| "Diamonds and Pearls" | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 UK 7" single |
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| Single by Prince | |||||||||||
| from the album Diamonds and Pearls | |||||||||||
| B-side | "X-cerpts from the Songs: Thunder, Daddy Pop, Strollin', Money Don't Matter 2 Night, Push, Live 4 Love" (US 7" and Jap. CD) "Q in Doubt" (UK 7") "Housebangers" (UK 12") "Cream" (NPG Mix) (UK 12") "Things Have Gotta Change" (UK 12") "2 the Wire" (UK CD) "Do Your Dance" (UK CD) |
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| Released | November 25, 1991 | ||||||||||
| Format | 7" single 12" single CD single CD Maxi single |
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| Recorded | Paisley Park Studios, December, 1989 | ||||||||||
| Genre | Pop rock | ||||||||||
| Length | 4:45 (Album Version) 4:20 (Edit) |
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| Label | Paisley Park/Warner Bros. | ||||||||||
| Writer(s) | Prince | ||||||||||
| Producer | Prince | ||||||||||
| Prince singles chronology | |||||||||||
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"Diamonds and Pearls" is the title track to Prince and The New Power Generation's 1991 hit album.[1] The song is an upbeat ballad, given a rock edge with guitar and heavy drumming. The song also features the vocals of NPG member Rosie Gaines. The ballad is an expression of love and not lust, as is the theme on some of the other singles from the album. The song was a top 10 hit, reaching #3 in the U.S. and the top spot on the R&B charts. The infamous pearls in the music video come from Connie Parente, a Los Angeles jewelry collector and designer.
The B-side is a mix of excerpts of other Diamonds and Pearls tracks, which serves to promote the album. There was no extended version of the song released. The UK B-side included some of the mixes on the "Cream" maxi single.
The repeated lyric "If I gave you diamonds and pearls, would you be a happy boy or a girl?" echoes the lyrics "I'll buy you diamonds and pearls only if you're good girl" from Prince's 1982 song, "International Lover".
Rapper Lil Wayne sampled the song on his mixtape Da Drought, with the term "Diamonds & Girls".
Polish jazz pianist Marcin Wasilewski and his trio included an instrumental version of the song on their 2008 ECM album January.[2]
Contents |
Chart performance[edit]
"Diamonds and Pearls" was very successful stateside, receiving massive airplay and peaking at #2 on the Hot 100 Airplay, and #11 on the R&B/Hip-Hop airplay (it was on the decline when the chart first appeared in April 1992). It was a moderate hit in the UK peaking at #25.
Peak positions[edit]
| Chart (1992) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 3 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot R&B Songs | 1 |
| UK Singles Chart | 25 |
| Australian Singles Chart | 13 |
End of year charts[edit]
| End of year chart (1992) | Position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100[3] | 25 |
Track listing[edit]
UK 7"[edit]
- "Diamonds and Pearls" (LP version) – 4:45
- "Q In Doubt" – 4:00
US 7" and Japan CD[edit]
- "Diamonds and Pearls" (edit) – 4:20
- "X-cerpts from the Songs: Thunder, Daddy Pop, Strollin', Money Don't Matter 2 Night, Push, Live 4 Love" – 5:04
UK 12"[edit]
- "Diamonds and Pearls" (LP version) – 4:45
- "Do Your Dance" (Housebangers) – 4:23
- "Cream" (N.P.G. Mix) – 5:47
- "Things Have Gotta Change" (Tony M. Rap) – 3:57
UK CD[edit]
- "Diamonds and Pearls" (LP version) – 4:45
- "2 the Wire" (Creamy Instrumental) – 3:13
- "Do Your Dance" (KC's Remix) – 5:58
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ "Prince & The New Power Generation - Diamonds And Pearls at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2012-08-13.
- ^ Jurek, T. Allmusic Review accessed November 21, 2011
- ^ "Billboard Top 100 - 1992". Retrieved 2010-07-30.
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