Album: 1999

From Prince Vault
Jump to: navigation, search
Controversy.jpg 1981: Controversy All Prince Albums All Related Artists Albums 1984: Purple Rain Purplerain.jpg
1999

1999 2LP

1999 1LP

Album details


Released: 27 October 1982 (USA)

7 March 1983 (UK, 1-LP)
9 November 1984 (UK, 2-LP)

Length: 70:35 / 40:09 (1-LP)
Label(s): Warner Bros. Records
Studio(s): Kiowa Trail Home Studio, Chanhassen, MN, USA; Sunset Sound, Hollywood, CA, USA

Charts, Certifications & Awards


Charts
America
Country: Chart Entry Date Peak Position Weeks in Chart
Canada: Albums Chart 29 Aug. 1983 20 10
USA: Billboard Top LP’s & Tapes 20 Nov. 1982 9 153
USA: Billboard Black LPs 20 Nov. 1982 4 93
USA: The Billboard 200 7 May 2016 7R 9
R indicates re-entry of an album that had already charted.
 
Europe
Country: Chart Entry Date Peak Position Weeks in Chart
The Netherlands: Nationale Hitparade LP Top 50 2 Mar. 1985 45 2
U.K: UK Albums Chart 8 Sep. 1984 30 21
 
Pacific
Country: Chart Entry Date Peak Position Weeks in Chart
Australia: ARIA Top 50 Albums 4 Apr. 1983
(Double LP)
35 8
Australia: ARIA Top 50 Albums 9 May 1983
(Simple LP)
36 17
New Zealand: Album Chart 19 Jun. 1983 6 22
Certifications
Institution, Country Date Certification
CRIA (Canada) 1 Oct. 1983 Gold (50,000)
RIAA (USA) 11 Jan. 1983 Gold (500,000)
RIAA (USA) 17 May 1983 Platinum (1 million)
RIAA (USA) 22 Oct. 1984 Platinum x2 (2 millions)
RIAA (USA) 22 Jul. 1985 Platinum x3 (3 millions)
RIAA (USA) 24 Mar. 1999 Platinum x4 (4 millions)
BPI (UK) 5 Feb. 1985 Silver (60,000)
BPI (UK) 17 Oct. 2008 Gold (100,000)
BPI (UK) 17 Oct. 2008 Platinum (300,000)
Awards
This album has not received any awards in the USA

Singles released


1999
b/w How Come U Don’t Call Me Anymore
1999 single.jpg
Little Red Corvette
b/w All The Critics Love U In New York
Littleredcorvette single.jpg
D.M.S.R. (UK promo only)
b/w D.M.S.R.
Dmsr single.jpg
Delirious
b/w Horny Toad
Delirious single.jpg
Automatic (Australia only)
b/w Something In The Water (Does Not Compute)
Automatic single.jpg
Let’s Pretend We’re Married
b/w Irresistible Bitch
Letspretendweremarried single.jpg

See also


1999 Super Deluxe Edition
(2019 re-issue)
1999 Tour
border 1982 1999 access all areas.jpeg
1999 is the fifth full-length studio album by Prince. It was released worldwide in October 1982 (twelve months after his previous album, Controversy). Albeit the name The Revolution appears in mirror-writing on the sleeve, it was never officially attributed to Prince and the Revolution.)

In March 1983 the album received a re-release as a 7-track single LP in all territories but the US, omitting D.M.S.R., Automatic, All The Critics Love U In New York and International Lover. At the same the a cassette issue of the album was issued with nine tracks, adding D.M.S.R. and the none-album track How Come U Don’t Call Me Anymore. Both were issued in a picture-sleeve with a photo of Prince rather than the hand drawn '1999' graphic.

The initial CD-release of the album had 10 tracks, omitting D.M.S.R., as the time limit on CDs was 74 minutes when they were first introduced. When CD capacities increased, however, the track was re-added to the tracklist with later re-issues.


Sessions and compiling

Album sessions took place from early 1982 to August 1982, at Prince’s Kiowa Trail Home Studio, Chanhassen, MN, USA and later at Sunset Sound in Hollywood, California. International Lover is believed to be the first track recorded for the album, in mid-January 1982. Recording dates for All The Critics Love U In New York are not known, but it was recorded in early 1982.

Let’s Pretend We’re Married was recorded in late March 1982. D.M.S.R. followed in mid-April 1982. Free and Something In The Water (Does Not Compute) were recorded in late April 1982, while Automatic and Delirious were recorded in early May 1982 and Little Red Corvette on 20 May 1982. Lady Cab Driver followed in early July 1982, while 1999 was recorded on 7 August 1982.

1999 is thought to not have been included on an early configuration of the album (which was likely given another name at the time), but Prince’s management suggested he add an over-arching thematic song to the album, and he wrote the song in response. No other details of the early configuration are known.

The album was largely a solo recording project by Prince, although various band members appear in small roles, especially on 1999 and D.M.S.R. (see credits below for details).


Promotion

The album produced five commercially-released singles, 1999 (which preceded the album), Little Red Corvette, Delirious, Automatic (available in Australia only) and Let’s Pretend We’re Married. Additionally, D.M.S.R. was available as a promotional single following the release of Little Red Corvette.

Prince toured extensively in the USA to support the album on the 1999 Tour, which largely focused on the album (the tour featured The Time and Vanity 6 as opening acts, and also acted as promotion for their albums).

The album reached number 9 on the US Billboard Top LP’s & Tapes chart and number 4 on the Billboard Black LPs chart.

1999 has been certified 4x platinum by the RIAA, indicating 4 million copies shipped in the USA.



Track listing
CD LP

The compact disc version is a reissue from the LP.

  1. 1999 (6:22)
  2. Little Red Corvette (4:58)
  3. Delirious (3:56)
  4. Let’s Pretend We’re Married (7:20)
  5. D.M.S.R. (8:15)
  6. Automatic (9:27)
  7. Something In The Water (Does Not Compute) (4:00)
  8. Free (5:08)
  9. Lady Cab Driver (8:25)
  10. All The Critics Love U In New York (5:55)
  11. International Lover (6:37)


Initial CD run

  1. 1999 (6:22)
  2. Little Red Corvette (4:58)
  3. Delirious (3:56)
  4. Let’s Pretend We’re Married (7:20)
  5. Automatic (9:27)
  6. Something In The Water (Does Not Compute) (4:00)
  7. Free (5:08)
  8. Lady Cab Driver (8:25)
  9. All The Critics Love U In New York (5:55)
  10. International Lover (6:37)


1-LP re-issue

  • Side 1:
  1. 1999 (6:22)
  2. Little Red Corvette (4:58)
  3. Delirious (3:56)
  4. Free (5:08)
  • Side 2:
  1. Let’s Pretend We’re Married (7:20)
  2. Something In The Water (Does Not Compute) (4:00)
  3. Lady Cab Driver (8:25)

The vinyl long play format is the initial release.

  • Side 1:
  1. 1999 (6:22)
  2. Little Red Corvette (4:58)
  3. Delirious (3:56)
  • Side 2:
  1. Let’s Pretend We’re Married (7:20)
  2. D.M.S.R. (8:15)
  • Side 3:
  1. Automatic (9:27)
  2. Something In The Water (Does Not Compute) (4:00)
  3. Free (5:08)
  • Side 4:
  1. Lady Cab Driver (8:25)
  2. All The Critics Love U In New York (5:55)
  3. International Lover (6:37)


Cassette

  • Side 1:
  1. 1999 (6:22)
  2. Little Red Corvette (4:58)
  3. Delirious (3:56)
  4. Let’s Pretend We’re Married (7:20)
  5. D.M.S.R. (8:15)
  6. Free (5:08)
  • Side 2:
  1. Automatic (9:27)
  2. Something In The Water (Does Not Compute) (4:00)
  3. Lady Cab Driver (8:25)
  4. All The Critics Love U In New York (5:55)
  5. International Lover (6:37)


Cassette re-release

  • Side 1:
  1. 1999 (6:22)
  2. Little Red Corvette (4:58)
  3. Delirious (3:56)
  4. Free (5:00)
  5. How Come U Don’t Call Me Anymore (3:54)
  • Side 2:
  1. Let’s Pretend We’re Married (7:20)
  2. Something In The Water (Does Not Compute) (4:00)
  3. Lady Cab Driver (8:25)
  4. D.M.S.R. (8:15)

All songs written by Prince.



Personnel
Musicians


Production


Thanks
  • "Thank U - God.

Steve - "Your guidance is invaluable". Jamie - "I’m glad you’re my friend". Lisa, J.J., Dez, Brown Mark, Bobby Z. & Fink. Carol, Peggy, Don, Fred M., Sandy, Lee Phillips, Roy (The Best) Bennett, Tom Marzullo and the crew. David the blade, My love to Vashti and my money to Al. Thank U all for being my pal."


Releases
LP, CD, Cassettes and Other versions
Country Format Cat. Number Comments Front Back Label 1 Label 2

USA LP x2 1-23720 "Eye labels" center center center center
USA CD 9 23720-2 Long Box center center center center
USA Cassette 4-23720 center center center center
USA 8-Tracks 23720-8F center center center center

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

  • At time 1999 went platinum, it was the third double-pocket album released in the 80’s decade to top the million sales mark. It followed Bruce Springsteen’s The River and Dan Fogelberg’s The Innocent Age. In their article Prince Scores Platinum Double (Vol.95 N°24 - 11 June 1983), Billboard commented that such achievement was noteworthy for a black artist because the last black starts to accomplish similar success with a double studio album were Donna Summer with Bad Girls in 1979 and Stevie Wonder with Songs In the Key of Life in 1976. Billboard also added that in the past 5 years (1979 to 1983), only two double-pocket studio albums went platinum: Fleetwood Mac’s Tusk and Pink Floyd’s The Wall (both in 1979).

References
www.musiccanada.com / CRIA Gold and Platinum / 1999
Prince Scores Platinum Double by Paul Grain (Billboard Vol.95 N°24 - 11 June 1983).
Controversy.jpg 1981
Controversy
All Albums All Related Artists Albums 1984
Purple Rain
Purplerain.jpg