Your votes so far, in order...
For You: Soft & Wet, Just as Long as We're Together, In Love
Prince: Bambi, Sexy Dancer, I Wanna Be Your Lover
Dirty Mind: When You Were Mine, Uptown, Dirty Mind
Controversy: Controversy, Let's Work, Do Me Baby/Private Joy

Last album...

1999 -- "should've been singles"

1. Little Red Corvette (14 votes)
2. 1999 (13 votes)
3. D.M.S.R. (7 votes)
4. Delirious (5 votes)

In October 1982, "1999" is released as a single with Prince's second non-album b-side, "How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore." In December, it peaks at #44 on the U.S. Pop chart, making it Prince's second highest appearance on the Pop chart, and it becomes Prince's fifth Top 5 R&B hit, peaking at #4. The UK originally issued the single with a cassette which included an "1999 (edit)," "Uptown," "Controversy," "Dirty Mind," and "Sexuality." The song goes to #25 on the UK chart, making it Prince's biggest UK hit, but a couple years later, "1999" is again released with "Little Red Corvette" as its b-side. This time it rockets to #2, becoming Prince's biggest UK hit until 1994.

In February 1983, "Little Red Corvette / All The Critics Love U In New York" is released. This is Prince's first single to make an higher chart appearance on the U.S. Pop chart than on the R&B chart where it doesn't even make the Top Ten, stalling at #15. In May, the song lands at #6 on the Pop chart, making it Prince's first Top Ten pop hit. It is his first cross-over hit, gaining him a more rock-oriented audience in addition to his already existing funk following. Only the German, Dutch, and Belgian 12" singles include the full-length "dance" version of this song. In the UK, two versions are released -- one with b-side "All The Critics Love U In New York," and the other as a poster with b-side "Horny Toad." The 12" single includes a calendar with some rare pictures. A 7" picture disc is also planned, but never gets produced. The song only goes to #54 on the UK charts as Prince cancels several sold-out dates at London's Dominion Theatre. At this point, Prince had only performed in London once, back in early 1981 to a small audience and bad reviews.

Right on the tail of the huge U.S. commercial success of "Little Red Corvette," "1999" re-enters the U.S. charts and starts to climb. It becomes Prince's third biggest hit (behind "Little Red Corvette" and "I Wanna Be Your Lover"), peaking at #12 in July. Sixteen years later in 1999, a new version of "1999" is released. It debuts at #40 on the U.S. Pop chart and #45 on the R&B chart and disappears after only one week! In the UK it makes #10, but it is said that the single would've done much better if it were released at the end of the year, in accordance with its lyrical-theme.

In August, at the 1st Avenue club in Minneapolis, Prince debuts some material for his next album which won't be released until a year later. Everything is good in Prince's musical life, and he's about to have another hit -- his third in a year!

"Delirious / Horny Toad" is released and quickly runs up the U.S. Pop chart, peaking at #8. It stops at #18 on the R&B chart. Germany and Spain release "Horny Toad" on the upside and "Delirious" on the flipside. Japan releases "Delirious" with "Little Red Corvette" as the b-side. In the States, people can't get enough of "Little Red Corvette" as it makes another brief appearance on the charts, climbing up to #66 before finally being put to rest.

1999 surpasses the platinum Prince album by becoming Prince's biggest selling album, selling close to two million copies at this point, and Warner Bros does something it hasn't done with any of Prince's four previous albums; they release a fourth single in Canada and the United States. And it's a bold choice... double-a sided "Let's Pretend We're Married / Irresistible Bitch." It has a hard time getting airplay, and it only goes as far as #52 on the Pop chart and #55 on the R&B chart. "Irresistible Bitch" gets almost as much airplay as "Let's Pretend We're Married," if not more. It's Prince's first non-album flipside to get this much attention. As the single drops off the chart, seven weeks of filming are completed on Prince's first movie.

Before the unveiling of Prince's much-anticipated follow-up album, lucky Australia gets "Automatic" as a single, and "D.M.S.R." is prominently featured in 1983's hit movie, "Risky Business" (and on the soundtrack). Prince is nominated for two U.S. Grammy awards: Best Pop Male Vocal for the album 1999 and, strangely, Best R&B Male Vocal for the song "International Lover" (a song that was never released as a single).

Next album...

Which songs should have been released as singles from Purple Rain?

1. Lets Go Crazy
2. Take Me With U
3. The Beautiful Ones
4. Computer Blue
5. Darling Nikki
6. When Doves Cry
7. I Would Die 4 U
8. Baby I'm A Star
9. Purple Rain

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 or four 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: When Doves Cry, Computer Blue, The Beautiful Ones

When Doves Cry
Let's Go Crazy
Purple Rain

Sorry, but they are perfect singles!

woohoo! I called it on 1999.

Anyway, I think that Purple Rain deserves at least 4 singles if not more. And I think they picked the right ones since they were all hits and very radio friendly.

When Doves Cry
Let's Go Crazy
Purple Rain
I Would Die 4 U

Hell, they even released them in the right order. I think the 5th single should've been 'The Beautiful Ones' however.

Darlin' Nikki
The Beautiful Ones
When Doves Cry
Purple Rain

Actually, Tron, there was a 5th single, if I'm not mistaken; "Take Me With U" was the last single released from the album.

Supernova said:

He knows. He just means instead of "Take Me With U." Trust me, he and I have gone through LONG discussions about the single releases from every album.

Moonbeam said:

Ahh, I see.

All the songs released from Purple Rain were great choices but Ive always wondered what would have happened if The Beautiful Ones and Baby,I'm A Star had been singles.

When Doves Cry
Let's Go Crazy
Purple Rain


ANOTHER one he got right. he was really on a roll in the mid-80's

all of the above!

I don't think anyone can doubt that "When Doves Cry" should've been released. It's gotta be one of the best songs he's ever written -- Top Ten if not Top 5? But, personally, I would've kept "Let's Go Crazy" and "Purple Rain" to the movie -- keeping 'em sacred as the opening and closing songs to the movie. Or at least release more singles from the album (Mijac always seemed to get 6 or 7 singles released). "Take Me With U" should've never been released, and there are better choices than "I Would Die 4 U" -- "Computer Blue" woulda been killer to hear on the radio, and the 12" extended version would've been awesome to own. But the saddest thing is that "The Beautiful Ones" was never released to radio. I remember back when I was 14 years old in '84 waiting to hear what the next single was going to be... "Oh, the next one's gotta be 'The Beautiful Ones.'" Nope, sorry... it's "Take Me With U"?? Why do you think they released "Take Me With U" -- I could never understand? The b-side "Baby I'm a Star" got played a lot more, and still does.

Computer Blue (extended)
He didn't like living alone
The house where he lived had many hallways
It was a long walk 2 his bedroom
Because 2 him each hallway represented an emotion
Every one vastly different from the next
One day while she was with him
He decided 2 name each one
She walked by his side, one hand on his thigh
No - she was sort of half a step behind him
Yeah, the grip on his thigh intensified
As they walked slowly through the corridor
He named the hallway "Lust"
And as they passed through the next one
He named it "Fear"
The grip she now loosened
So he walked faster
Her hands now trembling
She let drop 2 her side as he wrote the word "Insecurity"
He looked into her eyes and smiled a demon smile
And quickly walked onto the next
Corridor after corridor
He named almost all when suddenly, he stopped
He picked up the word "Hate"
She was gone
So he picked up another... "Pain"

On the verge of a breakdown
What is life without love?
It's hell Computer Blue!

Father, Father, the sun is gone
The Dawn, the Dawn
Father, Father, where is the Dawn?
Where is the Dawn, Father?

Shall I go 2 church on Sundays?
Shall I stay home and pray?
Shall I try 2 make her happy?
Shall I try 2 make her stay?

Where is my love life?
Tell me, where can it be?

Narrow-minded computer
Somebody please, please tell me
It's time someone programmed U
Somebody please, please tell me what's wrong with me
It's time U learned women are not butterflies
They're computers 2
Just like U Computer Blue
Where is my baby?
Chauvinistic computer
It's time someone programmed U
U fall in love 2 fast and hate 2 soon
And take 4 granted the feeling's mutual
The feeling's mutual!
We're computers 2
Just like U Computer Blue


Originally written in early 1983:
John L. Nelson ("Father's Song" part)
Matt Fink (original motif idea)
Lisa Coleman & Wendy Melvoin (extended version)
and Prince (of course)

It was edited down to make room for When Doves Cry and Take Me With U.

Computer blue 2 me it is the best song on the album

Computer Blue
should have been a single with the
full legnth version on 12"

Instead of I Would Die 4 U!!!

Darling Nikki
Computer Blue
Let's Go crazy
Beautiful Ones

I don't like how,when i have heard Purple Rain on the radio all 3 times,that it is edited down.if they can play Bohemian Rapsody & "Evie" then they can play the full cut of PR!

When Doves Cry,Baby I'm a Star,Purple Rain,Computer Blue&a Extended Version,Let;s Go Crazy.

The Beautiful Ones is the best song on the album. And I love you jason, but i'll never give in. Never.

"baby baby baby what;s it gonna be...baby baby baby...is it him or is it me..."


we know where your wild heart will go ...

When Doves Cry

Let's Go Crazy

I Would Die 4 U

When Doves Cry
Let's Go Crazy
Purple Rain
Computer Blue
Baby I'm A Star
The Beautiful Ones

I think these should have been the singles from 'Purple Rain'...


"When Doves Cry"
"Let's Go Crazy"
"Purple Rain"
"I Would Die 4 U"
"The Beautiful Ones"


I think "The Beautiful Ones" should have been the fifth and final single from the album,instead of "Take Me With U".Both songs are great,but "The Beautuful Ones" is superior,imo.