Difference between revisions of "Album: 1999"

• Kiowa Trail Home Studio, Chanhassen, MN, USA;

California

• Sunset Sound, Hollywood, CA, USA

When CD technology was created and albums were released on CD, D.M.S.R. was left off the initial releases of 1999 as the time limit on CDs was 74 minutes at the time. As CD capacities increased, however, the track was added to the tracklist again.

Recording process

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, Hollywood, CA, USA. 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. Lady Cab Driver followed in early July 1982. 1999 and Little Red Corvette were recorded on the same day, 7 August 1982.

1999 was not 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 (since Little Red Corvette was recorded on the same day, the early configuration must have been missing this also, although no 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.

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)

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)

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)

• 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)

All songs written by Prince

• Prince - all vocals and instruments, except where noted.
• Lisa Coleman - background vocals on 1999, Little Red Corvette, Delirious, D.M.S.R., Automatic and Free
• Dez Dickerson - co-lead vocals on 1999, background vocals on Little Red Corvette, guitar solos on Little Red Corvette
• Jill Jones - co-lead vocals on 1999, background vocals on Automatic, Free and Lady Cab Driver (credited as "J.J.")
• Brown Mark - background vocals and handclaps on D.M.S.R. (credited as "Brown Mark")
• Jamie Shoop - background vocals and handclaps on D.M.S.R. (credited as (Jamie")
• Carol McGovney - background vocals and handclaps on D.M.S.R. (credited as "Carol")
• Peggy McCreary - background vocals and handclaps on D.M.S.R. (credited as "Peggy")
• Poochie - background vocals and handclaps on D.M.S.R.
• The Count - background vocals and handclaps on D.M.S.R.
• Wendy Melvoin - background vocals on Free (credited as "Wendy")

• Prince - producer and arranger
• Peggy McCreary - engineer
• Don Batts - assistant engineer
• Bernie Grundman - mastering (A&M Records)

• "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."

• 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).

• The Vault: The Definitive Guide to the Musical World of Prince by Per Nilsen & JooZt Mattheij, with the UPTOWN Staff (Uptown: 2004) ISBN 91-631-5482-X
• Copyright: US Copyright Office / SR0000041035 / 1982-11-17
• Certifications:
  

www.musiccanada.com / CRIA Gold and Platinum / 1999

Prince Scores Platinum Double by Paul Grain (Billboard Vol.95 N°24 - 11 June 1983).