Album: For You

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► 1979: Prince

For You

Album details Released: 7 April 1978 Length: 33:26 Label(s): Warner Bros. Studio(s): Record Plant, Sausalito, CA, USA; Sound Labs, Los Angeles, CA, USA Charts, Certifications & Awards Charts America Country: Chart Entry Date Peak Position Weeks in Chart USA: Billboard Top LP’s & Tapes 28 Oct. 1978 163 5 USA: Billboard Soul LP’s Chart 22 Jul. 1978 21 23 USA: The Billboard 200 14 May 2016 138R 1 R indicates re-entry of an album that had already charted. Certifications This album has not received any certifications in the USA Awards This album has not received any awards in the USA Singles released Soft And Wet b/w So Blue Just As Long As We’re Together b/w In Love Alternate Album Configuration Undated configuration (from Prince’s notes as used in The Beautiful Ones book) Side 1 For You Bodyfreeze Never Really Fell Out Of Love With You You Are Everything To Me I Spend My Time Loving You Side 2 Soft And Wet Baby Let Me Touch You Love In The Morning Send In The Clowns 1977 configuration Side 1 For You (1:00) In Love (3:30) We’ll Make It Through The Storm (2:50) Crazy You (1:40) Just As Long As We’re Together (3:30) Side 2 Baby (3:08) Soft ‘N’ Wet (2:58) My Love Is Forever (4:05) So Blue (4:25) Amber Eyes (5:30)

For You is the first full-length studio album by Prince, and the first Prince-related release of any kind. The album was released when Prince was 19 years old, in April 1978, receiving international release later based on his success in the years that followed. Sessions and compiling Many of the songs (For You, Soft And Wet, Just As Long As We’re Together, Baby My Love Is Forever and I’m Yours) had been demoed by Prince as home recordings or early studio recordings in 1976 and 1977. These tracks were all re-recorded for the album, when In Love, Crazy You and So Blue were also recorded. The album sessions took place at Record Plant, Sausalito, CA, USA, from 1 October 1977 to 22 December 1977, before overdubs and mixing were done in early January 1978-at Sound Labs, Los Angeles, CA, USA. While Warner Bros. had initially given Prince a budget of $180,000 for his first three albums, the album sessions of For You accumulated $170,000 in studio bills. Prince’s handwritten notes as used in The Beautiful Ones book released posthumously in 2019 revealed a previously-unknown early configuration of the album, from which only three of the nine tracks carried over to the next configuration and to the final release - For You, Soft And Wet, and Baby. This configuration closed with a cover version of Stephen Sondheim’s song Send In The Clowns (incorrectly attributed by Prince as being written by Judy Collins, whose version he was probably familiar with). The notes also revealed four other track titles that were previously unknown (Bodyfreeze, Never Really Fell Out Of Love With You, You Are Everything To Me, and Let Me Touch You), as well as two tracks that were previously known but which did not make it onto later configurations (I Spend My Time Loving You and Love In The Morning). It is assumed that these tracks were indeed recorded, but it has not been confirmed that the album was ever actually compiled in this form; it is certainly possible that Prince was working through ideas when writing down this tracklist. The tracklist is included below as an early configuration. Another configuration of the album contains a different sequence and including the unreleased tracks Make It Through The Storm (here titled We’ll Make It Through The Storm) and Amber Eyes. Some of the versions included vary in timing from the released album, and the unreleased sequence is listed below (although minor discrepancies do not necessarily indicate a different version of the song was used, and may simply reflect a difference in silence at the beginning or end of a track). In a 2022 podcast Tommy Vicari mentions he was sent an ‘LP length demo tape,’ prior to him working with Prince in the studio. And that the process creating For You was essentially them re-recorded each song track by track. Make It Through The Storm was mentioned as a track on that tape that didn’t make the final cut. Prince was credited for all vocals, songwriting, every instrument played on the album, as well as the whole arrangements and production. The only credit given to someone other than Prince is a co-writing credit to Chris Moon for the lyrics of Soft And Wet. Moon and Prince disagreed over credits due on My Love Is Forever, which was financially settled after the album release. Promotion The album would produce two singles, Soft And Wet, issued two months after the album release, and Just As Long As We’re Together, released in November 1978. Prince didn’t go on tour to promote the album. A band was assembled in late 1978-and played their first concerts with Prince at the Capri Theatre on 5 and 6 January 1979, but they failed to convince Warner executives that the band was ready to tour. Charts The album reached number 163 on the US Billboard Top LP’s & Tapes chart were it remained only five weeks. During the same period, the pop chart toppers were the soundtrack to blockbuster movie "Grease", Linda Rondstadt’s "Living In The USA", Donna Summer’s "Live And More" and Billy Joel’s "52nd Street". On the Billboard Soul LP’s Chart For You fared a lot better, reaching number 21. However the album could not compete with other LPs of established black artists like Brothers Johnson ("Blam"), Ashford And Simpson ("Is It Still Good For Ya"), Funkadelic ("One Nation Under A Groove"), Barry White ("The Man") and Chic ("C'est Chic"); these albums together with other very successful LPs from Donna Summer ("Live And More"), Rick James ("Come Get It") and Rose Royce ("Strikes Again") trusted the first five positions in the Soul LPs chart from August to December 1978, making it almost impossible for Prince to reach top ten. Sales Owen Husney reported the album sold 150,000 to 200,000 copies in Trax Magazine in December 1979. Track listing CD LP The compact disc version is a reissue from the LP. For You (1:06) In Love (3:38) Soft And Wet (3:01) 1  Crazy You (2:17) Just As Long As We’re Together (6:24) Baby (3:09) My Love Is Forever (4:09) 2  So Blue (4:26) I’m Yours (5:01) The vinyl long play format is the initial release. Side 1: For You (1:06) In Love (3:38) Soft And Wet (3:01) 1  Crazy You (2:17) Just As Long As We’re Together (6:24) Side 2: Baby (3:09) My Love Is Forever (4:09) 2  So Blue (4:26) I’m Yours (5:01) All songs written by Prince except where indicated. 1  Music by Prince, lyrics by Prince and Chris Moon 2  Music by Prince, lyrics by Prince (credited) and Chris Moon (uncredited) Personnel Musicians Prince - all vocals and instruments Production Prince - producer, arranger, engineer, dust cover design Tommy Vicari - executive producer, engineer, remixer David Rivkin - vocal recording engineer (uncredited) Patrice Rushen - synth programming (uncredited) Charles Veal - string arrangement on Baby (uncredited) Steve Fontano - assistant engineer Dave Roeder - assistant engineer Mike Reese - mastering (Bernie Grundman - mastering on 1984 re-issue) Jeff Farmakes - art direction (The Ad Company) Joe Giannetti - photography Thanks "Special thanks to God, Owen, Britt, Bernadette, My Father and Mother, Russ Thyret, Gary, David Rivkin / Sound 80 Studios, C. Moon, Eddie, Sharon and Eleanor, L. Phillips, Bobby "Z" Rivkin, Tom Coster, Graham Lear, Joe Giannetti, Patrice Rushen, Charles Veal, Jr., Shirley Walker, Knut Koupee Music, Chuck Orr, Lisa H., and You!"

Releases
LP, CD, Cassettes and Other versions
Country Format Cat. Number Comments Front Back Label 1 Label 2 America USA LP BSK 3150 Promotional 1st issue with Burbank label + promo stamp USA LP BSK 3150 1st issue with Burbank label and sticker USA LP BSK 3150 2nd issue with Warner label USA Long Box CD 3150-2 Reissued under ref.:07599-27348-20 USA Cassette M5 3150 Reissued under ref.: 07599-27348-4 link=File:LabelA}}} link=File:LabelB}}} USA 8-Track WB M8 3150 [show]► See more  ► See more  Country Format Cat. Number Comments Front Back Label 1 Label 2 Canada LP BSK 3150 Canada (Quebec) LP BSK 3150 Q Brazil LP 670.9285 Promotional Brazil LP 670.9285 Venezuela LP 200.2507 Europe Germany LP K 56 989 WE 351(G) Gema Biem labels Germany LP K 56 989 WE 351(U) Gema Biem labels Germany CD 256 989 Gema Biem label Germany Cassette 456989 1st edition Biem Gema label link=File:LabelA}}} link=File:LabelB}}} Germany Cassette 456989 2nd Edition Gema Biem label + barcode link=File:LabelA}}} link=File:LabelB}}} France LP WB 56 989 Sacem label Spain LP 56989 S.G.A.E. label Italy LP 56989 S.I.A.E. label Italy Cassette 456989 S.I.A.E. orange paper labels link=File:LabelA}}} link=File:LabelB}}} Italy Cassette 456989 S.I.A.E. black plastic labels Greece LP K 56 989 Gema Biem labels Asia Japan LP P-13053 Promotional w/OBI and "sample" sticker Japan LP P-13053 With OBI Japan CD 20P2-2001 1987 Forever Young Series Japan CD 32XD-704 Japan Cassette PKG-3068 Korea LP MHRL-1088 Creato labels link=File:LabelA}}} link=File:LabelB}}} Korea Cassette MHRC-1088 Creato labels Pacific Australia LP BSK 3150 MX209381 Australia Cassette M5W 3150 1st edition Australia Cassette M5W 3150 2nd edition New Zealand LP BSK 3150 New Zealand Cassette M5W 3150 Variants, Special Editions and Reissues Country Format Cat. Number Comments Front Back Label 1 Label 2 Europe Germany CD 7599-27348-2 WE 835 Reissue Germany Cassette 07599-27348-4 Reissue [show]► See more  ► See more  Country Format Cat. Number Comments Front Back Label 1 Label 2 Asia Japan CD WPCR-1021 Promotional with OBI + sticker Japan CD WPCR-1021 With OBI Japan CD WPCR-75013 2005 Forever Young series reissue Japan SHM-CD WPCR-13530 2009 reissue with OBI + sticker Japan 3"CD R-390085 Greatest Hits sampler series with OBI Pacific Australia Cassette 61171-4 Reissue Images courtesy of AprilSnow and Sleevographia

Additional Information Promotion (at time of release) Trivia Signature sessions were organized in record shops. Amongst others: - 15 Sep. 1978-Unique Records, San Francisco, CA, USA - 16 Sep. 1978-The Record Factory, Oakland, CA, USA US press adverts for this album.   US Retail Poster for this album. An early configuration is known, containing a different sequence and alternate tracks. This is listed in the Alternative section above. Billboard Soul LP’s Chart Chart progression: Entry position 55 (22 Jul. 1978), 54 (29 Jul. 1978), 49 (5 Aug. 1978), 49 (12 Aug. 1978), 47 (19 Aug. 1978), 60 (26 Aug. 1978), 60 (2 Sep. 1978), 58 (9 Sep. 1978), 48 (16 Sep. 1978), 38 (23 Sep. 1978), 30 (30 Sep. 1978), 27 (7 Oct. 1978), 21 (14 Oct. 1978), 28 (21 Oct. 1978), 28 (28 Oct. 1978), 28 (4 Nov. 1978), 30 (11 Nov. 1978), 51 (18 Nov. 1978), 51 (25 Nov. 1978), 47 (2 Dec. 1978), 62 (9 Dec. 1978), 62 (16 Dec. 1978), Exit position: 67 (23 Dec. 1978). Billboard Top LP’s & Tapes Chart progression: Entry position 190 (28 Oct. 1978), 181 (4 Nov. 1978), 173 (11 Nov. 1978), 165 (18 Nov. 1978), Exit position: 163 (25 Nov. 1978). References The Vault: The Definitive Guide to the Musical World of Prince (2004) The Beautiful Ones by Prince and Dan Piepenbring (Spiegel & Grau, USA, 2019) Copyright: US Copyright Office / SR0000000839 / 1978-04-26 Charts: Billboard Magazine Vol. 90 n° 29 to 51. Releases: AprilSnow, Sleevographia Sales: Prince: The Musical Whiz Kid Grows Up by Donald J. Hutera (Trax Magazine Vol.1 Issue 4: December 1979)

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