B-side "Horny Toad" Format 7" single | Released August 17, 1983 Genre Synth-Funk | |
Recorded Sunset Sound and Minneapolis 1982 Length 4:00 (album version)
2:39 (single version) | ||
"Delirious" is a song by American musician Prince, from his 1982 album, 1999. It was the album's third single, and Prince's second top 10 hit, reaching number 8 in the US during the fall of 1983. The success of the single was boosted by the runaway success of the previous single, "Little Red Corvette", and also because DJs often played the first three album tracks in sequence, which just happened to be the order of the singles released from the album.
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Background
"Delirious" is a standard 8-bar blues number that tells how Prince is being driven crazy by a beautiful woman. The song teases the listener with sexual metaphors, hidden enough to avoid being censored. The track begins with a trademark Linn drum machine loop and a bit of synth bass before the keyboard hook introduces the song. A rubbery bass guitar gives the track a rockabilly feel, which Prince had experimented earlier on "Jack U Off" from Controversy. The track ends suddenly with the sound effect of a baby cooing. In live performances over the years, Prince would later add live horns to the song, making it into more of a swing number. The 7" single release of the song included a poster bag with a 1983 calendar and images of Prince.
The B-side to the track is "Horny Toad", which is very similar in rockabilly style and instrumentation. Some of the sexually charged lyrics were mistakenly interpreted as sadistic at the time and were the source of some controversy. The track was included on The Hits/The B-Sides in 1993.