KCOOLMUZIQ said:

I was just awestruck when he started playing those songs live on stage. It was unbelievable to me 2 c someone so young & gifted at the time.They sounded better live with a rock edge to them.I was just surprised to here him sing in a low tenor voice on some songs. Because it was always falsetto on record.. He look so young to me like he was still in high school. So I completely identified with him..To see someone play each instrument so naturally the music was just pouring out of him like it was a part of his being..I never seen a black dude play a lead guitar like that. It was like it was apart of his body. Especially on 'head". My mouth dropped at the masturbation segment of that song. He treated his guitar like he was actually going through an orgasm & the audience was in absolute shock, but amazed at the same time. I was just basically a baby myself. His raw sexually charged show was eye opening & changed me 4ever.

I would have to say "Annie Christian"(His live guitar soloing on this blew the roof off the place), "Head". "Do me baby", I Wanna be ur Lover" & When U were Mine, & Dirty Mind & 'Sexuality" was my favorites he did live.He just took them songs to a whole other level..He was mesmerizing & no one took their eyes off him the whole time.Even the men who he flirted with also..

His band was a multi racial fire. They we're on point & took each cue amazingly. Dez was a rock god he was so bad ass.Him & Prince's chemistry together was electrifying. Lisa was so sexy & remains my favorite keyboard player & background vocalist of his.Finks solos was very visual U can almost see the notes floating off his synthesizer.

[Edited 10/10/12 18:39pm]

I agree, I love hearing those Controversy 1999 -PR shows with the Dirty Mind & Controversy songs with that amped up rock n roll

nice recap of the bands and shows

the one thing I loved about most of those pre PR era songs was the straight out jamming, they weren't trying to be anyone else they weren't showcasing just straight our raw renditions of the album songs

Sexuality still is my fav live

Great video again Eye Jester. I listened to this album much later than 81 so never found it Controversial. but for the time, Prince in his minimalistic attire was thoroughly daring, yet I mean....why not? We go to the beach in bikinis why not in music and dance?

I can resonate with the album vibe now and my earlier review is posted below. But tell me. Talk to me a little about the headline' president signs gun control act.' What's that's all about, my US history knowledge is poor. The album music is so great even today, I've never really gotten past that to get to any strong political messages. Amazing that the show was so poorly attended when the album has truely stood the test of time. Great to see the videos too, very funky!

Controversy - I think this is one of the "many" best tracks ever made. Just perfect from every angle. The live versions are so much funkier than the album version though. The French live performance in 2009/10 (?) was brilliant. Love the bass, it's gorgeous!

Sexuality - Another 10/10 Sure fire way to jack up your mind, body and soul.

Do me baby - Love this one. Perfect gem though listen to it in a certain playlist, not from the cd. 10

Private Joy - is a funky, happy track guaranteed to put you in a good mood. 8/10

Ronnie talk to Russie - the beginning sounds like chaos. A short track but not one I listen to it. It could be a version of "Michael row your boat ashore" same kind of repeated verse.

Let's work - Nice bass. I don't really listen to this track much. Is it the one he plays a lot in recent concerts? It lacks a strong introduction, meaty core and lyrics seem predictable.

Annie Christian - Rap. Repetitive Agonising Production - just not my thing

Jack you off - Nice vocals and melody, funny typical old Prince lyrics. I wonder what it would sound like today, just as an instrumental with more bass. 8/10

[Edited 10/12/12 11:46am]

Annie Christian & Ronnie talk to russia make the album for me

Ronnie is short.. but damn it.. the punk political nature is FIRE for me. And the cold sound of Annie Christian where Prince sounds like a robotic monster.. is priceless

The tracks on Controversy sound so cold! like when i hear it.. i imagine being in a dark room on a winter night.

Gunsnhalen said:

Annie Christian & Ronnie talk to russia make the album for me

Ronnie is short.. but damn it.. the punk political nature is FIRE for me. And the cold sound of Annie Christian where Prince sounds like a robotic monster.. is priceless

The tracks on Controversy sound so cold! like when i hear it.. i imagine being in a dark room on a winter night.

I know what u mean

even the lusty Do Me Baby

...Im so cold, hold me, ends it out right

EyeJester7 said:

I'm Here 2 Talk About C O N T R O V E R S Y! (31 Years) Since's I missed last year's 30th; This is the time 2 discuss it!

Controversy is the fourth full-length studio album by Prince. It was released worldwide in October, 1981 (twelve months after his previous album, Dirty Mind).

The album produced four commercially-released singles, Controversy, Let's Work, Do Me, Baby and Sexuality (released in Germany, Australia and Japan only). Prince toured extensively in the USA to support the album on the Controversy Tour, which largely focused on the album.

The album reached number 21 on the US Billboard Top LPS and Tapes Chart and number 3 for 8 consecutive weeks on the Billboard Soul LPs Chart. On 14 January, 1982 Controversy was certified gold by the RIAA, indicating 500,000 copies shipped in the USA. On 11 January, 1985, it was certified platinum, indicating 1,000,000 copies shipped in the USA.

Specific recording dates for most of the album's tracks are not known. Do Me, Baby was initially recorded in February, 1979, and was written by André Cymone (although it was credited to Prince on the album). The version included on the album is a re-recording from the album sessions, however, which took place in Spring and Summer 1981, at Prince's Kiowa Trail Home Studio, Chanhassen, MN, USA and Hollywood Sound Recorders, Los Angeles, CA, USA.

The album was completed at Sunset Sound, Hollywood, CA, USA, between 14-23 August, 1981. Let's Work had initially been recorded in Spring or Summer 1981 as Let's Rock, named after a dance Prince had seen in clubs during the summer of 1981, and Prince wanted to release it as a single immediately after recording. Warner Bros. declined, and while Prince liked the track, he felt it needed to be renamed when released to avoid it seeming dated.

Private Joy was the last song recorded, on 16 August, 1981 at Sunset Sound, during a week of final work on the album, following some equipment problems at nearby Hollywood Sound Recorders (marking the first Prince track recorded at Sunset Sound, where Prince would continue to work throughout the 1980s, and return again in 2008).

Controversy was largely a solo recording project by Prince, although Bobby Z. (drums), Lisa Coleman (keyboards and background vocals) and Dr. Fink (keyboards) all appear on the final track, Jack U Off. Additionally, Lisa Coleman also sings background vocals on Controversy and Ronnie Talk To Russia.
-Prince Vault

'Controversy' was more of an answer 2 controversy rather it being itself controversial. IMO "Am I black or white, or am I straight or gay?" Prior 2 how Prince dressed at the time & humping and licking his guitar he was considered 'normal'. His lyricism never reflected a disbelief in God. But if U recall; Gail Chapman left his band due 2 religious beliefs & I believe somewhat else did 2.

I'd Love 2 know your thoughts!!! DO U find it controversial, and do U resonate with the period Prince was in during this time? Considering it's a solo project 4 the most part, do U understand the direction of his creative nucleus?

THANKS PURPLE PEOPLE!

I like your review, I like the fact you have the balls to put upa video of yourself giving the critique which is so cool, I wouldnt. Its also cool that a young person likes and appreciates Controversy (or at least you look young). I have also reviewed Controversy on my website - but I beleive, like you that the album is not as controversial as it wanted to be, I beleive that this album was an attempt to build his "image" as a controversial artist. The albums before that "Dirty Mind", was more of a game changer (for Prince) he sang stuff that was on his mind, and his live performance with the stockings, high heels, lipstick, androgynous looks, girls, boys, black,white, in his band gave him more attention than other artists - he realised this and played upon this. Similarly, the reading of the "Our Father", was designed to shock to get people talking about him to try to build up his image, but I think that backfired - it was his sexual imagery that was more potent at the time (excuse the pun).

rdhull said: