"Cool" | ||||
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Single by The Time | ||||
from the album The Time | ||||
B-side | "Cool (Part 2)" | |||
Released | November 1981 | |||
Recorded | Minneapolis, Minnesota, April 1981 | |||
Genre | Funk, pop | |||
Length | 7" edit: 3:12 Album: 10:06 | |||
Label | Warner Bros. | |||
Composer(s) | Prince | |||
Lyricist(s) | Dez Dickerson | |||
Producer(s) | Morris Day, Prince (as "Jamie Starr") | |||
The Time singles chronology | ||||
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Alternative cover | ||||
"Cool" is a song by The Time, released as the second single from their eponymous debut album. Like most of the album, the song was recorded in Prince's home studio in April 1981, and was produced, arranged, and performed by Prince with Morris Day later adding his lead vocals. The song was co-written with Revolution guitarist Dez Dickerson and contains background vocals by keyboardist Lisa Coleman, however both were uncredited.
The funk-pop relies heavily on synthesizers to provide both the bass and melody for the upbeat song. A guitar solo is present and a relatively simple drumbeat drives the song along. "Cool" sets up the persona created for Day as a wealthy playboy, one who is also popular, and of course, "cool". Day built a career around the persona. Prince's backing vocals are very apparent in the song, especially in the chorus.
The classic video for the song is directed by Chuck Statler, who is best known for directing the early Devo videos.
"Cool" was only issued as a 7" single with an edit of the song and a continuation as the B-side. The full version was only released on the album and on a promo release. One of The Time's more popular numbers, "Cool" is a staple in concert and a live version of the song recorded at the House of Blues in 1998 was included on Morris Day's 2004 album, It's About Time .
Credits sourced from Prince Vault and Guitarcloud [1] [2] [nb 1]
Chart (1982) | Peak position |
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US Billboard Hot 100 [3] | 90 |
U.S. Billboard Hot Soul Singles [4] | 7 |
U.S. Billboard Disco Top 80 [5] | 3 |
Snoop Dogg covered "Cool" for his ninth studio album, Ego Trippin'. The song samples the original instrumental track while newly recorded background vocals (along with Snoop's lead vocals) and sound effects were added. This version of the song is produced by Teddy Riley. Prince also performed this song in concerts from 2002 to 2015.
"The Bird" is a song from The Time's third album, Ice Cream Castle. The song was initially recorded in the studio in 1983 with all instruments by Prince, except guitar, which was performed by Jesse Johnson. This version was replaced by a live recording with the full band at the First Avenue on October 4, 1983. This is the first Time song to be released both live and featuring The Time as a band, rather than primarily Prince with Morris Day on vocals. The song has become a signature number for the band and continues to be played in every Time concert to this day. In addition, two additional live versions have since been released: one on Prince's Rave Un2 the Year 2000 DVD and one recorded at the House of Blues in 1998 for Morris Day's 2004 album It's About Time.
"Mountains" is a 1986 song by American musician Prince and The Revolution, from his eighth album, Parade (1986), and the soundtrack to the film Under the Cherry Moon. It was written by The Revolution members Wendy & Lisa together with Prince. The extended 12" single version of the song runs nearly ten minutes. It reached number 23 in the US but only 45 in the UK. The B-side was the instrumental "Alexa de Paris", one of the few tracks from this project featuring a guitar solo. Both songs appear in the film Under the Cherry Moon, with the video for "Mountains" playing as the credits roll. The version shown on MTV to promote the single was in color as opposed to the film's black-and-white version.
The Time is the 1981 debut album by the Time. The album was largely produced and arranged by Prince, credited as Jamie Starr. Three singles came from the album: "Get It Up", "Cool" and "Girl", with the first two charting within the top ten on the R&B charts.
"Let's Go Crazy" is a 1984 song by Prince and The Revolution, from the album Purple Rain. It is the opening track on both the album and the film Purple Rain. "Let's Go Crazy" was one of Prince's most popular songs, and was a staple for concert performances, often segueing into other hits. When released as a single, the song became Prince's second number-one hit on the Billboard Hot 100, and also topped the two component charts, the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and Hot Dance Club Play charts, as well as becoming a UK Top 10 hit. The B-side was the lyrically controversial "Erotic City". In the UK, the song was released as a double A-side with "Take Me with U".
"Take Me with U" is a song by Prince and the Revolution, and the final US single released from their album, Purple Rain (1984).
"Delirious" is a song by American musician Prince, from his 1982 album, 1999. It was the album's third single, and Prince's second Top 10 hit, reaching No. 8 in the US during the fall of 1983. The success of the single was boosted by the runaway success of the previous single, "Little Red Corvette", and also because DJs often played the first three album tracks in sequence, which just happened to be the order of the singles released from the album.
"Controversy" is a song by American musician Prince, the lead single and title track to his 1981 album. The song addresses speculation about Prince at the time such as his sexuality, gender, religion, and racial background, and how he could not understand the curiosity surrounding him.
"Paisley Park" is a 1985 song by Prince and The Revolution. It was the first single released in some international markets from their 1985 album, Around the World in a Day and so is also the album's last single internationally. "Paisley Park" was recorded 3 months after the Purple Rain album was released. Violin on the song was played by Novi Novog, and Wendy & Lisa provide backing vocals. The rest of the song was performed by Prince. The song reached the Top 40 in all of the countries it was released in. It peaked within the Top 20 in both Ireland and the UK.
"America" is a song by Prince and The Revolution. It was the final US single from the group's 1985 album, Around the World in a Day.
"Let's Pretend We're Married" is a song by American musician Prince from his 1982 album 1999. It was the final US single from the album and peaked at number 52 in the US.
"Uptown" is the lead single from Prince's third album, Dirty Mind. Beginning with a lone drum intro, the track explodes into the keyboards of the chorus. The verses feature a more prominent funk guitar. The song breaks down to a more instrumental section toward the end that mainly consists of guitar, bass and drums with an occasional keyboard riff. The minimalist style of the song is representative of most of the Dirty Mind album. The song addresses the Uptown neighborhood of Minneapolis that was the city's hang-out spot for artists.
"Let's Work" was the second single from the 1981 album Controversy, by Prince. The song originates from a dance called "the Rock" that local kids were doing at the time in Minneapolis. Prince responded quickly with a track called "Let's Rock", and wished to quickly release it as a single. Warner Bros. refused, and a disappointed Prince did not include the song on Controversy, saying the phase had passed. Instead, the song was updated with new lyrics and possibly new music and became "Let's Work"—one of his most popular dance numbers.
"Dirty Mind" is the follow-up single in the U.S., and title track to Prince's third album, released in 1980. The song is built around a keyboard riff created by Doctor Fink, which dominates the song. The demo-like song lacks a chorus, and is a stark departure of the smooth R&B sound of Prince's first two albums. The lyrics concern sexual thoughts, which are fairly representative of the other songs from the album. The single's B-side is the ballad "When We're Dancing Close and Slow", from the previous year's Prince. "Dirty Mind" reached number sixty-five on the soul chart. Along with the tracks "Uptown" and "Head", "Dirty Mind" reached number five on the dance chart.
"Gigolos Get Lonely Too" is the fifth track from the Time's six-song album, What Time Is It?. One of the first songs recorded for the album, it was produced, arranged, composed and performed by Prince with Morris Day later adding his lead vocals.
"The Walk" opens side two of the Time's second album, What Time Is It?. The song was produced, arranged, composed and performed by Prince with Morris Day later adding his lead vocals.
"Girl" was the final single released from the Time's debut album. Like most of the album, the song was recorded in Prince's home studio in April 1981, and was produced, arranged, composed and performed by Prince with Morris Day later adding his lead vocals. The single reached number 49 on the U.S. R&B singles chart.
"Get It Up" is the debut single by the Time, from their 1981 self-titled debut album. Like most of the album, the song was recorded in Prince's home studio in April 1981, and was produced, arranged, composed and performed by Prince with Morris Day later adding his lead vocals. Revolution keyboardist Doctor Fink provided synth solos on the track, uncredited.
"Computer Blue" is a song by Prince and The Revolution. Released on June 25, 1984, it is the fourth track on Prince's sixth album, Purple Rain, which also served as the soundtrack to the film of the same name. In the film, the song represents Prince's character's angst at the budding relationship between the characters played by Morris Day and Apollonia, the latter of whom he desires, and he performs it in front of the two during The Revolution's set at a nightclub with the aim of upsetting them. The song was composed by Prince with credit to his father, John L. Nelson, for the guitar solo based on a piano instrumental written by Nelson and Prince. He titled the instrumental piece "Father's Song" and recorded it on piano for the film, though onscreen it was portrayed as being played by Prince's character's father, played by Clarence Williams III. On the box-set Purple Rain Deluxe (2017), a different and longer recording of "Father's Song" was included.
"Around the World in a Day" is a song performed by Prince and the Revolution and is the opening track of the album of the same name. The track represents a completely different direction that Prince wanted to go after the massively successful Purple Rain album and film of the same name.
"Jungle Love" is a song from The Time's third album, Ice Cream Castle.