Released April 23, 1988 | Genre Funk | |
B-side "Alphabet St. (This is not music, this is a trip)" Format 7" single
12" single
CD single Recorded Paisley Park Studios; December 1987–January 1988 Length 7" edit: 2:25
Album/12": 5:39
Video edit: 2:24 | ||
"Alphabet St." is the first single from American musician Prince's 1988 album, Lovesexy, and the album's only top 10 single, reaching the top 10 in both the UK and US. Initially written as an acoustic blues song, the song's final version includes a rap by Cat Glover and is full of samples. "Alphabet St." generally echoes themes from the rest of Lovesexy.
Contents
The B-side is a remix of "Alphabet St." called "Alphabet St. ("This is not music, this is a trip")". The title and other phrases are repeated at the beginning of the song, but essentially it is an instrumental with a few minor changes.
"Alphabet St." was the first Prince single released as a CD, albeit only in the UK and Japan. A promo CD was issued in the US.
Track listings
- "Alphabet St." (album version) – 5:38
- "Alphabet St. ("This is not music, this is a trip")" – 7:48
- "Alphabet St." (edit) – 2:25
- "Alphabet St." (LP version) – 5:38
- "Alphabet St." (extended version) – 5:40
- "Alphabet St. ("This is not music, this is a trip")" [Listed as "Alphabet St."] – 7:48
Music video
The video features Prince wearing trousers with his name on them, and wearing multicolored eyeshadow.
In the video, there are hidden messages. The first appears after the end of the first verse ("She'll want me from my head to my feet"), where there is a split second image with the hidden message "Don't buy The Black Album, I'm sorry." The second one is after Prince drives the Thunderbird; the message says "H is 4 Punks". Another message appears at 0:38 of the video; the letter B has the word as Beautiful and after a second, there is a message on top of the B saying "Heaven Is So Beautiful". The 3rd message scrolls by when Prince is driving the white car, saying "If U Don't Mind".