Raspberry Beret by Prince Lyrics Meaning – The Tinted Lens of Nostalgia and Youthful Exploration
Lyrics
One, two, three, uh
Yeah
I was working part time in a five-and-dime
My boss was Mr. McGee
He told me several times that he didn’t like my kind
‘Cause I was a bit too leisurely
Seems that I was busy doing something close to nothing
But different than the day before
That’s when I saw her, ooh, I saw her
She walked in through the out door, out door
She wore a
Raspberry beret
The kind you find in a second hand store
Raspberry beret
And if it was warm she wouldn’t wear much more
Raspberry beret
I think I love her
Built like she was
She had the nerve to ask me
If I planned to do her any harm
So, look here
I put her on the back of my bike
And-a we went riding
Down by old man Johnson’s farm
I said now, overcast days never turned me on
But something about the clouds and her mixed
She wasn’t too bright
But I could tell when she kissed me
She knew how to get her kicks
She wore a
Raspberry beret
The kind you find in a second hand store
Raspberry beret
And if it was warm she wouldn’t wear much more
Raspberry beret
I think I love her
The rain sounds so cool when it hits the barn roof
And the horses wonder who you are
Thunder drowns out what the lightning sees
You feel like a movie star
Listen
They say the first time ain’t the greatest
But I tell ya
If I had the chance to do it all again
I wouldn’t change a stroke
‘Cause baby, I’m the most
With a girl as fine as she was then, oh, oh yeah
Raspberry beret
The kind you find in a second hand store (the kind you find)
Raspberry beret
If it was warm she wouldn’t wear much more
Raspberry beret
I think I, I think I, I think I love her
Raspberry beret
(No, no, no)
The kind you find in a second hand store (no, no, no)
Raspberry beret
(Tell me where have all the raspberry women gone?)
If it was warm she wouldn’t wear much more
Raspberry beret
When Prince released ‘Raspberry Beret’ in 1985, he was not merely offering the world another whimsical pop tune—he was encapsulating an era. The song sashays through the past with a kaleidoscope of hues, at once displaying the hallmark flamboyance of Prince and a picturesque slice of youthful nostalgia.
A staple of the Purple One’s repertoire, ‘Raspberry Beret’ is a melodic canvas splashed with vibrant storytelling, sensual escapism, and a metaphorically rich centerpiece—the eponymous headwear itself. Stepping beyond the irresistible hooks and the iridescent production, there lies a layered narrative rife with hidden meanings that continue to allure and spark discourse among music enthusiasts.
The Emblem of Individualism: Decoding the Beret
The song’s central symbol, the raspberry beret, is a masterclass in simplicity and depth. On the surface, it signifies a bohemian flair, a detail that distinguishes the song’s muse from the crowd. Sourced from a second hand store, it speaks to the thrifty charm and uniqueness of character. In the world of Prince, attire is never just attire—it’s a window into the soul.
The choice of raspberry color itself is evocative—ripe with association, from the berry’s sensual shape and taste to its rarity as a clothing hue. This beret is not just second-hand; it’s a rare find, a treasure amidst the commonplace—a symbol for the girl who is equally unique and beguiling.
A Soulscape in Lyrics: Under the Clouds and Mixed Emotions
Set against the mundane backdrop of a ‘five-and-dime’, the lyricist finds himself at the crossroads of ennui and epiphany. The girl with the raspberry beret emerges, not just as a lover, but as a catalyst for breaking free from the dreary and ordinary. Her entrance ‘through the out door’ is both physically quirky and metaphorically resonant—she is one who defies norms, entrances instantly.
Caught ‘doing something close to nothing’, Prince invites us into a contemplative space—as though the day’s simplicity is itself fertile ground for something extraordinary to bloom. And indeed, it does, with the emotional skyscape metaphorically shifting as ‘something about the clouds and her mixed’. These are the stirring moments of life, captured in the amber of musical immortality.
The Dance of Innocence and Experience: Love’s First Ride
As Prince takes the girl ‘riding down by old man Johnson’s farm’, listeners are whisked into a narrative bursting with youthful discovery and the throes of a first romance. The imagery is rich, the setting idyllic, and Prince utilizes these threads to stitch together a tableau of innocence and awakenings—of first times that feel timeless.
This is not a verse pinned down by overt sexuality; rather, it’s a nostalgic joyride painted with broad strokes of innocence. It’s here we find Prince at his most charming and relatable. The memory of this ride—and the song itself—becomes an eternal spring of feeling for both the artist and the audience.
When the Rain Sounds Cool: The Euphoria of the Unfamiliar
At the heart of the song is an unexpected tactile sensation—’The rain sounds so cool when it hits the barn roof.’ It’s an invitation to transcend the everyday, to find beauty in the mundane, narrated through a relationship that makes the ordinary feel extraordinary.
The juxtaposition of thunder, lightning, and the sense of feeling ‘like a movie star’ fleshes out this scene as a cinematic interlude stripped from the confines of time. Prince’s lyrical prowess shines as he encapsulates the heady mix of adrenaline, youth, and a newfound sense of self that comes with first love.
The Unforgettable Refrain: A Rallying Cry for Romantics
Each chorus hits with a familiarity that is instant and endearing, a sing-along beacon for anyone who’s ever felt the stirring of young love. ‘Raspberry beret, the kind you find in a second hand store,’ is a line simple enough to recall, yet deep enough to perplex — a mnemonic device that carries the heft of the entire piece.
Such a line is the hallmark of Prince’s lyrical genius—the ability to pull listeners into a moment, to make them feel an affinity with an experience that feels both intimate and universal. The beret becomes a motif of times past, a touchstone for the memories we collect, and the passions that define us.
