Diamonds and Pearls


Diamonds and Pearls is the 13th studio album by American recording artist Prince, and the first with his new 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 and Robia LaMorte, known as "Diamond" and "Pearl" respectively, appeared on the holographic cover. 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.
Diamonds and Pearls contains 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

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" - unreleased version
  10. "Money Don't Matter 2 Nite"
  11. "Something Funky "
  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 ", and "Schoolyard". "The Flow" would be revised for the Love Symbol Album. A later version of the album had "Horny Pony" in the place of "Gett Off", a newly written track that replaced it 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

  1. "Gett Off"
  2. "Horny Pony"
  1. "Cream"
  2. "Horny Pony"
  1. "Insatiable"
  2. "I Love U in Me"
  1. "Diamonds and Pearls"
  2. "Q in Doubt"
  1. "Money Don't Matter 2 Night"
  2. "Call the Law"
  3. "Push"
  1. "Thunder"
  2. "Violet the Organ Grinder"
  3. "Gett Off"

    Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications