Darling Nikki
"Darling Nikki" is a song produced, arranged, composed, and performed by American musician Prince, originally released on his sixth studio album Purple Rain (1984). Though the song was not released as a single, it gained wide notoriety after Tipper Gore pointed out its sexual lyrics—in particular an explicit reference to female masturbation—and was responsible for the creation of the infamous Parental Advisory sticker. The song tells the story of a "sex fiend" named Nikki who seduces the singer.
| "Darling Nikki" | |
|---|---|
| Song by Prince | |
| from the album Purple Rain | |
| Released | June 25, 1984 |
| Recorded | Mid-late July 1983 |
| Studio | Kiowa Trail Home Studio (Chanhassen, Minnesota) |
| Genre | Hard rock |
| Length | 4:14 |
| Label | Warner Bros. |
| Songwriter(s) | Prince |
| Producer(s) | Prince |
In the film Purple Rain, for which the album serves as the soundtrack, the song is directed toward Apollonia Kotero's character when she decides to work with Prince's character's rival (played by Morris Day). Compared with the slick production of the other songs on the album, "Darling Nikki" was deliberately engineered to have a raw and live feel. Near the end of the song, the music stops into the sound of rain and wind. There is singing, but it is played in reverse. Played forward, the vocals are Prince singing:
Hello, how are you?
Fine, fine, 'cause I know that the Lord is coming soon
Coming, coming soon.
During the Purple Rain Tour performances of "Darling Nikki", the recording at the end was played forward. This can be heard in the 1985 live video Prince and the Revolution: Live.