Difference between revisions of "Album: Welcome 2 America"

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|date                  = [[Prince_Vault:Selected_anniversaries/July 30|30 July, 2021]]
 
|date                  = [[Prince_Vault:Selected_anniversaries/July 30|30 July, 2021]]
 
|length                = 54:21 (studio album only)
 
|length                = 54:21 (studio album only)
|label                  = [[NPG Records|NPG Records, Inc.]] under exclusive license to [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legacy_Recordings Legacy Recordings]
+
|label                  = [[The Prince Estate]] / [[NPG Records|NPG Records, Inc.]] under exclusive license to [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legacy_Recordings Legacy Recordings]
 
|studios                = [[Paisley Park Studios]], Chanhassen, MN, USA
 
|studios                = [[Paisley Park Studios]], Chanhassen, MN, USA
 
<!------ ALBUM CHRONOLOGY -------->
 
<!------ ALBUM CHRONOLOGY -------->

Revision as of 21:45, 24 November 2021

SottDeluxe.jpg 2020: Sign O’ The Times Super Deluxe Edition All Prince Albums All Related Artists Albums None: See Full Discography NoPreviousAlbum.png
Welcome 2 America

Welcome 2 America album artwork

Album details


Released: 30 July, 2021
Length: 54:21 (studio album only)
Label(s): The Prince Estate / NPG Records, Inc. under exclusive license to Legacy Recordings
Studio(s): Paisley Park Studios, Chanhassen, MN, USA

Charts, Certifications & Awards


Charts
iTunes
Country: Chart Entry Date Peak Position Weeks in Chart
USA: 30 July 2021 2 20 (days)
Canada: 30 July 2021 2 14 (days)
Australia: 30 July 2021 1 14 (days)
UK: 30 July 2021 2 15 (days)
Germany: 30 July 2021 3 31 (days)
France: 30 July 2021 2 22 (days)
Spain: 30 July 2021 2 6 (days)
Italy: 30 July 2021 6 18 (days)
 
America
Country: Chart Entry Date Peak Position Weeks in Chart
USA: The Billboard 200 14 Aug. 2021 4 2
USA: Billboard Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums 14 Aug. 2021 2 1
USA: Billboard Top R&B Albums 14 Aug. 2021 1 2
USA: Billboard Top Current Albums 14 Aug. 2021 2 7
USA: Billboard Tastemaker Albums 14 Aug. 2021 3 3
USA: Billboard Top Album Sales 14 Aug. 2021 2 7
USA: Billboard Vinyl Albums 14 Aug. 2021 2 2
Certifications
This album has not received any certifications in the USA
Awards
This album has not received any awards in the USA

Singles released


Welcome 2 America
Prince.com exclusive

b/w Dreamer / Welcome 2 America (Live, 14 May 2011)
Welcome2america single.jpg
Hot Summer
Rolling Stone Germany exclusive

b/w The Bird (Live, 28 April 2011)
Hotsummer single.jpg

See also


Welcome 2 America Tour Hitnrun Phase Two
W2A-Tour pass.png Hitnrun PHASEII album.jpg
Welcome 2 America is the first full previously-unreleased studio album of Prince material to be released posthumously, and the tenth posthumous album release overall. Recorded in 2010, the album was tentatively planned for release in 2011, likely as a follow-up to 20Ten and in conjunction with the Welcome 2 America Tour, which ran from December 2010 to May 2011. The album was abandoned at the time for unknown reasons, however. If released at that time, it would have been Prince’s 36th full-length studio album. The posthumous release makes use of what’s believed to be the final configuration of the album. Contrary to some previous releases by The Prince Estate, there was no technical necessity to do new mixes of the songs.

A deluxe edition of the album includes a blu-ray video of the 28 April 2011: The Forum: Inglewood, CA, USA show on the Welcome 2 America Tour (part of the "Twenty One Nite Stand" in California).


Sessions and compiling

The bulk of the album was recorded by Prince with Chris Coleman and Tal Wilkenfeld in about a week and a half of recording at Paisley Park Studios, Chanhassen, Minnesota, USA, from 10 March 2010 to 19 March 2010. Additional recordings with Shelby J., Liv Warfield, Elisa Dease and Morris Hayes took place during the Spring.

Black Muse is assumed to have been recorded around the same time but it’s unclear if it was at any point slated for inclusion on the album.

The released version was built from three reference CDs found by The Prince Estate in 2019, each containing different configurations of the album. Morris Hayes was commissioned to build the final tracklist from these three cds. The official version is similar to one of the configuration which also included Cause And Effect. It was decided not to retain this song for the final version because it was attached to the 20Ten album (Prince quotes titles from this album in the lyrics).


Musicians input

Welcome 2 America contains more contributions from others than its predecessor, 20Ten and is a band-oriented album, with musicians and/or vocalists appearing on all tracks. Drummer Chris Coleman and bass guitarist Tal Wilkenfeld make their only appearances on a Prince album. Shelby J., Liv Warfield and Elisa Dease, who had been present throughout 20Ten, appear on all of the songs except When She Comes. Shelby J. is also the co-lead vocalist on Running Game (Son Of A Slave Master) and provides a rap on Same Page, Different Book. Morris Hayes co-produced half of the songs of the album. 1010 (Rin Tin Tin) is the only song to feature Prince as the sole musician (with Shelby J., Liv Warfield and Elisa Dease on backing vocals). John Blackwell plays drums on 1000 Light Years From Here.


Track releases

Hot Summer was premiered on Minnesota public radio station 89.3 The Current’s website on 7 June 2010, Prince’s 52nd birthday, prior to the album’s intended release. Same Page, Different Book was streamed as audio only over a static video on 3rd Eye Girl YouTube channel in January 2013 (as Same Page Different Book). 1000 Light Years From Here was released in an entirely different form (with new lyrics and arrangements) in 2015 on Hitnrun Phase Two, included in full as a 3:05 coda to the track Black Muse (as such, the title 1000 Light Years From Here is not used on the album’s tracklist). An alternate recording of When She Comes with different verses was also released on Hitnrun Phase Two.


Promotion

The album was announced and available to pre-order on 8 April, 2021. The title track, Welcome 2 America, was made available on streaming and download platforms, and a 55-second promo video was made available to promote the set. The accompanying vinyl single, Welcome 2 America with an exclusive live b-side was also announced on the official website. Born 2 Die was also made available for download as a preview two months before the release of the album. A second teaser was made available through Hot Summer, released on 22 July 2021. A 7" single of the song was included as a cover mount with the August 2021 edition of Rolling Stone magazine in Germany.

The Prince Estate and The Current radio-station produced an four-part podcast series, presented by Minneapolis Music journalist Andrea Swensson, Shelby J. and Morris Hayes titled “Prince: The Story of Welcome 2 America”. In this audio-documentary Tal Wilkenfeld, Chris Coleman, Elisa Fiorillo and Liv Warfield, among others, share stories about the making-of the album.


Charts

The album reached position 7 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts and 70 on the Billboard 200. It failed to reach top 10 positions in Europe, Australia and Japan.

The album entered Billboard Top R&B Albums at number 1 and at number 4 on the The Billboard 200 chart.



Track listing
CD LP

The compact disc and digital versions are the original issue.

  1. Welcome 2 America (5:23)
  2. Running Game (Son Of A Slave Master) (4:05)
  3. Born 2 Die (5:03)
  4. 1000 Light Years From Here (5:46)
  5. Hot Summer (3:32)
  6. Stand Up And B Strong (5:18)1
  7. Check The Record (3:28)
  8. Same Page, Different Book (4:41) 2
  9. When She Comes (4:46)
  10. 1010 (Rin Tin Tin) (4:42)
  11. Yes (2:56)
  12. One Day We Will All B Free (4:41)

Side A:

A1 Welcome 2 America (5:23)
A2 Running Game (Son Of A Slave Master) (4:05)
A3 Born 2 Die (5:03)
A4 1000 Light Years From Here (5:46)

Side B:

B1 Hot Summer (3:32)
B2 Stand Up And B Strong (5:18)1
B3 Check The Record (3:28)
B4 Same Page, Different Book (4:41)

Side C:

C1 When She Comes (4:46)
C2 1010 (Rin Tin Tin) (4:42)
C3 Yes (2:56)
C4 One Day We Will All B Free (4:41)

Side D: Etching

Blu-ray: Live at The Forum, Inglewood, CA, April 28, 2011 - available on Deluxe (2LP + 1CD + Blu-ray) set and a Japanese edition (1CD + Blu-ray) only

  1. Joy In Repetition (Live at The Forum, Inglewood, CA, April 28, 2011)
  2. Brown Skin (Live at The Forum, Inglewood, CA, April 28, 2011)3
  3. 17 Days (Live at The Forum, Inglewood, CA, April 28, 2011)4 (contains unlisted lyrics from Lovergirl 5)
  4. Shhh (Live at The Forum, Inglewood, CA, April 28, 2011)
  5. Controversy (Live at The Forum, Inglewood, CA, April 28, 2011)
  6. Theme From "Which Way Is Up" (Live at The Forum, Inglewood, CA, April 28, 2011)6
  7. What Have You Done For Me Lately (Live at The Forum, Inglewood, CA, April 28, 2011)7
  8. Partyman (Live at The Forum, Inglewood, CA, April 28, 2011)
  9. It’s Alright (Live at The Forum, Inglewood, CA, April 28, 2011)8
  10. Make You Feel My Love (Live at The Forum, Inglewood, CA, April 28, 2011)9
  11. Misty Blue (Live at The Forum, Inglewood, CA, April 28, 2011)10
  12. Let’s Go Crazy (Live at The Forum, Inglewood, CA, April 28, 2011)
  13. Delirious (Live at The Forum, Inglewood, CA, April 28, 2011)
  14. 1999 (Live at The Forum, Inglewood, CA, April 28, 2011)
  15. Little Red Corvette (Live at The Forum, Inglewood, CA, April 28, 2011)
  16. Purple Rain (Live at The Forum, Inglewood, CA, April 28, 2011)
  17. The Bird (Live at The Forum, Inglewood, CA, April 28, 2011)11
  18. Jungle Love (Live at The Forum, Inglewood, CA, April 28, 2011)11
  19. A Love Bizarre (Live at The Forum, Inglewood, CA, April 28, 2011)12
  20. Kiss (Live at The Forum, Inglewood, CA, April 28, 2011)
  21. Play That Funky Music (Live at The Forum, Inglewood, CA, April 28, 2011)13
  22. Hollywood Swingin’ (Live at The Forum, Inglewood, CA, April 28, 2011)14
  23. Fantastic Voyage (Live at The Forum, Inglewood, CA, April 28, 2011)15
  24. More Than This (Live at The Forum, Inglewood, CA, April 28, 2011)16

All songs written by Prince except where noted.

1 Written by Dave Pirner
2 Lyrics co-written by Shelby J.
3 Written by Mark Batson, Shannon Sanders and India.Arie
4 Written by Prince, Lisa Coleman, Dr. Fink, Wendy Melvoin
5 Written by Mary Christine Brockert
6 Written by Norman Whitfield
7 Written by Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis and (uncredited) Janet Jackson
8 Written by Larry Graham
9 Written by Bob Dylan
10 Written by Bob Montgomery
11 Written by Morris Day, Prince, and (uncredited) Jesse Johnson
12 Written by Sheila E. and Prince
13 Written by Robert Parissi
14 Written by Robert "Kool" Bell, Ronald Bell, George M. Brown, Robert "Spikes" Mickens, Claydes Charles Smith, Dennis R. Thomas, Richard A. Westfield
15 Written by Fred Alexander Jr., Norman Beavers, Marvin Craig, Fred Lewis, Tiemeyer McCain, Thomas Shelby, Steve Shockley, Otis Stokes, and Mark Adam Wood, Jr.
16 Written by Bryan Ferry



Personnel
Musicians


Live at The Forum, Inglewood, CA, April 28, 2011 (Blu-ray)


Production



Archival Production / A&R: Kirk Johnson, Michael Howe & Trevor Guy

  • Art Direction & Design: Mathieu Bitton and Trevor Guy
  • Photography: Mike Ruiz, Kevin Mazur, Brian Ach, Randee St. Nicholas and Prince



Thanks
  • Thanks to:Andrea Swensson, Angelina Capodanno, Angelo Schifano, Duane Tudahl, Gretchen Brennison, John Conroy, Kiran Sharma, President Nelson, Richard Alcock, Ryan Supple, Roald Bakker, Teri Eastwood Molls and Zach Hochkeppel
  • Very Special Thanks to: Alfred Jackson (In Memoriam), John R. Nelson, Norrine P. Nelson, Omarr Baker, Sharon L. Nelson, Tyka, and all Prince Fams (and Fans) worldwide.



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

USA CD n/a center center center center
USA Digital n/a center center center center
USA 2LP n/a center center center center

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

USA 2LP Gold n/a center center center center
USA 2LP Clear n/a Target exclusive center center center center
USA Deluxe (2LP + 1CD + Blu-ray) n/a center center center center
Japan CD + Blu-ray n/a center center center center

'

 

 
Additional Information

Promotion (at time of release) Trivia

  • The album was announced and available to pre-order on 8 April, 2021. The title track, Welcome 2 America, was made available on streaming and download platforms, and a 55-second promo video was made available to promote the set. The accompanying vinyl single, Welcome 2 America with an exclusive live b-side was also announced on the official website.
  • The promotional description of the set reads:
Recorded in the spring of 2010 and then mysteriously archived by Prince before its release, the statement album Welcome 2 America documents Prince’s concerns, hopes, and visions for a shifting society, presciently foreshadowing an era of political division, disinformation, and a renewed fight for racial justice. The album features some of Prince’s only studio collaborations with the bassist Tal Wilkenfeld, drummer Chris Coleman, and engineer Jason Agel, with additional contributions from New Power Generation singers Shelby J, Liv Warfield, and Elisa Fiorillo and keyboardist Morris Hayes, who Prince also recruited to co-produce the album.
The release of Welcome 2 America builds upon the partnership between The Prince Estate and Sony Music Entertainment that started in August of 2018. At that time, Sony began globally distributing the works of Prince released from 1995-2010, broadening its scope in January 2021 when the deal was expanded to include U.S. distribution on twelve non-soundtrack catalog albums featuring iconic music recorded by the Artist between 1978-1996.


The Deluxe Edition of Welcome 2 America combines the 2LP and CD versions of the album with a never before released Blu-Ray of Prince’s full April 28, 2011 performance at the Forum, part of the Welcome 2 America Tour’s historic 21 Nite Stand in Los Angeles. The show is presented in stereo, 5.1 surround and Dolby Atmos, and includes 24 tracks from across Prince’s career, from his biggest hits to fan favorites to ten rare covers. In addition, the deluxe edition features a 32 Page, 12x12 book, exclusive poster and an embossed vellum envelope of limited edition memorabilia all housed in a luxe, gold embossed package. Experienced as a complete package, the Deluxe Edition provides an immersive view of Prince’s creative genius during his spontaneous, energetic, and thought-provoking Welcome 2 America era.
  • American CBS TV show 60 Minutes has announced that they will debut tracks from the album on their 11 April 2021 show.

References
  • Preorder(s)
Prince.com
Target exclusive edition
  • Podcast:
‎Welcome 2 America - Le Monde selon Prince with Mathieu Bitton & Morris Hayes on Violet - Le Podcast sur Prince et le Minneapolis Sound (30 July 2021)
  • Press:
Welcome 2 America: The Oral History of Prince’s Lost Album by David Browne (Rollingstone.com: 14 July 2021)
  • Releases:
To be completed.
SottDeluxe.jpg 2020
Sign O’ The Times Super Deluxe Edition
All Albums All Related Artists Albums None
See Full Discography
NoPreviousAlbum.png