Why a legendary pop hit almost cost a future rock icon his job
In short: Prince’s 1985 chart-topper Raspberry Beret is remembered for its breezy melody and distinctive fashion imagery. Yet, the music video production was a chaotic affair, featuring a bizarre animation mashup, a last-minute hairstyle crisis, and a near-firing of a future Foo Fighters legend who simply could not dance.
Released as the lead single from the 1985 album Around the World in a Day, Raspberry Beret marked a shift in Prince’s sound. Moving toward a pop-oriented aesthetic, the track layered unconventional elements like Middle Eastern finger cymbals, strings, and harmonica over a funky foundation. Critics at the time, such as Spin’s Greg Tate, noted the arrangement’s resemblance to the softer textures of Abbey Road, while Cash Box praised its immediate accessibility and playful, suggestive lyrics.
The song’s accompanying music video, filmed in Los Angeles on June 5, 1985, was a complex production. Prince directed the project, which combined live performance footage with animation from Colossal Pictures. The process was unorthodox; producer Simon Fields recalled that the team filmed one version, only for Prince to commission a Japanese animator to create an entirely separate visual layer, which was then spliced into the final cut. Behind the scenes, the aesthetic was equally fraught. Prince’s stylist, Earl Jones, later revealed that the singer’s hair had been severely damaged, forcing a creative compromise for the final look.
The video also featured a cameo by Pat Smear, then of the Germs and later of the Foo Fighters. According to Dave Grohl, Smear was nearly dismissed from the set because he struggled to master the required synchronized choreography. He was only permitted to stay after Prince intervened, reportedly telling his bodyguard that he liked Smear’s hair. Despite these production hurdles, the song became a staple of Prince’s live repertoire, evolving from full-band arrangements in the 1980s to stripped-back piano medleys in later years. It remains a critical favorite, consistently ranking among the artist's greatest works decades after its release.
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