The Prince album is 37 years old today. It was recorded in California, from April-June 1979. It yielded three U.S. singles, and five overall ("Bambi" and "Sexy Dancer" being non-US singles). It reached #22 on Billboard's US 200 chart, and his #52 again this year after his death and coupled with the release of the remaster vinyl.

For many, "I Wanna Be Your Lover" was the introduction to Prince fandom. I found the song on a K-Tel record (a Minneapolis-based company), tucked into the first side, right after "Let's Get Serious", a Stevie Wonder-penned tune for Jermaine Jackson, and right before Meco's "The Empire Strikes Back" sampling extravaganza. (I still have 2 copies of that record on vinyl today; as it was never released on CD.)

"I Wanna Be Your Lover" hit #1 on the R&B chart, #2 on the US Dance chart, and #11 on US top 100. (This was his first #1 ever.)

"Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad" faired less well, hitting #13 on the R&B chart.

"Still Waiting" reached #2 on the UK Dance chart.

From Wikipedia:

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 two million copies and received a platinum 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 BillboardDance/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.

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[Edited 10/19/16 9:47am]

It's one of my favourite Prince albums. I don't think there's a weak track on it (maybe With You, but that has it's charms too). Good choice of singles, and that long version of Sexy Dancer.. great.

TheDigitalGardener said:

It's one of my favourite Prince albums. I don't think there's a weak track on it (maybe With You, but that has it's charms too). Good choice of singles, and that long version of Sexy Dancer.. great.

I think "With You" has always been a country song waiting to get countryfied. Madonna's "Crazy For You" is another. Jill's version actually has more of a country flair to it than Prince's does, on what's an otherwise R&B album. But I definitely agree that every song is truly a well-crafted song.

TheDigitalGardener said:

It's one of my favourite Prince albums. I don't think there's a weak track on it (maybe With You, but that has it's charms too). Good choice of singles, and that long version of Sexy Dancer.. great.

Absolutely. My vinyl copy of that is one of my prized Prince possessions.

The thing that always stuns me about how great this album is for an artist of any age - to say nothing of a 20-year-old.

I believe 'Prince' contains a more consistent grouping of songs than are to be found on its more highly regarded successor, 'Dirty Mind'.

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Other songs recorded or written during this general timeframe would become meaningful tracks later on ('Do Me, Baby', 'Girl' (as appears on 'The Time'), 'If I Love You Tonight', 'Oh, Baby', 'You' (U), 'Wouldn't You Love to Love Me?').

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Key Minneapolis Sound signatures are all over 'Sexy Dancer', and its 12" version is one of his best and least respected (and rarest) extended vinyls.

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[Edited 10/19/16 13:25pm]