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Coffee Break

9:30 Coffee Break: More Purple

by Jill Riley and Brian Oake

April 26, 2016

Sign for Prince at Paisley Park
A fan-created sign on the fence at Paisley Park, April 23, 2016.
MPR photo/Luke Taylor

Two weeks ago, Sarah, a listener in Chicago, wrote to us to say that purple is her favorite color, and that there seem to be a lot of songs with shades of purple in the title. We proceeded with a Coffee Break where we asked you to send us your requests for songs with shades of purple in the title.

Little did we know at the time that the color purple would take on such elevated significance following the loss of music legend, Prince, on April 21. Not only have fans been mourning the star by wearing purple, but the Twin Cities transit authority is considering renaming one of its existing or future train lines the Purple Line, and the Minnesota legislature is currently reviewing a bill that would make purple the official state color of Minnesota.

When we asked you for our April 12 Coffee Break about what songs you'd like to hear that have shades of purple in the title, the response was massive. We couldn't get to all the great titles you suggested (here's what we played: "Purple Haze," Jimi Hendrix; "Voices Green and Purple," The Bees; "Purple Toupee," They Might Be Giants; "Lavender," Ken Nordine; "Purple Rain," Prince.)

So for today's 9:30 Coffee Break, let's continue the shades of purple theme, now with deeper meaning for all of us. What songs do you want to hear that have shades of purple in the title? Send us your requests.

Songs Played


Start Wearing Purple - Gogol Bordello
Purple Haze - Jimi Hendrix
Violet! - Jeremy Messersmith
Purple Rain - cover by Chastity Brown and PaviElle
I Heard It Through the Grapevine - Marvin Gaye
Hush - Deep Purple

Do you deserve a Coffee Break? We at The Current's Morning Show think you do, and we want to bring coffee and treats from Black Coffee and Waffle Bar to your workplace. Let us know why you'd like a Coffee Break – or request your own idea for a future topic.