Album: 3121

2004: C-Note ◄

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3121

Album details Released: 21 March 2006 Length: 53:42 Label(s): NPG Records / Universal Records Studio(s): Paisley Park Studios, Chanhassen, MN, USA; 3121 (Mulholland), West Hollywood, CA, USA; Insomnio Studios, Panama City, Panama Charts, Certifications & Awards Charts America Country: Chart Entry Date Peak Position Weeks in Chart USA: The Billboard 200 8 Apr. 2006 1(1) 16 USA: Billboard Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums 8 Apr. 2006 1(1) 24   Europe Country: Chart Entry Date Peak Position Weeks in Chart France: SNEP Top 200 Albums 18 Mar. 2006 8 12 The Netherlands: Album Top 100 25 Mar. 2006 3(2) 18 Poland: OLIS Top Album 100 3 Apr. 2006 13 6 U.K.: UK Albums Chart 1 Apr. 2006 9 4 Certifications Institution, Country Date Certification RIAA (USA) 26 Jun. 2006 Gold (500,000) BPI (UK) 22 Jul. 2013 Silver (60,000) Awards This album has not received any awards in in the USA Singles released Te Amo Corazón b/w Te Amo Corazón (video) Black Sweat b/w Beautiful, Loved And Blessed Fury b/w Te Amo Corazón / Fury See also Per4ming Live: 3121 (Las Vegas residency) 3121 (sheet music) Alternate Album Configuration Late 2005, 3121 configuration 3121 Lolita Streets Of Panama Te Amo Corazón Incense And Candles Black Sweat The Morning After Love Satisfied The Word The Dance Get On The Boat

3121 is the 31st full-length studio album by Prince. It was released worldwide in March 2006 (two years after the collections The Chocolate Invasion, The Slaughterhouse and C-Note, and the studio album Musicology). Eight months after the album's release, Prince launched the Per4ming Live 3121 residency in Las Vegas, NV, USA; the setlist typically included a few tracks from the album, but was not designed to promote the album as such. The initial release of the album contained a small postcard/flier for the later-aborted album by Támar, then-titled Beautiful, Loved And Blessed. Recording process Little is known about the recording sessions for the album. It is likely that initial tracking for most tracks took place between early 2005 and early, at Paisley Park Studios, Chanhassen, MN, USA or 3121 (Mulholland), West Hollywood, CA, USA. Some percussion overdubs on Te Amo Corazón took place at Insomnio Studios, Panama City, Panama in late June 2005. An early configuration of the album compiled in late 2005 included two tracks that were removed before release: Streets Of Panama and The Morning After. Streets Of Panama remains unreleased, while The Morning After was included on the download version of the album Lotusflow3r (although not on the CD version of the album). This configuration did not include Fury or Beautiful, Loved And Blessed, indicating that they may have been recorded shortly before the album's release. The album is the first to feature a band line-up including drummer C.C. Dunham and bass guitarist Joshua Dunham, who would continue to play with Prince until 2010. It also features significant vocal contributions from Támar Davis (credited as Támar), who Prince worked with heavily in 2005 and 2006, including touring with her as her guitarist on the 2006 Támar Tour. Promotion The album produced three commercial singles, Te Amo Corazón, Black Sweat (both of which preceded the album) and Fury (released in the UK only). The initial release of the album included entry into the "Purple Ticket" sweepstakes, to win attendance at a private show at Prince's rented home known as 3121 (Mulholland), West Hollywood, CA, USA, for seven winners in the US (and smaller number worldwide); the show took place on 6 May 2006 (a.m.). Prince performed on a few TV shows and awards shows performing songs from the album. The album entered The Billboard 200 at number 1, giving Prince his first number 1 album on that chart since 1989's Batman (and his first not connected to a movie since 1985's Around The World In A Day). 3121 also reached number 1 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums chart. On 26 Jun. 2006, the album was certified Gold by the RIAA, indicating 500,000 copies shipped in the USA. Track listing CD Cassette The compact disc version is the original issue. 3121 (4:31) Lolita (4:06) Te Amo Corazón (3:36) Black Sweat (3:11) Incense And Candles (4:05) Love (5:46) Satisfied (2:50) Fury (4:02) The Word (4:12) Beautiful, Loved And Blessed (5:44)1 The Dance (5:21) Get On The Boat (6:19) The MC format was released at same time as the CD. Side 1: 3121 (4:31) Lolita (4:06) Te Amo Corazón (3:36) Black Sweat (3:11) Incense And Candles (4:05) Love (5:46) Satisfied (2:50) Side 2: Fury (4:02) The Word (4:12) Beautiful, Loved And Blessed (5:44)1 The Dance (5:21) Get On The Boat (6:19) All songs written by Prince except where indicated. 1 Written by Prince and Támar Personnel Musicians Prince - all vocals and instruments, except where noted Michael B. - drums on 3121 Sonny T. - bass on 3121 Maceo Parker - saxophone on 3121, Satisfied and Get On The Boat (credited also for Te Amo Corazón but does not appear) Candy Dulfer - saxophone on 3121, Satisfied and Get On The Boat (credited also for Te Amo Corazón but does not appear) Greg Boyer - trombone on 3121, Satisfied and Get On The Boat (credited also for Te Amo Corazón but does not appear) Ray Monteiro - trumpet on 3121, Te Amo Corazón, Satisfied and Get On The Boat New Power Generation - additional shouts on Lolita Joshua Dunham - bass on Te Amo Corazón and Get On The Boat Cora Coleman-Dunham - drums on Te Amo Corazón and Get On The Boat (credited as "C.C. Dunham") Ricky Salas - timbales, bongo and perussion on Te Amo Corazón Herbert Urena - congas, bongo and percussion on Te Amo Corazón Támar - additional vocals on Incense And Candles, Love, Satisfied and Get On The Boat, co-lead vocals on Beautiful, Loved And Blessed Sheila E. - percussion on Get On The Boat Liza Lena - 'guest per4mer' (unidentified performance) Production Prince - Producer, Arranger and Engineer Ian Boxhill - Engineer L. Stu Young - Engineer Lisa Chamblee Hampton - Assistant Engineer Clare Fischer - strings arrangement on Te Amo Corazón Afshin Shahidi - Photography Sam Jennings - design "Mastered at Bernie Grundman Mastering" Thanks "All praise and glory 2 the Most High - Jehovah"

Releases
LP, CD, Cassettes and Other versions
Country Format Cat. Number Comments Front Back Label 1 Label 2 USA CD B0006296-02 Initial release with "Win a private show by Prince at his home" sticker Argentina CD 9852072 |- Australia CD 9852072 |- Bulgaria CD 6,02499E+11 |- Canada CD B000629602 |- EU CD 6,02499E+11 |- Indonesia CD 985 207-2 |- Japan CD UICO-9723 |- Japan CD UICU-1110 |- Japan CD UICU-9042 |- Korea CD DW9233/985 807-2 |- Malaisya CD 9852072 |- Russia CD 2600804 |- Thailand CD 985 207-2 |- Taiwan CD 6,02499E+11 |- Ukraine CD 6,02499E+11 |- USA CD B0006296-02 Variants, Special Editions and Reissues Country Format Cat. Number Comments Front Back Label 1 Label 2 None

Additional Information Promotion (at time of release) Trivia The album title, 3121, was first seen at Prince's performance on the NAACP Image Awards on 19 March 2005, where Prince played for the first time with his new band, and premiered Satisfied as part of an extended medley of older songs and covers. "3121" was written on the back of his jacket, which appears to be the same as on the album cover. This led to speculation online that an album would be released soon. Throughout 2005 and early 2006, there were reports of parties taking place at Prince's rented home, called 3121 (Mulholland), West Hollywood, CA, USA, leading to speculation that the album would carry the same title. The house is featured heavily in the booklet's photography. On 13 December 2005, Prince released Te Amo Corazón and its accompanying video, and held a press conference, at which he discussed this album, although it was not mentioned by name. The date written numerically, however (12/13) was a reverse of the album title. On 4 February 2006, Prince performed on NBC TV show Saturday Night Live with Támar, premiering Fury and playing Beautiful, Loved And Blessed. This performance created a large amount of press and online anticipation for the album. On 14 February 2006, the single Te Amo Corazón was re-released for Valentine's Day, including a DVD containing the video. On 15 February 2006, Prince played a surprise performance at the BRIT Awards in London, England. His band included Wendy Melvoin, Lisa Coleman and Sheila E., leading to a lot of speculation about Prince reuniting with The Revolution for a tour. This turned out to be unfounded, however. On 21 February 2006, Black Sweat / Beautiful, Loved And Blessed was released as a double A-side, and both songs received significant airplay. On iTunes, purchase of the single also entered the purchaser into the "Purple Ticket" sweepstakes, to win attendance at a private show at 3121 (Mulholland), West Hollywood, CA, USA; the show took place on 6 May 2006 (a.m.). Two websites were set up specifically for the album: www.3121countdown.com, which served as a short-lived countdown to the release of the album, and www.3121.com, which ran in different forms, opening in March 2006, serving as his primary website starting in Spring 2007 and closing in January 2008. US press ads published in Rolling Stone and Billboard:   The initial release contained a small postcard/flier for the later-aborted album by Támar Davis, then-titled Beautiful, Loved And Blessed. The initial release of the album included entry into the "Purple Ticket" sweepstakes, to win attendance at a private show at 3121 (Mulholland), West Hollywood, CA, USA, for seven winners in the US (and smaller number worldwide); the show took place on 6 May 2006 (a.m.). The album was released on 3/21, which was discussed online and in reviews as a deliberate date, given the title 3121. The album sold 183,000 copies in the USA in its first week of release. Prince has said that some Lotusflow3r tracks were recorded during sessions for 3121, although it is unclear which tracks. References Charts: British Hit Albums ISBN 978-0-7535-1700-0; Charts In France Sales: Prince Complete Circuit By Geoff Mayfield (Billboard: 8 Apr. 2006)

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