1999 (album)
Encyclopedia
1999 is the fifth studio album
by Prince
, released on October 27, 1982. It was his first top ten album on the Billboard 200
chart in the United States (peaking at number 9) and became the fifth best-selling album of 1983. 1999 was Prince's breakthrough album, but his next album Purple Rain
would become his most successful. The title track was a protest against nuclear proliferation and became his first top ten hit in countries outside the U.S.
It was also the first album to feature The Revolution
. The band's moniker is written in reverse on the front cover.
According to the Rolling Stone Album Guide
, "1999 may be Prince's most influential album: Its synth-and-drum machine-heavy arrangements codified the Minneapolis sound
that loomed over mid-'80s R&B and pop, not to mention the next two decades' worth of electro, house, and techno." In 2003, the TV network VH1
placed 1999 49th in its list of the greatest albums of all time. The album was also part of Slant Magazine
's list "The 50 Most Essential Pop Albums", and was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2008. In 2003, the album was ranked number 163 on Rolling Stone
magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time
.
as a double LP (the first of a number of double sets from Prince), 1999 was cut to a single vinyl edition in some countries; Brazil
, for example, opted to issue the release as two separate vinyl albums, 1999 and 1999 II.
The original compact disc
version of the album was also cut, omitting "D.M.S.R.". There is a disclaimer on the back cover of the original compact disc pressing that reads "To enable the release of 1999 as a single compact disc, the song DMSR has been omitted from the original LP edition".
Later compact disc pressings included the track. Also, on the cassette
release, "Free" was placed after "D.M.S.R." to end the first side, balancing out the lengths of both sides of the cassette.
The album's opening title track, "1999
", was also its first single, initially peaking at 44 on the Billboard Hot 100
. It was later re-released, hitting number 12 on the Billboard charts once interest in the album had caught fire with the release of 1999s second single, "Little Red Corvette
", which peaked at number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100, and heralded Prince's rise to superstardom. The music video
for the song was significant in itself as one of the first videos by a black artist to receive "heavy rotation" airplay on the newly launched music video channel, MTV
. The two tracks were later combined as a double A-side single in the UK, peaking at number 2.
A third single
, "Delirious", still managed top ten status in the US, but a fourth, the double-sided single "Let's Pretend We're Married
"/"Irrestible Bitch", got no further than number 52.
While "Little Red Corvette" helped Prince cross over to the wider rock audience, the rest of the album retains the elements of previous albums and is dominated by funk
and synthesizer
dance tracks.
The album is, however, notable amongst Prince's catalogue for its wide variety of imagery and themes besides the sexual themes that had already become something of a trademark on previous albums.
"Automatic
", extending to almost ten minutes, starts side three of the album with a cocktail of synthesizers and bawdy bondage
-inspired lyrical imagery which, transplanted to the music video for the track (with a scene that depicted Prince being tied up and whipped by band-members Lisa Coleman
and Jill Jones
), was, in 1983, considered too hot for MTV
.
"Free" is a delicate piano
ballad
expressing patriotism, and how fellow Americans should appreciate their freedom, while "Something in the Water (Does Not Compute)", an ode to a harsh lover, is the centerpiece of a preoccupation with Computer Age themes that would continue into future albums. This "computer" theme is also reflected in the album's instrumentation, with Prince fully embracing the gadgetry and sounds of emergent electro-funk and '80s sequencing technology on tracks like "Let's Pretend We're Married" and "All the Critics Love U in New York", songs that widen his use of synthesizers and effects and prominently feature his noted uses of the Linn LM-1 drum machine
. Prince himself admitted at the time the movie Blade Runner
was an influence on the album's synth sound and look in the music videos for the album.
The album's critical and commercial success secured Prince a place in the public psyche, and marked the beginning of two years of intense activity which, via massively successful tours, hit singles and a Hollywood movie, would make Prince arguably the biggest male musical star on the planet next to Michael Jackson
. In 2003, the album was ranked number 163 on Rolling Stone
magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time
.
The album's cover features elements from the front cover of Prince's previous album, Controversy; namely the eyes and the "Rude Boy" pin in the "1999", the jacket studs in the "R" and the smile in the "P". The "1" in Prince contains the words "and the Revolution" written backwards, both acknowledging his backing band and foreshadowing the next four years of his career.
Side one
Side two
Released as 1999 II in Brazil.
Side three
Side four
Side two
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
by Prince
Prince (musician)
Prince Rogers Nelson , often known simply as Prince, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Prince has produced ten platinum albums and thirty Top 40 singles during his career. Prince founded his own recording studio and label; writing, self-producing and playing most, or all, of...
, released on October 27, 1982. It was his first top ten album on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
chart in the United States (peaking at number 9) and became the fifth best-selling album of 1983. 1999 was Prince's breakthrough album, but his next album Purple Rain
Purple Rain (album)
Purple Rain is the sixth studio album by Prince, the first to officially be credited to Prince and The Revolution, and is the soundtrack album to the 1984 film Purple Rain.Purple Rain is regularly ranked among the best albums in pop music history...
would become his most successful. The title track was a protest against nuclear proliferation and became his first top ten hit in countries outside the U.S.
It was also the first album to feature The Revolution
The Revolution (band)
The Revolution was an American rock band formed in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1979 by Prince. Although widely associated with rock music, the band's sound incorporated heavy metal, pop, funk, R&B and hard rock elements. Before their official break-up, The Revolution had released one studio album,...
. The band's moniker is written in reverse on the front cover.
According to the Rolling Stone Album Guide
Rolling Stone Album Guide
The Rolling Stone Album Guide, previously known as The Rolling Stone Record Guide, is a book that, along with its sister publication Rolling Stone magazine, contains professional reviews of popular music...
, "1999 may be Prince's most influential album: Its synth-and-drum machine-heavy arrangements codified the Minneapolis sound
Minneapolis sound
The Minneapolis sound is a hybrid mixture of funk, rock, pop, R&B and New Wave that was pioneered by Prince in the late 1970s. Its popularity was given a boost throughout the 1980s, thanks to his musical adherents, including The Time, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, Morris Day, Vanity 6, Apollonia 6, Ta...
that loomed over mid-'80s R&B and pop, not to mention the next two decades' worth of electro, house, and techno." In 2003, the TV network VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
placed 1999 49th in its list of the greatest albums of all time. The album was also part of Slant Magazine
Slant Magazine
Slant Magazine is an online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New York Film Festival.- History :...
's list "The 50 Most Essential Pop Albums", and was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2008. In 2003, the album was ranked number 163 on Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time
The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time
"The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time" is the title of a 2003 special issue of American magazine Rolling Stone, and a related book published in 2005.Related news articles:...
.
History
Originally released on vinylGramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
as a double LP (the first of a number of double sets from Prince), 1999 was cut to a single vinyl edition in some countries; Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, for example, opted to issue the release as two separate vinyl albums, 1999 and 1999 II.
The original compact disc
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
version of the album was also cut, omitting "D.M.S.R.". There is a disclaimer on the back cover of the original compact disc pressing that reads "To enable the release of 1999 as a single compact disc, the song DMSR has been omitted from the original LP edition".
Later compact disc pressings included the track. Also, on the cassette
Compact Cassette
The Compact Cassette, often referred to as audio cassette, cassette tape, cassette, or simply tape, is a magnetic tape sound recording format. It was designed originally for dictation, but improvements in fidelity led the Compact Cassette to supplant the Stereo 8-track cartridge and reel-to-reel...
release, "Free" was placed after "D.M.S.R." to end the first side, balancing out the lengths of both sides of the cassette.
The album's opening title track, "1999
1999 (song)
"1999" is a song by Prince, the title track from his 1982 album of the same name. The song is one of Prince's best-known, and a defining moment in his rise to superstar status....
", was also its first single, initially peaking at 44 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
. It was later re-released, hitting number 12 on the Billboard charts once interest in the album had caught fire with the release of 1999s second single, "Little Red Corvette
Little Red Corvette
"Little Red Corvette" is a song by the American musician Prince. Released as a single from the album 1999 in 1983, the song was his biggest hit at the time, and his first to reach top-10 status in the U.S., peaking at number six on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart...
", which peaked at number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100, and heralded Prince's rise to superstardom. The music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
for the song was significant in itself as one of the first videos by a black artist to receive "heavy rotation" airplay on the newly launched music video channel, MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
. The two tracks were later combined as a double A-side single in the UK, peaking at number 2.
A third single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
, "Delirious", still managed top ten status in the US, but a fourth, the double-sided single "Let's Pretend We're Married
Let's Pretend We're Married
"Let's Pretend We're Married" is a song by Prince from his 1982 album 1999. It was also the final US single from the album. The song consists mainly of keyboards and drum machines, along with Prince's vocals. Two verses followed by choruses form the main basis of the song...
"/"Irrestible Bitch", got no further than number 52.
While "Little Red Corvette" helped Prince cross over to the wider rock audience, the rest of the album retains the elements of previous albums and is dominated by funk
Funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
and synthesizer
Synthesizer
A synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
dance tracks.
The album is, however, notable amongst Prince's catalogue for its wide variety of imagery and themes besides the sexual themes that had already become something of a trademark on previous albums.
"Automatic
Automatic (Prince song)
"Automatic" is a song by Prince from his 1982 album, 1999. It was released as a 7" single only in Australia, with the B-side of "Something in the Water "....
", extending to almost ten minutes, starts side three of the album with a cocktail of synthesizers and bawdy bondage
Bondage (BDSM)
Bondage is the use of restraints for the sexual pleasure of the parties involved. It may be used in its own right, as in the case of rope bondage and breast bondage, or as part of sexual activity or BDSM activity.- Private bondage :...
-inspired lyrical imagery which, transplanted to the music video for the track (with a scene that depicted Prince being tied up and whipped by band-members Lisa Coleman
Lisa Coleman (musician)
Lisa Coleman is an American Emmy® Award winning musician and composer. Coleman plays piano and keyboards. She was a member of Prince's backing band The Revolution from 1980-1986. She is currently one half of the musical duo Wendy & Lisa, formed with Wendy Melvoin in 1986.-Early life:Coleman's...
and Jill Jones
Jill Jones
Jill Jones is an American singer and songwriter, who was a backing vocalist for Teena Marie and Prince in the 1980s.-Biography:...
), was, in 1983, considered too hot for MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
.
"Free" is a delicate piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
ballad
Ballad
A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads were particularly characteristic of British and Irish popular poetry and song from the later medieval period until the 19th century and used extensively across Europe and later the Americas, Australia and North Africa. Many...
expressing patriotism, and how fellow Americans should appreciate their freedom, while "Something in the Water (Does Not Compute)", an ode to a harsh lover, is the centerpiece of a preoccupation with Computer Age themes that would continue into future albums. This "computer" theme is also reflected in the album's instrumentation, with Prince fully embracing the gadgetry and sounds of emergent electro-funk and '80s sequencing technology on tracks like "Let's Pretend We're Married" and "All the Critics Love U in New York", songs that widen his use of synthesizers and effects and prominently feature his noted uses of the Linn LM-1 drum machine
Linn LM-1
The LM-1 Drum Computer, manufactured by Linn Electronics Inc., was the first drum machine to use digital samples of acoustic drums. Conceived and designed by Roger Linn, it was also one of the first programmable drum machines...
. Prince himself admitted at the time the movie Blade Runner
Blade Runner
Blade Runner is a 1982 American science fiction film directed by Ridley Scott and starring Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, and Sean Young. The screenplay, written by Hampton Fancher and David Peoples, is loosely based on the novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K...
was an influence on the album's synth sound and look in the music videos for the album.
The album's critical and commercial success secured Prince a place in the public psyche, and marked the beginning of two years of intense activity which, via massively successful tours, hit singles and a Hollywood movie, would make Prince arguably the biggest male musical star on the planet next to Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
. In 2003, the album was ranked number 163 on Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time
The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time
"The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time" is the title of a 2003 special issue of American magazine Rolling Stone, and a related book published in 2005.Related news articles:...
.
The album's cover features elements from the front cover of Prince's previous album, Controversy; namely the eyes and the "Rude Boy" pin in the "1999", the jacket studs in the "R" and the smile in the "P". The "1" in Prince contains the words "and the Revolution" written backwards, both acknowledging his backing band and foreshadowing the next four years of his career.
Track listing
All tracks written and composed by Prince.2-LP/CD
Released as 1999 I in Brazil.Side one
- "19991999 (song)"1999" is a song by Prince, the title track from his 1982 album of the same name. The song is one of Prince's best-known, and a defining moment in his rise to superstar status....
" – 6:15 - "Little Red CorvetteLittle Red Corvette"Little Red Corvette" is a song by the American musician Prince. Released as a single from the album 1999 in 1983, the song was his biggest hit at the time, and his first to reach top-10 status in the U.S., peaking at number six on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart...
" – 5:03 - "Delirious" – 4:00
Side two
- "Let's Pretend We're MarriedLet's Pretend We're Married"Let's Pretend We're Married" is a song by Prince from his 1982 album 1999. It was also the final US single from the album. The song consists mainly of keyboards and drum machines, along with Prince's vocals. Two verses followed by choruses form the main basis of the song...
" – 7:21 - "D.M.S.R." – 8:17
Released as 1999 II in Brazil.
Side three
- "AutomaticAutomatic (Prince song)"Automatic" is a song by Prince from his 1982 album, 1999. It was released as a 7" single only in Australia, with the B-side of "Something in the Water "....
" – 9:28 - "Something in the Water (Does Not Compute)" – 4:02
- "Free" – 5:08
Side four
- "Lady Cab Driver" – 8:19
- "All the Critics Love U In New York" – 5:59
- "International Lover" – 6:37
1-LP edited version
Side one- "1999" – 6:15
- "Little Red Corvette" – 5:03
- "Delirious" – 4:00
- "Free" – 5:08
Side two
- "Let's Pretend We're Married" – 7:21
- "Something in the Water (Does Not Compute)" – 4:02
- "Lady Cab Driver" – 8:19
Singles and Hot 100 chart positions
- "19991999 (song)"1999" is a song by Prince, the title track from his 1982 album of the same name. The song is one of Prince's best-known, and a defining moment in his rise to superstar status....
" (#12 U.S., #4 R&B, #25 UK)
- "1999"
- "How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore?How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore?"How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore?" is a song by Prince. It is a ballad of romantic longing with some gospel elements. On his original recording of the song, which was released as the non-album B-side to his 1982 single "1999", Prince performs most of the song in his falsetto range, with his own...
" – 3:51 (B-side of "19991999 (song)"1999" is a song by Prince, the title track from his 1982 album of the same name. The song is one of Prince's best-known, and a defining moment in his rise to superstar status....
")- "Little Red CorvetteLittle Red Corvette"Little Red Corvette" is a song by the American musician Prince. Released as a single from the album 1999 in 1983, the song was his biggest hit at the time, and his first to reach top-10 status in the U.S., peaking at number six on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart...
" (#6 U.S., #15 R&B, #54 UK)
- "Little Red Corvette
- "Little Red Corvette"
- "All the Critics Love U In New York"
- "Delirious" (#8 U.S., #18 R&B)
- "Delirious"
- "Horny Toad"
- "Let's Pretend We're MarriedLet's Pretend We're Married"Let's Pretend We're Married" is a song by Prince from his 1982 album 1999. It was also the final US single from the album. The song consists mainly of keyboards and drum machines, along with Prince's vocals. Two verses followed by choruses form the main basis of the song...
" (#52 U.S., #55 R&B)
- "Let's Pretend We're Married
- "Let's Pretend We're Married"
- "Irresistible Bitch"
- "AutomaticAutomatic (Prince song)"Automatic" is a song by Prince from his 1982 album, 1999. It was released as a 7" single only in Australia, with the B-side of "Something in the Water "....
" (AUS)
- "Automatic
- "Automatic"
- "Something In the Water (Does Not Compute)"
Album credits
- Dez DickersonDez DickersonDez Dickerson is an American guitarist and singer who was a member of Prince's former band, The Revolution.-Biography:...
: Co-lead vocal on "1999" and "Little Red Corvette", guitar solos on "Little Red Corvette" - Wendy MelvoinWendy MelvoinWendy Melvoin is an American guitarist and singer-songwriter, best known for her work with Prince as part of his backing band The Revolution, and for her collaboration with Lisa Coleman as one half of the duo Wendy & Lisa....
: Background vocals on "Free" - Lisa ColemanLisa Coleman (musician)Lisa Coleman is an American Emmy® Award winning musician and composer. Coleman plays piano and keyboards. She was a member of Prince's backing band The Revolution from 1980-1986. She is currently one half of the musical duo Wendy & Lisa, formed with Wendy Melvoin in 1986.-Early life:Coleman's...
: Co-lead vocal on "1999" and "Little Red Corvette", background vocals on "Delirous", "D.M.S.R.", "Automatic" and "Free", handclaps on "D.M.S.R." - J.J.Jill JonesJill Jones is an American singer and songwriter, who was a backing vocalist for Teena Marie and Prince in the 1980s.-Biography:...
: Co-lead vocal on "1999", background vocals on "Automatic", "Free" and "Lady Cab Driver" - VanityVanity (performer)Denise Katrina Matthews , better known as Vanity, but sometimes credited as Denise Matthews-Smith or D.D. Winters, is a Canadian-born former singer, songwriter, dancer, actress, and model from the 1980s until the early mid-90s...
: Background vocals on "Free" - JamiePrince (musician)Prince Rogers Nelson , often known simply as Prince, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Prince has produced ten platinum albums and thirty Top 40 singles during his career. Prince founded his own recording studio and label; writing, self-producing and playing most, or all, of...
, Carol, Peggy, Brown Mark, Poochie and "the Count": Background vocals and handclaps on "D.M.S.R." - Prince: All other vocals and instruments