Love Symbol
Encyclopedia
is the fourteenth studio album
by American recording artist Prince
, released October 13, 1992 on Paisley Park
and Warner Bros. Records
. Due to its official title being an unpronounceable symbol, which Prince later adopted as his name, the album has been referred to as the Love Symbol Album, or simply Symbol. It is Prince's second album to feature his backing group, The New Power Generation, which received co-billing for the release. The album contains elements of musical styles including funk
, R&B
, hip hop
, jazz
, reggae
, and synthpop
.
The album's first two singles, "My Name Is Prince
" and "Sexy MF", were only minor hits on the US pop charts, though both made top ten in the UK. Conversely, the third single, "7
", was relatively unsuccessful in the UK, but was a top ten hit in the US. The album was originally conceived as a "fantasy rock soap opera" with various spoken segue
s throughout. However, in a last-minute attempt to add an additional song, most of the segues had to be cut for album length. The few that remained were somewhat confusing in context. The album also debuts Mayte Garcia, who plays a part in the album's storyline and would become Prince's wife in 1996.
3 Chains o' Gold, a direct-to-video film produced and directed by Prince, was released in 1994. The film is based on the plotline and songs of the Love Symbol Album.
and The New Power Generation. All songs composed by Prince except where noted.
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 American recording artist 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 October 13, 1992 on Paisley Park
Paisley Park Records
Paisley Park Records was Prince's record label, associated with and funded in part by Warner Bros. Records. It was started in 1985, following the success of the film and album Purple Rain...
and Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies...
. Due to its official title being an unpronounceable symbol, which Prince later adopted as his name, the album has been referred to as the Love Symbol Album, or simply Symbol. It is Prince's second album to feature his backing group, The New Power Generation, which received co-billing for the release. The album contains elements of musical styles including 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...
, R&B
Contemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B is a music genre that combines elements of hip hop, soul, R&B and funk.Although the abbreviation “R&B” originates from traditional rhythm and blues music, today the term R&B is most often used to describe a style of African American music originating after the demise of disco in...
, hip hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
, jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
, reggae
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
, and synthpop
Synthpop
Synthpop is a genre of popular music that first became prominent in the 1980s, in which the synthesizer is the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s and early 1970s by the use of synthesizers in progressive rock, electronic art rock, disco and particularly the "Kraut rock" of...
.
The album's first two singles, "My Name Is Prince
My Name is Prince
"My Name Is Prince" is a song by Prince and The New Power Generation, from the 1992 Love Symbol album. The song is about Prince himself, and his musical prowess...
" and "Sexy MF", were only minor hits on the US pop charts, though both made top ten in the UK. Conversely, the third single, "7
7 (song)
"7" is a song by Prince and The New Power Generation, from the 1992 Love Symbol Album. It features a sample of the 1967 Otis Redding and Carla Thomas duet, "Tramp".-Music video:...
", was relatively unsuccessful in the UK, but was a top ten hit in the US. The album was originally conceived as a "fantasy rock soap opera" with various spoken segue
Segue
A segue is a smooth transition from one topic or section to the next.-In music:In music, segue is a direction to the performer. It means continue without a pause. It comes from the Italian "it follows". The term attacca is also used in classical music.For written music it implies a transition...
s throughout. However, in a last-minute attempt to add an additional song, most of the segues had to be cut for album length. The few that remained were somewhat confusing in context. The album also debuts Mayte Garcia, who plays a part in the album's storyline and would become Prince's wife in 1996.
3 Chains o' Gold, a direct-to-video film produced and directed by Prince, was released in 1994. The film is based on the plotline and songs of the Love Symbol Album.
Track listing
Produced, Arranged, and Performed by PrincePrince (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...
and The New Power Generation. All songs composed by Prince except where noted.
- "My Name Is PrinceMy Name is Prince"My Name Is Prince" is a song by Prince and The New Power Generation, from the 1992 Love Symbol album. The song is about Prince himself, and his musical prowess...
" (Prince, Tony MosleyTony M.Tony M. is a rapper best known as a member of Prince's band, The New Power Generation. Mosley began his association with Prince as an extra in the film Purple Rain. He can be seen dancing with Kirk Johnson and Damon Dickson during various performances at the First Avenue club...
) – 6:39 - "Sexy MF" (Prince, Levi Seacer, Jr.Levi Seacer, Jr.Levi Seacer, Jr. is an American musician. He was an early associate of Sheila E. when he was tapped by Prince to form a new touring band after the demise of The Revolution in 1986. Seacer became the band's bassist, as well as a backing vocalist. Later, he began collaborating with Prince as a...
, Tony Mosley) – 5:25 - "Love 2 the 9s" – 5:45
- "The Morning PapersThe Morning Papers"The Morning Papers" is a song by Prince and The New Power Generation, from the 1992 Love Symbol album. The B-side was "Live 4 Love", a track from Prince's previous album, Diamonds and Pearls...
" – 3:57 - "The Max" – 4:30
- "Segue" (spoken word with Prince and Kirstie AlleyKirstie AlleyKirstie Louise Alley is an American actress known for her role in the TV show Cheers, in which she played Rebecca Howe from 1987–1993, winning an Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award as the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series in 1991...
) – 0:21 - "Blue Light" – 4:38
- "I Wanna Melt with U" – 3:50
- "Sweet Baby" – 4:01
- "The Continental" – 5:31
- "Damn UDamn U"Damn U" is a song by Prince and The New Power Generation from the 1992 Love Symbol album. The B-side was "2 Whom It May Concern", which was also available on the maxi single for "7".-Chart performance:...
" – 4:25 - "Arrogance" – 1:35
- "The Flow" (Prince, Tony Mosley) – 2:26
- "77 (song)"7" is a song by Prince and The New Power Generation, from the 1992 Love Symbol Album. It features a sample of the 1967 Otis Redding and Carla Thomas duet, "Tramp".-Music video:...
" (Prince, Lowell Fulsom, Jimmy McCracklinJimmy McCracklinJimmy McCracklin is an American pianist, vocalist, and songwriter. His style contains West Coast blues, Jump blues, and R&B. Over a career that has spanned seven decades, he says he has written almost a thousand songs and has recorded hundreds of them...
) – 5:13 - "And God Created Woman" – 3:18
- "3 Chains o' Gold" – 6:03
- "Segue" (spoken word with Prince and Kirstie Alley) – 1:30
- "The Sacrifice of Victor" – 5:41
Alternates
"Segue" tracks do not appear on LP releases of the album. Several special editions of this album were released; one boxed set came with a bonus "Sexy MF" CD single, another with a special created CD single of "My Name Is Prince" mixes.Charts
| Chart (1992) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US 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... |
5 |
| US Billboard R&B Albums | 8 |
| UK Albums Chart UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... |
1 |
| Australian ARIA ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... Albums Chart |
1 |
Singles and Hot 100 chart placings
- "Sexy MF" maxi-single (#66 US, #4 UK)
- "My Name Is PrinceMy Name is Prince"My Name Is Prince" is a song by Prince and The New Power Generation, from the 1992 Love Symbol album. The song is about Prince himself, and his musical prowess...
" maxi-single (#36 US, #25 R&B, #7 UK) - "77 (song)"7" is a song by Prince and The New Power Generation, from the 1992 Love Symbol Album. It features a sample of the 1967 Otis Redding and Carla Thomas duet, "Tramp".-Music video:...
" maxi-single (#7 US, #27 UK) (#3 R&R charts) - "Damn UDamn U"Damn U" is a song by Prince and The New Power Generation from the 1992 Love Symbol album. The B-side was "2 Whom It May Concern", which was also available on the maxi single for "7".-Chart performance:...
" (US) (#32 R&B) - "The Morning PapersThe Morning Papers"The Morning Papers" is a song by Prince and The New Power Generation, from the 1992 Love Symbol album. The B-side was "Live 4 Love", a track from Prince's previous album, Diamonds and Pearls...
" maxi-single (#44 US, #52 UK) (#8 R&R charts)