Prince's Purple Rain: a new Minnesota State Song
Prince’s Purple Rain: A New Minnesota State song
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Surely, Minnesota lawmakers are moving to make some real music history. Accordingly, a new bill just dropped that would officially recognize two of the state’s most legendary artists—Prince and Bob Dylan—by making their songs official state anthems.
Minnesota Moves to Honor Prince & Bob Dylan with State Songs
Minnesota lawmakers will certainly make history. A new bill would add Prince’s “Purple Rain” and Bob Dylan’s “Girl from the North Country” to the list of official state songs.
“Purple Rain”: A Minnesota Anthem
Prince’s 1984 classic isn’t just a song—it’s a legacy. He significantly made it the heart of his Super Bowl halftime show in 2007, one of the best ever. Rolling Stone ranked it #18 on its 500 Greatest Songs of All Time list. It was also the last song he performed before his passing in 2016.
Dylan’s Folk Classic
Surely, Dylan’s 1963 track captures the bittersweet memory of a lost love. Furthermore, he later recorded a duet version with Johnny Cash. In 2024, it got new life in the trailer for the Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown.
The Bill Won’t Replace “Hail! Minnesota”
Evidently, Minnesota’s state song, “Hail! Minnesota”, has held its spot since 1945. This bill wouldn’t remove it—just add two undeniable Classix.
Who’s Behind the Bill?
Five senators introduced the bill:
- Robert Kupec (D)
- Bobby Joe Champion (D, Senate President)
- John Hoffman (D)
- Julia Coleman (R)
- Robert Farnsworth (R)
The bill now sits with the State and Local Government Committee. Will Minnesota make it official?
Prince’s State Highway
Tim Walz, Governor of Minnesota renames a highway in honor of prince. As can be seen he took to instagram to share the news.
“I signed a bill renaming a state highway in honor of Prince – an artist who transformed the music scene in Minnesota and across the world.
Prince was a proud Minnesotan through and through, and it’s only fitting that we honor this icon in the community he called home.” Walz captioned on Instagram
