Raspberry Beret
By: Prince
Original Performance: Prince and the Revolution
Written by: Prince

Versions:
  1. Raspberry Beret
    2.  
 
Lyrics:
Raspberry Beret [Version (a)]:

[From Beck's version on August 8, 2002]

I was working part-time at the five-and-dime
The boss was Mr. McGee
Told me several times that he didn't like my kind
I was a little too leisurely
Seems that I was busy doing something close to nothing
But different from the day before
That's when I saw him, ooh I saw him
He walked in through the out door
He wore a raspberry beret
The kind you find in a second-hand store
It was a raspberry beret
If it was warm, he wouldn't wear much more
Raspberry beret... I think I love... Barney?... no... her.

I love this song!

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 we went riding down by old man Johnson's farm
I said now, overcast days never turned me on
Something about her and the clouds 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 at a second hand store
Wore a raspberry beret, and if it was warm
She wouldn't wear much more
It was a raspberry beret

Would it be corny if everybody sang along?

1, 2, 3
She wore a raspberry beret
The kind you find at a second hand store
Wore a raspberry beret, and if it was warm
She wouldn't wear much more
It was a raspberry beret...
 
The Song:

"Raspberry Beret" is a Prince classic U can get hear by listening 2 his 1985 album, Around the World in a Day.
 
Live:

Played live 14 times:
August 8, 2002
August 11, 2002
August 18, 2002
August 25, 2002
August 26, 2002
August 28, 2002
August 30, 2002
October 22, 2002
April 29, 2003
May 1, 2003
...and 4 more.

Earliest known live version: August 8, 2002
Latest known live version: November 18, 2012

After apparently dropping a bit of "Raspberry Beret" into (of all songs!) "It's All In UR Mind," during one of the first few shows of the August 2002 tour, Beck covered Prince's song properly when he came 2 Minnesota. (Prince is from there, U know.) Beck did a pretty great job getting through the whole song that night, and even ended it with everyone singing along. It really sounded spontaneous, and Beck was playing the piano. He dedicated it 2 the Purple 1. ("This one's about having a crush on Barney.")

Later versions of the song on the tour weren't nearly so spontaneous, weren't so complete, and weren't always on the piano. Some even had Smokey play guitar, but most were just Beck goofing on the chorus.
 
Notes: