It is a classic line and yesterday it ran through a lot of brains. How does one moment define you? Although the song "1999" wasn't Prince's first hit, it was the first single associating him with the color purple. Then "Purple Rain" came and reinforced it... along with a movie and some colorful pseudo-Victorian attire. That moment in time associated the man with the color. Very strange.
I was contacted yesterday and reminded that I would have been neck-deep in research and song selection for an episode of the show focused on 'the artist' if I was still doing the show. I would have also been doing so for David Bowie a little bit ago. I actually miss it and love the research as much as the presentation.
I guess, the hard part about defining ourselves by something, even for a short time, is that we can let ourselves become a template. Kind of like cookie dough filling in the area of a cookie cutter, we will never be more than that shape until we ditch or change the cutter. Ending the show was a moment to reclaim the rest of the dough. Some artists do that to avoid being stereotyped (search MC Hammer Funky Headhunter for kicks) and, heck, a lot of people would like to confine an artist to being defined by one hit single.
Today is a day to remember that you are more than your public perception, definition, color or greatest achievement. Unless, you happen to be happy with that.