Controversy (song)

"Controversy"
	1981 UK 7" single
Single by Prince
from the album Controversy and The Hits 2
B-side	1981: "When You Were Mine"; 1993: "The Future" (US); "Glam Slam"; "D.M.S.R."; "Anotherloverholenyohead"; "Paisley Park"; "New Power Generation (Part II)" (UK CD);
Released	September 2, 1981 (original US release); October 9, 1981 (original UK release); 1993 (Hits 2); March 29, 2004 (2004 release)
Recorded	Kiowa Trail home studio, late spring 1981 (Basic tracking) Sunset Sound, August 14–23, 1981 (Overdubs, mixing) (original); Hawaii, December 2003 (2004 release)
Genre	Funk rock; new wave; synth-pop;
Length	3:39 (7-Inch Edit); 7:14 (Album Version); 6:06 (2004 Release)
Label	Warner Bros. (original); NPG (2004 release);
Songwriter(s)	Prince
Producer(s)	Prince
Prince singles chronology
Prince (UK) singles chronology
Prince (1993) singles chronology
Prince (UK) (1993) singles chronology
Prince (2004) singles chronology

"Controversy" is a song by American musician Prince, the lead single and title track to his 1981 album.[1] The song addresses speculation about Prince at the time such as his sexuality, gender, religion, and racial background, and how he could not understand the curiosity surrounding him.

Background

The song has two main verses, a few choruses, with the title repeated throughout the track. Towards the middle he recites the Lord's Prayer in full, which fueled the fire for some to say the song was blasphemous. Toward the end is a repeating chant of "People call me rude / I wish we all were nude / I wish there was no black and white / I wish there were no rules." The song features a steady 4/4 drumbeat, synthesized bass, guitar, and keyboards. The song was backed with "When You Were Mine", from his previous album, Dirty Mind.

In 1993, in support of The Hits/The B-Sides, "Controversy" was once again released in the UK as a single, this time as a two-disc EP containing several hits not on the collection. CD1 includes the edit of "Controversy", the William Orbit remix of "The Future", "Glam Slam", and "D.M.S.R.". CD2 includes the edit of "Controversy", "Anotherloverholenyohead", "Paisley Park", and "New Power Generation (Part II)". Like the "Peach" single, CD1 was a special foldout package with a place holder for CD2, which was sold separately. "Controversy" was also released on a 7" picture disc. It reached number 5 on the UK charts in December 1993.[2]

"Controversy" is considered Prince's breakthrough hit in Australia, where it peaked at number 15.[3] In the US, "Controversy" peaked at number 3 on the Black singles chart and number 70 on the Billboard Hot 100.[4] Also, along with the track, "Let's Work", "Controversy" was the first of seven number ones on the dance chart for Prince.[5]

Official versions

"Controversy" (7 inch Edit) / (Single Version) - 3:39
"Controversy" (Album Version) - 7:14
"Controversy" (Live In Hawaii) - 6:06

Live in Hawaii

"Controversy (Live in Hawaii)" is a digital single made available for sale on Prince's website on March 29, 2004. The single consists of a live performance of the song: "Controversy", recorded on tour in Hawaii in 2003. The track also saw a limited release as a CD single, only available as part of a Prince in Hawaii Gift Box, available from Prince's retail outlet.

Samples

The Jungle Brothers track "Black is Black", from their 1988 album Straight out the Jungle, features a sample of "Controversy".

Charts

Chart (1981)	Peak position
Australian Singles Chart[3]	15
Dutch Singles Chart	28
US Billboard Hot 100	70
US Billboard Hot Black Singles	3
US Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs	1

References

"Prince - Controversy at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2016-10-17.
"controversy | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Officialcharts.com. Retrieved 2016-10-17.
Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 471.
Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco: 1974-2003. Record Research. p. 357.

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.

[1] "Prince - Controversy at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2016-10-17.

[2] "controversy | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Officialcharts.com. Retrieved 2016-10-17.

[auchart-3] Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.

[4] Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 471.

[5] Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco: 1974-2003. Record Research. p. 357.

Prince singles
1970s	"Soft and Wet" "Just as Long as We're Together" "I Wanna Be Your Lover"
1980s	"Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad?" "Still Waiting" "Sexy Dancer" "Uptown" "Dirty Mind" "Do It All Night" "Gotta Stop (Messin' About)" "Controversy" "Let's Work" "Do Me, Baby" "1999" "Little Red Corvette" "Delirious" "Let's Pretend We're Married" "When Doves Cry" "Let's Go Crazy" "Purple Rain" "I Would Die 4 U" "Take Me with U" "Paisley Park" "Raspberry Beret" "Pop Life" "America" "Kiss" "Mountains" "Anotherloverholenyohead" "Girls & Boys" "Sign "O" the Times" "If I Was Your Girlfriend" "U Got the Look" "I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man" "Alphabet St." "Glam Slam" "I Wish U Heaven" "Batdance" "Partyman" "The Arms of Orion" "Scandalous!"
1990s	"The Future" "Thieves in the Temple" "New Power Generation" "Gett Off" "Cream" "Diamonds and Pearls" "Money Don't Matter 2 Night" "Insatiable" "Thunder" "Sexy MF" "My Name Is Prince" "7" "Damn U" "The Morning Papers" "Pink Cashmere" "Nothing Compares 2 U" "Peach" "The Most Beautiful Girl in the World" "Letitgo" "Space" "Purple Medley" "I Hate U" "Gold" "Dinner with Delores" "Betcha by Golly Wow!" "The Holy River" "Somebody's Somebody" "The Truth" "Extraordinary" "The Greatest Romance Ever Sold"
2000s	"U Make My Sun Shine" (with Angie Stone) "When Will We B Paid?" (with Audio Stepchild) "Supercute" "The Work, pt. 1" "Days of Wild" "Musicology" "Cinnamon Girl" "Controversy (Live in Hawaii)" "S.S.T." "Te Amo Corazón" "Black Sweat" "Fury" "Guitar" "F.U.N.K."
2010s	"Breakfast Can Wait"
Promotional singles	"When You Were Mine" "Erotic City" "Nothing Compares 2 U" "Love Sign" (with Nona Gaye) "Somebody's Somebody" "The Rest of My Life" "5 Women" "It's About That Walk" "Man'O'War" "Call My Name" "The Song of the Heart"
Airplay-only songs	"International Lover"
Internet downloads	"One Song" "Glass Cutter" "Live from Paisley Park" "Strange Relationship" "Guitar (original "demo" version)"
EPs	The Beautiful Experience NYC 1999: The New Master
Other songs	"I Feel for You" "When You Were Mine" "Private Joy" "How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore?" "17 Days" "The Beautiful Ones" "Computer Blue" "Darling Nikki" "Baby I'm a Star" "Sometimes It Snows in April" "Adore" "Don't Talk 2 Strangers" "I Can't Make U Love Me" "La, La, La Means I Love U" "One of Us" "Everyday Is a Winding Road" "A Case of U"