Controversy
- On View
- CAAMA Gallery
- Museum Maps
- Objects in this Location
- Recorded by
- Prince, American, 1958 - 2016
- Published by
- Warner Bros. Records, Inc., American, founded 1958
- Controversy Music, American
- Date
- 1981
- Medium
- (2015.172.31a): vinyl with ink on paper
- (2015.172.31b): ink on cardboard
- Dimensions
- Diameter (a. vinyl disc): 11 7/8 in. (30.2 cm)
- H x W (b. cardboard jacket): 12 1/4 × 12 3/8 in. (31.1 × 31.4 cm)
- Description
- A 33 1/3 rpm record album titled, Controversy, by Prince. This object is comprised of a vinyl disc (a) of the long-playing record and an album cover.
- 2015.172.31a: A vinyl record from the 33 1/3 rpm record album titled, Controversy, by Prince. The vinyl record has a white circular label at the center with black text. At the top of the label is the logo for Warner Brothers Records, Inc., a red shield with the letters [WB] at the center and a banner across the shield that reads [RECORDS]. The logo repeats as soft gray watermarks on the white label. Below the red shield is the name of the artist/arranger/composer, the record title, and a numbered list of tracks in black ink. To the right of the center hole is the release number printed in black text that reads [BSK 3601] with the side number printed below. Below the center hole are the track names. The tracks on Side 1 include: [CONTROVERSY], [SEXUALITY], and [DO ME, BABY]. Side 2 is identical to Side 1. The tracks on Side 2 include: [PRIVATE JOY], [RONNIE, TALK TO RUSSIA], [LET’S WORK], [ANNIE CHRISTIAN], and [JACK U OFF]. At the bottom of the label is copyright information and publisher information.
- 2015.172.31b: An album cover from the 33 1/3 rpm record album titled, Controversy, by Prince. The front of the album cover is primarily off-white with a color photograph of Prince. Prince is depicted against a background of four newspaper frontpages of a fictitious newspaper titled [The Controversy Daily]. The headlines of these frontpages are related to the songs on the album. Titles include [Love Thy / Neighbor], [Annie Christian / Sentenced to Die!], [Do You / Believe in God], and [President Signs / Gun Control Act]. Prince is depicted from the chest up, arms akimbo, and facing the viewer with a serious expression on his face. He is wearing a white shirt, black necktie, black vest and a lavender jacket with a patch of metal studs over the proper right shoulder and chest. On his proper left lapel is a black and white checkered pinback button with black text that reads [RUDE / BOY]. The artist’s name, [PRINCE], is printed in the top right corner in purple stylized text. The back cover features eleven additional [The Controversy Daily] headlines. At the top is the album title, [CONTROVERSY], and an artist/arranger/composer/performer credits for Prince, printed in stylized purple text in varying sizes. At the bottom of the cover are the track titles, additional musician credits, fan mail mailing address, and manufacturing and distribution information.
- Place collected
- Washington, District of Columbia, United States, North and Central America
- Place made
- Los Angeles, California, United States, North and Central America
- Classification
- Media Arts-Audio Recordings
- Type
- record covers
- long-playing records
- Topic
- Composers (Musicians)
- Funk (Music)
- Music
- Popular music
- Rhythm and blues (Music)
- Rock and roll (Music)
- Singers (Musicians)
- Credit Line
- Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
- Object number
- 2015.172.31ab
- Restrictions & Rights
- © 1981 Warner Brothers Records Inc
- Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.