I wish I would've been able 2 listen 2 this album when it was 1st released [yet, I was only 5 yrs old back then] cuz it must have been quite something back then.

It still sounds very cool 2day. And strangely, it doesn't sound that dated even.

Very cool jams. I like the fact that they're all so long.

"Lady Cab Driver" and "Let's Pretend We're Married" I'd say have 2 be my favorites off the album.

My 1st exposure to Prince was the "1999" video on MTV. I can remember my sister & I arguing about what to watch & she said that she wanted to see the "1999" video because everybody at school was talking about it. As we watched it, I declared that it sucked! But after MTV kept playing it, it grew on me. Went out & bought the album (my 1st Prince one) & the rest is history.

I was 12 when this album came out. It was just at the start of the Mtv generation. I was so high after listening 2 it the 1st time. (not on drugs!!!) The music was just amazing 2 my ears. I listened 2 that cassette @ least 20 times a day. I went through about 4 copies. still 1 of my favs'. A-U-T-O-matic.

I was 11 at the time and my 14 yr old bro started going on about this guy Prince who was rivalling M Jackson. Having been relatively impressed with M J up to that point, I was a little distressed. Then I heard it, saw the videos, and being a young Londoner had to make do with bootlegs of the tour.

I remember my strict catholic columbian stepmother in the kitchen looking askance at me as P pumped away at Jill Jones on LCD. Hilarious! Then on Something in the Water, she said 'He does scream a lot doesn't he?' Oh, those were the days!

My older bro ended up rather jelous, when I went out and bought all the other albums, 12'', posters, etc. He never did quite get over it. He decided to be a George Michael fan instead. LOL

I was nineteen and pregnant with my first child. I remember dancing so much to that record that my husband thought I was gonna shake the baby out. My sister-n-law even bought tickets to the Concert. Hampton Virignia for the 1999 show. I don't remember much, too busy yelling and screaming, but I remember Prince on that Brass Bed singing Internation Lover. I also remember there was a mad crush for the stage. Do you guys remember "general admission." and a few people were getting hurt up front and he got on the mike and said, I'm not coming out unless you stop pushing or some stuff. Well he didn't come out until the people in front got some room. Oh the memories. 20 Years, DAMN!!!!!

...ah, around the time of wellbeyond's first welfare check. Thems was the days.

I remember the first time I heard the song "1999".It was the late summer of '82,and I was 12 years old.I was blown away by the "futuristic" sound of this song.It was so groundbreaking and fresh,unlike ANYTHING else being played on R&B radio at the time.When I finally got the entire album (on cassette),I played that sucker constantly! There really isn't a bad song anywhere on the album.

On our local radio station,the following songs received HEAVY radio airplay: "1999","Little Red Corvette","Delirious","DMSR","Automatic","Lady Cab Driver" and even "International Lover".This album was the hottest album on the streets! When "Little Red Corvette" was released as a single in early 1983,I could tell that Prince was on his way to superstardom.Suddenly,kids at school were raving about him.

I actually think that '1999' is a stronger,more satisfying album than 'Purple Rain'.

OOps...I dont have memories of this album...:-/ because I became a P fan in the 90s. In the 80s, I was listening to hard rock only. But I love 1999 and I think it´s one of Prince´s best albums ever. I love ´Something in the water´ ´Corvette´, ´1999´, ´Critics´, ´Lady Cab Driver´...

Just goes to show that true funk is timeless.

kellyannemcclure said:

Wow,some people REALLY need to brush up on their "insulting skills"!

My cousin played this cassette in his Mustang every day as we drove to school. It was a little frustrating because I only ever got to hear the first song and then we'd be there. I remember one Saturday I was over at his house and I put 1999 in his "ghetto blaster" (LOL...remember this term) and heard the full album for the first time. It was clearly an incredible recording, but it freaked me out a bit. Prince's tortured screams on "Something in the Water" made my hair stand up. I didn't become fanatical until the next album, but listening to 1999 every morning for a solid year definitely laid the foundation for what was to come.

Peace, David

Wow, first memories, I think I was 13 at the time the album came out and I was NOT allowed to listen to it. My mother said I was still too young. She had been a fan since the first album but felt that 1999 as an album was too "racy" for me. So I basicly remember that I could listen to any of her music except the one that has the record with the big EYE in the middle of it. (Remember that, people?) So one day when she wasnt home, ( and U knew this was coming), I made sure nobody else was around for that matter, I put it on the turntable and watched that hyptnotic eye swirl around and around as the first song played. I had already heard the first track from videos and at that point, still knew relatively nothing about Prince, nor did I have any interest. I just wanted to hear what was so "racy" about it. I listened to the first few songs and still didnt hear much. So I skipped around on the album, all the while entransed by the rotating eye. Well, I guess I didnt hear much from all the skipping around and that left me a bit unimpressed, anyway, my mother was coming home soon so I put it away. I hadnt picked it up again due to the fact that I really didnt "get it". I left it alone until 2 years later and saw Purple Rain for the first time. And guess who took me to see that one, my own MOTHER. I really didnt want to go but for some reason she made me. I dont know why she did, at the time I rarely saw any R rated movies anyway. But of course after that I was completely hooked. So back I went to listen to the record with the big rotating eye all the way thru. My eyes were completely opened this time around. And of course kicking myself for not getting it the first time. It was a HOT album. I couldnt get enough of it. I especially liked "Something in the Water". I cant explain it but that background low toned synth just connected with everything that was me at the time. I think that was the best part of the album was its dismal undertone synth that followed Prince thru many of his albums after that, and left, of course in '86. But thats another thread altogether. Not that I meant to go on and on, but of course, too late. So there it is.

MrHappy404 said:

That synth sound still gets me. I'll never get sick of it. I loved Rick James "Street Songs' for the same reason. Nothing funkier than those synth lines! I also liked all the monotone voices from Automatic (I'm going to have to tortue you now) or All The Critics. Freaky shit.

1999 WOW THAT'S WHAT STATED IT FOR ME, I GOT HOLD OF THE DOUBLE ALBUM FROM A DJ FRIEND OF MINE AND JUST PLAYED IT TO DEATH.THE UK WAS IN THE GRIP OF THE NEW ROMANCE THING AND I HATED THAT SHIT, NO SOUL MAN.THEN BANG 1999 LANDED AND IT WAS ALL OVER.LADY CAB DRIVER,WHAT A KILLER TRACK.THEN EVERY GIRL I MET THAT YEAR WHO HAD THE BENEFIT ALL I COULD THINK OF WAS "And this... mmm, yeah, that's 4 me, that's who that one's 4" I HAVE SINCE HAD THE 2 VINYL PRESSING ENCAPSULATED IN PLASTIC AND THEY NOW HANG ON MY STUDY WALL (I HAVE A SECOND VINYL COPY FOR KEEPS) AS A REMINDER OF WHERE MY LOVE OF PRINCE MUSIC ALL BEGAN.
"LADY CAB DRIVER, CAN U TAKE ME A RIDE"

HEY - I was 13 that year too & it my favorite cassette. The thing I remember the most that really sticks out to me after 20 years - is Tom Cruise VERY first BIG movie - played D.M.S.R. & I was so excited to hear a Prince song in a movie like that!!! Does anyone else remember that? It was playing during the "Party Scene" when he was 'hooking' up his friends with all the hookers/call girls, meanwhile the Scout from College came there to interview him.? - 'Risky Business'
OK - My favorite song on that album I must say is Lady Cab Driver (I used to use that screenname on AOL & nobody seemed to understand what it meant! duh!!)
I also love - Let's Pretend We're Married, DMSR, 1999, OK - we CANNOT forget - International LOVER!! omg that was like the ultimate nasty song back in that day & I couldn't play it out loud etiher, I never let my parents know I was listening to that kind of music!
Hope to hear soon 'bout the exciting news coming up on the 20th Anniversary...

It was at this time I first heard and saw Prince in the UK. LRC was hittin' big in the US and i was around 13. The video was played on a programme called 'entertainment USA' and the presenter -cue shock and horror expressions from UK Orgers- Johnathan King said watch out for this guy coz he's going tobe a big star. Watching that video blew me away because he was so unique in every way. Out into context that cd was a fitting peak to the pre Purple Rain era. I'm gonna play it right now.

I wasn't even 1 yet... but watching him on TV in my diapers.... he probably made me horny even then...

INSATIABLE said:

hehehehe.

My Favorite Album--20 years old already? Wow! Well, I was a sophomore in college here in Detroit, and needless to say, this was the college party album of the year. In fact, we were still pretty much wearing out Dirty Mind, Controversy and 1999 on the turntables! And since we had the Electrifying Mojo at his peak on the radio--you could catch the whole album almost every night, 'cause Mojo would play it for at least 45 minutes or more. Those were the days. . .

WOW!! 20 years already? Man, I still rock this tape/record around the house. My favorite memories of this time frame was, playing in a air band and we were playing " DMSR", trying to be like uncle P. Also, I remember around this time, growing up in minnywood. you could see members of The Time, hangin out around this studio near Lyndale street just before you hit Calhoun square. They were cool then and are still the coolest people around. I was 12 years old when 1999 hit the streets and living in MinnyWood then! shoot you couldn't tell us jack! we thought that Minneapolis was the it! And it still is the the place to be!! I love you MinnyWood.

I was 3 when 1999 came out but I didn't know who Prince was until the next year. I was watching some video show with my Mom when LRC came on. I was shocked. I'll never forget what I asked my Mom. I asked "Who is that man wearing the high-heeled boots?" She just said "That's Prince." I thought he was weird but it didn't bother me. I thought LRC was OK (I didn't really get into it till I was 10) but I really liked 1999 (song and video). I thought it was so cool because it sounded different from everything that was out at the time (and I was 4).

I found out a few years later that my Uncle brought 1999 but sent it back to the record store because it was too vulgar for him and I was always at the house so he didn't want me to here it. I finally brought it for myself when I was 15. I was blown away. DMSR & International Lover is Prince at his best right there. All the Critics..., Automatic (which I heard & saw the video for when I was 9) & Something in the Water kicked my ass hard. Now that I'm talking about it, 1999 was really an Amazing album and I liked it more than I thought I did. A True Classic.

All I wanna do is dance
Play music, sex, romance
Try my best to never get bored

My family was studying with Jehovah's Witnesses when this one came out. I was 11. I was mesmerized by the music and lyrics. I remember borrowing a copy from a friend and listening to in secret with the headphones on at night --- 'cause my parents would have killed me. I had heard Soft and Wet and I Wanna Be Your Lover before, but this was the first album I had heard in its entirety. I was immediately hooked, and Prince was eventually why I left the JWs a few years later. Boy a lot has changed in 20 years.

AnnaStesia said:

Man...talk about irony.