'When Doves Cry'' by Prince Limited Edition Prints of Original Painting

‘When Doves Cry’ was Prince's first Billboard Hot 100 number one single, staying there for five weeks, and was also a worldwide hit. Prince wrote and composed the song after all the other tracks were complete on Purple Rain. In addition to providing vocals, he played all instruments on the track. The song's texture is remarkably stark. There is no bass line, which is very unusual for an '80s dance song. The music video, directed by Prince himself, was premiered on MTV in June 1984. It opens with white doves emerging from double doors to reveal Prince in a bathtub. The video sparked controversy among network executives, who thought that its sexual nature was too explicit for television.