Diamonds and Pearls
International cover
Studio album by
Prince and the New Power Generation
ReleasedOctober 1, 1991
RecordedJuly 1990– May 1991
Studio
Genre
Length65:45
424:02 (Super Deluxe Edition)
LabelPaisley Park, Warner Bros.
ProducerPrince
Prince chronology
Graffiti Bridge
(1990) 		Diamonds and Pearls
(1991) 		Love Symbol
(1992)
US release
Singles from Diamonds and Pearls
  1. "Gett Off"
    Released: June 7, 1991
  2. "Cream"
    Released: September 9, 1991
  3. "Insatiable"
    Released: November 4, 1991
  4. "Diamonds and Pearls"
    Released: November 25, 1991
  5. "Money Don't Matter 2 Night"
    Released: March 3, 1992
  6. "Thunder"
    Released: June 15, 1992 (UK only)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
Blender[5]
Calgary HeraldB[6]
Christgau's Consumer Guide(2-star Honorable Mention)(2-star Honorable Mention)[7]
Entertainment WeeklyC[8]
Tom HullB+[9]
MusicHound Rock3.5/5[10]
NME6/10[11]
Pitchfork8.3/10 (2016)[12]
7.8/10 (2023)[13]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[14]

Diamonds and Pearls is the thirteenth studio album by American recording artist Prince, and the first with 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, appeared 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.

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.[15]

Release

Diamonds and Pearls was released in the United States on October 1, 1991, and two days later internationally.[16] It peaked at number three on the Billboard 200, number two on the UK Albums Chart, and number one on the Billboard Top R&B Albums and the ARIA Albums Chart in Australia. It also peaked top 10 across several charts in Europe and New Zealand. The album gathered two top 5 singles, the title track, which peaked at number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and the final number-one single on the Hot 100 of his career with "Cream". Along with that, "Gett Off" and "Money Don't Matter 2 Night" both hit the top 40 on the Hot 100, peaking at 21 and 23, respectively.[17]

On August 24, 2023, it was announced that Diamonds and Pearls would be reissued in remastered, deluxe and super deluxe versions that were released on October 27, 2023. The super deluxe version contains a 2023 remaster of the album, 15 remastered versions of all the singles mixes and edits, 33 previously unreleased studio recordings from the vault, an unreleased live concert album of the official dress rehearsal of the Diamonds and Pearls Tour recorded at Glam Slam on January 11, 1992, a Blu-ray release of the dress rehearsal at Glam Slam on January 11, 1992, as well as footage from Special Olympics Concert recorded on July 20, 1991, and the soundcheck that took place the day before, and a completely restored version of the Diamonds and Pearls Video Collection. A limited edition 7" vinyl of all the singles from Diamonds and Pearls including the new single "Alice Through The Looking Glass" were released as well.[18]

Track listing

All music is composed by Prince and The New Power Generation

Diamonds and Pearls track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Thunder"
5:45
2."Daddy Pop"
  • Prince
5:16
3."Diamonds and Pearls"
  • Prince
4:47
4."Cream"
  • Prince
4:13
5."Strollin'"
  • Prince
3:47
6."Willing and Able"
5:00
7."Gett Off (with Eric Leeds)"
  • Prince
  • Leeds
4:31
8."Walk Don't Walk"
  • Prince
3:07
9."Jughead"
  • Prince
  • Mosley
  • Kirk Johnson
4:59
10."Money Don't Matter 2 Night"
4:47
11."Push"
  • Prince
  • Gaines
5:53
12."Insatiable"
  • Prince
6:39
13."Live 4 Love (Last Words from the Cockpit)"
  • Prince
  • Mosley
6:59
Total length:65:45

Super Deluxe

The first disc is that of the original album.

Disc 2 / LP3&4: Singles & Mixes Remastered track listing
No.TitleLength
1."Gett Off (Damn Near 10 Minutes)"9:36
2."Gett Off (Houstyle)"8:24
3."Violet the Organ Grinder"5:05
4."Gangster Glam"6:04
5."Horny Pony"4:19
6."Cream" (NPG mix)5:46
7."Things Have Gotta Change" (Tony M. rap)3:58
8."Do Your Dance" (K.C. remix)6:00
9."Insatiable" (edit)4:03
10."Diamonds and Pearls" (edit)4:21
11."Money Don't Matter 2 Night" (edit)4:14
12."Call the Law"4:19
13."Willing and Able" (edit)4:17
14."Willing and Able" (video version)5:09
15."Thunder" (DJ fade)3:20
Total length:78:55
Disc 3 / LP5&6: Vault Tracks I track listing
No.TitleLength
1."Schoolyard"7:10
2."My Tender Heart"5:06
3."Pain"5:57
4."Streetwalker"4:48
5."Lauriann"4:15
6."Darkside"5:35
7."Insatiable" (early mix – full version)8:01
8."Glam Slam '91"6:16
9."Live 4 Love" (early version)7:32
10."Cream" (Take 2)4:50
11."Skip to My You My Darling"3:57
12."Diamonds and Pearls" (long version)5:32
Total length:68:59
Disc 4 / LP7&8(Side 1): Vault Tracks II track listing
No.TitleLength
1."Daddy Pop" (long version)6:07
2."Martika's Kitchen"4:21
3."Spirit"4:32
4."Open Book"4:59
5."Work That Fat"4:35
6."Horny Pony" (Version 2)4:21
7."Something Funky (This House Comes)" (band version)7:04
8."Hold Me"4:36
9."Blood on the Sheets"5:46
10."The Last Dance (Bang Pow Zoom and the Whole Nine)"5:36
11."Don't Say U Love Me"4:21
Total length:56:18
Disc 5 / LP8&9(Side 2): Vault Tracks III track listing
No.TitleLength
1."Get Blue"4:43
2."Tip o' My Tongue"4:08
3."The Voice"4:42
4."Trouble"5:36
5."Alice Through the Looking Glass"4:18
6."Standing at the Altar"4:48
7."Hey U"6:10
8."Letter 4 Miles"4:36
9."I Pledge Allegiance to Your Love"4:41
10."The Thunder Ballet"10:56
Total length:54:38
Disc 6 / LP10&11 (Side 1): Live at Glam Slam 1992 I track listing
No.TitleLength
1."Thunder"4:18
2."Daddy Pop"6:23
3."Diamonds and Pearls"5:31
4."Willing and Able"4:12
5."Jughead"6:52
6."The Sacrifice of Victor"10:05
7."Nothing Compares 2 U"4:50
8."Thieves in the Temple"7:01
9."Sexy M.F."5:45
Total length:54:57
Disc 7 / LP 11 (Side 2) & 12: Live at Glam Slam 1992 II track listing
No.TitleLength
1."Insatiable"7:42
2."Cream / Well Done / I Want U / In the Socket"13:58
3."1999 / Baby I'm a Star / Push"9:12
4."Gett Off"6:11
5."Gett Off (Houstyle)"8:05
Total length:45:08

Personnel

Production

Singles and Hot 100 chart placings

  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" (UK)
  1. "Thunder"
  2. "Violet the Organ Grinder"
  3. "Gett Off" (Thrust Dub)

Charts

Certifications and sales

Certifications and sales for Diamonds and Pearls
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[54] 4× Platinum 280,000^
Austria (IFPI Austria)[55] Platinum 50,000*
Canada (Music Canada)[56] Platinum 100,000^
France (SNEP)[58] Platinum 500,000[57]
Germany (BVMI)[59] Platinum 500,000^
Netherlands (NVPI)[60] Platinum 100,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[61] Gold 7,500^
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[62] Platinum 100,000^
Sweden (GLF)[63] Gold 50,000^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[64] Platinum 50,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[65] 3× Platinum 900,000^
United States (RIAA)[66] 2× Platinum 2,000,000^
Summaries
Worldwide — 5,800,000[67]

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

See also

References

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Works cited

Further reading

External links

Prince albums
Authority control databases
Categories