Raspberry Beret | Prince

"Raspberry Beret" is a song by Prince and The Revolution. It was the first US (and second UK) single from their 1985 album, Around the World in a Day. The sound of the song expanded upon previous Prince arrangements, incorporating stringed instruments (a recurring accompaniment over the years), Middle Eastern finger cymbals, and even a harmonica on the extended version. The song was also more in the pop vein than ever before, though the 12-inch single and video of the song feature a funky intro. Although the song was originally recorded in 1982, Prince drastically reworked it with The Revolution to give it more of an international sound. The string section was: Novi Novog on violin, Suzie Katayama, David Coleman and Prince on cello. Wendy & Lisa composed and conducted the strings on "Raspberry Beret" and provided backing vocals. The rest of the song was performed by Prince. The song tells of a teenage romance and first sexual experience with a girl who wears the titular hat. The video for the song was Prince's first since his short-lived "ban" on music videos, and was directed primarily by himself, with animation created by Colossal Pictures co-founder Drew Takahashi. The song quickly became a fan favorite, and a staple in nearly every Prince tour. The extended version was included on Ultimate in 2006. While the song hit number 1 in Cash Box and reached number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US, only behind "A View to a Kill" by Duran Duran, it only reached number 25 on the UK Singles Chart.