Controversy is the first track on Prince's fourth album Controversy, and, six weeks prior to the album's release, Controversy was released as the album's first single.
In 1982, the track was included as the b-side of the West German and Japanese versions of the Sexuality single. It was also included as the third track on the Australian 12" of 1999, the first single from Prince's fifth album 1999.
In 1993, the track was included as the first track on Prince's second compilation album The Hits 2 (also included as the second disc of The Hits / The B-Sides), and, three months after the album's release, Controversy was released as a single.
In 2004, a 2003 live version was released as a download from the NPG Music Club's Musicology Download Store (this same version was included on the Controversy (Live In Hawaii) single included in the Prince In Hawaii book). In 2006, the full-length studio version was included as the third track on the first disc of the compilation album Ultimate.
While specific recording dates are not known, the track was recorded in Summer 1981 at Prince's Kiowa Trail Home Studio, Chanhassen, MN, USA (during the same session as Poppa Grooves and Tick, Tick, Bang). The album was completed at Sunset Sound, Hollywood, CA, USA, between 14 and 23 August 1981.
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Recording Information
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Recording Sessions
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Date
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Studio
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Additional info
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Summer 1981
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Kiowa Trail Home Studio, Chanhassen, MN, USA
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Initial tracking
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14 - 23 August 1981
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Sunset Sound, Hollywood, CA, USA
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Overdubs, mixing
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Recording Personnel
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Studio version
Live In Hawaii version
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Versions
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Released Versions
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Video Versions
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Broadcasts/streaming (only)
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Title
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Length
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Released
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Version
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Additional info
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Controversy
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T.B.C.
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Live TV concert broadcast
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Live
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1 July 1986, Holiday Inn Sheridan-Convention Center, Sheridan, WY, USA; Under The Cherry Moon premiere party broadcast on MTV
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Controversy
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T.B.C.
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Live concert TV broadcast
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Live
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7 June 1986, Cobo Arena, Detroit, MI, USA
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Controversy
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T.B.C.
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Live concert radio broadcast
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Live
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22 July 1990, Estadio Vicente Calderón, Madrid, Spain
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Controversy
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T.B.C.
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Delayed concert TV broadcast
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Live
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29 July 1990, Estadio Santa María del Mar, La Coruña, Spain
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Controversy
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T.B.C.
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Live concert TV broadcast
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Live
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21 September 2007, The O2 Arena, London, England
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I Feel For You (intro) - Controversy
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T.B.C.
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Live performance TV broadcast
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Live
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14 October 2009, Le Grand Journal, Studios Rive Gauche, Paris, France; includes All Day, All Night chants
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Controversy
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T.B.C.
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Live concert online stream
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Live
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10 May 2015, Baltimore, MN, USA, Royal Farms Arena
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Sampled, Referred to, Quoted in...
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