"Controversy" is a song by American musician Prince, the lead single and title track to his 1981 album. The song addresses speculation about Prince at the time such as his sexuality, gender, religion, and racial background, and how he could not understand the curiosity surrounding him.
| "Controversy" | ||||
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 1981 UK 7-inch single | ||||
| Single by Prince | ||||
| from the album Controversy | ||||
| B-side |
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| Released | September 2, 1981 | |||
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| Songwriter(s) | Prince | |||
| Producer(s) | Prince | |||
| Prince singles chronology | ||||
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| Music video | ||||
| "Controversy" on YouTube | ||||
| Prince (1993) singles chronology | ||||
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| Prince (2004) singles chronology | ||||
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Background
editThe song has two main verses, a few choruses, with the title repeated throughout the track. Towards the middle he recites the Lord's Prayer in full, which fueled the fire for some to say the song was blasphemous. Toward the end is a repeating chant of "People call me rude / I wish we all were nude / I wish there was no black and white / I wish there were no rules." The song features a steady 4/4 drumbeat, synthesized bass, guitar, and keyboards. The song was backed with "When You Were Mine", from his previous album, Dirty Mind.
On November 29, 1993, in support of The Hits/The B-Sides, "Controversy" was once again released in the UK as a single. It reached number five on the UK charts in December 1993.[1]
"Controversy" is considered Prince's breakthrough hit in Australia, where it peaked at number 15.[2] In the US, "Controversy" peaked at number three on the Soul Singles chart[3] and number 70 on the Billboard Hot 100. Also, along with the track, "Let's Work", "Controversy" was the first of seven number ones on the dance chart for Prince.[4]
Live in Hawaii
edit"Controversy (Live in Hawaii)" is a digital single made available for sale on Prince's website on March 29, 2004. The single consists of a live performance of the song: "Controversy", recorded on tour in Hawaii in 2003. The track also saw a limited release as a CD single, only available as part of a Prince in Hawaii Gift Box, available from Prince's retail outlet.
Personnel
editSourced from Benoît Clerc, Guitarcloud, Morris Day and David Ritz.[5][6][7]
- Prince – lead and backing vocals, Oberheim OB-X, Oberheim OB-SX, electric guitars, bass guitar, Pearl SY-1 Syncussion, handclaps; possible drums
- Lisa Coleman – backing vocals
- Morris Day – possible drums
Charts
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Weekly chartsedit
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Year-end chartsedit
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References
edit- ^ "controversy | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Officialcharts.com. Retrieved October 17, 2016.
- ^ a b Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 471.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco: 1974-2003. Record Research. p. 357.
- ^ Clerc, Benoît (October 2022). Prince: All the Songs. Octopus. ISBN 9781784728816.
- ^ "Controversy". guitarcloud.org. Retrieved April 30, 2023.
- ^ Day, Morris; Ritz, David (2019). On Time: A Princely Life in Funk. Hachette Books. ISBN 9780306922206.
- ^ a b "National Top 100 Singles for 1982". Kent Music Report. January 3, 1983. Retrieved January 22, 2023 – via Imgur.
- ^ "Prince – Controversy" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2013). Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles, 14th Edition: 1955-2012. Record Research. p. 677.
- ^ "Prince Chart History: Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs". Billboard. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
- ^ "Prince Chart History: Dance Club Songs". Billboard. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
- ^ "Prince: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 7, 2017.
- ^ "The Airplay Chart" (PDF). Music Week. December 25, 1993. p. 28. Retrieved May 4, 2024.
- ^ "Prince – Controversy" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
