Prince / 1999 super deluxe reissue offers a wealth of unreleased material

Warner Records will reissue Prince‘s fifth studio album 1999 in November across six different physical formats, including a 5CD+DVD super deluxe and 10LP+DVD set, both of which feature 35 previously unreleased audio tracks.

The 1982 album, which features the hits ‘1999,’ ‘Little Red Corvette’ and ‘Delirious’ was a major turning point in Prince’s career, delivering top 10 singles in the pop charts in both sides of the Atlantic (albeit in Britain it was via a double A-side reissue). The groundwork was effectively laid for even bigger success with Purple Rain (which was re-released in 2017).

The reissue of the 1999 album is more ambitious than the already very good Purple Rain set. As well as the remastered album, the 5CD+DVD super deluxe offers two further discs of previously unreleased ‘vault’ material (23 tracks in total), a CD of seven-inch versions and promo edits, a complete live audio performance from the 1999 tour and a DVD containing another complete, previously unreleased concert from the 1999 tour.

Vinyl fans can rest easy (although not their wallets) since the entire 65 tracks of audio on the CD super deluxe is being released as a massive 10LP vinyl box. And the good news is you get the DVD as well (sense prevails).

I have listened to ALL the bonus ‘vault’ audio on this set and there’s some incredible songs and recordings on here, including the early 1982 version of ‘Possessed’ (the later recording has already been a bonus track on the Purple Rain reissue), the full unedited six minute version of ‘Delirious’, an recording of B-side ‘Irresistible Bitch,’ live in the studio takes of ‘International Lover’ (sung without the falsetto) and ‘How Come U Don’t Call Me Anymore?’ and of course loads of completely unreleased songs such as ‘Money Don’t Grow On Trees,’ ‘Rearrange,’ ‘Bold Generation,’ ‘Purple Music,’ ‘You’re All I Want’ and, er, ‘Vagina’. Most of this was recorded in and around 1982.

The live audio performance comes from the late midnight show in Detroit from 30 November 1982. The early show has circulated amongst fans but apparently this later show has never leaked. The DVD offers the 29 December show (recorded in multi-cam) live at the Houston Summit.

As well as the two big sets (5CD+DVD and 10LP+DVD) Warner are also offering a two-CD edition which pairs the remastered album with the disc of seven-inch edits. This version is also available as a 4LP set. While the edits are welcome in the bigger sets, this being the only bonus material on the ‘mid-range’ offerings should all but ensure everyone opts for the super deluxe! As is always the way, the standard (double) remastered album is available as a single CD and a 2LP vinyl set. All the vinyl sets are black vinyl, except the 2LP edition which is pressed on purple vinyl.

Prince’s 1999 reissue in 5CD+DVD packaging (click image to enlarge)

As a correction to what was previously stated, the 1999 5CD+DVD super deluxe isn’t actually a large format book but is presented as in a small box. Each disc is held in a separate gatefold sleeve and these slot into the box, alongside a 48-page perfect bound booklet. The booklet has images of tape reels from the vault, rare photos and new sleeve notes from David Fricke, Duff McKagan, Andrea Swensson and Duane Tudahl. The two big sets are distinguished by revamped silver cover artwork. The 2CD, 4LP, CD and 2LP stick with the purple background.

1999 is reissued on 29 November 2019. Follow SDE on Twitter and/or Facebook to stay in touch with this reissue.

1999 5CD+DVD super deluxe

CD1 / Remastered Album

1 1999
2 Little Red Corvette
3 Delirious
4 Let’s Pretend We’re Married
5 D.M.S.R.
6 Automatic
7 Something In The Water (Does Not Compute)
8 Free
9 Lady Cab Driver
10 All The Critics Love U In New York
11 International Lover

CD2 / Promo Mixes & B-Sides

1 1999 (7″ stereo edit)
2 1999 (7″ mono promo-only edit)
3 Free (promo-only edit)
4 How Come You Don’t Call Me Anymore (“1999″ b-side)
5 Little Red Corvette (7″ edit)
6 All The Critics Love U In New York (7” edit)
7 Lady Cab Driver (7″ edit)
8 Little Red Corvette (Dance Remix promo-only edit)
9 Little Red Corvette (Special Dance Mix)
10 Delirious (7” edit)
11 Horny Toad (“Delirious” b-side)
12 Automatic (7″ edit)
13 Automatic (video version)
14 Let’s Pretend We’re Married (7″ edit)
15 Let’s Pretend We’re Married (7″ mono promo-only edit)
16 Irresistible Bitch (“Let’s Pretend We’re Married” b-side)
17 Let’s Pretend We’re Married (video version)
18 D.M.S.R. (edit)

CD3 / Vault, Part 1

1 Feel U Up
2 Irresistible Bitch
3 Money Don’t Grow On Trees
4 Vagina
5 Rearrange
6 Bold Generation
7 Colleen
8 International Lover (Take 1, live in studio)
9 Turn It Up
10 You’re All I Want
11 Something In The Water (Does Not Compute) (Original Version)
12 If It’ll Make U Happy
13 How Come U Don’t Call Me Anymore? (Take 2, live in studio)

All tracks previously unreleased

CD4 / Vault, Part 2

1 Possessed (1982 version)
2 Delirious (full length)
3 Purple Music
4 Yah, You Know
5 Moonbeam Levels **
6 No Call U
7 Can’t Stop This Feeling I Got
8 Do Yourself A Favor
9 Don’t Let Him Fool Ya
10 Teacher, Teacher
11 Lady Cab Driver / I Wanna Be Your Lover / Head / Little Red Corvette (tour demo)

All tracks previously unreleased except **, released on the 2016 compilation, 4Ever

CD5 / Live In Detroit – November 30, 1982 (midnight show)

1 Controversy
2 Let’s Work
3 Little Red Corvette
4 Do Me, Baby
5 Head
6 Uptown
7 Interlude
8 How Come U Don’t Call Me Anymore?
9 Automatic
10 International Lover
11 1999
12 D.M.S.R.

All tracks previously unreleased

DVD / Live In Houston – December 29, 1982*

1 Controversy
2 Let’s Work
3 Do Me, Baby
4 D.M.S.R.
5 Interlude – piano improvisation (contains elements of “With You”)
6 How Come U Don’t Call Me Anymore?
7 Lady Cab Driver
8 Automatic
9 International Lover
10 1999
11 Head (contains elements of “Sexuality”)

All tracks previously unreleased

*N.B. video content is exclusive to the physical DVD and will not appear on digital download or streaming versions of the Super Deluxe Edition set.

1999 10LP+DVD box set

Side 1
1. 1999 (2019 Remaster)
2. Little Red Corvette (2019 Remaster)
3. Delirious (2019 Remaster)

Side 2
1. Let’s Pretend We’re Married (2019 Remaster)
2. D.M.S.R. (2019 Remaster)

Side 3
1. Automatic (2019 Remaster)
2. Something In The Water (Does Not Compute) [2019 Remaster]
3. Free (2019 Remaster)

Side 4
1. Lady Cab Driver (2019 Remaster)
2. All The Critics Love U In New York (2019 Remaster)
3. International Lover (2019 Remaster)

Side 5
1. 1999 (7″ Stereo Edit) [2019 Remaster]
2. 1999 (7″ Mono Promo-Only Edit) [2019 Remaster]
3. Free (Promo Only Edit) [2019 Remaster]
4. How Come You Don’t Call Me Anymore (2019 Remaster)
5. Little Red Corvette (7″ Edit) [2019 Remaster]

Side 6
1. All The Critics Love U In New York (7″ Edit) [2019 Remaster]
2. Lady Cab Driver (7″ Edit) [2019 Remaster]
3. Little Red Corvette (Dance Remix Promo Only Edit) [2019 Remaster]
4. Little Red Corvette (Special Dance Mix) [2019 Remaster]

Side 7
1. Delirious (7″ Edit) [2019 Remaster]
2. Horny Toad (2019 Remaster)
3. Automatic (7″ Edit) [2019 Remaster]
4. Automatic (Video Version) [2019 Remaster]
5. Let’s Pretend We’re Married (7″ Edit) [2019 Remaster]

Side 8
1. Let’s Pretend We’re Married (7″ Mono Promo Only Edit) [2019 Remaster]
2. Irresistible Bitch (2019 Remaster)
3. Let’s Pretend We’re Married (Video Version) [2019 Remaster]
4. D.M.S.R. (Edit) [2019 Remaster]

Side 9
1. Feel U Up
2. Irresistible Bitch
3. Money Don’t Grow On Trees
4. Vagina

Side 10
1. Rearrange
2. Bold Generation
3. Colleen

Side 11
1. International Lover (Take 1) [Live In Studio]
2. Turn It Up
3. You’re All I Want

Side 12
1. Something In The Water (Does Not Compute)
2. If It’ll Make U Happy
3. How Come U Don’t Call Me Anymore? (Take 2)

Side: 13
1. Possessed (1982 Version)
2. Delirious (Full Length)

Side 14
1. Purple Music
2. Yah, You Know
3. Moonbeam Levels (2019 Remaster)

Side 15
1. No Call U
2. Can’t Stop This Feeling I Got
3. Do Yourself A Favor

Side 16
1. Don’t Let Him Fool Ya
2. Teacher, Teacher
3. Lady Cab Driver / I Wanna Be Your Lover / Little Red Corvette (Tour Demo)

Side 17
1. Controversy (Live at Masonic Hall, Detroit, MI, 11/30/1982 – Late Show)
2. Let’s Work (Live at Masonic Hall, Detroit, MI, 11/30/1982 – Late Show)
3. Little Red Corvette (Live at Masonic Hall, Detroit, MI, 11/30/1982 – Late Show)
4. Do Me, Baby (Live at Masonic Hall, Detroit, MI, 11/30/1982 – Late Show)

Side 18
1. Head (Live at Masonic Hall, Detroit, MI, 11/30/1982 – Late Show)
2. Uptown (Live at Masonic Hall, Detroit, MI, 11/30/1982 – Late Show)
3. Lisa’s Keyboard Interlude (Live at Masonic Hall, Detroit, MI, 11/30/1982 – Late Show)
4. How Come U Don’t Call Me Anymore? (Live at Masonic Hall, Detroit, MI, 11/30/1982 – Late Show)

Side 19
1. Automatic (Live at Masonic Hall, Detroit, MI, 11/30/1982 – Late Show)
2. International Lover (Live at Masonic Hall, Detroit, MI, 11/30/1982 – Late Show)
3. 1999 (Live at Masonic Hall, Detroit, MI, 11/30/1982 – Late Show)

Side 20
1. D.M.S.R. (Live at Masonic Hall, Detroit, MI, 11/30/1982 – Late Show)

DVD
Live In Houston – December 29, 1982*

1 Controversy
2 Let’s Work
3 Do Me, Baby
4 D.M.S.R.
5 Interlude – piano improvisation (contains elements of “With You”)
6 How Come U Don’t Call Me Anymore?
7 Lady Cab Driver
8 Automatic
9 International Lover
10 1999
11 Head (contains elements of “Sexuality”)

All tracks previously unreleased

*N.B. video content is exclusive to the physical DVD and will not appear on digital download or streaming versions of the Super Deluxe Edition set.

1999 2CD deluxe or 4LP vinyl

CD1 / LP 1&2

Remastered Album

1 1999
2 Little Red Corvette
3 Delirious
4 Let’s Pretend We’re Married
5 D.M.S.R.
6 Automatic
7 Something In The Water (Does Not Compute)
8 Free
9 Lady Cab Driver
10 All The Critics Love U In New York
11 International Lover

CD2 / LP 3&4

Promo mixes & B-Sides

1 1999 (7″ stereo edit)
2 1999 (7″ mono promo-only edit)
3 Free (promo-only edit)
4 How Come You Don’t Call Me Anymore (“1999″ b-side)
5 Little Red Corvette (7″ edit)
6 All The Critics Love U In New York (7” edit)
7 Lady Cab Driver (7″ edit)
8 Little Red Corvette (Dance Remix promo-only edit)
9 Little Red Corvette (Special Dance Mix)
10 Delirious (7” edit)
11 Horny Toad (“Delirious” b-side)
12 Automatic (7″ edit)
13 Automatic (video version)
14 Let’s Pretend We’re Married (7″ edit)
15 Let’s Pretend We’re Married (7″ mono promo-only edit)
16 Irresistible Bitch (“Let’s Pretend We’re Married” b-side)
17 Let’s Pretend We’re Married (video version)
18 D.M.S.R. (edit)

1999 / single CD and 2LP (Remastered Album)

1 1999
2 Little Red Corvette
3 Delirious
4 Let’s Pretend We’re Married
5 D.M.S.R.
6 Automatic
7 Something In The Water (Does Not Compute)
8 Free
9 Lady Cab Driver
10 All The Critics Love U In New York
11 International Lover

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