7 (Prince song)

Last updated

"7"
Prince 7.jpg
Single by Prince and the New Power Generation
from the album Love Symbol Album
B-side "7" (acoustic version)
ReleasedNovember 17, 1992
Studio Paisley Park (Chanhassen, Minnesota)
Genre
Length
  • 5:09(album version)
  • 4:23 (7-inch edit)
Label Paisley Park
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) Prince
Prince and the New Power Generation singles chronology
"My Name Is Prince"
(1992)		"7"
(1992)		"Damn U"
(1992)
Music video
"7" on YouTube

"7" is a song by American musician Prince and the New Power Generation, from their 1992 Love Symbol Album . It was released in late 1992 as the third single from the album, and became the most successful in the United States. It features a sample of the 1967 Lowell Fulson song "Tramp" and is composed of heavy drums and bass in an acoustic style. It has a distinct Middle Eastern style of music, and a Hindu reincarnation theme, and an opera-like chorus which features Prince's multi-tracked vocals. The lyrics have religious and apocalyptic themes. The song is ambiguous and can be interpreted in many ways, as the "7" mentioned in the chorus could be the song referring to the Seven Deadly Sins or the seven Archon of Gnosticism or the seven names of God in the Old Testament. The song received positive reviews and peaked within the top forty of many of its major markets. Its music video was directed by Sotera Tschetter.

Contents

Critical reception

Upon the release, Larry Flick from Billboard wrote, "You can never be too sure of what this Paisley dude will serve up next. This time, he concocts a stew of old and new flavors: retro-funk shuffle beats are countered by hip-hop-style scratching and topped with flower-child strumming and sitars. The hook is rousing and immediate, and should find a welcome home at several levels lickety-split." [2] Randy Clark from Cash Box stated, "This new single is an apocalyptic musical revelation done in the "Give Peace a Chance" mode, except the elaborate vocal arrangements have the well disciplined guidance of the funk-meister." [3] In his weekly UK chart commentary, James Masterton opined that, "with the Christmas competition this is unlilkely to become another massive hit for Prince." [4] Iestyn George from NME viewed it as "lilting acoustic pop-funk with smart vocal harmonies and unforgivably crap lyrics." [5] Richard Harrington from The Washington Post felt "the visionary "7", which has a genial psychedelic-folk-rockish '60s sound and spirit, could have fit comfortably on Around the World in a Day ." [6]

Retrospective response

In a 2017 retrospective review, Andy Healy from Albumism named the song a "standout" from the album, noting its "glorious, eastern inspired mystical magic" with "the multitude of layered vocals and hypnotic groove." He added, "Not to mention the cryptic lyrics—is he singing about the seven deadly sins, the seven seals of Revelations, the seven major religions or the seven major record labels." [7] Alexis Petridis from The Guardian ranked "7" number 34 in his list of "Prince's 50 Greatest Singles – Ranked!" in 2019. He wrote, "If you want evidence of Prince's unique, almost mystical, abilities, "7" is an intriguing place to start." He added, "At heart, the song is a rousing acoustic campfire singalong with lyrics of a spiritual bent, albeit a fairly baffling one. Deeply unpromising on paper, he somehow makes it work to striking effect, spooning on the harmonies and vintage sitar effects." [8] In 2020, Rolling Stone noted that the singer "expanded his sonic palette" on the song, "tapping into tablas and sitars, widescreen multi-tracked vocals and a sample of Lowell Fulson's "Tramp"." The magazine noted further, "Of course, given his out-there status at the time, Prince may have also been dabbling in numerology". [9]

Slant Magazine ranked "7" number 66 on their list of "The 100 Best Singles of the 1990s" in 2011, writing, "A Bible verse as related by a New World prince, "7" is a lush allegory for the perils of romantic strife, set across deserts and streets of gold and featuring armies, plagues, and angels. Among the fiercest tracks from Prince and the New Power Generation’s Love Symbol Album , this rock soap opera is a predictable cock-storm of funk, the One and Only’s vulnerable, emotion-rich falsetto wielding the same blunt-force trauma as the swords and tambourines that are dropped into the production with the sort of timing that would be corny if it weren’t so swoony. Way before he takes it to church, Prince’s intellect and savoir-faire has saved the day." [10]

Chart performance

In the United States, "7" was most successful on the Top 40 Pop/Mainstream chart, where it peaked at No. 3 and it was a Top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 where coincidentally it peaked at No. 7. It performed respectably on the Rhythmic charts (No. 19). However, it was less popular with R&B/Hip Hop radio, stalling at No. 61. On the Canadian RPM chart the song peaked at No. 12. The single reached No. 27 in the UK, falling short of the success of the previous two releases, "Sexy MF" and "My Name is Prince", which had become top 10 hits.

Music video

The accompanying music video for the song was shot on February 27, 1992. It is directed by American designer, art director, music video director and producer Sotera Tschetter and begins with Mayte whispering "imagine" in Prince's ear, in the position they are in on the single cover. A scene from 3 Chains o' Gold is shown as well. It features Mayte belly-dancing. The video set is pictured on the Love Symbol album cover, along with a still shot from the video. In the video, Prince symbolically "kills" incarnations of himself who are trapped inside glass chambers. There are little girls wearing yellow belly-dancing outfits almost identical to Mayte's and little boys wearing black outfits and eyebands identical to Prince's.

The video is also notable for Mayte dancing with a sword on her head, which she would later do in live performances; the video featured her playing the role she played in 3 Chains o' Gold as an Egyptian princess who befriends Prince and enlists his help to find the men who assassinated her father. Mayte kisses and releases a Eurasian Collared Dove during her performance. The video was nominated for an MTV Video Music Award for Best R&B Video, but lost to "Free Your Mind" by En Vogue.

Track listings

  1. "7" (LP version) – 5:13
  2. "7" (acoustic version) – 3:54
  1. "7" (LP version) – 5:13
  2. "7" (acoustic version) – 3:54
  3. "7" (After 6 Long Version) – 5:15
  1. "7" (LP version) – 5:13
  2. "7" (After 6 Edit) – 4:20
  3. "7" (After 6 Long Version) – 5:15
  4. "7" (acoustic version) – 3:54
  5. "7" (album edit) – 4:23
  6. "2 Whom It May Concern" – 4:01

Personnel

Personnel are taken from Benoît Clerc and Guitarcloud [11] [12]

Charts

Certifications

Sales and certifications for "7"
RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA) [33] Gold500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Release history and formats for "7"
RegionDateFormat(s)Label(s)Ref.
United StatesNovember 17, 1992
  • 7-inch vinyl
  • 12-inch vinyl
  • CD
  • cassette
[ citation needed ]
United KingdomNovember 23, 1992 [34]
JapanJanuary 25, 1993Mini-CD Warner Music Japan [35]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stand by Me (Ben E. King song)</span> 1961 single by Ben E. King

"Stand by Me" is a song originally performed in 1961 by American singer-songwriter Ben E. King and written by him, along with Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, who together used the pseudonym Elmo Glick. According to King, the title is derived from, and was inspired by, a spiritual written by Sam Cooke and J. W. Alexander called "Stand by Me Father", recorded by the Soul Stirrers with Johnnie Taylor singing lead.

<i>Diamonds and Pearls</i> 1991 studio album by Prince and the New Power Generation

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 and Robia LaMorte, known as "Diamond" and "Pearl" respectively, appeared on the holographic cover. 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.

"I Feel for You" is a song written by American musician Prince that originally appeared on his 1979 self-titled album. The most successful and best-known version was recorded by R&B singer Chaka Khan and appeared on her 1984 album of the same name. It became the recipient of two Grammy Awards for Best R&B Song and Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for Khan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cream (Prince song)</span> 1991 single by Prince and the New Power Generation

"Cream" is a song by American singer-songwriter Prince and his backing band the New Power Generation, released in September 1991 by Paisley Park and Warner as the second single from Prince's 13th studio album, Diamonds and Pearls (1991). In a 2004 MTV special, Prince joked that he wrote the song while looking at himself in the mirror. "Cream" became Prince's fifth and last number-one single on the US Billboard Hot 100, staying at the top for two weeks. The song entered the top 10 in 15 other countries worldwide, peaking within the top three in Australia, Canada, Norway, and Switzerland. Its music video was directed by Rebecca Blake.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gett Off</span> 1991 single by Prince and the New Power Generation

"Gett Off" is a song written and produced by American musician Prince, released in June 1991 by Paisley Park and Warner Bros. as the lead single from his thirteenth album, Diamonds and Pearls (1991). The album was his first with his backing band the New Power Generation. "Gett Off" was a hit on both sides of the Atlantic, reaching number four in the United Kingdom; the maxi-single was too long and pricey to appear on the UK Singles Chart, so this release was classified as an album, peaking at number 33 on the UK Albums Chart in August 1991.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alphabet St.</span> 1988 single by Prince

"Alphabet St." is a song from American musician Prince's tenth album, Lovesexy (1988). It was the first single from that album and the album's only top 10 single, reaching the top 10 in both the UK and US. Initially written as an acoustic blues song, the song's final version includes a rap by Cat Glover and is full of samples. "Alphabet St." generally echoes themes from the rest of Lovesexy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Diamonds and Pearls (song)</span> 1991 single by Prince and The New Power Generation

"Diamonds and Pearls" is the title track of American musician Prince and The New Power Generation's 1991 album and was released as a single in November 1991. The song is an upbeat ballad, given a rock edge with guitar and heavy drumming. It 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. It was a top 10 hit, reaching number three in the US and the top spot on the R&B chart. The pearls in the accompanying music video come from Connie Parente, a Los Angeles jewelry collector and designer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Money Don't Matter 2 Night</span> 1992 single by Prince and the New Power Generation

"Money Don't Matter 2 Night" is a song by American musician Prince and the New Power Generation from their 1991 album, Diamonds and Pearls. The song was released in March 1992 by Paisley Park and Warner. Co-written with Rosie Gaines, the lyrics deal directly with money, poverty, and greed, and overall, the song is a smooth delivery with layered vocals by Prince. It peaked at number 23 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 19 on the UK Singles Chart. The accompanying music video was directed by Spike Lee.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">(Everything I Do) I Do It for You</span> 1991 single by Bryan Adams

"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" is a song by Canadian singer-songwriter Bryan Adams. Written by Adams, Michael Kamen, and Robert John "Mutt" Lange, the power ballad was the lead single for both the soundtrack album from the 1991 film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves and Adams's sixth studio album, Waking Up the Neighbours (1991). The single was released on June 17, 1991, by A&M and the accompanying music video was directed by Julien Temple.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thunder (Prince song)</span> 1992 single by Prince and the New Power Generation

"Thunder" is a song by American musician Prince and the New Power Generation, from their 1991 album Diamonds and Pearls. It was issued as a limited, individually numbered 12-inch single picture disc in the UK and Ireland only, and the edited version was available only on the promotional single.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sexy MF</span> 1992 single by Prince

"Sexy MF" is a song by American musician Prince and the New Power Generation, released as a single from their 1992 album Love Symbol. The music and most of the lyrics were composed by Prince, while Levi Seacer Jr. came up with the chorus and the song's title. Tony M. also delivers a rap, which he wrote. The song and its refrain "You sexy motherfucker" caused some controversy, and edited versions were produced for radio, the music video and the US version of the album. The song was recorded in Paisley Park's Studio A in December 1991.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">My Name Is Prince</span> 1992 single by Prince and the New Power Generation

"My Name Is Prince" is a song by American musician Prince and his backing band the New Power Generation, released in September 1992 by Paisley Park and Warner Bros. as the second single from their 1992 Love Symbol album. The song is about Prince himself and his musical prowess. The rap sequence is performed by NPG member Tony M. The intro to the song features vocal samples from Prince's earlier songs "I Wanna Be Your Lover", "Partyup", and "Controversy". Its music video was directed by Parris Patton and featured Kirstie Alley and Lauren Green.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nothing Compares 2 U</span> 1990 single by Sinéad OConnor

"Nothing Compares 2 U" is a song written by the American musician Prince for his band the Family. It first appeared on their only album, The Family (1985). Its lyrics express the feelings of longing expressed by an abandoned lover.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Morning Papers</span> 1993 single by Prince and the New Power Generation

"The Morning Papers" is a song by American musician Prince and the New Power Generation from their 1992 album Love Symbol. It was released as the fourth worldwide single from the album in March 1993 by Paisley Park and Warner Bros.; the B-side is "Live 4 Love", a track from Prince's previous album, Diamonds and Pearls (1991). The UK CD single included "Love 2 the 9's" as well, also from Love Symbol. "The Morning Papers" peaked at numbers 44 and 35 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and Cash Box Top 100.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Damn U</span> 1992 single by Prince and The New Power Generation

"Damn U" is a song by American musician Prince and the New Power Generation, released in November 1992 as the fourth single from his fourteenth studio album, Love Symbol (1992). It is a slow-grooving romantic R&B ballad, featuring strings and violin. Prince sings of a woman who affects him greatly emotionally, and uses the term "damn u" as an expression of surprise at the woman's power over him. His vocal range shifts throughout the song from very high falsetto to his deeper lower baritone. The B-side was "2 Whom It May Concern", which was also available on the maxi single for "7". Its music video was directed by Randee St. Nicholas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Most Beautiful Girl in the World (Prince song)</span> 1994 single by Prince

"The Most Beautiful Girl in the World" is a song by American musician Prince, released in various forms on the 1994 remixes EP The Beautiful Experience and later on his seventeenth album, The Gold Experience (1995). In his singles chronology, it was his third major release since changing his stage name to an unpronounceable "Love Symbol". In his albums chronology, it along with the EP was his second release after changing his name.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Betcha by Golly, Wow</span> 1970 single by Connie Stevens and 1972 hit for the Stylistics

"Betcha by Golly, Wow" is a song written by Thom Bell and Linda Creed, originally titled "Keep Growing Strong" and recorded by American actress and singer Connie Stevens under the Bell label in 1970. Stevens' recording runs two minutes and thirty seconds. The composition later became a hit when it was released by the Philadelphia soul group the Stylistics in 1972 under its better known title, "Betcha by Golly, Wow".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Too Much Love Will Kill You</span> 1988 song by Queen

"Too Much Love Will Kill You" is a song written by British guitarist Brian May of Queen, Frank Musker and Elizabeth Lamers. The song reflected the breakdown of May's first marriage and attraction to his future wife, Anita Dobson. It was first recorded by Queen around 1988 or before, and was intended to be on the band's The Miracle album in 1989, but did not make the cut due to legal disputes following the band's decision that all songs on the album would be written by the group as opposed to individuals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">To Be with You</span> 1991 single by Mr. Big

"To Be with You" is a song by American rock band Mr. Big, released in November 1991 as the second single from their second album, Lean into It (1991). The ballad reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks and topped the charts in 11 other countries, including Australia, Canada, Germany, and New Zealand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Two Steps Behind</span> 1993 single by Def Leppard

"Two Steps Behind" is a song by English hard rock band Def Leppard from their 1993 compilation album Retro Active and the soundtrack to the film Last Action Hero. It reached number five on the US Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart, numbers 12 and 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 and Cash Box Top 100, and number 32 on the UK Singles Chart. The music video was directed by Wayne Isham. In the 1993 Metal Edge Readers' Choice Awards, the song was voted "Song of the Year" and "Best Song from a Movie Soundtrack".

References

  1. ↑ "Top 10 Prince Rock Songs".
  2. ↑ Flick, Larry (November 28, 1992). "Single Reviews" (PDF). Billboard . p. 89. Retrieved October 25, 2020.
  3. ↑ Clark, Randy (November 28, 1992). "Music Reviews: Singles" (PDF). Cash Box . p. 5. Retrieved November 1, 2020.
  4. ↑ Masterton, James (November 30, 1992). "Week Ending December 5th 1992". Chart Watch UK. Retrieved September 12, 2021.
  5. ↑ George, Iestyn (November 28, 1992). "Singles". NME . p. 17. Retrieved March 29, 2023.
  6. ↑ Harrington, Richard (October 11, 1992). "Prince's Latest Musical Indulgence: A Rock Soap Opera". The Washington Post . p. G04.
  7. ↑ Healy, Andy (October 12, 2017). "Prince's 'Love Symbol' Album Turns 25: Anniversary Retrospective". Albumism. Retrieved November 16, 2020.
  8. ↑ Petridis, Alexis (September 12, 2019). "Prince's 50 Greatest Singles – Ranked!". The Guardian . Retrieved November 16, 2020.
  9. ↑ "25 Essential Prince Songs". Rolling Stone . April 15, 2020. Retrieved November 22, 2020.
  10. ↑ "The 100 Best Singles of the 1990s". Slant Magazine . January 9, 2011. Retrieved May 3, 2021.
  11. ↑ Clerc, Benoît (October 2022). Prince: All the Songs. Octopus. ISBN   9781784728816.
  12. ↑ "The Love Symbol Album". guitarcloud.org. Retrieved May 11, 2023.
  13. ↑ "Prince and the New Power Generation – 7". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved May 2, 2016.
  14. ↑ "Prince and the New Power Generation – 7" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved May 2, 2016.
  15. ↑ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 1748." RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved September 2, 2020.
  16. ↑ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 9, no. 51/52. December 19, 1992. p. 44. Retrieved September 2, 2020.
  17. ↑ "European Dance Radio" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 10, no. 4. January 23, 1993. p. 20. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
  18. ↑ "Prince and the New Power Generation – 7" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved May 2, 2016.
  19. ↑ "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (12.–19. febrúar)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). February 11, 1993. p. 29. Retrieved September 2, 2020.
  20. ↑ "Classifiche". Musica e dischi (in Italian). Retrieved May 28, 2022. Set "Tipo" on "Singoli". Then, in the "Artista" field, search "Prince".
  21. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 52, 1992" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved May 2, 2016.
  22. ↑ "Prince and the New Power Generation – 7" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved May 2, 2016.
  23. ↑ "Prince and the New Power Generation – 7". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved May 2, 2016.
  24. ↑ "Prince and the New Power Generation – 7". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved May 2, 2016.
  25. ↑ "Prince: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 2, 2020.
  26. ↑ "Prince Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved September 2, 2020.
  27. ↑ "Prince Chart History (Dance Singles Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved November 15, 2021.
  28. ↑ "Prince Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved September 2, 2020.
  29. ↑ "Prince Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved September 2, 2020.
  30. ↑ "Prince Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved September 2, 2020.
  31. ↑ "The RPM Top 100 Hit Tracks of 1993". RPM . Retrieved September 2, 2020– via Library and Archives Canada.
  32. ↑ "Billboard Top 100 – 1993". Archived from the original on November 10, 2006. Retrieved August 27, 2010.
  33. ↑ "American single certifications – Prince & The New Power Generation – 7". Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved September 2, 2020.
  34. ↑ "New Releases: Singles". Music Week . November 21, 1992. p. 17.
  35. ↑ "7 | プリンス" [7 | Prince] (in Japanese). Oricon . Retrieved September 8, 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.