Uptown (Prince song)

"Uptown"
Single by Prince
from the album Dirty Mind
B-side	"Crazy You"
Released	September 10, 1980
Format	7" single; 12" single;
Recorded	Minneapolis, May–June, 1980
Genre	Funk rock[1]; dance[2]; disco[3];
Length	7" edit: 4:09; Album: 5:30;
Label	Warner Bros.
Songwriter(s)	Prince
Producer(s)	Prince
Prince singles chronology
Prince (UK) singles chronology

"Uptown" was the lead single in the U.S. to Prince's third album, Dirty Mind.[4] 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.

Background

The song addresses prejudices and racism, referring to "Uptown" as a metaphor for an ideal place that is free of such things. Prince sings in the first person, and the song opens describing a chance meeting with an attractive woman who then asks in an offensive way if he is gay. The lyrics then rail against prejudice and racism as narrow minded, and exalt in an attitude and spirit that is free of such negativity. It is one of Prince's earliest efforts to blend political statements into his art.

Uptown is described as an area where one can be free to express oneself, and Prince was very fond of the concept. The song opened the Controversy Tour and made a few live appearances after that, notably in Prince's 2001 Hit + Run Tour. The single was backed with "Crazy You," from his debut album, For You.

Charts

Chart (1980)	Peak position
US Billboard Hot Soul Singles	5
US Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs	5

References

Patridge, Kenneth. "Prince's 'Dirty Mind' at 35: Classic Track-by-Track Album Review". Billboard. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Dirty Mind - Prince." Allmusic. Retrieved on 2010-01-01.
Walters, Barry (April 29, 2016). "Prince: Dirty Mind". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved May 1, 2016.
"Prince - Uptown". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2016-10-17.

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[1] Patridge, Kenneth. "Prince's 'Dirty Mind' at 35: Classic Track-by-Track Album Review". Billboard. Retrieved 6 February 2016.

[Erlewine-2] Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Dirty Mind - Prince." Allmusic. Retrieved on 2010-01-01.

[Pitchfork_Media-3] Walters, Barry (April 29, 2016). "Prince: Dirty Mind". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved May 1, 2016.

[4] "Prince - Uptown". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2016-10-17.

Prince singles
1970s	"Soft and Wet" "Just as Long as We're Together" "I Wanna Be Your Lover"
1980s	"Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad?" "Still Waiting" "Sexy Dancer" "Uptown" "Dirty Mind" "Do It All Night" "Gotta Stop (Messin' About)" "Controversy" "Let's Work" "Do Me, Baby" "1999" "Little Red Corvette" "Delirious" "Automatic" "Let's Pretend We're Married" "When Doves Cry" "Let's Go Crazy" "Purple Rain" "I Would Die 4 U" "Take Me with U" "Paisley Park" "Raspberry Beret" "Pop Life" "America" "Kiss" "Mountains" "Anotherloverholenyohead" "Girls & Boys" "Sign "O" the Times" "If I Was Your Girlfriend" "U Got the Look" "I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man" "Alphabet St." "Glam Slam" "I Wish U Heaven" "Batdance" "Partyman" "The Arms of Orion" "Scandalous!"
1990s	"The Future" "Thieves in the Temple" "New Power Generation" "Gett Off" "Cream" "Diamonds and Pearls" "Money Don't Matter 2 Night" "Insatiable" "Thunder" "Sexy MF" "My Name Is Prince" "7" "Damn U" "The Morning Papers" "Pink Cashmere" "Nothing Compares 2 U" "Peach" "The Most Beautiful Girl in the World" "Letitgo" "Space" "Purple Medley" "I Hate U" "Gold" "Dinner with Delores" "Betcha by Golly Wow!" "The Holy River" "Somebody's Somebody" "The Truth" "Extraordinary" "The Greatest Romance Ever Sold"
2000s	"U Make My Sun Shine" (with Angie Stone) "When Will We B Paid?" (with Audio Stepchild) "Supercute" "The Work, pt. 1" "Days of Wild" "Musicology" "Cinnamon Girl" "Controversy (Live in Hawaii)" "S.S.T." "Te Amo Corazón" "Black Sweat" "Fury" "Guitar" "F.U.N.K."
2010s	"Breakfast Can Wait"
Promotional singles	"When You Were Mine" "Erotic City" "Nothing Compares 2 U" "Love Sign" (with Nona Gaye) "Somebody's Somebody" "The Rest of My Life" "5 Women" "It's About That Walk" "Man'O'War" "Call My Name" "The Song of the Heart"
Airplay-only songs	"International Lover"
Internet downloads	"One Song" "Glass Cutter" "Live from Paisley Park" "Strange Relationship" "Guitar (original "demo" version)"
EPs	The Beautiful Experience NYC 1999: The New Master
Other songs	"I Feel for You" "When You Were Mine" "Private Joy" "How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore?" "17 Days" "The Beautiful Ones" "Computer Blue" "Darling Nikki" "Baby I'm a Star" "4 the Tears in Your Eyes" "Sometimes It Snows in April" "Adore" "Don't Talk 2 Strangers" "I Can't Make U Love Me" "La, La, La Means I Love U" "One of Us" "Everyday Is a Winding Road" "A Case of U"