1999 (song)

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* Original: "How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore?"
* "D.M.S.R." (UK 12")
* "Let's Pretend We're Married" (DEU 12")
* "Uptown"
* "Controversy"
* "Dirty Mind"
* "Sexuality" (AUS 12")
* Re-release: "How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore?"
* "D.M.S.R."
 Length | 6:22 (album version)

"**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 January 1985, as part of a double A-side with "Little Red Corvette").

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

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.

## 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". Collins confirmed this claim, and remembers listening to "1999" frequently while he was on tour with Genesis.

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

## Re-release

In January 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 single peaked at number 2 in its second week of release.

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.

## 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."

## See also

* List of anti-war songs
* List of number-one dance singles of 1982 (U.S.)

## Notes

1. ↑ Nilsen & Mattheij 2004, p. 37
2. ↑ 1999 Songfacts
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "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. Unknown parameter `|deadurl=` ignored (`|url-status=` suggested) (help)
6. ↑ Keegan, Hamilton (February 17, 2009). "Phil Collins, No Jacket Required". *Second Spin*. Retrieved March 3, 2010.
7. ↑ Hogan, Ed. "Sussudio review". *Allmusic*. Cite has empty unknown parameter: `|coauthors=` (help)
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 (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". *Billboard*. 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. Unknown parameter `|deadurl=` ignored (`|url-status=` suggested) (help). *Cash Box* magazine.
14. ↑ "Forum – ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts – CHART POSITIONS PRE 1989". *Australian-charts.com. Hung Medien*. Retrieved May 31, 2016.
15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 "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. ↑ 17.0 17.1 "Dutchcharts.nl – Prince – 1999" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved May 31, 2016.
18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 "The Irish Charts – Search Results – 1999". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved May 31, 2016.
19. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 31, 2016.
20. ↑ "CHART NUMBER 1388 – Saturday, August 20, 1983". Archived from the original on November 4, 2013. Retrieved January 11, 2014. Unknown parameter `|deadurl=` ignored (`|url-status=` suggested) (help). CHUM.
21. ↑ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 6286." *RPM*. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved May 31, 2016.
22. ↑ "Charts.nz – Prince – 1999". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved May 31, 2016.
23. ↑ "The Hot 100 - The week of July 12, 1983". *Billboard*. 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. Unknown parameter `|deadurl=` ignored (`|url-status=` suggested) (help). *Cash Box* magazine.
25. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 31, 2016.
26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 "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. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 31, 2016.
29. ↑ "The Hot 100 - The week of January 16, 1999". *Billboard*. Retrieved May 31, 2016.
30. ↑ "Prince Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". *Billboard*. Retrieved May 31, 2016.
31. ↑ "Prince Chart History (Pop Songs)". *Billboard*. Retrieved May 31, 2016.
32. ↑ "Prince Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay)". *Billboard*. Retrieved May 31, 2016.
33. ↑ "Prince Chart History (Radio Songs)". *Billboard*. Retrieved May 31, 2016.
34. ↑ "Prince Chart History (Rhythmic)". *Billboard*. Retrieved May 31, 2016.
35. ↑ "Lescharts.com – Prince – 1999" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved May 31, 2016.
36. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 31, 2016.
37. ↑ "The Hot 100 - The week of May 14, 2016". *Billboard*. Retrieved May 31, 2016.
38. ↑ "Prince Chart History (Digital Song Sales)". *Billboard*. Retrieved May 31, 2016.
39. ↑ "Prince - Chart history". *Billboard*. Retrieved May 31, 2016.
40. ↑ "Prince — Chart history". *Billboard*. Retrieved May 31, 2016.
41. ↑ "Forum – ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts – Top 100 End of Year AMR Charts - 1980s". *Australian-charts.com. Hung Medien*. Retrieved June 16, 2016.
42. ↑ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 6699." *RPM*. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved May 31, 2016.
43. ↑ "Official New Zealand Music Chart - End of Year Charts 1983". *Recorded Music NZ*. Retrieved June 16, 2016.
44. ↑ Billboard Year-End Hot 100 singles of 1983
45. ↑ [[[:Template:Certification Cite/URL]] "[[:Template:Certification Cite/Title]]"] Check `|url=` value (help). British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved May 31, 2016. URL–wikilink conflict (help) *Select* singles *in the Format field.* *Select* Silver *in the Certification field.* *Type* 1999 *in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.*

## References

* Nilsen, Per; Mattheij, Joozt (2004). *The Vault: The Definitive Guide to the Musical World of Prince*. Linghem: Uptown. ISBN 916315482X.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)

## External links

* Template:MetroLyrics song

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