Album: Diamonds And Pearls

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1990: Graffiti Bridge All Prince Albums All Related Artists Albums 1992:
Diamonds And Pearls

Diamonds And Pearls (Front Cover)

Diamonds And Pearls (Hologram Cover)


Album details


Released: 1 October 1991 (USA)

28 September 2023 (Dolby Atmos release of the original album remastered)

Length: 65:48
Label(s): Paisley Park Records / Warner Bros.
Studio(s): Paisley Park Studios, Chanhassen, MN, USA; Olympic Studios, London, England; Warner Pioneer Studios, Tokyo, Japan and Larrabee Sound Studios, North Hollywood, CA, USA

Charts, Certifications & Awards


Charts
America
Country: Chart Entry Date Peak Position Weeks in Chart
USA: The Billboard 200 Top Albums 19 Oct. 1991 3 45
USA: Billboard Top R&B Albums 19 Oct. 1991 1(1) 42
USA: The Billboard 200 14 May 2016 80R 1
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 13 Oct. 1991 4 32
Germany: Musikmarkt Top 100 Albums 14 Oct. 1991 8 57
The Netherlands: Nationale Top 100 12 Oct. 1991 6 50
Norway: VG-Lista Top 40 Album Week 41/1991 5 9
Sweden: Top 60 Albums 9 Oct. 1991 8 14
Switzerland: Schweizer Hitparade 6 Oct. 1991 3 30
U.K.: UK Albums Chart 12 Oct. 1991 2(?) 57
 
Pacific
Country: Chart Entry Date Peak Position Weeks in Chart
Australia: ARIA Top 50 Albums 13 Oct. 1991 1(1) 41
New Zealand: Top 40 Album 13 Oct. 1991 5 38
Certifications
Institution, Country Date Certification
CRIA, Canada 17 Dec. 1991 Platinum (100,000)
RIAA, USA 4 Dec. 1991 Platinum (1 Million)
RIAA, USA 30 Jan. 1992 Platinum x2 (2 Millions)
BPI, UK 1 Sep. 1991 Silver (60,000)
BPI, UK 1 Oct. 1991 Gold (100,000)
BPI, UK 1 Dec. 1991 Platinum (300,000)
BPI, UK 12 Nov. 1992 Platinum x3 (900,000)
SNEP, France 1991 Gold (100,000)
SNEP, France 1992 Platinum (600,000)
BVMI, Germany 1992 Gold (250,000)
ARIA, Australia 17 Nov. 1991 Gold (35,000)
ARIA, Australia 23 Feb. 1992 Platinum (70,000)
ARIA, Australia 26 Apr. 1992 Platinum x3 (210,000)
ARIA, Australia 8 Dec. 1996 Platinum x4 (280,000)
Awards
Institution, Country Date Award
12th Annual Minnesota Music Awards 10 May 1992 Best Album

Singles released


Gett Off
b/w Horny Pony
Cream
b/w Horny Pony
Insatiable
b/w I Love U In Me
Diamonds And Pearls
b/w Q In Doubt
Money Don’t Matter 2 Night
b/w Call The Law
Willing And Able (promo only)
b/w Willing And Able
Thunder (UK only)
b/w Thunder

See also


Diamonds And Pearls Tour Diamonds And Pearls (Super) Deluxe Edition
(2023 re-issue)
link: Diamonds And Pearls Tour link: Album:_Diamonds_And_Pearls_SuperDeluxe

Alternate Album Configuration


  • 27 November 1990 configuration
As “Diamonds & Pearlz”
  1. Something Funky (This House Comes)
  2. Daddy Pop (alternate version)
  3. Walk Don’t Walk (alternate version)
  4. Diamonds And Pearls (alternate version, no Rosie Gaines)
  5. Schoolyard
  6. Strollin’
  7. Willing And Able (drum solo intro, Prince background vocals, no Tony M.)
  8. Insatiable (longer version with extra lyrics)
  9. Money Don’t Matter 2 Night (alternate mix)
  10. Horny Pony (alternate version)
  11. Live 4 Love (alternate version)


  • December (?) 1990 configuration
  1. Daddy Pop
  2. Walk Don’t Walk
  3. Schoolyard
  4. Strollin’
  5. Willing And Able
  6. Diamonds And Pearls
  7. Insatiable
  8. Money Don’t Matter 2 Night
  9. Horny Pony
  10. Live 4 Love
  11. Something Funky (This House Comes)
  12. Call The Law
  13. The Flow


  • 2 February 1991 configuration
  1. Thunder
  2. Daddy Pop
  3. Diamonds And Pearls
  4. Tony interlude
  5. Cream
  6. Strollin’
  7. Willing And Able
  8. Horny Pony
  9. Jughead
  10. Old Friends 4 Sale
  11. Walk Don’t Walk
  12. Money Don’t Matter 2 Night
  13. Insatiable
  14. Live 4 Love


  • 1 March 1991 configuration
Side 1
  1. Thunder
  2. Daddy Pop
  3. Diamonds And Pearls
Side 2
  1. Cream
  2. Strollin’
  3. Willing And Able
  4. Horny Pony
Side 3
  1. Walk Don’t Walk
  2. Jughead
  3. Money Don’t Matter 2 Night
  4. Push
Side 4
  1. Insatiable
  2. Live 4 Love



  • 8 May 1991, configuration
Some tracks are alternate versions / edits of those featured in the 1 March 1991, configuration, although the tracklist looks identical.
Side 1
  1. Thunder
  2. Daddy Pop
  3. Diamonds And Pearls
Side 2
  1. Cream
  2. Strollin’
  3. Willing And Able
  4. Horny Pony
Side 3
  1. Walk Don’t Walk
  2. Jughead
  3. Money Don’t Matter 2 Night
  4. Push
Side 4
  1. Insatiable
  2. Live 4 Love


Diamonds And Pearls is the 13th full-length studio album by Prince, and the first to be credited to Prince and the New Power Generation. It was released worldwide in October 1991 (thirteen months after his previous album, Graffiti Bridge), after first being pushed back from 27 August to 10 September, then 17 September, and was his first to be co-credited to a band since Parade, by Prince and the Revolution, in 1986.


Sessions and compiling

Unlike many of Prince’s previous albums, Diamonds And Pearls didn’t contain any updated tracks from the vault. All of the album’s 13 songs were written and recorded over the course of the 15 months preceding the album’s release.

Daddy Pop and Walk Don’t Walk were the first tracks recorded initially in early July 1990, while in London, England, for the Nude Tour. Similarly Money Don’t Matter 2 Night Strollin’ and Willing And Able were recorded on in early September 1990 at Warner Pioneer Studios in Tokyo, while in Japan for the final dates of the Nude Tour. Insatiable followed in October 1990 at Larrabee Sound Studios, North Hollywood, CA, USA.

Diamonds And Pearls and Live 4 Love were both recorded in the same session in mid November 1990, the first session with Tommy Barbarella participating (Sonny T. had previously participated in the recording of Elisa Fiorillo’s Love’s No Fun session between late 1989 and early 1990 with Michael B.).

The remainder of the tracks were recorded at Paisley Park Studios, Chanhassen, Minnesota. Cream in early December 1990. Thunder, Jughead and Push in late january / Early February, while Gett Off was recorded in May 1991, as the last track added to the album.

At least four early configurations of the album are known (see below for details).


New Power Generation input

The album introduced an almost-entirely new band (although an early version of the same band toured with him on the Nude Tour). Michael B. played drums on most tracks, while many tracks also featured Sonny T. on bass guitar and Tommy Barbarella, who replaced Dr. Fink on keyboards. Levi Seacer, Jr. switched from bass to rhythm guitar, while Rosie Gaines remained on keyboards and vocals, and the ‘Game Boyz’ trio of Tony M. (performing lead raps) and Damon Dickson and Kirk Johnson (playing percussion and performing background raps/vocals), got a more prominent role.

Kirk Johnson would remain with Prince for a number of years in different roles, becoming his full-time drummer from 1996-2000 and Prince’s best man at his wedding to Mayte in 1996 and minder/valet in the last stage of Prince’s life.


Promotion

The album produced six commercially-released singles, Gett Off, Cream (both of which preceded the album’s release), Insatiable, Diamonds And Pearls, Money Don’t Matter 2 Night, and Thunder (available in the UK only). Additionally, Willing And Able was released to radio as a promotional single in the USA.

Prince toured extensively in Europe, Japan and Australia to support the album on the Diamonds And Pearls Tour, which largely focused on the album.


Charts

The album reached number 3 on The Billboard 200 Top Albums Chart and number 1 on the Billboard Top R&B Albums Chart. It also reached number 1 on the Australian ARIA Top 50 albums chart.


Certifications

Diamonds And Pearls was a huge commercial success; it was certified Platinum in the USA, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia and France.



Track listing
CD LP

The compact disc version is a reissue from the LP.

  1. Thunder (5:45)
  2. Daddy Pop (5:16)
  3. Diamonds And Pearls (4:43)
  4. Cream (4:12)
  5. Strollin’ (3:46)
  6. Willing And Able (4:59) 1 
  7. Gett Off (4:31)
  8. Walk Don’t Walk (3:07)
  9. Jughead (4:56) 2 
  10. Money Don’t Matter 2 Night (4:46)
  11. Push (5:52) 3 
  12. Insatiable (6:39)
  13. Live 4 Love (6:59) 4 

The vinyl long play format is the initial release.

  • Side 1:
  1. Thunder (5:45)
  2. Daddy Pop (5:16)
  3. Diamonds And Pearls (4:43)
  • Side 2:
  1. Cream (4:12)
  2. Strollin’ (3:46)
  3. Willing And Able (4:59) 1 
  4. Gett Off (4:31)
  • Side 3:
  1. Walk Don’t Walk (3:07)
  2. Jughead (4:56) 2 
  3. Money Don’t Matter 2 Night (4:46)
  4. Push (5:52) 3 
  • Side 4:
  1. Insatiable (6:39)
  2. Live 4 Love (6:59) 4 

All songs written by Prince (credited to Prince and the New Power Generation), except where noted.

1  Written by Prince, Tony M. and Levi Seacer, Jr. (credited to Prince and the New Power Generation)
2  Written by Prince, Kirk Johnson and Tony M. (credited to Prince and the New Power Generation)
3  Written by Prince and Rosie Gaines (credited to Prince and the New Power Generation)
4  Written by Prince and Tony M. (credited to Prince and the New Power Generation)



Personnel
Musicians


Production


Thanks



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

This section is under construction

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

This section is under construction

 
Additional Information

Promotion (at time of release) Trivia

  • 1991 US press ads and 1992 German press ad for this release:

Press Advert published in Billboard on 5 October 1991   Press Advert published in Rolling Stone on 31 October 1991

US Press Advert published in 1991   Advert published in German press in 1992

  • At the 11th annual Minnesota Music Awards ceremony, held at Glam Slam, Minneapolis, MN, USA, on 10 May 1992, Cream was also named Best Song.
  • Three early configurations for Diamonds And Pearls are known, containing different sequences and alternate tracks. These are listed in the Alternative section above.
  • Image used by Sharon McCormack for the hologram cover feature:


References
1990
Graffiti Bridge
All Albums All Related Artists Albums 1992