Sign O’ The Times

Warner Bros. Records

Prince isn’t a star, he’s an event.

The release of Sign O’ The Times marks Prince’s first album release since his disbanding of the Revolution in October 1986 – the result of which causing much of the content to be reworked, although members of the Revolution still feature in the final configuration of the album (and entirely in It’s Gonna Be a Beautiful Night – their final recording as a group).

In 1986 Prince planned to release an 18-track double album named Dream Factory, which later that year became an 8 track album named Camille. By early 1987 this configuration evolved into a 22-track triple album and was again renamed, Crystal Ball, and with all the songs credited to Prince but under the pseudonym Camille. When passing the master tape to Warner Brothers the label felt that the scale proposed for the release would do better reduced to a double album and those shortlisted songs formed this yet again renamed project, Sign O’ The Times (stylized as Sign “☮” The Times).

Sign O’ The Times has since become Prince’s most critically acclaimed work, but it sold just 1.8 million copies in the US and 1.3 million elsewhere. It is certified Platinum by RIAA and is ranked by UK The Times newspaper at number 23 in their list of top albums of all time.

Part of tour supporting was filmed for the concert movie Sign O’ The Times, with additional scenes filmed at his newly completed and personal studio complex Paisley Park, formerly ‘The Warehouse’. The album marks the peak of Prince’s creativity.

Performers

All Instruments

Prince

Drums

Bobby Z. ^{It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Night}

Guitar

Wendy Melvoin ^{Slow Love}

Miko Weaver ^{It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Night}

Keyboards

Lisa Coleman ^{It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Night}

Matt "Dr." Fink ^{It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Night}

Bass Guitar

Brownmark ^{It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Night}

Percussion

Shelia E. ^{It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Night, U Got The Look}

Saxophone

Eric Leeds

Trumpet

Matthew Blistan "Atlanta Bliss"

Data

Producer

Prince

Label

Paisley Park Records

Distribution

Warner Bros. Records

Cover Art/Photo

Jeff Katz and Laura LiPuma

Released

32 years ago, 30 March 1987

Running Time

79:58

US Chart Peak

6

UK Chart Peak

4

Prince Album

#9

Singles from Sign O’ The Times

Sign O' The Times

Paisley Park Records

Released

18 February 1987

US Chart Peak

3

UK Chart Peak

10

1. Sign O' The Times [Edit] (3:42)
2. La La La, He He Hee (3:21)

If I Was Your Girlfriend

Paisley Park Records

Released

6 May 1987

US Chart Peak

67

UK Chart Peak

20

1. If I Was Your Girlfriend [Edit] (3:46)
2. Shockadelica (3:30)

U Got The Look

Paisley Park Records

Released

14 July 1987

US Chart Peak

2

UK Chart Peak

1

1. U Got The Look [duet with Sheena Easton] (3:58)
2. Housequake (3:24)

I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man

Paisley Park Records

Released

3 November 1987

US Chart Peak

29

UK Chart Peak

10

1. I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man [Edit] (3:39)
2. Hot Thing (3:40)

Supporting tour

Sign O’ The Times Tour

1987

• 34 shows from 8 May to 29 June, 1987

Related release

Sign O’ The Times (movie)

Palace Pictures / MCA (1987)

About this release

Sign O’ The Times – review

Sign O’ The Times provides Prince the pinnacle point of his music making career. This double album, Prince’s second, contains his most diverse work of which is really comprises his unsurpassed masterpiece. Will Prince ever emulate it? Could he? I risk discrediting this entire website had I not rained on this album considerable paeans of praise and thankfully bucketing heaps of much approval on this album could not be more easier a task. The lyrics to the title track are a work of art, serving as the quintessential time capsule of social commentary to modern day woes. Immerse yourself into the beat of It, the power of The Cross, the pop of U Got The Look, the smoothness of The Ballad Of Dorothy Parker, the thoroughly electric Housequake, the sweetness of Adore, the energy of Hot Thing and end with the amazing crescendo of I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man. There are too many favorites to list here but save If I was Your Girlfriend until the early hours: listen to it loud and in complete darkness and discover its majesty. That’s not even the half of it. Sign O’ The Times is a mature, thoughtful and majestic tour de force of an album, which from the first and haunting notes cuts so deep into your soul if this is the last album you ever here your exploration is complete. To put it simply Sign O’ The Times is Prince’s finest achievement.

Sign O’ The Times is reviewed by Goldies Parade.

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