For You: Soft & Wet, Just as Long as We're Together, In Love
Prince: Bambi, Sexy Dancer, I Wanna Be Your Lover

Last album...

Dirty Mind -- "should've been singles"

1. When You Were Mine (13 votes)
2. Uptown (8 votes)
3. Dirty Mind (6 votes)

Well, who didn't vote for "When You Were Mine" on this one? And "Dirty Mind" barely inches out "Partyup" as your third choice for a single. "Uptown," your second choice, was released as the first single on October 4, 1980, with "Crazy You" (of all songs) as the B-side. It was a hit on the U.S. R&B charts, reaching #5, and made a slight appearance on the Pop charts at #101. (A 12" album version of "Uptown" was released in Holland). By the time "Dirty Mind" was released as the second single on January 17, 1981, the excitement had already died down and radio stations were reluctant to play anymore songs off of this controversial album. Many record stores across the land refused to stock the album, or at least would not allow its cover to be seen. As a result, "Dirty Mind/When We're Dancing Close & Slow" didn't get much airplay and only stayed on the R&B chart for six weeks, peaking at #65, never making an appearance on the Pop chart. What if "When You Were Mine" would've been released?

In the UK, two very different singles were released. The first one was "Do It All Night / Head" (with 7" and 12"versions), released on March 6, 1981. On May 29, 1981, the second single released was "Gotta Stop Messin' About" which, strangely, was only available on promo-copies of the album. The 7" UK version of "Gotta Stop" had "Uptown" as its B-side, and the 12" version included a third track, "Head." I have no info on the chart success of "Do It All Night," but I do know that "Gotta Stop" did not make the charts and was released again a few weeks later with B-side "I Wanna Be Your Lover" to stir up interest in Prince's London concert. The single failed to chart once again.

Next album...

Which songs should have been released as singles from Controversy?

1. Controversy
2. Sexuality
3. Do Me, Baby
4. Private Joy
5. Ronnie, Talk To Russia
6. Let's Work
7. Annie Christian
8. Jack U Off

You may vote for songs that were already released. And you may choose "none of the above" if you'd like. Only your first three votes will be counted. I will give the Top Three picks in the next day or two, and then we'll continue to the next album.

My vote: Controversy, Private Joy, Sexuality
[This message was edited Thu Sep 26 1:30:11 PDT 2002 by Jasziah]

Am I bad if I do not know from memory what the singles were?

But;

Controversy
Do Me Baby
Let's Work

I'ld have chosen Sexuality over Let's Work, but singles need to make money, methinks

I called it on Dirty Mind!

Controversy
Private Joy
Let's Work

Controversy
Sexuality/ Private Joy (Double a-side)
let's work

One of the first Prince videos I saw was for the song "Sexuality" -- this was back in '83 on MTV. Radio may not have been as daring as MTV -- a video that included Prince stripping down to his bare chest and talking all sexual and stuff... but the kids would've been buying the single, methinks... once, if ever, they heard it or saw it.

Let's Work
Controversy
Do Me, Baby

"Controversy"
"Let's Work"
"Private Joy"


"Private Joy" should have been the third single instead of "Do Me Baby",imo.It's a kickass song,easily the best track on the album.

I agree 100% David

DavidEye said:[quote"Private Joy" should have been the third single instead of "Do Me Baby",imo.It's a kickass song,easily the best track on the album.[/quote]

Gooey puts on the album again to check...

Controversy
Sexuality
Let's Work

I've never liked Do Me, Baby. It's always been one of those songs I just loath without knowing quite why. I think it's a shame it's almost the only song that has been in his repertoire for almost every show since late 1995.

Do Me, Baby
Controversy
Jack U Off

booyah said:

"Do Me Baby" is okay but I feel it is WAY overrated."Private Joy" would have made a better choice for the third single.

Controversy
Let's Work
Do Me Baby

(one of the few they got right)

To those who have yet to vote... Okay, I know a lot of y'all like Controversy -- get your vote in before the day is through. Should "Private Joy" have been released as a single? What else?

Controversy
Let's Work
ooh...tough call...either Do Me, Baby or Private Joy...I'll go with Private Joy.

Controversy
Let's Work
Do Me Baby

WB actually got the singles right here. Every time I hear
Do Me Baby on the radio, I feel like I've gone back in time
to when it was first released, I think I was eleven at the time. What year was the album released? I can't remember!!!

1981. I lived in a VERY white area of the country, and I remember hearing "Controversy" on the radio once or twice and thought it was a GREAT song. I kept listening to the radio hoping they'd play it again. They didn't. They didn't even play "1999" until AFTER "Little Red Corvette" became a hit. Our little town only did what other cities did first... then it was okay for us, I guess.

Controversy
Let's Work
Do Me Baby, though Private Joy would work too