The way Prince tells it, ‘Little Red Corvette’ came to him in a dream. It’s easily one of my favourite songs: sexy, witty and almost painfully lachrymose. When I hear it I always hear one of his ‘Sign O’ The Time’ tour performances of it. He sits alone at a piano and sings ‘You need to find a love that’s gonna last…’ then pleads plaintively, ‘Do you think maybe I could be that love?’ before yelping in the dirty way only Prince can yelp, ‘But tonight, we get off!’ and jumping away from his piano. I must have been around 10 when I saw this. I’ve never forgotten it.

Happy birthday, Prince. It’s been a long time since we saw your sort round these parts.