Album: 3121

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C-Note album.png 2004: C-Note All Prince Albums All Related Artists Albums 2006: Ultimate Ultimate album.jpg
3121

3121 album artwork

Album details


Released: 20 March 2006 (Europe)

21 March 2006 (US)

Length: 53:42
Label(s): NPG Records / Universal Records
Studio(s): Paisley Park Studios, Chanhassen, MN, USA; 3121 Antelo Rd., Los Angeles, 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
USA: Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Catalog Albums 23 Feb. 2019 ( 2019 re-release) 4 1
USA: Billboard Vinyl Albums 23 Feb. 2019 ( 2019 re-release) 7 1
 
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 the USA

Singles released


Te Amo Corazón
b/w Te Amo Corazón (video)
Teamocorazon single.jpg
Black Sweat
b/w Beautiful, Loved And Blessed
Blacksweat single.jpg
Fury
b/w Te Amo Corazón / Fury
Fury single.jpg

See also


Per4ming Live: 3121
(Las Vegas residency)
3121
(Sheet Music)
3121VEGAS.jpg 3121-sheetmusic.JPG

Alternate Album Configuration


  1. 3121
  2. Lolita
  3. Streets Of Panama
  4. The Morning After
  5. Elixer
  6. Black Sweat
  7. Love Like Jazz
  8. Love
  9. Redhead Stepchild
  10. Shameless
  11. Satisfied
  12. The Word
  13. The Dance
  14. Get On The Boat
  15. Wall Of Berlin

* The exact sequence is unknown, but tentatively extrapolated from placing of tracks on other sequences and projects

  • Late 2005 configuration
  1. 3121
  2. Lolita
  3. Streets Of Panama
  4. Te Amo Corazón
  5. Incense And Candles
  6. Black Sweat
  7. The Morning After
  8. Love
  9. Satisfied
  10. The Word
  11. The Dance
  12. Get On The Boat


  • 2006 configuration (exact date unknown)
  1. 3121
  2. Lolita
  3. Te Amo Corazón
  4. Incense And Candles
  5. Black Sweat
  6. Love
  7. Satisfied
  8. Streets Of Panama
  9. The Word
  10. Beautiful, Loved And Blessed
  11. The Dance
  12. 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.


Sessions and compiling

Fairly little is known about the recording sessions for the album. It is likely that basic tracking for most tracks took place between late 2004 and early 2006, at Paisley Park Studios, Chanhassen, MN, USA and/or 3121 Antelo Rd., Los Angeles, CA, USA. Some percussion overdubs on Te Amo Corazón took place at Insomnio Studios, Panama City, Panama in late June 2005.

In a 2020 interview, Sam Jenning discussed the evolution of the album: "The 3121 album changed a lot from 2005 to 2006. Originally it was going to be called Lotusflow3r and had a very different tracklist. I had an original design for it ready to go. But then it changed and evolved into 3121 and so did the art." At some point the cd was going to be three discs, while a version from late October 2005 had fifteen tracks, and was likely planned to be two CDs at this point.

An early configuration of the album compiled in late 2005 included three songs that were removed before release and included on Lotusflow3r (released in 2009): Love Like Jazz, Wall Of Berlin and The Morning After (the latter was not included on the physical release but only on the download version of the Lotusflow3r album). This early configuration also included Elixer (later released on Bria Valente’s album Elixer in 2009), Redhead Stepchild (removed from 3121 and included on Támar ’s planned 2006 album), and two other songs that remain unreleased (Streets Of Panama and Shameless). Fury and Beautiful, Loved And Blessed were not included on any known late 2005 configuration, indicating that they may have been recorded shortly before the album’s release. Although the song 3121 contains some disguised spoken words that say "From the lotus flower...", it is unclear when and how the album title evolved from Lotusflow3r to 3121 (of note, neither From The Lotus... or ...Back 2 The Lotus) were included on any known configuration of 3121). More information will be added if it becomes available.


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 Antelo Rd., Los Angeles, 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.

On 8 February 2019, The Prince Estate re-released the album with Sony’s Legacy Recordings (Musicology and Planet Earth were also re-released on the same day).



Track listing
CD Cassette

The compact disc version is the original issue.

  1. 3121 (4:31)
  2. Lolita (4:06)
  3. Te Amo Corazón (3:36)
  4. Black Sweat (3:11)
  5. Incense And Candles (4:05)
  6. Love (5:46)
  7. Satisfied (2:50)
  8. Fury (4:02)
  9. The Word (4:12)
  10. Beautiful, Loved And Blessed (5:44)1
  11. The Dance (5:21)
  12. Get On The Boat (6:19)

The MC format was released at same time as the CD.

  • Side 1:
  1. 3121 (4:31)
  2. Lolita (4:06)
  3. Te Amo Corazón (3:36)
  4. Black Sweat (3:11)
  5. Incense And Candles (4:05)
  6. Love (5:46)
  7. Satisfied (2:50)
  • Side 2:
  1. Fury (4:02)
  2. The Word (4:12)
  3. Beautiful, Loved And Blessed (5:44)1
  4. The Dance (5:21)
  5. Get On The Boat (6:19)


LP 2019 re-release

  • Side 1:
  1. 3121 (4:31)
  2. Lolita (4:06)
  3. Te Amo Corazón (3:36)
  • Side 2:
  1. Black Sweat (3:11)
  2. Incense And Candles (4:05)
  3. Love (5:46)
  • Side 3:
  1. Satisfied (2:50)
  2. Fury (4:02)
  3. The Word (4:12)
  • Side 4:
  1. Beautiful, Loved And Blessed (5:44)1
  2. The Dance (5:21)
  3. Get On The Boat (6:19)

All songs written by Prince.

1 Written by Prince and Támar



Personnel
Musicians


Production


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 center center center center
Argentina CD 9852072 center center center center
Australia CD 9852072 center center center center
Bulgaria CD 6,02499E+11 center center center center
Canada CD B000629602 center center center center
EU CD 6,02499E+11 center center center center
Indonesia CD 985 207-2 center center center center
Japan CD UICO-9723 center center center center
Japan CD UICU-1110 center center center center
Japan CD UICU-9042 center center center center
Korea CD DW9233/985 807-2 center center center center
Malaisya CD 9852072 center center center center
Russia CD 2600804 center center center center
Thailand CD 985 207-2 center center center center
Taiwan CD 6,02499E+11 center center center center
Ukraine CD 6,02499E+11 center center center center
USA CD B0006296-02 center center center center

Variants, Special Editions and Reissues
Country Format Cat. Number Comments Front Back Label 1 Label 2

USA/EUR 2LP 1907591053-1 Purple/Black Translucent, February 2019 center center center center

 

 

 
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 Antelo Rd., Los Angeles, 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 Antelo Rd., Los Angeles, 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:

Press advert published in Rolling Stone (6 Apr. 2006)   Press advert published in Billboard (8 Apr. 2006)

  • 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 Antelo Rd., Los Angeles, 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.

References
C-Note album.png 2004
C-Note
All Albums All Related Artists Albums 2006
Ultimate
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