is if you’re curious:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kE8gScJGfa4

Can you identify these 3 movies?

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Here’s a bit of a riddle for ya, or actually 3.

I read one time that the only way to get a movie made in Hollywood is by twisting an already existing idea or by mashing up two already successful movies.

So can you identify which movies I have in mind with just these short descriptions:

1. “Dances with Wolves” on an alien planet
2. “Purple Rain” in Detroit
3. “The Lord of the Rings” with Spartans

(If you think you have the answers, write in and let me know. Include your address, and for each movie you’ve guessed right, I’ll send you a Kit Kat through the mail.)

You might think that this movie-making approach just shows how Hollywood caters to the lowest common denominator.

And who knows, maybe you’re right.

As right as saying that direct response copywriting caters to the lowest common denominator. Or at least to the easiest path into the mind.

Because both Hollywood producers and direct response copywriters have figured out that this simple method — take two familiar themes, mash them together — is the easiest way to get a new idea into an old head.

So for example, I’ve noticed a ton of email subject lines recently that take the same format, particularly in the health space:

* Drano for your arteries
* A powerwash for your insides
* Armor for your breasts (the winner, in my opinion)

What’s the point of all this?

Well, the next time you have to describe something in copy, stop yourself and think. Do you really need a long, technical explanation? Or wouldn’t it be better to just say something like…

“It’s just like Home Alone. But starring cats and dogs.”

And remember, free Kit Kats. If you send me your answers and you guess the movies above correctly. ​