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Diamonds And Pearls is the third track on Prince’s 13th album Diamonds And Pearls, the first album to be credited to Prince and the New Power Generation. Seven weeks after the album’s release, Diamonds And Pearls was released as the album’s fourth worldwide single. In 1993, the track was included as the 17th track on The Hits 1 (also included as the first disc of The Hits / The B-Sides). In 2001, the track was included as the 16th track on The Very Best Of Prince. A brief live version of the track (titled Diamonds & Pearls) was included on the 2002 release One Nite Alone... Live! (along with Xenophobia, Extraordinary, Avalanche, Family Name, Raspberry Beret, The Everlasting Now,  Wanna B Ur Lover, The Beautiful Ones, Nothing Compares 2 U and How Come U Don’t Call Me Anymore from the same show). In 2006, the studio version of the track was included as the twelfth track on the first disc of Ultimate.
Basic tracking took place on 19 November 1990, at Paisley Park Studios in Chanhassen, Minnesota. The song is the earliest "Prince" studio recording to feature several musicians who would record with Prince for many years: the track features Michael B. (drums), as well as Tommy Barbarella (keyboards) and Sonny T. (bass guitar), both of whom Prince had recruited to play for Flash, a backing band for Margie Cox. Rosie Gaines co-lead vocals were recorded at a later date. Sheila E. also added to the song, adding synth drum fills. Engineer Michael Koppelman recalled in the liner notes for the Diamonds And Pearls Super Deluxe Edition that Prince asked him to play a few instruments on the track, "which he never let me do. And he would just make fun of me when I did. And we're doing the mix, but then he literally unmuted my guitar for one half of a bar. I was like, 'Okay! That's my first note on a Prince song.'"
The track was included as the sixth track on the December 1990, configuration of Diamonds And Pearls, but was moved to become the third track on the 1 March 1991 and 8 May 1991 configurations, where it remained for release.
The initial long version was released in October 2023, as the twelfth track of Vault Tracks part 1, one of the discs with previously unreleased tracks included with the Diamonds And Pearls Super Deluxe Edition.
Prince used the words "diamonds" and "pearls" in songs on previous occasions, including the early track Blue Diamonds & Sunday Pearls, International Lover, and The Glamorous Life. These tracks are all otherwise unrelated to Diamonds And Pearls, however.
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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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| 19 November 1990
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Paisley Park Studios,
Chanhassen, MN, USA
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Tracking
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| November 1990
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Paisley Park Studios,
Chanhassen, MN, USA
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Additional recording with Rosie Gaines and Levi Seacer, Jr.
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| 16 December 1990
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Paisley Park Studios,
Chanhassen, MN, USA
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Mix by Michael Koppelman
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Recording Personnel
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- Prince - all vocals and instruments, except where noted (listed in liner notes as ‘Insatiable’)
- Rosie Gaines - co-lead vocals (liner notes state "co-lead backing vox, Purpleaxxe™ sampler and organ")
- Levi Seacer, Jr. - guitar
- Michael B. - drums
- Sonny T. - bass guitar (credited for "bass and backing vox")
- Tommy Barbarella - keyboards (liner notes state "Purpleaxxe™ sampler, other various keys and sex symbol")
- Sheila E. - synth drum fills (uncredited)
- Michael Koppelman - guitar (uncredited)
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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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Sampled, Referred to, Quoted in...
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Unreleased Versions
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| Title
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Version
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Additional Info
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| Diamonds And Pearls
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Studio
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Version without Rosie Gaines, placed on the 27 November 1990 configuration of the Diamonds And Pearls Album
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