1999

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1999

from the album 1999 single art for 1999: The New Master single art for 1999 Song details Performer: Prince First Released: 24 September 1982 - 1999 single Album(s): 1999 The Hits 1 The Hits / The B-Sides The Very Best Of Prince Ultimate 4Ever 1999 Deluxe Edition and Super Deluxe Edition Prince And The Revolution: Live Sign O’ The Times Super Deluxe Edition Diamonds And Pearls Super Deluxe Edition Writer(s): Prince Producer(s): Prince Live Appearances First and last live appearance: 11 November 1982: Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Auditorium, Chattanooga, TN, USA 1 January 2016 (a.m.): Gouverneur Bay Estate, Gouverneur Bay, France (Saint Barthélemy) Performed regularly on tour: 1999 Tour Purple Rain Tour Parade Tour Sign O’ The Times Tour Lovesexy Tour Nude Tour Diamonds And Pearls Tour Act I Act II Japan '96 Love 4 One Another Charities Tour Jam Of The Year World Tour New Power Soul Festival Tour New Power Soul Tour World Tour 2003 (intro only, leading into Baby I’m A Star) Musicology Live 2004ever (intro only, leading into Baby I’m A Star) 21 Nights In London : The Earth Tour Prince 20TEN Tour Prince Live 2010 Welcome 2 America Tour Welcome 2 America Euro 2011 Tour Welcome 2 Canada Tour Welcome 2 Australia Tour Hit And Run Part II Performed occasionally in shows: 1987, 1988, 1990, 1993, 1999, 2004 (intro only, leading into Baby I’m A Star), 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015

1999 is the first track on Prince’s fifth album 1999, and, one month prior to the album’s release, 1999 was released as the album’s first single. The song has been released around the world many times in Prince’s career. In 1993, the track was included as the ninth track on Prince’s first compilation album The Hits 1 (also included as the first disc of The Hits / The B-Sides). In late 1998, the 1999 single was reissued, including the full version of the track. In 1999, a re-recording of the track, as well as several remixes, were released by Prince on the 1999: The New Master single, credited to "Prince and the noiɈυlovǝЯ". In 2001, the track was included as the second track on the compilation album The Very Best Of Prince. In 2006, the track was included as the fourth track on the first disc of the compilation album Ultimate. Basic tracking for 1999 took place at Prince’s Kiowa Trail Home Studio in Chanhassen, Minnesota, in mid July 1982 as the final track recorded for the album. While reflecting on the track’s history on Facebook in 2014, Jesse Johnson wrote that Prince "used my 1968 Italian made Vox Wah on "1999"! ." The original idea for the song was to have verses sung in unison by Prince, Lisa, Jill and Dez. Prince was not satisfied after the first tests and decided to split the verses between them (much like Sly & The Family Stone’s I Want To Take You Higher). H.M. Buff has stated in an interview that Prince re-recorded a humourous version as 1799 in 1996 at Paisley Park Studios in Chanhassen, Minnesota for a planned skit (in which he would have been on disguised as a 18th century musician) for the Muppets Tonight TV show. This version did not make the final cut, however, and remains unreleased. Prince re-recorded the song in late-1998 for release as 1999: The New Master. Prince claimed at the time that his entire Warner Bros. catalogue had been re-recorded and would be released as "new masters" - it is unknown how close these came to release, however. In a CNN interview with Larry King that aired on 10 December 1999, Prince said (after confirming he wrote the song in 1982): “we were sitting around watching a special about the 1999, and a lot of people were talking about the year”. And in a 2018 interview Bobby Z. recalled how Prince wrote the song after seeing the HBO documentary The Man Who Saw Tomorrow about Nostradamus, while on the Controversy Tour. The only time this documentary aired on HBO was in the last two weeks of February (when they were indeed touring 'in the south' as Bobby Z. indicates in his quote). Recording Information Recording Sessions Date Studio Additional info Mid July 1982 (estimate) Kiowa Trail Home Studio, Chanhassen, MN, USA Tracking Spring-Summer 1996 (assumed) Paisley Park Studios, Chanhassen, MN, USA (assumed) Re-recording as 1799 Late 1998 Paisley Park Studios, Chanhassen, MN, USA (assumed) Re-recording and remixes Recording Personnel Original version Prince - all vocals and instruments, except where noted Lisa Coleman - vocals Dez Dickerson - vocals Jill Jones - vocals (as "J.J.") Jesse Johnson - background vocals (uncredited) 1999: The New Master version and remixes Prince - all vocals and instruments, except where noted Rosie Gaines - vocals Larry Graham - vocals Doug E. Fresh - rap Rosario Dawson - spoken word on Rosario: 1999 Versions Released Versions Title Length Released Version Additional info 1999 6:22 1999 1999 single Little Red Corvette single When Doves Cry single Prince Sampler promotional album His Majesty’s Pop Life The Story So Far... promotional album Sounds O’ The Times promotional album Love Prince promotional album Nothing Compares 2 Him promotional album The Crown Jewels promotional album 1999 single re-issue Studio a.k.a. 1999 (Album Version) 1999 6:22 1999 Deluxe Edition and Super Deluxe Edition Studio Remastered in 2019 1999 (Edit) 3:36 1999 single Little Red Corvette single Strange Tales From The Rain promotional album My Name Was Prince promotional album The Hits 1 The Hits / The B-Sides The Very Best Of Prince Ultimate 4Ever 17 Days (Piano Version) single Edit Slightly alternate beginning, a.k.a 7" Stereo Edit 1999 (7" Stereo Edit) 3:36 1999 Deluxe Edition and Super Deluxe Edition Edit Slightly alternate beginning. Remastered in 2019 1999 (Edit) 3:36 1999 promo Edit, mono version 1999 (7" Mono Promo-Only Edit) 3:36 1999 Deluxe Edition and Super Deluxe Edition Edit, mono version. Remastered in 2019 1999: Acapella 5:11 1999: The New Master Acapella Credited to Prince and the Revolution 1999: Keep Steppin 4:33 1999: The New Master Remix Credited to Prince and the Revolution 1999: Rosie & Doug E. In A Deep House 6:23 1999: The New Master Remix, re-uses rap from Guess Who? by Doug E. Fresh Credited to Prince and the Revolution 1999: The Inevitable Mix 5:46 1999: The New Master Remix Credited to Prince and the Revolution 1999: The New Master 7:09 1999: The New Master Re-recording Credited to Prince and the Revolution 1999: The New Master: Single Edit 4:30 1999: The New Master Re-recording edit Credited to Prince and the Revolution Rosario: 1999 1:19 1999: The New Master Studio Spoken word over music from Little Red Corvette - other than name, no relation to 1999; Credited to Prince and the Revolution 1999 10:24 1999 Super Deluxe Edition Live 1 December 1982 (a.m.): Masonic Temple Auditorium, Detroit, MI, USA 1999 5:51 Prince And The Revolution: Live Live 30 March 1985, Carrier Dome, Syracuse, NY, USA 1999 5:51 Prince And The Revolution: Live (2022 re-release) Live 30 March 1985, Carrier Dome, Syracuse, NY, USA. Remastered 1999 5:54 Sign O’ The Times Super Deluxe Edition Live 20 June 1987: Stadion de Galgenwaard, Utrecht, The Netherlands 1999 / Baby I’m A Star / Push (Medley) (Live At Glam Slam 1992) 9:12 Diamonds And Pearls Super Deluxe Edition Live 11 January 1992, Glam Slam, Minneapolis, MN, USA Video Versions Title Length Released Version Additional info 1999 (Edit) 3:36 The Hits Collection VHS/DVD Promo video See 1999 video for more details 1999 4:15 Prince And The Revolution: Live VHS/laserdisc Purple Rain Deluxe Expanded Edition – Live at the Carrier Dome (DVD) Prince And The Revolution: Live (2022 re-release) Live 30 March 1985, Carrier Dome, Syracuse, NY, USA 1999 5:14 Lovesexy Live 1 VHS Live 9 September 1988, Westfalenhallen, Dortmund, West Germany 1999 8:28 Rave Un2 The Year 2000 VHS/DVD Live 18 December 1999, Paisley Park, Chanhassen, MN, USA 1999 8:08 1999 Super Deluxe Edition DVD Live 29 December 1982: The Summit, Houston, TX 1999 T.B.C. Sign O’ The Times Super Deluxe Edition DVD Live 31 December 1987: Paisley Park Studios, Chanhassen, MN, USA 1999 ?:?? Welcome 2 America Deluxe edition Live 28 April 2011, The Forum, Inglewood, CA, USA 1999 / Baby I’m A Star / Push (Medley) (Special Olympics 1991 Soundcheck) ?:?? Diamonds And Pearls Super Deluxe Edition blu-ray Live 20 July 1991, Special Olympics, The Metrodome, Minneapolis, MN 1999 / Baby I’m A Star / Push (Medley) (Special Olympics 1991) ?:?? Diamonds And Pearls Super Deluxe Edition blu-ray Live 20 July 1991, Special Olympics, The Metrodome, Minneapolis, MN 1999 / Baby I’m A Star / Push (Medley) (Live At Glam Slam 1992) 9:12 Diamonds And Pearls Super Deluxe Edition blu-ray Live 11 January 1992, Glam Slam, Minneapolis, MN, USA Broadcasts/streaming (only) Title Length Released Version Additional info 1999 T.B.C. Live concert radio broadcast Live 22 July 1990, Estadio Vicente Calderón, Madrid, Spain 1999 T.B.C. Delayed concert TV broadcast Live 29 July 1990, Estadio Santa María del Mar, La Coruña, Spain 1999 T.B.C. Delayed concert TV broadcast Live 31 August 1990, Tokyo Dome (東京ドーム), Tokyo, Japan 1999 2:22 Delayed live recording radio broadcast Live (edited) 02 August 1993, Sheffield Arena, Sheffield, England 1999 3:13 Live radio broadcast Live 07 September 1993 (mat.), Simon Bates Show, BBC Broadcasting House, London, England; part of medley containing 1999 / Baby I’m A Star / America / D.M.S.R. / Pope / It’s Gonna Be A Beautiful Night 1999/We March/Emancipation ?:?? Delayed performance TV broadcast Live 24 February 1997, BRIT Awards, Earls Court, London, England; contains 1999 (intro only) and We March interpolations; live singing over pre-recorded performance 1999/Baby I’m A Star T.B.C. Delayed concert TV broadcast Live 17 October 2003, Tamar Site, Admiralty, Hong Kong; 1999 intro only 1999/Baby I’m A Star T.B.C. Live awards performance TV broadcast Live 8 February 2004, 46th annual Grammy Awards Ceremony, Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA; with Beyoncé; 1999 intro only The Superbowl 11:52 Lotusflow3r.com video stream Live medley 04 February 2007, Dolphins Stadium, Miami Gardens, FL, USA; medley of We Will Rock You / Let’s Go Crazy / 1999 intro / Baby I’m A Star / Proud Mary / All Along The Watchtower / The Best Of U / Purple Rain 1999 4:07 Lotusflow3r.com video stream Live 25 April 2008, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Burbank, CA; not broadcast on TV 1999 T.B.C. Live performance TV broadcast Live 14 October 2009, Le Grand Journal, Studios Rive Gauche, Paris, France 1999 / Little Red Corvette / Musicology (intro) 9:52 3rdEye TV Show # 7 live video stream Live 30 June 2013 (a.m.) City Winery Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA 1999 T.B.C. Live concert online stream Live 10 May 2015, Baltimore, MN, USA, Royal Farms Arena Sampled, Referred to, Quoted in... Title Length Released Version Additional info Partyman (The Purple Party Mix) 6:02 Partyman single Remix Remix by Femi Jiya and Prince; Includes sampled clips of Sexy Dancer, I Wanna Be Your Lover, Head, Partyup, Let’s Work, 1999, Raspberry Beret, Erotic City, Kiss, U Got The Look, Housequake, Alphabet St., The Future and a chant from Batdance Partyman (The Purple Party Mix) 5:58 The Scandalous Sex Suite EP Remix edit As above, missing The Joker’s opening dialogue Purple Medley 11:03 Purple Medley single Studio medley See Purple Medley for more details Purple Medley (Edit) 3:14 Purple Medley single Edit See Purple Medley for more details Million $ Show 3:10 Hitnrun Phase One album stream Studio Contains samples from openings of For You, 1999 and Let’s Go Crazy

Additional Information See also Trivia 1999 album 1999 single 1999 video 1999 Deluxe Edition and Super Deluxe Edition Prince announced prior to the Rave Un2 the Year 2000 TV special that he would retire the song 1999 after its performance in the show; he didn’t perform it again in full until 2007, but continued to performed it again regularly thereafter. A line at the end of Rosario: 1999 ("Open your mind, there’s not much time") is a variation of lines included on the intro of The Dance Electric ("Good morning children / Take a look out your window / Our world is falling / It's almost time to go / Dance the Dance Electric / The rhythm is love and love is blind / Love your enemies / There isn't much time, there isn't much time") and the outro of the "vocal version" of God ("Wake up, children, dance the electric dance, there's not much time"), both recorded in August 1984. References The Vault: The Definitive Guide to the Musical World of Prince (2004) https://www.facebook.com/JesseJohnsonfan/posts/10152295513321224 Copyright(s): US Copyright Office PAu000440507 / 1982-09-23; PA0000157921 / 1982-12-06; PA0000165680 / 1983-01-27; ASCAP Work ID: 440129719 / ISWC: T0701546806; (Acapella) Work ID: 450506873 / ISWC: T0722530644; (Keep Steppin’) Work ID: 450506819 / ISWC: T0722530611; (Rosario) Work ID: 450506775 / ISWC: T0722530597; (Rosie & Douge E. In A Deep House) Work ID: 450506837 / ISWC: T0722530622; (Take) Work ID: 450506855 / ISWC: T0722530633; (The Inevitable Mix) Work ID: 450506793 / ISWC: T0722530600; (The New Master) Work ID: 450506757 / ISWC: T0722530586 Uncovering Prince with H.M Buff-Paisley Park Engineer by Violet Reality (25 July 2018)

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