1999 (song)

For other music named 1999, see 1999 (disambiguation).
"1999"

US 7" single (1982)
Single by Prince
from the album 1999
B-side
Released September 24, 1982 (original)[1]
November 3, 1998 (re-release)
Format
Recorded
  • 1982
  • Sunset Sound
Length 6:22
Label Warner Bros.
Writer(s) Prince
Producer(s) Prince
Prince singles chronology
"Do Me, Baby"
(1982)		 "1999"
(1982)		 "Little Red Corvette"
(1983)
Prince (UK) chronology
"Let's Work"
(1982)		 "1999"
(1982)		 "Little Red Corvette"
(1983)
Prince (1999) chronology
"NYC Live"
(1997)		 "1999"
(1998)
(UK only re-release)		 "1999: The New Master"
(1999)
Prince (UK) (1999) chronology
"The Holy River"/"Somebody's Somebody"
(1997)		 "1999"
(1998)		 "1999: The New Master"
(1999)
1999 track listing
"1999"
(1)		 "Little Red Corvette"
(2)

"1999" is a song by American musician Prince, the title track from his 1982 record of the same name. The song is one of Prince's best-known, and a defining moment in his rise to superstar status.

The apocalyptic yet upbeat party anthem saw chart success in 1983 (particularly in Australia, where it peaked at number 2), but it did not make it into the Top 40 in the US or the UK on the first attempt. The song originally peaked at number 44 on the Billboard Hot 100 in December 1982 but following the top 10 success of "Little Red Corvette", the song was re-released and peaked at number 12 in the US in July 1983, and at number 25 in the UK in January 1983 (reaching number 2 in the UK when re-released in 1985).[2]

Rolling Stone ranked the song number 215 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.[3]

Following Prince's death, the song re-charted on the Billboard Hot 100 at number 41, later moving up to number 27, making it the fourth separate time the song had entered the Hot 100 and the third different decade in which the song re-charted (as after its two 1980s entries, it made the chart again on January 16, 1999 at number 40). As of April 30, 2016, it has sold 727,363 copies in the United States.[4]

Recording

The album version of the song starts with a slowed-down voice, reassuring the listener "Don't worry, I won't hurt you. I only want you to have some fun." Prince shares lead vocals on the track with members of his band The Revolution, namely Dez Dickerson, Lisa Coleman and Jill Jones. Originally conceived to be a three-part harmony, it was later decided to separate out the voices that started each verse.

Reception

Some music critics have suggested Phil Collins' 1985 song "Sussudio" sounds very similar to "1999".[5] Collins confirmed this claim,[6] and remembers listening to "1999" frequently while he was on tour with Genesis.[7]

Rolling Stone ranked the song number 215 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.[3]

Performances

On New Year's Eve 1999, Prince (his stage name at that time still being an unpronounceable symbol) held a concert titled Rave Un2 the Year 2000 at his Paisley Park Studios Soundstage, and he later vowed never to play it again. However, in August 2007, as part of his Earth Tour, he reintroduced the song to his set after an absence of almost eight years.

On December 31, 1998, the song was played after the Cirque Du Soleil O show for the night had finished, at the Bellagio Hotel, Paradise, Nevada. Attendees found a bottle of champagne and confetti under their chairs.

On September 30, 1999, when the San Francisco Giants played their last game at Candlestick Park, the song played after the game.

On December 31, 1998, in Los Angeles almost all the music stations in the city played the song at midnight, and again on December 31, 1999, for the lyrics: two-thousand zero zero party's over oops outta time.

Re-release

In 1985, "1999" was released as a 12" single in the US with "Little Red Corvette" as the B-side, and "How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore?"/"D.M.S.R." in the UK.

The song was re-recorded at the end of 1998 with The New Power Generation, reusing portions of the original recording, and was released the following year as 1999: The New Master.

"1999" was re-released in the UK and the US in late 1998 to accompany the song's namesake year. It was released on 12" vinyl with the same track listing as the original 12" single: the album version, along with "How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore?" and "D.M.S.R." A CD single was also issued with the same track listing, except the edit of "1999" was substituted for the album version. It was also re-released again towards the end of its namesake year. The original version re-charted within the Top 40 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in December 1998, becoming Prince's last top 40 until his 2016 death.

Music video

The video, directed by Bruce Gowers, was shot during the last week of rehearsals for the 1999 Tour. It depicts Prince and his band like acting on a live performance. Just in time to take his part after Lisa Coleman and Dez Dickerson, Prince appears on the stage from above, gliding down on a fireman's pole, wearing a glittery purple long coat.

Something went wrong with shooting Dez’s lead vocal line and that footage was actually re-shot by a local camera crew the afternoon prior to the first show of the 1999 Tour in Chattanooga on November 11, 1982.[8][9]

Track listing

7"
  1. "1999"
  2. "How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore?"
12" UK
  1. "1999"
  2. "D.M.S.R."
12" Germany
  1. "1999"
  2. "Let's Pretend We're Married"
12" Australia
  1. "1999"
  2. "Uptown"
  3. "Controversy"
  4. "Dirty Mind"
  5. "Sexuality"
12" - 1985 re-release
  1. "1999"
  2. "How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore?"
  3. "D.M.S.R."

Charts

First Release (1982)

Chart (1982) Peak
position
US Billboard Hot 100[10] 44
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[11] 4
US Billboard Dance Club Songs[12] 1
US Cash Box[13] 46
Chart (1983) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[14] 2
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[15] 8
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[16] 13
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[17] 14
Ireland (IRMA)[18] 21
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[19] 25

US Re-release (1983)

Chart (1983) Peak
position
Canada (CHUM)[20] 8
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[21] 9
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[22] 4
US Billboard Hot 100[23] 12
US Cash Box[24] 14

UK Re-release (1985)

Chart (1985) Peak
Position
Ireland (IRMA)[18] 3
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[25] 2

Worldwide Re-release (1998/1999)

Chart (1999) Peak
Position
Australia (ARIA)[26] 47
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[15] 29
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[27] 16
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[17] 31
Germany (Official German Charts)[28] 86
Ireland (IRMA)[18] 18
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[29] 10
US Billboard Hot 100[30] 40
US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)[31] 33
US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)[32] 36
US R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay (Billboard)[33] 38
US Radio Songs (Billboard)[34] 33
US Rhythmic (Billboard)[35] 13
Chart (2016) Peak
Position
Australia (ARIA)[26] 28
Germany (Official German Charts)[28] 75
France (SNEP) Download Chart[36] 32
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[37] 49
US Billboard Hot 100[38] 27
US Digital Songs (Billboard)[39] 6
US Hot R&B Songs (Billboard)[40] 11
US R&B/Hip-Hop Digital Songs (Billboard)[41] 6

Year-end charts

Chart (1983) Position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[42] 16
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[43] 71
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[44] 37
US Billboard Hot 100[45] 41

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/Sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[46] Silver 250,000^

^shipments figures based on certification alone

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Nilsen & Mattheij 2004, p. 37
  2. ↑ 1999 Songfacts
  3. 1 2 "Prince, '1999'". Rolling Stone (500 Greatest Songs of All Time). April 7, 2011. Retrieved April 22, 2016.
  4. ↑ "Hip Hop Single Sales: Prince, Desiigner & Drake". HipHopDX. April 30, 2016. Retrieved April 30, 2016.
  5. ↑ Mark, Caro (May 1, 2007). "Yes, Phil Collins' 'Sussudio' Ripoff of Prince's '1999' is Included". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on March 24, 2010. Retrieved March 3, 2010.
  6. ↑ Keegan, Hamilton (February 17, 2009). "Phil Collins, No Jacket Required". Second Spin. Retrieved March 3, 2010.
  7. ↑ Hogan, Ed. "Sussudio review". Allmusic.
  8. ↑ "Video:1999". princevault.com. Retrieved May 31, 2016.
  9. ↑ "1999 (1982) by Prince". imvdb.com. Retrieved May 31, 2016.
  10. ↑ "The Hot 100 - The week of December 11, 1982". Billboard Hot 100. Retrieved May 31, 2016.
  11. ↑ "Prince – Chart history" Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs for Prince. Retrieved May 31, 2016.
  12. ↑ "Dance/Disco Top80 - Survey for week ending 12/4/82". Google Books. Retrieved May 31, 2016.
  13. ↑ "CASH BOX Top 100 Singles – Week ending December 18, 1982". Archived from the original on June 15, 2014. Retrieved May 13, 2014.. Cash Box magazine.
  14. ↑ "Forum – ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts – CHART POSITIONS PRE 1989". Australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved May 31, 2016.
  15. 1 2 "Ultratop.be – Prince – 1999" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved May 31, 2016.
  16. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 3, 1983" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40 Retrieved May 31, 2016.
  17. 1 2 "Dutchcharts.nl – Prince – 1999" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved May 31, 2016.
  18. 1 2 3 "The Irish Charts – Search Results – 1999". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved May 31, 2016.
  19. ↑ "12, 1983/ Archive Chart: February 12, 1983" UK Singles Chart. Retrieved May 31, 2016.
  20. ↑ "CHART NUMBER 1388 – Saturday, August 20, 1983". Archived from the original on November 4, 2013. Retrieved January 11, 2014.. CHUM.
  21. ↑ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 6286." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved May 31, 2016.
  22. ↑ "Charts.org.nz – Prince – 1999". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved May 31, 2016.
  23. ↑ "The Hot 100 - The week of July 12, 1983". Billboard Hot 100. Retrieved May 31, 2016.
  24. ↑ "CASH BOX Top 100 Singles – Week ending August 13, 1983". Archived from the original on August 11, 2014. Retrieved July 10, 2014.. Cash Box magazine.
  25. ↑ "26, 1985/ Archive Chart: January 26, 1985" UK Singles Chart. Retrieved May 31, 2016.
  26. 1 2 "Australian-charts.com – Prince – 1999". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved May 31, 2016.
  27. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 4, 1999" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40 Retrieved June 16, 2016.
  28. 1 2 "Offiziellecharts.de – Prince – 1999". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved May 31, 2016.
  29. ↑ "9, 1999/ Archive Chart: January 9, 1999" UK Singles Chart. Retrieved May 31, 2016.
  30. ↑ "The Hot 100 - The week of January 16, 1999". Billboard Hot 100. Retrieved May 31, 2016.
  31. ↑ "Prince – Chart history" Billboard Adult Pop Songs for Prince. Retrieved May 31, 2016.
  32. ↑ "Prince – Chart history" Billboard Pop Songs for Prince. Retrieved May 31, 2016.
  33. ↑ "Prince – Chart history" Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay for Prince. Retrieved May 31, 2016.
  34. ↑ "Prince – Chart history" Billboard Radio Songs for Prince. Retrieved May 31, 2016.
  35. ↑ "Prince – Chart history" Billboard Rhythmic Songs for Prince. Retrieved May 31, 2016.
  36. ↑ "lescharts.com – Les charts français" (in French). Les classement de telechargement single. Retrieved May 31, 2016.
  37. ↑ "5, 2016/ Archive Chart: May 5, 2016" UK Singles Chart. Retrieved May 31, 2016.
  38. ↑ "The Hot 100 - The week of May 14, 2016". Billboard Hot 100. Retrieved May 31, 2016.
  39. ↑ "Prince – Chart history" Billboard Digital Songs for Prince. Retrieved May 31, 2016.
  40. ↑ "Prince - Chart history". Billboard Hot R&B Songs. Retrieved May 31, 2016.
  41. ↑ "Prince — Chart history". Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Digital Songs. Retrieved May 31, 2016.
  42. ↑ "Forum – ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts – Top 100 End of Year AMR Charts - 1980s". Australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved June 16, 2016.
  43. ↑ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 6699." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved May 31, 2016.
  44. ↑ "Official New Zealand Music Chart - End of Year Charts 1983". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved June 16, 2016.
  45. ↑ Billboard Year-End Hot 100 singles of 1983
  46. ↑ "British single certifications – Prince – 1999". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved May 31, 2016. Enter 1999 in the field Keywords. Select Title in the field Search by. Select single in the field By Format. Select Silver in the field By Award. Click Search

References

External links

Preceded by
"Nasty Girl" by Vanity 6		 Billboard Hot Dance Club Play number-one single
December 4, 1982 - December 11, 1982 		Succeeded by
"The Look of Love" by ABC
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