Album: Ultimate

2006: 3121 ◄

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Ultimate

Album details Released: 17 April 2006 (released and withdrawn in Greece and elsewhere) 21 August 2006 (UK) 22 August 2006 (USA) Length: 77:14; 79:06 Label(s): Warner Bros. Studio(s): Alpha Studios, Burbank, CA, USA; Kiowa Trail Home Studio, Chanhassen, MN, USA; Hollywood Sound Recorders, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Sunset Sound, Hollywood, CA, USA; First Avenue (in Record Plant Remote - Black Truck (from New York, NY in Minneapolis, MN USA); Paisley Park Studios, Chanhassen, MN, USA; Warner Pioneer Studios, Tokyo, Japan; The Warehouse, St. Louis Park, MN, USA Charts, Certifications & Awards Charts America Country: Chart Entry Date Peak Position Weeks in Chart USA: The Billboard 200 9 Sep. 2006 61 5 USA: Billboard Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums 9 Sep. 2006 31 7 USA: The Billboard 200 4 Aug. 2012 55R 6 USA: The Billboard 200 7 May 2016 6R 10 R indicates re-entry of an album that had already charted. Europe Country: Chart Entry Date Peak Position Weeks in Chart Austria: Alben Top 75 20 Oct. 2006 46 3 Belgium: Ultratop Album (Vl) 16 Sep. 2006 46 11 Belgium: Ultratop Album (Wa) 16 Sep. 2006 52 4 Denmark: Danmarks Hitlist 25 Jun. 2006 6 9 France: SNEP Top 40 Compilations 26 Aug. 2006 12 6 The Netherlands: Album Top 100 9 Sep. 2006 39 7 Portugal: AFP Portugal Albums Top 30 Week 43/2006 14 4 R Switzerland: Schweizer Hitparade 10 Sep. 2006 58 2 U.K.: UK Albums Chart 2 Sep. 2006 6 12 Pacific Country: Chart Entry Date Peak Position Weeks in Chart New Zealand: Album Charts 25 Sep. 2006 3(1) 10 Certifications BPI (UK) 21 Sep. 2007 Gold (100,000 sold) BPI (UK) 24 Jan. 2014 Platinum (300,000 sold) Awards This album has not received any awards in the USA Singles released None at the time of release, although most of the tracks have been available on single, from 1979’s I Wanna Be Your Lover to 1993’s Nothing Compares 2 U. See also Ultimate (Sheet Music)   Alternate Album Configuration Late 2005 configuration An earlier tracklist for Ultimate included Purple Medley as an opening track, as well as some other variations. Notably, the extended versions and remixes were included throughout the compilation, rather than placed on the second disc. Prince asked that Erotic City and Sexy Mutha be removed due to their explicit lyrics. The full track list is as follows: Disc 1 Purple Medley I Wanna Be Your Lover Uptown Controversy 1999 Little Red Corvette (Dance Mix) Let’s Go Crazy (Special Dance Mix) Erotic City (12" Version) Purple Rain When Doves Cry I Would Die 4 U Pop Life (Fresh Dance Mix) She’s Always In My Hair (12" Version) Raspberry Beret (12" Version) Disc 2 Kiss (Extended Version) Sign O’ The Times U Got The Look (Long Look) I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man Hot Thing (Extended Remix) Alphabet St. Thieves In The Temple (Remix) Diamonds And Pearls Gett Off Money Don’t Matter 2 Night Cream (N.P.G. Mix) 7 (Acoustic Version) Sexy Mutha Nothing Compares 2 U My Name Is Prince

Ultimate is the fifth compilation album of Prince’s Warner Bros. studio work, released in August 2006 (five years after the previous compilation, The Very Best Of Prince). It comprises only Warner Bros.-era recordings under the name Prince from twelve studio albums, released originally between 1979 and 1993. Some tracks are included in extended or remixed form (taken from 12" or CD singles), and within each disc, tracks are included in loose chronological order based on their release as singles. The first disc included single edits or album versions of tracks, while the second included remixes or extended versions previously only available on singles. There was no overlap between the discs' tracks. The first disc contained 17 tracks, 16 of which had been included on The Hits 1 or The Hits 2, and ten of which had been included on The Very Best Of Prince. The second disc contained eleven tracks, and while none of them had appeared on a previous compilation in remixed / extended form, seven had appeared on The Hits 1 or The Hits 2 in their album version or single edit, one (She’s Always In My Hair) had appeared on The B-Sides (included as the third and final disc on The Hits / The B-Sides), and seven had appeared on The Very Best Of Prince in their album version or single edit. Only My Name Is Prince, Let’s Work and Hot Thing had not appeared on a previous compilation album in any form. An early version of the album was planned in late 2005 - early 2006 with a different tracklisting (see below for details) and was planned by Warner Bros. with a 21 March 2006 release. Prince cooperated with the release, and revised a proposed tracklist. Once his new album, 3121, was announced with the same release date, Ultimate was postponed (it is unclear if Warner Bros. or Prince wanted this postponement). The packaging for Ultimate was finalized, printed and CD’s were pressed and distributed to wholesalers; with a recall on such short notice over a 1,000 copies ended up in shops and being sold in the US, Australia mid March 2006, and in Greece a month later (on 17 April 2006). The DVD of the Diamonds And Pearls Video Collection was released on the same day as Ultimate. Promotion No singles were released to promote Ultimate, and the album reached only number 61 on The Billboard 200. It reached number 31 on the US Billboard Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums Chart, and number 6 on the UK Albums Chart. Track listing CD Digital The compact disc version is the original issue. Disc 1: I Wanna Be Your Lover (2:57) Uptown (4:09) Controversy (7:15) 1999 (3:37) Delirious (2:38) When Doves Cry (3:47) I Would Die 4 U (2:56) 1 Purple Rain (8:40) 1 Sign O’ The Times (3:42) I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man (3:39) Alphabet St. (5:38) Diamonds And Pearls (4:19) 2 Gett Off (4:31) 2 Money Don’t Matter 2 Night (4:47)2 7 (5:08) 3 Nothing Compares 2 U (4:57) 2 My Name Is Prince (4:03) 4 Disc 2: Let’s Go Crazy (Special Dance Mix) (7:36) 1 Little Red Corvette (Dance Remix) (8:22) Let’s Work (Dance Remix) (8:02) Pop Life (Fresh Dance Mix) (6:18) 1,5 She’s Always In My Hair (12" Version) (6:31) 1 Raspberry Beret (12" Version) (6:34) 1 Kiss (Extended Version) (7:16) 1 U Got The Look (Long Look) (6:40) Hot Thing (Extended Remix) (8:30) Thieves In The Temple (Remix) (8:08) Cream (N.P.G. Mix) (4:50) 2 The digital version was released at same time as the CD. I Wanna Be Your Lover (2:57) Uptown (4:09) Controversy (7:15) 1999 (3:37) Delirious (2:38) When Doves Cry (3:47) I Would Die 4 U (2:56) 1 Purple Rain (8:40) 1 Sign O’ The Times (3:42) I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man (3:39) Alphabet St. (5:38) Diamonds And Pearls (4:19) 2 Gett Off (4:31) 2 Money Don’t Matter 2 Night (4:47)2 7 (5:08) 3 Nothing Compares 2 U (4:57) 2 My Name Is Prince (4:03) 4 Let’s Go Crazy (Special Dance Mix) (7:36) 1 Little Red Corvette (Dance Remix) (8:22) Let’s Work (Dance Remix) (8:02) Pop Life (Fresh Dance Mix) (6:18) 1,5 She’s Always In My Hair (12" Version) (6:31) 1 Raspberry Beret (12" Version) (6:34) 1 Kiss (Extended Version) (7:16) 1 U Got The Look (Long Look) (6:40) Hot Thing (Extended Remix) (8:30) Thieves In The Temple (Remix) (8:08) Cream (N.P.G. Mix) (4:50) 2 All songs written by Prince, except where noted. 1 Written by Prince (credited to Prince and the Revolution) 2 Written by Prince (credited to Prince and the New Power Generation) 3 Written by Prince (credited to Prince and the New Power Generation); co-written by Lowell Fulsom and Jimmy McCracklin 4 Written by Prince, rap written by Tony M. 5 String interlude composed by Lisa Coleman and Wendy Melvoin Personnel Musicians Prince - all vocals and instruments, except where noted (credited as Camille for lead vocals on U Got The Look (Long Look)) Lisa Coleman - background vocals on Controversy, Little Red Corvette (Dance Remix), Raspberry Beret (12” Version), co-lead vocals on 1999, keyboards and background vocals on Let’s Go Crazy (Special Dance Mix), Pop Life (Fresh Dance Mix), I Would Die 4 U and Purple Rain Morris Day - drums on Controversy (uncredited, possible involvement on the album version) and Let’s Work (Dance Remix) Dez Dickerson - co-lead vocals on 1999, guitar and vocals on Little Red Corvette (Dance Remix) Jill Jones - co-lead vocals on 1999, vocals on Kiss (Extended version) (uncredited) Jesse Johnson - background vocals on 1999 (uncredited) Wendy Melvoin - guitars and background vocals on I Would Die 4 U, Purple Rain, Let’s Go Crazy (Special Dance Mix) and Pop Life (Fresh Dance Mix), background vocals on Raspberry Beret (12” Version) Brown Mark - bass guitar and background vocals on I Would Die 4 U, Purple Rain, Let’s Go Crazy (Special Dance Mix) and Pop Life (Fresh Dance Mix), Dr. Fink - keyboards on I Would Die 4 U, Purple Rain, Let’s Go Crazy (Special Dance Mix) and Pop Life (Fresh Dance Mix) Bobby Z. - drums and percussion on I Would Die 4 U, Purple Rain and Let’s Go Crazy (Special Dance Mix) Novi Novog - violin on Purple Rain and Raspberry Beret (12" Version) Suzie Katayama - cello on Purple Rain and Raspberry Beret (12" Version) David Coleman - cello on Purple Rain and Raspberry Beret (12" Version) Sheila E. - drums on Alphabet St. and U Got The Look (Long Look), synth drum fills on Diamonds And Pearls (uncredited), drums and background vocals on Pop Life (Fresh Dance Mix) Jonathan Melvoin - tamborine on Pop Life (Fresh Dance Mix) Eric Leeds - saxophone on Alphabet St. and Kiss (Extended version), flute on Gett Off, sampled on Cream (N.P.G. Mix) (from ♥ Or $) Atlanta Bliss - trumpet on Alphabet St. Cat - vocals on Alphabet St. Boni Boyer - vocals on Alphabet St. and Escape Ingrid Chavez - vocals on Alphabet St. Rosie Gaines - co-lead vocals on Diamonds And Pearls, co-lead vocals and keyboards on Gett Off, Nothing Compares 2 U and Cream (N.P.G. Mix) Michael B. - drums on Diamonds And Pearls, Gett Off, Money Don’t Matter 2 Night, Nothing Compares 2 U and Cream (N.P.G. Mix) Levi Seacer, Jr. - guitar on Diamonds And Pearls, Gett Off, Nothing Compares 2 U and Cream (N.P.G. Mix), bass on Money Don’t Matter 2 Night Sonny T. - bass guitar on Diamonds And Pearls, Gett Off, Nothing Compares 2 U and Cream (N.P.G. Mix) Tommy Barbarella - keyboards on Diamonds And Pearls, Gett Off, Nothing Compares 2 U and Cream (N.P.G. Mix) Kirk Johnson - percussion and background shouts/vocals on Gett Off and Cream (N.P.G. Mix) Damon Dickson - percussion and background shouts/vocals on Gett Off Tony M. - vocals on Gett Off and rap on My Name Is Prince Chuck Thomas - drums (uncredited, sampled loop from Tramp by Lowell Fulson) on 7 Michael Nelson - trombone on Nothing Compares 2 U Brian Gallagher - tenor saxophone on Nothing Compares 2 U Kathy Jensen - baritone saxophone on Nothing Compares 2 U Dave Jensen - trumpet on Nothing Compares 2 U Steve Strand - trumpet on Nothing Compares 2 U Susannah Melvoin - background vocals on Raspberry Beret (12" Version) Sid Page - violin on Pop Life (Fresh Dance Mix) Marcy Dicterow-Vaj - violin on Pop Life (Fresh Dance Mix) Denyse Buffum - viola on Pop Life (Fresh Dance Mix) Laury Woods - viola on Pop Life (Fresh Dance Mix) Tim Barr - Stand-up bass on Pop Life (Fresh Dance Mix) Annette Atkinson - Stand-up bass on Pop Life (Fresh Dance Mix) Tony Christian - background vocals (as Mazarati) on Kiss (Extended Version) Craig "Screamer" Powell - background vocals (as Mazarati) on Kiss (Extended Version) Jerome "Romeo" Cox - background vocals (as Mazarati) on Kiss (Extended Version) Marr Starr - background vocals (as Mazarati) and keyboards (uncredited) on Kiss (Extended Version) Aaron Paul "Ace" Keith - background vocals (as Mazarati) and keyboards (uncredited) on Kiss (Extended Version) Kevin "Blondie" Patricks - drums (uncredited) on Kiss (Extended Version) Sheena Easton - co-lead vocals on U Got The Look (Long Look) Camille - lead vocals U Got The Look (Long Look) Lester Chambers - harmonica (sampled from I Can’t Stand It by The Chambers Brothers, uncredited) on Thieves In The Temple (Remix) Jevetta Steele - backing vocals (as part of The Steeles) on Thieves In The Temple (Remix) Fred Steele - backing vocals (as part of The Steeles) on Thieves In The Temple (Remix) JD Steele - backing vocals (as part of The Steeles) on Thieves In The Temple (Remix) Jearlyn Steele - backing vocals (as part of The Steeles) on Thieves In The Temple (Remix) Bonnie Raitt - sampled slide guitar (uncredited) on Cream (N.P.G. Mix) Clare Fischer - string orchestration on Cream (N.P.G. Mix) (sampled from High Fashion) George Brown - drums on Cream (N.P.G. Mix) (uncredited, sampled loop from Chocolate Buttermilk by Kool & the Gang) Production Prince - producer and arranger, remixer on I Wanna Be Your Lover and Uptown, string arrangement on Purple Rain; engineer on Uptown (credited as Jamie Starr); remix on Thieves In The Temple (Remix) (credited to Paisley Park) The Revolution - credited as co-producers, arrangers and engineers on I Would Die 4 U, Purple Rain, Pop Life (Fresh Dance Mix), She’s Always In My Hair (12" Version), Raspberry Beret (12" Version) and Kiss (Extended Version) The New Power Generation - credited as co-producers, arrangers and engineers on Diamonds And Pearls, Gett Off, Money Don’t Matter 2 Night, 7, Nothing Compares 2 U, My Name Is Prince, and Cream (N.P.G. Mix) Gary Brandt - engineer on I Wanna Be Your Lover Mark Ettel - assistant engineer on I Wanna Be Your Lover Bob Mockler - remixer on I Wanna Be Your Lover and Uptown, engineer on Controversy and Let’s Work (Dance Remix) Mic Guzauski - remixer on Uptown, engineer on Controversy and Let’s Work (Dance Remix) Ron Garrett - assistant engineer on Uptown Ross Pallone - engineer on Controversy and Let’s Work (Dance Remix) Peggy McCreary - engineer and mixer on 1999, Delirious and Little Red Corvette (Dance Remix), engineer on When Doves Cry, Pop Life (Fresh Dance Mix), Raspberry Beret (12" Version) and Kiss (Extended Version) Don Batts - 2nd engineer on 1999, Delirious and Little Red Corvette (Dance Remix) David Leonard - engineer on When Doves Cry, I Would Die 4 U, Purple Rain, Let’s Go Crazy (Special Dance Mix), Pop Life (Fresh Dance Mix), Raspberry Beret (12" Version) and Kiss (Extended Version) David Rivkin - engineer on I Would Die 4 U and Purple Rain Lisa Coleman - string arrangement and strings conductor on Purple Rain, strings conductor on Pop Life (Fresh Dance Mix) Wendy Melvoin - strings conductor on Purple Rain and Pop Life (Fresh Dance Mix) Susan Rogers - engineer on Sign O’ The Times, I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man, Let’s Go Crazy (Special Dance Mix), Pop Life (Fresh Dance Mix), Raspberry Beret (12" Version), Kiss (Extended Version), U Got The Look (Long Look) and Hot Thing (Extended Remix) Coke Johnson - engineer on Sign O’ The Times, I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man, Kiss (Extended Version), U Got The Look (Long Look) and Hot Thing (Extended Remix) Joe Blaney - engineer on Alphabet St. Eddie Miller - engineer on Alphabet St. Michael Koppelman - engineer on Diamonds And Pearls, Gett Off, Money Don’t Matter 2 Night and Thieves In The Temple (Remix), engineer and mixer on 7 and My Name Is Prince Tim Penn - 2nd engineer on Diamonds And Pearls and Money Don’t Matter 2 Night Steve Noonan - 2nd engineer on Gett Off, engineer on 7 and My Name Is Prince Ray Hahnfeldt - 2nd engineer on Gett Off, engineer on 7 and My Name Is Prince Matt Larson - engineer on Money Don’t Matter 2 Night Dave Friedlander - engineer on 7 and My Name Is Prince Brian Poer - engineer on 7 and My Name Is Prince Keith "K.C." Cohen - mixer on 7 and My Name Is Prince Tom Garneau - mixer on 7 and My Name Is Prince, engineer on Thieves In The Temple (Remix) Bob Rosa - mixer on 7 and My Name Is Prince Steve Beltran - mixer on 7 and My Name Is Prince "7 contains a sample of Tramp as performed by McCracklin and Fulsom" David Tickle - engineer on Pop Life (Fresh Dance Mix), Raspberry Beret (12" Version) and Kiss (Extended Version) Sheila E. - remixer on Pop Life (Fresh Dance Mix) David Z. - arranger and engineer on Kiss (Extended Version) Shep Pettibone - additional production, remix and editing on Hot Thing (Extended Remix) Michael Hutchinson - remix engineer on Hot Thing (Extended Remix) Junior Vasquez - editing on Hot Thing (Extended Remix) Geoffrey Dicker - creative consultant Mathieu Bitton - creative consultant, art direction, design, photography Jeff Katz - photography Allen Beaulieu - photography Joe Giannetti - photography Larry Williams - photography Thanks none.

Releases
LP, CD, Cassettes and Other versions
Country Format Cat. Number Comments Front Back Label 1 Label 2 USA CD R2 73381 Slipcover Argentina CD 8122-73381-2 Australia CD 8122733812 EU CD 8122 73381 2 Japan CD WPCR-12287/8 Japan CD WPCR-16037/8 Korea CD 8122 73381 2 Russia CD 4,67E+12 Russia CD R2 73381 Taiwan CD 8122 73381 2 South Africa CD CDESP 234 Variants, Special Editions and Reissues Country Format Cat. Number Comments Front Back Label 1 Label 2 USA Digital n/a iTunes

Additional Information Promotion (at time of release) Trivia Ultimate entered the French Top 40 Compilation Albums chart at position 13 on 19 August 2006 and peaked at number 12 the week after. It remained in the chart for 6 weeks, and exited it on 30 September 2006. References Charts: Billboard (Ultimate); British Hit Albums ISBN 978-0-7535-1700-0; Disque En France

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2007 Planet Earth