Album: The Truth

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1998: Crystal Ball All Prince Albums All Related Artists Albums 1999: The Vault... Old Friends 4 Sale
The Truth

The Truth promotional cassette derived artwork
No official cover
(above image modified from promo cassette artwork)


2021 Re-release
2021 re-release artwork

Album details


Released: 29 January 1998 (direct order first shipments arrive)
3 March 1998 (retail release)
Length: 43:18
Label(s): NPG Records
Studio(s): Paisley Park Studios, Chanhassen, MN, USA

Charts, Certifications & Awards


’’The Truth was not sold individually in 1998 and did not chart separately. The charts below for that year reflect sales for the full Crystal Ball package which includes The Truth. The album charted separately only in 2021 when it was re-released for the Record Store Day.

Charts
America
Country: Chart Entry Date Peak Position Weeks in Chart
USA: The Billboard 200 14 Mar. 1998 62 5
USA: Billboard Top R&B Albums 14 Mar. 1998 59 4
USA: Billboard Vinyl Albums 26 June 2021 1 1
Certifications
This album has not received any certifications in the USA
Awards
This album has not received any awards in the USA

Singles released


The Truth was available by mail order only beginning 14 February 1997, almost a year prior to the album).

The Truth
b/w Don’t Play Me

See also


Crystal Ball
(Album)
  
The Truth is the 21st full-length studio album by Prince, the fifth to be credited to . It was the first to be labeled an 'acoustic' album. The album was only originally available for purchase in CD format with the album Crystal Ball, and so was shipped to customers who had pre-ordered Crystal Ball in January 1998 (14 months after the release of his previous album, Emancipation), with a retail release (again as part of the Crystal Ball package) following the next month.


Sessions and compiling

The album was recorded during a set of sessions, the first of which took place on 1 December 1996 at Paisley Park Studios, Chanhassen, MN, USA, when he recorded The Truth and Don’t Play Me back to back. Comeback was the third song recorded also in December 1996, with the rest following throughout the winter.The album was originally planned for release by EMI Records in 1997, following the release of Emancipation, but the release was canceled with the record label’s demise.

In May 1997, Love4oneanother.com announced that the album would receive an independent limited edition cassette release, but this release was canceled also. Following its release as part of the Crystal Ball package, Love4oneanother.com announced in 1998 that The Truth would be re-released as a widespread retail release in 2000. Steve Parke was quoted remembering to have been working on the artwork for this seperate release but it was canceled for unknown reasons.

Although the album is billed as "acoustic", the album contains several electronic instruments, samples, distortions and sound effects. It does largely focus on an acoustic sound, however.


Promotion

The album produced one limited-release single, The Truth, which preceded the album by almost a full year. did not tour to support the album.

As part of the Crystal Ball package, the album reached number 62 on The Billboard 200, and number 59 on the Billboard Top R&B Albums Chart. The album was not sold separately at that time, however, so could not chart separately.

On 12 June 2021, The Prince Estate re-released the album as an LP (separately and not as part of a set) with Sony’s Legacy Recordings for the Record Store Day. The re-issue reached number 1 on the US Billboard Vinyl Albums chart. On 9 June 2023, the album was re-released by The Prince Estate with Sony’s Legacy Recordings and available for all retailers with no limitation in time.



Track listing
CD Digital

The compact disc version is the original issue, only available with Crystal Ball boxset.

  1. The Truth (3:35)
  2. Don’t Play Me (2:48)
  3. Circle Of Amour (4:44)
  4. 3rd (4:54)
  5. Dionne (3:14)
  6. Man In A Uniform (3:08) 1 
  7. Animal Kingdom (4:01) 1 
  8. The Other Side Of The Pillow (3:22)
  9. Fascination (4:55)
  10. One Of Your Tears (3:27)
  11. Comeback (2:00)
  12. Welcome 2 The Dawn (Acoustic Version) (3:18)

The digital format is a reissue of the CD version, made available on 26 March 2005 on NPG Music Club "Musicology Download Store".

  1. The Truth (3:35)
  2. Don’t Play Me (2:48)
  3. Circle Of Amour (4:44)
  4. 3rd (4:54)
  5. Dionne (3:14)
  6. Man In A Uniform (3:08) 1 
  7. Animal Kingdom (4:01) 1 
  8. The Other Side Of The Pillow (3:22)
  9. Fascination (4:55)
  10. One Of Your Tears (3:27)
  11. Comeback (2:00)
  12. Welcome 2 The Dawn (Acoustic Version) (3:18)


LP 2021 re-release

  • Side 1:
  1. The Truth (3:35)
  2. Don’t Play Me (2:48)
  3. Circle Of Amour (4:44)
  4. 3rd (4:54)
  5. Dionne (3:14)
  6. Man In A Uniform (3:08) 1 
  • Side 2:
  1. Animal Kingdom (4:01) 1 
  2. The Other Side Of The Pillow (3:22)
  3. Fascination (4:55)
  4. One Of Your Tears (3:27)
  5. Comeback (2:00)
  6. Welcome 2 The Dawn (Acoustic Version) (3:18)

All songs written by except where indicated

1  Lyrics by , music by and Rhonda Smith.



Personnel
Musicians


Production
  • Prince - Producer and Arranger
  • Hans-Martin Buff - engineer, mastering (Grundmann Mastering, Hollywood, CA, USA)
  • Brian Gardner - mastering (Grundmann Mastering, Hollywood, CA, USA)
  • Ric Wilson - mastering (Grundmann Mastering, Hollywood, CA, USA)


Thanks



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

USA CD n/a 1-800 New Funk order 5CD set containing Crystal Ball, The Truth and Kamasutra

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

USA Digital download n/a WMA format

 

 

 
Additional Information

Promotion (at time of release) Trivia

  • The album was mentioned heavily in interviews at the time, but no other promotion was undertaken.

References
1998
Crystal Ball
All Albums All Related Artists Albums 1999
The Vault... Old Friends 4 Sale