Prince never wanted anyone to cover his songs except for one band.
Throughout his active career years before his death, Prince was protective of his songs that he did not allow anyone to sing them and have renditions of them.
One time, Foo Fighters reached out to him and asked him if they could release a cover of "Darling Nikki" in the US in 2003. The band also included the songs on their setlists.
Entertainment Weekly first reported that the "When Doves Cry" hitmaker did not approve of Foo Fighters' version of the song, so he declined the request. At that time, he firmly asked musicians and bands to write their tunes since he did not want anyone to cover his works.
However, Prince's former assistant Ruth Violette Arzate recently clarified the singer's remark.
Prince Became Fan of Foo Fighters Because of "Darling Nikki"
The rock band ultimately scored Prince's approval as they were able to release the "Darling Nikki" cover as a B-side to their Australian single, "Have It All."
"Firstly, don't believe everything you read. That statement was taken out of context. Secondly, that band embodied the song in the way it was meant to be played. They are so good they could do a whole album of my rock songs," Prince reportedly said, per Arzate.
The late "I Wanna Be Your Lover" crooner even incorporated Foo Fighters' song, "Best of You," into his Super Bowl halftime performance in 2007.
Foo Fighters thought it was revengeful that Taylor Hawkins told MTV in 2007 that he believed Prince only did it to mock them. However, it reportedly felt better to see and hear the legendary singer covering one of their songs, and the late drummer said that Prince did it better than they did.
Arzate then noted in the essay that, after Prince's Superbowl performance, he received a music-licensing request from Foo Fighters. The band asked him to let them play "Darling Nikki" at MTV's VMAs.
READ ALSO: Elton John Retiring? Singer's Plans After Final Tour Revealed
Prince agreed the night before the show and after seeing the performance, he reportedly told Arzate that the band did well. He also reportedly praised Dave Grohl's way of "keeping the integrity of the song" during the performance.
A year after the event, Prince met Foo Fighters at a show and complimented them for their works in the music industry.
"The entire band was excellent. You know how much I admire excellence. They were raw and edgy in their playing. I bet they rehearse a lot. You don't sound like that unless you've rehearsed till the dirt falls off and the shine comes through," Prince told his assistant.
READ MORE: Cynthia Albritton Cause of Death Shocking: Legendary Cynthia Plaster Caster Dead at 74
