On Friday, Warner Bros. will release a deluxe version of "1999" featuring a remastering of the original 1982 double album, alternate versions of songs, B sides, a live record and a DVD from that year's tour and, most significantly, 35 unreleased recordings from Prince's legendary Paisley Park vault.
Here are 12 must-hear '1999' tunes.
"Purple Music": Predating "Purple Rain," Prince sings joyously for nearly 11 percolating minutes about his passion for music: "Don't need no reefer, don't need cocaine. Purple music does the same 2 my brain."
"Moonbeam Levels": In a rare personal moment, Prince gets confessional on this slice of psychedelic pop, suggesting maybe he wants affection instead of "a plastic life."
"Vagina": Set to a metallic guitar riff recalling Bowie's "Rebel Rebel," this gender-fluid jam celebrates a "half boy, half girl — best of both worlds."
"No Call U": A slice of sassy synth funk with singer Jill Jones. Prince insists she call him because he won't phone her. ("I'm stubborn. That's my middle name.")
"Turn It Up": Using the radio as a metaphor for sex, this speedy synth number sounds suited for Morris Day in his prime Time days.
"Teacher, Teacher": Continuing his dirty-mind instinct for forbidden fruit, Prince adopts a female persona — "I'm just a young girl" (maybe this was intended for Vanity) — to explore an outside-the-classroom relationship with a lonely teacher on this guitar-driven pop selection. By the way, the singer doesn't even want to get an A.
"Yah, You Know": This whiny synth-pop piece has a Cars-like sound and attitude, coupled with an unmistakable riff from the Standells' 1966 hit "Dirty Water."
"Can't Stop This Feeling I Got": With its rhythmic urgency, this recalls the politicized plea "Ronnie Talk to Russia" from 1981's "Controversy," but the insistent lyrics are not fully developed.
"If It'll Make U Happy": With his most soulful pop voice, Prince offers to make it up to a girl he's left on this minimalist pop tune with a reggae undercurrent.
"Do Yourself a Favor": A sprightly, synth-heavy remake of a mid-'70s R&B tune by Pepe Willie, one of Prince's early mentors, that they recorded together in a group called 94 East (originally titled "If You See Me"). Time guitarist Jesse Johnson also cut this song on his 1986 "Shockadelica" album.
"You're All I Want": Sung in a girlish falsetto, this swinging rockabilly romp was recorded on Los Angeles engineer Peggy McCreary's birthday and given to her as the session ended at Sunset Sound.
"Colleen": This rhythmic instrumental groove is in search of a song. Prince asked McCreary what her middle name was and then told her to slap that title on the apparently unfinished recording, so it could be filed per Warner Bros. protocol.
