Prince’s “Controversy”: Revered, but Underrated

While there’s no question that Prince became a global sensation with 1982’s masterpiece double album 1999, the four albums that preceded it laid the groundwork for his legacy. The fourth album in the group, 1981’s Controversy, is not only a tour de force, but it also shimmers with “tells” of the elusive genius.

Controversy gives us our first glimpse of Prince in purple, with his signature foppish military-style jacket on the cover. He also introduces his trademark “U” instead of “you” on the sign-off track.

While Controversy was not a runaway hit, it was well received and charted very respectably: 9 weeks on the pop charts, topping out at #70 and peaking at #3 on the Billboard Hot Soul chart. It provided Prince’s first #1 on Billboard’s Disco Top 80 for the dance track “Let’s Work.”

Prince’s earlier albums were from the school of what fans would fondly call his “Old Dirty Prince” phase: masterful grooves with a near-constant theme of blatant eroticism. Controversy doesn’t give short shrift to the unshackled sexuality of his earlier works, but here he expands his worldview, espousing world peace, gun control, and inclusion. And he does it on his own, with the vocals, instruments, and production exclusively his, except for the final track “Jack U Off,” where his band is showcased.

The album opens with the titular “Controversy,” which lures the listener in with a funky bass line, innovative percussion, handclaps, and sexy vocals. Prince expresses his irritation about people’s prurient interest in his background. (“I just can’t believe all the things people say/…Am I black or white, am I straight – or gay?”)

It’s a gorgeous screed about personal freedom, featuring “The Lord’s Prayer” and beginning Prince’s long melding of the flesh and the spirit in song.

The next track, “Sexuality,” is another call to action that’s less about sex than about using bodily freedom to open ourselves to one another and raise the next generation to be more compassionate. He makes a lot of powerful points, but what exactly is Prince’s issue with tourists here?

Side One closes out with the spectacular slow jam “Do Me, Baby,” just under 8 minutes of pure eroticism and aching vulnerability. It’s a brave reveal of his soul and a seduction number par excellence.

Side Two opens with “Private Joy,” a delicious ode to a love affair that Prince is holding close to his vest, enjoying the roguish secrecy. It’s a blend of R&B and electronica with an overlay of disco. Is the “private joy” his girlfriend at the time, Susan Moonsie (former member of Vanity Six), or Prince himself? The debate continues, but it remains an upbeat tune that ends in fuzz and distortion.

The album tracks morph into an entreaty for world peace called “Ronnie, Talk to Russia,” a time capsule with its references to Ronald Reagan, Russia, and the Cold War. Prince’s awkward, heartfelt desire to save the world still resonates.

It’s back to the dance floor with “Let’s Work,” a retooling of an earlier song  (“Let’s Rock”) and Prince’s first number-one hit on the club charts. Featuring extraordinary bass guitar and Prince’s falsetto, he fills the track with double entendres to heighten the atmosphere.

“Annie Christian” is a bit of a departure. Prince mixes politics with world events (the murders of John Lennon, Atlanta children, and President Reagan’s attempted assassination). It’s very grim, as he rhythmically chants about the character (presumably the Anti-Christ) as a metaphor for the ills of the time. It has a punk edge, wreathed in dread and hope for a redeemed world.

“Annie Christian” would be a bleak way to close out the album, so Prince opts back into sex for his final track: “Jack U Off.” It’s a hilarious exploration of where, how, and why Prince is willing to work his one-handed magic. It’s a bouncy tune, shifting to an almost old-vaudeville vibe, and wraps Controversy up with a saucy wink. This is early Prince at his naughty best.

-Ellen Fagan

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