Prince (album)
Encyclopedia
Prince is the second studio album
by Prince
, released on October 19, 1979. It was a quickly written album in reaction to his debut For You
. It took seven weeks to complete. The album needed to have hits and sell well to make up for the blown budget on his first release. Worries were stifled with the success of the lead single "I Wanna Be Your Lover
", which reached #1 on the R&B
chart and nearly broke the top 10 on the pop chart.
number "Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad?
" The minimalist
disco
funk number "Sexy Dancer
" comes next, featuring a piano solo and screams by Prince. The pace is slowed down by the romantic, dreamy ballad
, "When We're Dancing Close and Slow".
Side two opens with another ballad, "With You". The song was later given to protege Jill Jones
for her eponymous 1987 album. "Bambi" follows, full of blazing electric guitar. Once again, the pace slows with the ballad "Still Waiting
", stating Prince is not too young to know what love is. "I Feel for You
" was notably later recorded by Chaka Khan
, and helped revitalize her career. The album closes with a final ballad "It's Gonna Be Lonely".
Overall, Prince is more diverse, and was more well-received than For You, reaching #3 on the R&B charts, and reached gold status, but Prince's cult
following did not begin until his next album, Dirty Mind
.
Prince also toured as the opening act for Rick James
in support of the album.
Side one
Side two
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
by Prince
Prince (musician)
Prince Rogers Nelson , often known simply as Prince, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Prince has produced ten platinum albums and thirty Top 40 singles during his career. Prince founded his own recording studio and label; writing, self-producing and playing most, or all, of...
, released on October 19, 1979. It was a quickly written album in reaction to his debut For You
For You (Prince album)
-Music:The album opens with the title track, an a cappella recording that states: "All of this and more is for you. With love, sincerity, and deepest care, my life with you I share." This would foreshadow Prince's career of speaking mostly through his music, rather than conventional interviews...
. It took seven weeks to complete. The album needed to have hits and sell well to make up for the blown budget on his first release. Worries were stifled with the success of the lead single "I Wanna Be Your Lover
I Wanna Be Your Lover
"I Wanna Be Your Lover" is a song by Prince from his second album Prince, released in 1979. It was his first successful single, gaining radio airplay and chart success: the song scored two weeks at number one on the R&B singles chart during December 1979, and peaked at number eleven on the...
", which reached #1 on the R&B
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
chart and nearly broke the top 10 on the pop chart.
Music
"I Wanna Be Your Lover" opens the album, followed by the guitar-based rock and rollRock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
number "Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad?
Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad?
"Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad?" is the U.S. follow-up single to Prince's first big hit, "I Wanna Be Your Lover". It is also Prince's first rock and roll-inspired single release. It did not make the top 40 of the charts, although it did reach #13 on the R&B Singles charts. The lyrics are...
" The minimalist
Minimalism
Minimalism describes movements in various forms of art and design, especially visual art and music, where the work is set out to expose the essence, essentials or identity of a subject through eliminating all non-essential forms, features or concepts...
disco
Disco
Disco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre's popularity peaked during the late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic, and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and...
funk number "Sexy Dancer
Sexy Dancer
"Sexy Dancer" was the follow-up single to Prince's self-titled second album in the UK. It was the first Prince single released outside of the United States that was not released as a single stateside...
" comes next, featuring a piano solo and screams by Prince. The pace is slowed down by the romantic, dreamy ballad
Ballad
A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads were particularly characteristic of British and Irish popular poetry and song from the later medieval period until the 19th century and used extensively across Europe and later the Americas, Australia and North Africa. Many...
, "When We're Dancing Close and Slow".
Side two opens with another ballad, "With You". The song was later given to protege Jill Jones
Jill Jones
Jill Jones is an American singer and songwriter, who was a backing vocalist for Teena Marie and Prince in the 1980s.-Biography:...
for her eponymous 1987 album. "Bambi" follows, full of blazing electric guitar. Once again, the pace slows with the ballad "Still Waiting
Still Waiting (Prince song)
"Still Waiting" was the third US single from Prince's second album, Prince. It was Prince's first ballad to be released as a single and was mildly popular on the R&B chart, reaching #65. The ballad speaks from the perspective of a young man who hasn't yet found love but yearns for it...
", stating Prince is not too young to know what love is. "I Feel for You
I Feel for You
"I Feel for You" is a song written by Prince that originally appeared on his 1979 self-titled album. It became a hit single in 1984 for female R&B singer Chaka Khan, appearing on her album, which was also called I Feel for You...
" was notably later recorded by Chaka Khan
Chaka Khan
Chaka Khan , frequently known as the Queen of Funk, is a 10-time Grammy Award winning American singer-songwriter who gained fame in the 1970s as the frontwoman and focal point of the funk band Rufus. While still a member of the group in 1978, Khan embarked on a successful solo career...
, and helped revitalize her career. The album closes with a final ballad "It's Gonna Be Lonely".
Overall, Prince is more diverse, and was more well-received than For You, reaching #3 on the R&B charts, and reached gold status, but Prince's cult
Cult
The word cult in current popular usage usually refers to a group whose beliefs or practices are considered abnormal or bizarre. The word originally denoted a system of ritual practices...
following did not begin until his next album, Dirty Mind
Dirty Mind
Dirty Mind is the third studio album by American musician Prince, released October 8, 1980 on Warner Bros. Records. Produced, arranged and composed primarily by Prince, it contains prominently sexual lyrics and incorporates musical elements of funk, dance and rock music. The album debuted at number...
.
Prince also toured as the opening act for Rick James
Rick James
James Ambrose Johnson, Jr. , better known by his stage name Rick James, was an American singer, songwriter, musician and record producer. James was a popular performer in the late 1970s and 1980s, scoring four number-one hits on the U.S. R&B charts performing in the genres of funk and R&B...
in support of the album.
Track listing
All tracks composed and arranged by Prince.Side one
- "I Wanna Be Your LoverI Wanna Be Your Lover"I Wanna Be Your Lover" is a song by Prince from his second album Prince, released in 1979. It was his first successful single, gaining radio airplay and chart success: the song scored two weeks at number one on the R&B singles chart during December 1979, and peaked at number eleven on the...
" – 5:49 - "Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad?Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad?"Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad?" is the U.S. follow-up single to Prince's first big hit, "I Wanna Be Your Lover". It is also Prince's first rock and roll-inspired single release. It did not make the top 40 of the charts, although it did reach #13 on the R&B Singles charts. The lyrics are...
" – 3:49 - "Sexy DancerSexy Dancer"Sexy Dancer" was the follow-up single to Prince's self-titled second album in the UK. It was the first Prince single released outside of the United States that was not released as a single stateside...
" – 4:18 - "When We're Dancing Close and Slow" – 5:23
Side two
- "With You" – 4:00
- "Bambi" – 4:22
- "Still WaitingStill Waiting (Prince song)"Still Waiting" was the third US single from Prince's second album, Prince. It was Prince's first ballad to be released as a single and was mildly popular on the R&B chart, reaching #65. The ballad speaks from the perspective of a young man who hasn't yet found love but yearns for it...
" – 4:12 - "I Feel for YouI Feel for You"I Feel for You" is a song written by Prince that originally appeared on his 1979 self-titled album. It became a hit single in 1984 for female R&B singer Chaka Khan, appearing on her album, which was also called I Feel for You...
" – 3:24 - "It's Gonna Be Lonely" – 5:27
- Note: This is the tracklisting as it appears on the current CD version. Originally, "Still Waiting" was 4:21 but was replaced by the maxi-single's edited version when the record was rereleased on CD.