Prince (album)

The album was written, arranged, composed, produced and performed entirely by Prince.{{cite news |last1=Dunkin |first1=Zach |title=Prince Refuses to Cover Talent |work=The Indianapolis News |date=4 Apr 1980 |page=10}} On the album credits, Prince thanks his bassist André Cymone and drummer Bobby Z. as "heaven-sent helpers".{{cite AV media |type=Album credits |title=Prince |author=Prince |author-link=Prince (musician) |date=1979 }}

Prince recorded the album in five weeks, after Warner Bros. asked for a follow-up to his 1978 debut, For You. Prince had used twice his initial recording advance on that album, and it had failed to generate a pop hit (although "Soft and Wet" became a No. 12 R&B hit). Displeased at his lack of success, Prince quickly recorded the follow-up.

On October 19, 2019, Prince's estate released an acoustic demo version of "I Feel for You"{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/prince-i-feel-for-you-acoustic-demo-900865/ |title = Prince Estate Releases Acoustic Demo of 'I Feel for You' |magazine=Rolling Stone}} as a single to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Prince album release.

{{Music ratings

|rev1 = AllMusic

|rev1score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r15799|tab=review|label="Prince > Review" |first=Stephen Thomas |lastErlewine |access-date=15 September 2011}}

|rev2 = Blender

|rev2score = {{Rating|3|5}}[http://www.blender.com/guide/reviews.aspx?id=2290 Blender review] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070823100920/http://www.blender.com/guide/reviews.aspx?id=2290 |date=August 23, 2007 }}

|rev3 = Christgau's Record Guide

|rev3score = B+{{cite book|last=Christgau|first=Robert|author-link=Robert Christgau|year=1981|title=Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies|publisher=Ticknor & Fields|isbn=089919026X|chapter=Consumer Guide '70s: P|chapter-url=https://www.robertchristgau.com/get_chap.php?k=P&bk=70|access-date=March 10, 2019|via=robertchristgau.com}}

|rev4 = Entertainment Weekly

|rev4score = B−{{cite magazine |url=https://ew.com/article/1990/09/21/decade-prince-albums/ |title=Purple Products |first=David |last=Browne |date=September 21, 1990 |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |issue=32 |issn=1049-0434 |access-date=September 15, 2011 |archive-date=October 19, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141019192816/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,318219,00.html |url-status=live }}

|rev5= The Guardian

|rev5score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite news|last=Price|first=Simon|author-link=Simon Price|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/apr/22/prince-every-album-rated-and-ranked|title=Prince: every album rated – and ranked|newspaper=The Guardian|location=London|date=April 22, 2016|access-date=May 23, 2022}}

|rev6 = MusicHound Rock

|rev6score = 4/5{{cite book |editor-last1=Graff |editor-first1=Gary |editor-last2=Durchholz |editor-first2=Daniel |title=MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide|edition=2nd|publisher=Visible Ink Press|location=Farmington Hills, MI|year=1999|isbn=1-57859-061-2|page=[https://archive.org/details/isbn_9781578590612/page/897 897]|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_9781578590612/page/897}}

|rev7 = Q

|rev7score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite web |url=http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=1099277&style=music |title=Prince CD Album |publisher=cduniverse.com |access-date=September 15, 2011}}

|rev8 = Rolling Stone

|rev8score = (favorable){{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/artists/prince/albums/album/260305/review/5945921/prince |title=Prince: Prince |first=Stephen |last=Holden |date=April 3, 1980 |magazine=Rolling Stone |publisher=Wenner Media |issn=0035-791X |access-date=September 15, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071002015429/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/prince/albums/album/260305/review/5945921/prince |archive-date=October 2, 2007}}

|rev9 = The Rolling Stone Album Guide

|rev9score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/newrollingstonea00brac |title=The New Rolling Stone Album Guide |edition=4, revised |year=2004 |first1=Christian David |last1=Hoard |first2=Nathan |last2=Brackett |publisher=Simon & Schuster |isbn=978-0-7432-0169-8 |access-date=September 8, 2017 |url-access=registration |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191012230450/https://archive.org/details/newrollingstonea00brac |archive-date=October 12, 2019 }}

|rev10 = Smash Hits

|rev10score = 5/10{{cite magazine|last=Starr|first=Red|title=Albums|magazine=Smash Hits|issue=February 7–20|page=31}}

}}

Overall, the album was much more diverse and well-received than For You, critically and commercially, selling three million copies. It is notable for containing standard R&B ballads performed by Prince, before he would go on to establish himself with sexual romps on later albums. The album was certified platinum and contained three R&B/dance hits: "Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad?", "Sexy Dancer" and "I Wanna Be Your Lover." "I Wanna Be Your Lover" sold over one million copies and received a gold disc, rushing to No. 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 (becoming Prince's first hit single) and topped the R&B charts. In addition, it peaked at No. 41 in the United Kingdom (his first entry in the country) and reached number 2 on the Billboard Dance/Disco Singles chart. Prince performed both "I Wanna Be Your Lover" and "Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad?" on American Bandstand on 26 January 1980. Overall, the success of this album geared Prince towards his next album, Dirty Mind, which would be called a complete departure from his earlier sound.

Reviewing in Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies (1981), Robert Christgau wrote: "This boy is going to be a big star, and he deserves it—he's got a great line. 'I want to come inside you' is good enough, but (in a different song) the simple 'I'm physically attracted to you' sets new standards of 'naive,' winning candor. The vulnerable teen-macho falsetto idea is pretty good too. But he does leave something to be desired in the depth-of-feeling department—you know, soul."

{{Track listing

| all_writing = Prince

| headline = Side one

| title1 = I Wanna Be Your Lover

| length1 = 5:49

| title2 = Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad?

| length2 = 3:49

| title3 = Sexy Dancer

| length3 = 4:18

| title4 = When We're Dancing Close and Slow

| length4 = 5:23

| total_length = 19:19

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Side two

| title5 = With You

| length5 = 4:00

| title6 = Bambi

| length6 = 4:22

| title7 = Still Waiting

| length7 = 4:12

| title8 = I Feel for You

| length8 = 3:24

| title9 = It's Gonna Be Lonely

| length9 = 5:27

| total_length = 21:25

}}

• "I Wanna Be Your Lover" b/w "My Love Is Forever" (US number 11, US R&B number 1, US Dance number 2, UK number 41)
• "Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad?" b/w "Baby" (US R&B number 13)
• "Still Waiting" b/w "Bambi" (US R&B number 65)
• "Sexy Dancer" b/w "Bambi"/"Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad?" (UK and Japan Only US Dance number 2)

• Prince – lead and backing vocals, electric and acoustic guitars, Oberheim Four Voice, Polymoog, Minimoog, ARP String Ensemble, clavinet, Yamaha CP-70 electric grand piano, piano, Fender Rhodes piano, bass guitar, drums, Pollard Syndrums, percussion, producer, arranger, remixer
• André Cymone – backing vocals (2) (uncredited)

Technical

• Gary Brandt – engineer
• Mark Ettel – assistant engineer
• Bob Mockler – remixer
• Bernie Grundman – mastering (A&M)
• Lynn Barron – album design (RIA Images)
• George Chacon – album design (RIA Images)
• Jurgen Reisch – photography (front cover)
• Chris Callis – photography (back cover)
• Terry Taylor – calligraphy

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{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications for Prince}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=album|title=Prince|artist=Prince|award=Silver|relyear=1979|id=5214-1115-2}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|type=album|title=Prince|artist=Prince|award=Platinum|relyear=1979}}

{{Certification Table Summary}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=single|region=Worldwide|nocert=true|salesamount=1,700,000|salesref={{cite journal|url=https://memoria.bn.br/DocReader/DocReader.aspx?bib=029670_08&pesq=vendas&pasta=ano%20199&hf=memoria.bn.br&pagfis=60385|journal=O Dia|title=Prince: muito discos, poucas vendas|access-date=August 10, 2023|first=Otávio|last=Souza Filho|date=December 20, 1992|page=7}}}}

{{Certification Table Bottom | nosales=true}}

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.discogs.com/Prince-Prince/release/6011772 Prince] at Discogs

{{Prince albums}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:1979 albums

Category:Prince (musician) albums

Category:Albums produced by Prince (musician)

Category:Warner Records albums

Category:Albums recorded in a home studio