Prince – The 15 most beautiful covers!

Edward’s top 15 Prince covers

Yes! A new challenge on the Prince horizon: this time around we will take a look at the 15 most interesting, exciting, fascinating, outrageous, challenging record covers. In my case, it works as an advantage I guess since a) I consciously experienced the 80’s and b) I am quite visually orientated. For those reasons, and not growing up in a digital era, record sleeves made a much more profound impression, as well as they stay in your memory for the longest time. Way back then, it was also very interesting, while the record was spinning in the background, to study the cover extensively: what is there to read? What kind of messages can I discover? What does the artist want to say with this cover or lyrics? U may notice there being some unconventional choices in my list; that’s because I chose the top 15 purely for their cover, the way it speaks to me: because of a certain type or use of color, a certain font used, a beautiful message, even a hidden message maybe? So, the choices do stand on their own and are not or much less connected with the musical content of the record it belongs to.

1. Sexuality
   (12″, Germany)
   Prince in his very prime. In 1980/1981 Prince wanted to get your attention, preferably with a bit of shock value added in the mix, either in lyrics, or clothing (… or lack thereof). The very first time I became aware of Prince was exactly when this 12″ and the album Controversy came out, in the autumn of 1981. With this specific 12″ being my very first confrontation with the phenomenon Prince in detail: thigh high black stiletto boots, a long black leather coat, and a black leather g-string. Certainly not your average garments for a gentleman. It’s not that I wanted to be like him, I just thought it to be thoroughly exiting: an afro american rock star, playing with gender, and trying his hardest to push boundaries. To attract even more attention, besides the pic itself, the ultra red lettering on the words Prince and Controversy (B-side) on the front cover, already sort of sets out a warning of some kind. Something in the way of: be careful, this is serious hot stuff. Be sure U can handle it. So, as a result of this 12″ and its cover-sleeve, what he is wearing, the colour of the lettering, he implores us to take notice; record-wise he implores us to take a good listen, and thus following him to the New World. It turned out to be paving the way for what was to come. There’s only one thing left to say: Superfunkycalifragisexy, this 12″.
2. Gotta Stop (Messin’ About)
   (12″, UK)
   As with the Sexuality 12″, another sleeve chosen purely for its provocation. This UK red zebra 12″ is a perfect combination with the content of the record, unambiguously to arouse certain hidden feelings or desires. The hype sticker on the front makes it even more powerful: unsuitable for minors, so all the more reason to buy the record. 2 of the 3-track 12″ are a few of the most notorious trax ever recorded by Prince. The 3rd pick for this 12″ therefor seems to be a somewhat odd choice and out of place: the rather sweet & soft I Wanna Be Your Lover. To balance things out? I guess, I would’ve chosen a track like Sister or Dirty Mind to fill the gap besides the title track and Head. Released between the Dirty Mind and Controversy albums, midway 1981, to coincide with the first ever concerts on European soil, this zebra print sleeve is unique to a release in the UK only. Very hard to get nowadays and a much sought after edition. There’s also a far less exiting sleeve with just a black & white headshot, a second UK only release.
3. Controversy
   THE gender bending as well the genre bending record of 1981 at the crossroad of funk, rock and new-wave. And the very reason why I wanted to be a Prince fan from then on. With a most groundbreaking attractive record sleeve, demanding one’s attention… “a sincere statement of opposing views” with a collage of screaming headlines from the fictional Controversy Daily referring to the record’s contents. On the backside, even more banners, amongst those mentioning Joni (Mitchell) en The Second Coming, a later documentary film and live album from The Controversy Tour on 7 March 1982. Unfortunately, the project was abandoned by Prince. In the midst of all these provoking slogans, we can find a rather serious looking Prince, clearly wearing make up, with a face telling us “Look! I’ve got something to say”, this time around dressed (fully clothed!) in his recognizable purple trenchcoat; actually Controversy being the very first of his coming albums to associate Prince with the color purple as well as the first to use his typical sensational spelling in his song titles. To top everything off, unquestionably with regard to the contents of the album again, Prince wears a button stating “rude boy”. Musically speaking: in comparison to his previous album Dirty Mind, our Purple Royalty is now refining his propulsive funk adding teasers of gender, religion, racial (in)difference, nuclear war and proclaiming unconstrained sexuality as the fundament for a new, more loving society rather than the America of Ronald Reagan, we lived in at the time. All in all, quite an exquisite and interesting sleeve.
4. When Doves Cry
   (2×12″, UK)
   Simply an iconic sleeve. A headshot, black sunglasses, purple background… utterly effective. And again, a perfect match with the contents: the sparse When Doves Cry, but like its sleeve: convincing to the max. My only complaint would be that it looks a bit grainy though. This is a special choice btw as we get 2 x 12″ so also an extra 12″ of the partytrax 1999/D.M.S.R. That is because of the beautiful purple lettering on the When Doves Cry front cover, unique to this particular package only. Prince / When Doves Cry are also mentioned on the sleeve this time, in a beautiful lavender Purple Rain font, as opposed to the more dull textless 12″ UK sleeve.
5. Gett Off
   (12″, USA)
   A phenomenal release from 1991. I can still remember when it came out, getting fierce airplay at the time. From its opening scream to its ferocious concluding guitar solo, Gett Off is prime-quality Prince; and It appeared as if everybody loved the track, because this was a very different kind of funk from what we were used to. Without a doubt, one of my all-time favorites and a standout track in his catalogue. The sleeve is of special significance to me, besides being a superior track, as my later home was decorated in purple and yellow. So, there U go, it can be that simple sometimes. Plus: Prince always wanted to be mysterious in whatever way: this time around with a mirror message written on the back sleeve (on the first 12″ promo sent out to DJ’s with purple lettering on a white background -the damn near 10 min. mix- this message can be seen on the front). It’s something which I am particularly fond of, when there’s something to discover. When it was time for Prince to visit Holland in July 1992 for his Diamonds And Pearls tour, I had a one-of-a-kind shirt made with the mirror message printed on it, just to wear once for the concert. When waiting outside during the day, almost nobody ‘got the message’. So much for a real purple crowd… 🙄
6. Around The World In A Day
   A very adventurous & colorful sleeve, just like the contents of the record itself. Again, a totally fitting match! As a way of puzzle-of-the-week every single track on the album can be viewed in some form on the gatefold animated sleeve, so just look for ’em. And every purple boy or girl knows the story behind this record: Prince was very adamant about this one – no acid colored rain on repeat, to him it was very clear where things were heading. With the Purple Rain (USA) tour well on its way, the new album was already wrapped up by Christmas 1984, which surprised even members of the Revolution, who couldn’t quite understand how quickly things were moving in Prince’s fertile imagination. Esoteric and deliriously bizarre, experimenting with psychedelic styles, more exuberant textures and cryptic lyrics, Around The World In A Day invites its listeners on a magical, mystical tour, a one of a kind trip. Though this album is still very much its own unique thing, various comparisons to 1967 Beatles were made more than once in the past, though Prince himself denied its influence profusely at the time.
7. 1999
   (2LP, USA)
   One of Prince’s most significant releases ever. And without a doubt, his album with the greatest % of dance trax, making this the ultimate party trick. Now to its sleeve: certainly to harmonize with the party feel of the album, the cover is quite sparkly, stimulating, energizing, and in some ways even provoking. At first glance, maybe not that remarkable, but surely enough there’s plenty to discover here. First of all, there are a few elements from its preceder Controversy: the eyes, the smile, jacket studs, the rude boy pin. Furthermore, one can discover a little plate containing the words “and the Revolution” written backwards, both acknowledging his backing band and foreshadowing the coming years of his career. Rarely mentioned anywhere, the “1” of the “1999” is shaped like a penis. And the first digit “9”, contains the sign of androgyny, the sign of the man and the woman in one, which Prince would be using throughout his career. Then, on the backside one can state that the lyrics to the 1999 track are even more striking than the mentioning of the 11 trax which the album consists of. The album is really beautifully constructed with a further 2 lavish inner sleeves, containing 2 pictures (one of the whole group, one of Prince trying to be at his most tempting, lying on a bed) with all the lyrics on the other side. And if U got the right version, there are also the lush eye labels on the discs themselves.
   This was the second album I ever bought from Prince, so it is very dear to my heart. Besides that, purple is my favorite color, so that’s another added advantage. Especially when the double album was re-released a few years back on purple vinyl, it made the whole package nothing short of complete. The whole cover and album display a splendid vibe party feel so let’s not spoil that idea then.
8. Let’s Work
   (12″, USA)
   Very different from the European versions of this 12″. Not bad either, but the USA one takes the cake! Beautiful shot of the whole group, an outtake pic taken from the Controversy photo sessions, very unusual for Prince, with matching Controversy font, in astounding bright magneta, quite contrasting with the black background. The backside just mentions the titles of the A/B side, of which the A-side is an unique dance remix of 8 minutes. The B-side was the first time fans in the USA could get a hold of that odd track Gotta Stop (Messin’ About). Very beautifully done, and an absolute favorite 12″ amongst fans. Even back in the day, it wasn’t easy to get your hands on a copy. And when U did, it’d cost ya.
9. 20Ten
   As stated earlier: me likes color. This sleeve is of particular interest as it was one of only few times that Prince used an animated pic of himself as a front cover. Other ones being the cover of the cd-single The Work and the gatefold album sleeve to Around The World In A Day, both in this Top 15 as well. I like the 20Ten one a lot, with all the bright use of different colors. It’s a very fashionable sleeve. Much later, I also bought a long sleeved shirt of this one (for home usage only) and I always feel kind of special when wearing it. It’s very dear to me, this one. Especially when U consider the story below!
   I can still remember as if it were yesterday: with a group of friends on our way in Belgium to the Torhout Werchter festival where Prince would be playing, we did everything conceivable to get a hold of the CD which happened to be released that very day. With a smothering 42 degrees outside, it sure turned out to be a survival trip, stopping at every gas station to find that damn paper it was included with. As expected, we arrived empty handed at Werchter, after I don’t know exactly anymore, some damn 25 gas stations. So, as U might have guessed, already not in the best of spirits, we had to get out of the car which till then had been airing us with some 25 degrees cooler in comparison to outside. Then we discovered some people, wanting to make a quick buck on the go, selling the wanted paper including the new CD. I was so glad to finally be able to buy the lot, so I bought 20 of them… just to be on the (very) safe side. There U go! Now, we could finally enjoy the concert. Even Mr. bass thumping Larry Graham could’t spoil this day anymore.
10. The Gold Experience
    Just for the sake of something else than all the purpleness here, an orange sleeve from 1995. Just like the Beautiful Experience CD, using the love symbol. Also released as a limited promo edition on translucent gold vinyl but with a very dull sleeve unfortunately. The booklet is exquisitely done, all in the same warm yellowish/gold vibe, giving the whole a mellow, sensitive, even emphatic feel to it. The CD was of utter importance to Prince to get it released finally, and boy, were we fans glad to get hold of these tracks. Though by that time, we already had gathered multiple bootlegs containing those songs. 1993 up till 1995 turned out to be an extremely fruitful era for Prince.
11. MPLSound
    Released only in France as a single CD, so for me, the reason it is in this Top 15, and not Lotusflow3r as a 3-cd set. A gorgeous magnetic sleeve, color wise as well as what can be seen: the very elements that make up the specific MPLS Sound: a guitar, the Linn drum machine, some Disco Jellyfish (intended for release on the album, but later evolved into the track Chocolate Box), and in the back the town of Minneapolis itself. It’s just a colorful collage of items that make up a nice flashy, vibrant photo. Mind you, one of the very few in this list of which I completely detach the sleeve from its contents. MPLSound isn’t exactly a fan favorites in his catalogue. Though I like the attempt to produce an fully electronic album with almost just synths and the typical Linn sounds here and there, it fails to make any impression. The only thing that keeps lingering in my mind is why the track Ol’ Skool Company is recorded in his Camille voice.
12. The Beautiful Experience
    (9-track CD, Japan)
    A very important release for Prince at the time (1994), one of the very first under his symbolic unpronounceable moniker. He wanted to prove to Warners that he still was able to impress the music market. And so he did as The Most Beautiful Girl In The World turned out to be one of his most significant tunes ever. Still, I myself am not a particular fan of the track, it is all too sweet and too much candy crap. However, I do like the remixes, especially those danceable ones, simply called Beautiful. Besides this club version, I guess the Mustang mix is one of the other standout tracks for me as this version is at least sung in his normal voice which makes the track a whole lot less being-in-the-candy-store-and-feeling-sick for me. So, I chose the Japanese version as it is the only release consisting of 9 tracks instead of the usual 7 ones, with 2 remixes on Beautiful. Also because of the sleeve as the obi here adds a something little bit extra for the eyes to watch. Inside the package, one can find an alternative cover, showing a fold out of Prince’s symbol (the same pic as the jacket). When folded out, it takes the shape of a butterfly with a woman as the torso. Very beautifully and quite tastefully done.
13. The Work Part 1
    With a little help from my friends @Napster, this single was a free download in the spring of 2001, “a first cybersingle from the Rainbow Children-album” it is mentioned on the sleeve. U couldn’t pull any better song than this one out of Prince’s catalogue to act as an hommage to James Brown, an artist that Prince looked up to a great deal. It’s safe to say that the Part 1 bit is a reference to the fact that there’s still a great deal of work to be done, in the way of… (fill in the blanks). Is that the reason why Prince is looking rather angry, annoyed, irritated, displeased, disappointed, raising his eyebrows on the front cover? Opinions about the meaning of the lyrics are rather divided: some think it’s about racism and inequality, while others say it’s about proclaiming the decree of Jehovah’s Witness. So, like I already said, fill in the blanks yourself. Moreover, there actually never was a part 2 of the track, though it has been mentioned a few times that Musicology (2004) did in fact fulfill that very task.
    This is one of the other animated sleeves I was talking about earlier (see 20Ten). A cool sleeve, because of its message but also I always liked this cd-single. I have some fond memories of it as it was at the very beginning of Prince going digital; I was still a bit weary of collecting trax only by digital means, so imagine my high spirits when the track was released on CD afterwards, something physical to hold in my hands… yeeeh!… with a splendid sleeve.
14. Crystal Ball
    Often overlooked, even by Prince fans themselves, this beautiful CD-set from 1998. Particularly of interest to me because of the odd shaped circular booklet, with nice predominately purple artwork. Don’t even know anymore in which version of the set it was included. I only know the 5-cd one which fans ordered directly from Paisley Park, came with no artwork at all, to much dismay of the real fans, surely because of its quite high pricetag of $100. I believe I bought an extra set in the stores, just because of the booklet. Worth the extra money though.
15. 1999
    (7″, USA)
    Beautiful USA only picture sleeve, which differs from all the European variations of this single. A pic from the 1999 photo sessions with Prince wearing his purple trenchcoat and some smoke surrounding him. This picture is almost so perfect, one would think they made a statue of Prince back in 1982 already, for Madame Tussauds or something. Still, a very nice photoshot for this lovely 7″ to close down this list.