Puneet Varma (Editor)

Diamonds and Pearls

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Released
  
October 1, 1991

Producer
  
Prince

Label
  
Warner Bros. Records

Length
  
65:45

Release date
  
1 October 1991


Recorded
  
December 1989, June - September , October, late 1990 - early 1991, May 1991, Paisley Park Records and London

Diamonds and Pearls (1991)
  
Love Symbol Album (1992)

Artists
  
Prince, The New Power Generation

Genres
  
Funk, Pop music, Rock music, Soul music, Rhythm and blues, Contemporary R&B, New jack swing

Nominations
  
Soul Train Music Award for Best R&B/Soul Album - Group, Band or Duo

Similar
  
Prince albums, Funk albums

Keke wyatt covers diamonds and pearls by prince and the new power generation


Diamonds and Pearls is the thirteenth studio album by American recording artist Prince, and the first to feature his backing band The New Power Generation. It was released on October 1, 1991 by Paisley Park Records and Warner Bros. Records. The album produced several hit singles, including "Gett Off", "Cream", "Money Don't Matter 2 Night", "Insatiable", and the title track. Dancers Lori Werner (then dancing under the stage name of Lori Elle) and Robia LaMorte, known as "Diamond" and "Pearl" respectively, are featured on the holographic cover (re-pressings of the album are non-holographic). Diamond and Pearl also appeared in the music videos for "Cream", "Strollin'", "Gett Off", and the title track, and also participated in Prince's Diamonds and Pearls Tour.

Contents

Diamonds and Pearls features a hybrid of music styles, from the funk of "Daddy Pop", "Jughead", and first single "Gett Off", to some of the more mainstream pop/rock songs Prince had recorded in some time, such as "Cream", "Money Don't Matter 2 Night" and the title song. "Willing and Able" was used in a video montage during the closing credits of CBS coverage of Super Bowl XXVI.

Track listing

All lyrics written by Prince; all music composed by Prince and The New Power Generation except where noted.

Album evolution

One of the earliest songs that ended up on Diamonds and Pearls was "Live 4 Love", a track from 1989. The bulk of the material would be composed in 1990, however. A few songs evolved during Prince's Nude Tour in 1990, notably "The Flow" and "Schoolyard". Prince decided to place an emphasis on rap with this album, handing the reins over to Nude Tour dancer, Tony M. An early version of the album from November 1990 consisted of the following:

  1. "The Flow"
  2. "Daddy Pop"
  3. "Diamonds and Pearls"
  4. "Cream"
  5. "Strollin'"
  6. "Willing and Able"
  7. "Violet the Organ Grinder"
  8. "Walk Don't Walk"
  9. "Horny Pony"
  10. "Money Don't Matter 2 Nite"
  11. "Something Funky (This House Comes)"
  12. "Schoolyard"
  13. "Live 4 Love"

Most of these songs went through minor to major revisions before being released, and five of them did not make the cut at all. The five songs that were omitted from the album are "The Flow", "Violet the Organ Grinder", "Horny Pony", "Something Funky (This House Comes)", and "Schoolyard". "The Flow" would be revised for the Love Symbol Album. A later version of the album, closer to the actual release date was identical to the official album, but still had "Horny Pony" in the place of "Gett Off", a newly written track which ended up replacing "Horny Pony" at the last minute. In fact, "Horny Pony" still exists on the track listing, written in red over "Gett Off", and is mentioned in the lyrics to "Push".

Personnel

  • Prince - lead vocals and various instruments
  • Rosie Gaines - keyboards (2), co-lead vocals (3, 11), backing vocals and keyboards (4, 6, 7–9)
  • Tommy Barbarella - keyboards (2–4, 6–8)
  • Levi Seacer, Jr. - bass (2, 5, 6, 8–10), rhythm guitar (4, 7)
  • Sonny T. - bass (3, 4, 7, 13)
  • Michael B. - drums (2–8, 10, 13)
  • Sheila E. - synth drum fills (3)
  • Damon Dickson - percussion (6, 7, 9)
  • Kirk Johnson - percussion (6, 7, 9)
  • Eric Leeds - flute (7)
  • Tony M. - rap (2, 6, 7, 9, 11, 13)
  • Elisa Fiorillo - additional vocals (2, 8)
  • Clare Fischer - sampled orchestration (11)

    • Production

  • Arranged and produced by Prince and The New Power Generation
  • Engineered by Keith "KC" Cohen, David Friedlander, Michael Koppelman, Matt Larson, Sylvia Massy, Steve Noonan, Tim Penn and Brian Poer
  • Mixed by Michael Koppelman, Keith Cohen and Tom Garneau
  • Mastered by Michael Koppelman
  • All songs published by Controversy Music-WB Music, except "Willing & Able" (Controversy Music-WB Music-Michael Anthony Music-Mac Dog Productions), "Jughead" (Controversy Music-WB Music-Mac Dog Music-Kinky J. Music) and "Push" (Controversy Music-WB Music-Mattie Lucille Publishing).

    • Singles and Hot 100 chart placings

  • "Gett Off" maxi-single (#21 US, #6 US R&B, #4 UK, #8 AUS)
    1. "Gett Off"
    2. "Horny Pony"
  • "Cream" maxi-single (#1 US, #15 UK, #2 AUS)
    1. "Cream"
    2. "Horny Pony"
  • "Insatiable" (#3 US R&B)
    1. "Insatiable"
    2. "I Love U in Me"
  • "Diamonds and Pearls" maxi-single (#3 US, #1 US R&B, #25 UK, #13 AUS)
    1. "Diamonds and Pearls"
    2. "Q in Doubt"
  • "Money Don't Matter 2 Night" maxi-single (#23 US, #14 US R&B, #19 UK, #18 AUS)
    1. "Money Don't Matter 2 Night"
    2. "Call the Law"
    3. "Push" (UK)
  • "Thunder" maxi-single (#28 UK)
    1. "Thunder"
    2. "Violet the Organ Grinder"
    3. "Gett Off" (Thrust Dub)

    Songs

    1Thunder5:46
    2Daddy Pop5:18
    3Diamonds and Pearls4:45

    References

    Diamonds and Pearls Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA