1985 Career-Shifting Hit With a Colorful Video Returned to the Charts 30 Years Later
41 years ago today, on May 15, 1985, Prince and the Revolution released their psychedelic dance hit, "Raspberry Beret." The song marked a significant departure from the musical style the icon had embraced on the sweeping ballad "Purple Rain," released the year prior, signaling a creative evolution in both sound and artistic direction.
Written solely by Prince and appearing on his seventh studio album, Around the World in a Day, "Raspberry Beret" finds the singer swooning over a girl he met while working, leisurely, his part-time job at a five-and-dime. His fictional love interest confidently dons a raspberry-colored beret atop her head, while Prince admits his infatuation with the woman.
Sonically, "Raspberry Beret" features a Middle Eastern string arrangement that calls to mind the mid to late ‘60s era of The Beatles. Adding another layer of artistry to the song is the colorful music video, which features Prince sporting a flamboyant suit with a ruffled undershirt and surrounded by florals, graphic images, his backup band, and a cast of energetic dancers.
Offering dreamy, surreal vibes, the Drew Takahashi-animated and Prince-choreographed clip showcases Prince and the Revolution delivering a live performance of their hit while on risers beneath a sky of floating puffy clouds. Before singing the lyrics of the song, Prince intentionally lets out a cough and then settles into his performance, entertaining the crowd below.
Interestingly, two celebrities make a cameo in the clip - Cheers'Jackie Swanson and Pat Smear, a member of Nirvana and the Foo Fighters. Of the latter, Smear initially thought he wouldn't make the cut following his audition.
"Since I have two left feet and can't dance, I assumed I wasn't going to be picked for the video," he said in a 2019 interview, according to Ultimate Classic Rock.com. "As I was walking out, one of Prince's people stopped me and told me that Prince liked my look and wanted me to sit next to the drum set."
The video for "Raspberry Beret" went on to win an MTV Video Music Award for Best Choreography in a Video and an American Video Award for Best Urban Contemporary Video & Best Performance by a Duo or Group.
The song, meanwhile, peaked at No. 2 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart. Following Prince's 2016 death, the track re-entered the same chart, reaching No. 33 on May 14.
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This story was originally published May 14, 2026 at 9:14 PM.