Uncle Sam is the seventh track (sixth song) on Tevin Campbell’s second album I’m Ready. The song was written and produced by Prince under the pseudonym Paisley Park, with co-writing credit given to Paula Sherield, who wrote the song’s rap.
While specific recording dates are not known, basic tracking took place in September 1992 at Paisley Park Studios in Chanhassen, Minnesota (along with Down, Holly Don’t Care, The P, The Halls Of Desire, Paris 1798430 and a revamped version of Shhh, when Prince became involved in Tevin Campbell’s album I’m Ready). The track includes a looped sample of Eric Leeds’ saxophone lead line from The Dopamine Rush.
Prince’s version (guide vocal) of Uncle Sam was one of the Vault tracks recorded between 1990 and 1992 slated to appear on the planned Diamonds & Love expected to be released by The Prince Estate in the summer of 2022. That project, which consisted of material spanning both the Diamonds And Pearls and eras, was reduced to the Diamonds And Pearls era, excluding songs recorded after October 1991 (and this track as a result).
The title and lyrics refer to the national personification of the government United States of America, Uncle Sam, and mentions many ways African-Americans contributed to defending and developing the country over the centuries.
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