On Friday, Warner Bros. will release a deluxe version of "1999" featuring a remastering of the original 1982 double album, alternate versions of songs, B sides, a live record and a DVD from that year's tour and, most significantly, 35 unreleased recordings from Prince's legendary Paisley Park vault.
12 must-hear tunes unearthed from Prince's vault for '1999' reissue
November 25, 2019 at 8:38PM
Here are 12 must-hear '1999' tunes.
"Purple Music": Predating "Purple Rain," Prince sings joyously for nearly 11 percolating minutes about his passion for music: "Don't need no reefer, don't need cocaine. Purple music does the same 2 my brain."
"Moonbeam Levels": In a rare personal moment, Prince gets confessional on this slice of psychedelic pop, suggesting maybe he wants affection instead of "a plastic life."
"Vagina": Set to a metallic guitar riff recalling Bowie's "Rebel Rebel," this gender-fluid jam celebrates a "half boy, half girl — best of both worlds."
"No Call U": A slice of sassy synth funk with singer Jill Jones. Prince insists she call him because he won't phone her. ("I'm stubborn. That's my middle name.")
"Turn It Up": Using the radio as a metaphor for sex, this speedy synth number sounds suited for Morris Day in his prime Time days.
"Teacher, Teacher": Continuing his dirty-mind instinct for forbidden fruit, Prince adopts a female persona — "I'm just a young girl" (maybe this was intended for Vanity) — to explore an outside-the-classroom relationship with a lonely teacher on this guitar-driven pop selection. By the way, the singer doesn't even want to get an A.
"Yah, You Know": This whiny synth-pop piece has a Cars-like sound and attitude, coupled with an unmistakable riff from the Standells' 1966 hit "Dirty Water."
"Can't Stop This Feeling I Got": With its rhythmic urgency, this recalls the politicized plea "Ronnie Talk to Russia" from 1981's "Controversy," but the insistent lyrics are not fully developed.
"If It'll Make U Happy": With his most soulful pop voice, Prince offers to make it up to a girl he's left on this minimalist pop tune with a reggae undercurrent.
"Do Yourself a Favor": A sprightly, synth-heavy remake of a mid-'70s R&B tune by Pepe Willie, one of Prince's early mentors, that they recorded together in a group called 94 East (originally titled "If You See Me"). Time guitarist Jesse Johnson also cut this song on his 1986 "Shockadelica" album.
"You're All I Want": Sung in a girlish falsetto, this swinging rockabilly romp was recorded on Los Angeles engineer Peggy McCreary's birthday and given to her as the session ended at Sunset Sound.
"Colleen": This rhythmic instrumental groove is in search of a song. Prince asked McCreary what her middle name was and then told her to slap that title on the apparently unfinished recording, so it could be filed per Warner Bros. protocol.
Critics’ picks for entertainment in the week ahead.
