Annie Christian

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Annie Christian

Controversy.jpg
from the album Controversy
Song details
Performer: Prince
First Released: 14 October 1981 - Controversy album
Album(s): Controversy
Writer(s): Prince
Producer(s): Prince
Live Appearances
First and last live appearance:
Performed regularly on tour:
Performed occasionally in shows:
  • none

Annie Christian is the seventh track on Prince’s fourth album Controversy.

While specific recording dates are not known, the album sessions took place in Spring and Summer 1981, at Prince’s Kiowa Trail Home Studio in Chanhassen, Minnesota and Hollywood Sound Recorders in Los Angeles, California. The album was completed at Sunset Sound in Hollywood, California, between 14-23 August 1981.

The song’s lyrics mention the killing of singer-songwriter John Lennon by Mark David Chapman on 8 December 1980 in New York City; Prince played a show the following night, 10 December 1980 (a.m.), less than 1.5 miles from where Lennon was killed.

The drum machine Prince used on it is likely the Korg Mini Pops SR-120, and would be the last known time this is drum machine is heard on a recording. The later recorded Private Joy, also from the Controversy album, would be the first use of the Linn LM-1.


Recording Information
Recording Sessions
Date Studio Additional info
Spring-Summer 1981 Kiowa Trail Home Studio,
Chanhassen, MN, USA
or
Hollywood Sound Recorders,
Los Angeles, CA, USA (unverified)
Tracking
14 August - 23 August 1981 Sunset Sound,
Hollywood, CA, USA
Overdubs, mixing
Recording Personnel
  • Prince - all vocals and instruments

Versions
Released Versions
Title Length Released Version Additional info
Annie Christian 4:21 Controversy Studio


Sampled, Referred to, Quoted in...
Title Length Released Version Additional info
Let’s Work (Dance Remix) 8:02 Let’s Work single

Ultimate

Extended version a.k.a. Let’s Work (Xtended); see Let’s Work for more details
 
Additional Information

See also Trivia

  • Apart from mentioning the John Lennon murder, the song also mentions the assassination attempt of Ronald Reagan on 30 March 1981, and refers to the so called Atlanta murders. Between the summer of 1979 and the spring of 1981 a series of at least 28 murders on afro-American children adolescents and young adults were committed in Atlanta, GA, USA. Several of the victims were last seen getting into a blue car, which is mentioned in the lyrics. Lastly the song mentions Abscam, an FBI sting operation run in the late 1970s and early 1980s; it initially targeted trafficking in stolen property but later converted to a public corruption investigation.
  • For naming the title character Prince possibly drew inspiration from Annie Oakley, a 19th century sharpshooter and exhibition shooter.

References
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