Emancipation (album)

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Emancipation
Emancipation cover
Studio album by The Unknown Symbol
Released November 19, 1996
Recorded 1994–1996
Genre Pop, Rock, Funk
Length 180:00
Label NPG
EMI
Producer Prince
Professional reviews
The Unknown Symbol chronology
Chaos and Disorder
(1996)		 Emancipation
(1996)		 Crystal Ball
(1998)

Emancipation is a 1996 triple-CD album by Prince (then known by his symbolic alias, see album art). The title refers to Prince's freedom from his contract with Warner Bros. Records, with whom he had a contentious relationship. The album was Prince's third to be released that year (along with Chaos and Disorder and Girl 6), making 1996 one of the most prolific years for material released by Prince.

Contents

[edit] Album format

Emancipation is somewhat of a concept album; it consists of three discs, each containing 12 songs and being exactly one hour in length (though the discs' length are a few seconds off and thus not truly one hour each). Much symbolism surrounds the album as presented by Prince online, in interviews and in the liner notes. The number of songs, discs and length supposedly have a connection with the Egyptian pyramids. There was also an alleged connection with the symbolic moniker, with Prince explaining that this was the "album he was born to make". The lengthy liner notes are filled with quotes and hidden messages, along with images illustrating the songs and overall album concepts. For some time before the album's release, Prince had often been seen in public with the word "slave" written in makeup on his face, referring to his contract with Warner Bros. On most of the album, Prince was seen without the word, except on the aptly titled "Slave."

[edit] Song descriptions

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Emancipation marked the first album in Prince's career to include cover versions of songs written by other songwriters. In fact, four such covers appeared on the album: "Betcha by Golly Wow!" (previously a hit for The Stylistics), "I Can't Make You Love Me" (previously a hit for Bonnie Raitt), "La-La (Means I Love You)" (previously a hit for The Delfonics), and "One of Us" (previously a hit for Joan Osborne).

Notably, Prince changed the chorus of "One of Us" from "What if God was one of us/Just a slob like one of us" to "...Just a slave like one of us". [2] [3]

[edit] Response

In the U.S., the album debuted at #11. Though not a major seller, it did sell over 500,000 copies, and being three discs, it was qualified to being certified double platinum (the RIAA certifies based on amount shipped rather than sold). Also, the resulting "Jam of the Year" tour was a major success (though ironically very few songs from "Emancipation" were included in the concerts), resulting in a significant comeback for Prince, after the commercial and critical disappointment of "Chaos and Disorder" from earlier in 1996. In all Emancipation is the fourth best-selling triple album in the United States.

[edit] Track listing

[edit] Disc I

  1. "Jam of the Year" – 6:09
  2. "Right Back Here In My Arms" – 4:43
  3. "Somebody's Somebody" – 4:43
  4. "Get Yo Groove On" – 6:31
  5. "Courtin' Time" – 2:46
  6. "Betcha by Golly Wow!" – 3:31
  7. "We Gets Up" – 4:18
  8. "White Mansion" – 4:47
  9. "Damned if Image:Prince.eye.gif Do" – 5:21
  10. "Image:Prince.eye.gif Can't Make U Love Me" – 6:37
  11. "Mr. Happy – 4:46
  12. "In This Bed Image:Prince.eye.gif Scream" – 5:40

[edit] Disc II

  1. "Sex In the Summer" – 5:57
  2. "One Kiss at a Time" – 4:41
  3. "Soul Sanctuary" – 4:41
  4. "Emale" – 3:38
  5. "Curious Child" – 2:57
  6. "Dreamin' About U" – 3:52
  7. "Joint 2 Joint" – 7:52
  8. "The Holy River" – 6:55
  9. "Let's Have a Baby" – 4:07
  10. "Saviour" – 5:48
  11. "The Plan" – 1:47
  12. "Friend, Lover, Sister, Mother/Wife" – 7:37

[edit] Disc III

  1. "Slave" – 4:51
  2. "New World" – 3:43
  3. "The Human Body" – 5:42
  4. "Face Down" – 3:17
  5. "La, La, La Means Image:Prince.eye.gif Love U" – 3:59
  6. "Style" – 6:40
  7. "Sleep Around" – 7:42
  8. "Da, Da, Da" – 5:15
  9. "My Computer" – 4:37
  10. "One of Us" – 5:19
  11. "The Love We Make" – 4:39
  12. "Emancipation" – 4:12

[edit] Singles and Hot 100 positions

  1. "Betcha by Golly Wow!"
  2. "Right Back Here In My Arms"


  1. "The Holy River (Radio Edit)"
  2. "Somebody's Somebody (Edit)"
  3. "Somebody's Somebody (Live Studio Mix)"
  4. "Somebody's Somebody (Ultrafantasy Edit)"


  1. "Somebody's Somebody (Radio Edit)
  2. "Somebody's Somebody (Album Version)


[edit] External links

Emancipation lyrics

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