A Possible Lawsuit Made Prince Call Journey Before Releasing His Biggest Ballad — His 15-Word Admission Exposed the Approval He Still Needed began with a private warning before the public ever heard Purple Rain.
Before releasing the future anthem, Prince reportedly became uneasy about its chord movement and the resemblance he heard to Journey’s 1983 ballad Faithfully. Rather than ignore the concern, he decided the song’s writer deserved to hear it first.
Jonathan Cain later recalled being summoned to Columbia Records’ Los Angeles office without fully understanding what awaited him. Once there, he was connected to Prince by telephone and introduced to a song that had not yet become a worldwide classic.
Prince played Purple Rain and then addressed the potential problem with unusual directness. “The chord changes are close to ‘Faithfully,’ and I don’t want you to sue me,” Cain remembered him saying.
The confession exposed a cautious side of an artist famous for bold decisions, creative control and complete confidence in his musical instincts. Prince understood that even an original song could invite questions when its harmonic structure echoed another recognizable hit.
Cain listened closely, aware that the conversation could become financially and professionally significant. If he believed Prince had crossed the line, the unreleased track might have faced a dispute before reaching radio, theaters or record stores.
Instead, Cain heard inspiration rather than imitation. He reportedly felt honored that Prince had contacted him and believed the songs ultimately possessed different melodies, identities and emotional destinations despite their shared chord movement.
Cain gave Prince his blessing and asked for no songwriting credit, royalty agreement or public acknowledgment. That decision allowed Purple Rain to move forward without the legal cloud Prince had feared might follow its release.
The generosity became even more remarkable after Purple Rain grew into one of Prince’s defining recordings. What Cain had approved during a private telephone call soon became the emotional centerpiece of an album, film and cultural phenomenon.
Prince apparently never forgot the favor. Cain later said he received front-row seats during the Purple Rain Tour, placing him just feet away as the once-unreleased song became an arena-filling experience.
During the concert, Prince reportedly tossed a tambourine directly toward Cain from the stage. The gesture was small compared with the song’s enormous success, but it carried a private meaning that most people in the audience could not have understood.
There was no public announcement explaining why Cain had been seated so close or why Prince singled him out. The exchange remained an understated thank-you between two musicians who had quietly avoided what could have become an ugly conflict.
The similarities between Purple Rain and Faithfully have continued to fascinate listeners because both songs use sweeping progressions to create longing, devotion and emotional release. Yet each composition follows its own melody, lyrics, arrangement and unmistakable artistic identity.
Prince’s call also showed how seriously he treated another songwriter’s work. He could have released the track without warning, but instead placed its future in Cain’s hands and accepted the risk of hearing no.
Cain responded with trust rather than suspicion, surrendering any chance to attach his name to a future phenomenon. His answer preserved the song’s path while creating one of music history’s most unexpected stories of professional respect.
What might have become a courtroom battle ended with permission, front-row seats and a tambourine flying from the stage. Behind Prince’s biggest ballad stood one honest phone call and the approval he refused to assume.