3121

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	(69/100)^[1]
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[2]
Robert Christgau	A−^[3]
Entertainment Weekly	C+^[4]
Los Angeles Times	^[5]
New York Times	favorable^[6]
Newsday	A^[7]
Pitchfork Media	(6.0/10)^[8]
Rolling Stone	^[9]
Stylus	A−^[10]
Village Voice	favorable^[11]

3121 (pronounced "thirty-one twenty-one") is the thirty-first studio album by American recording artist Prince. It was released on March 21, 2006. 3121 was released by NPG Records and distributed, under a "1-Album Deal", by Universal Music.

Album information

The album's first single, "Te Amo Corazón", was released in the United States on December 13, 2005, and debuted at number 20 on the VH1 countdown; the second single, "Black Sweat", was released on February 2, 2006.^[12]

The title of the album was believed to be a reference to the address of Prince's rented Los Angeles mansion. A lawsuit filed against Prince by the landlord (NBA player Carlos Boozer) indicates an entirely different address (1235 Sierra Alta Way).^[13] However, Prince has repeatedly referred to the property as "3121"; indeed, the lawsuit alleges he painted 3121 on the exterior of the property, and the album's liner notes indicate that it was "recorded at Paisley Park Studios and 3121."

According to another explanation the album's title refers to a verse in the Bible (Psalm 31:21). "Blessed be Jehovah (God/Yahweh), For he has rendered wonderful loving-kindness to me in a city under stress." Prince made a reference to this during a performance of the title track on the 2006 BET Awards; "Where's the real party at? Shake your tambourines! BET read Psalms; that's where it is."

A further explanation reveals that 3121 refers to the album being Prince's 31st release and the release date being the 21st.

Album sessions started in November 2004 with the recording of the song "3121" with Michael Bland and Sonny T.

Ostensibly inspired by the 1964 children's novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Prince included a limited number of "purple tickets" with the album. Lucky winners who found tickets were flown in from Europe, Asia, Mexico and the US to attend a semi-private performance (along with a long list of celebrities) at Prince's home in Los Angeles.

3121 reinforced Prince's big comeback after the release of 2004's Musicology. It became the first Prince album ever to debut at number 1, with 183,436 sold in its first week. It knocked the soundtrack for High School Musical off the top spot, and became Prince's first number 1 album since 1989's Batman. Eventually it was certified Gold by the RIAA.

After Prince's death in April 2016, 3121 became one of the most sought-after of his back catalogue. As of September 2016, copies are currently selling for an average cost of £25 ($33).

Track listing

All tracks written by Prince, except where noted.

No.	Title	Length
1.	"3121"	4:31
2.	"Lolita"	4:06
3.	"Te Amo Corazón"	3:35
4.	"Black Sweat"	3:12
5.	"Incense and Candles"	4:04
6.	"Love"	5:45
7.	"Satisfied"	2:50
8.	"Fury"	4:02
9.	"The Word"	4:11
10.	"Beautiful, Loved and Blessed" (featuring Támar)	5:43
11.	"The Dance"	5:20
12.	"Get On the Boat"	6:18

Personnel

Drums: Michael Bland (on "3121"), Cora Coleman Dunham (on "Te Amo Corazón", "Get On the Boat")
Bass: Sonny T (on "3121"), Joshua Dunham (on "Te Amo Corazón", "Get On the Boat")
Horn section: Maceo Parker, Candy Dulfer, Greg Boyer and Ray
Percussion: Herbert Urena, Ricky Salas (on "Te Amo Corazón"), Sheila E. (on "Get On the Boat")
Strings arrangement: Clare Fischer
Additional vocals: The New Power Generation (shouts), Támar (and co-lead on "Beautiful, Loved and Blessed")
All other instruments and voices: Prince
Produced by Prince
Photo: Afshin Shahidi
Designer: Sam Jennings
Recorded at Paisley Park Studios and 3121
Engineered by Ian Boxill, L. Stu Young
Assisted by Lisa Chamblee Hampton
Mastered at Bernie Grundman

Charts

Chart (2006)	Peak position
Australian Albums (ARIA)^[14]	18
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)^[15]	15
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)^[16]	3
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)^[17]	15
Danish Albums (Hitlisten)^[18]	2
Dutch Albums (MegaCharts)^[19]	3
Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)^[20]	24
French Albums (SNEP)^[21]	8
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)^[22]	4
Italian Albums (FIMI)^[23]	10
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)^[24]	5
Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE)^[25]	40
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)^[26]	18
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)^[27]	1
UK Albums (OCC)^[28]	9
US Billboard 200^[29]	1

Certifications


Region	Certification	Certified units/Sales
United Kingdom (BPI)^[30]	Silver	60,000^{^}
United States (RIAA)^[31]	Gold	500,000^{^}
^*sales figures based on certification alone ^{^}shipments figures based on certification alone

References

↑ "3121 Reviews, Ratings, Credits, and More at Metacritic". Metacritic. Retrieved 5 August 2012.
↑ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Prince: 3121 > Review" at AllMusic. Retrieved 17 September 2011.
↑ Christgau, Robert. "Prince". robertchristgau.com. Retrieved 3 September 2011.
↑ Fiore, Raymond (20 March 2006). "3121 (2006): Prince". Entertainment Weekly. Time. ISSN 1049-0434. Retrieved 3 September 2011.
↑ Cromelin, Richard (19 March 2006). "The doves can stop crying now". Los Angeles Times. Tribune Company. ISSN 0458-3035. OCLC 3638237. Retrieved 3 September 2011.
↑ Pareles, Jon (20 March 2006). "Puttin' on the Funk, Playing Sly Games". The New York Times. Prince: "3121". ISSN 0362-4331. OCLC 1645522. Retrieved 3 September 2011.
↑ Gamboa, Glenn (20 March 2006). "Backstage Pass: Prince, "3121"". Newsday. Archived from the original on 16 November 2006. Retrieved 5 August 2012.
↑ Tangari, Joe (20 March 2006). "Prince: 3121". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved 3 September 2011.
↑ Christgau, Robert (6 April 2006). "Prince's New Sensation". Rolling Stone. Wenner Media. ISSN 0035-791X. Retrieved 3 September 2011.
↑ Inskeep, Thomas (31 March 2006). "Prince: 3121". Stylus. Retrieved 3 September 2011.
↑ Cooper, Carol (25 April 2006). "Princely Digs". The Village Voice. New York. ISSN 0042-6180. Retrieved 3 September 2011.
↑ "3121". Prince Vault. 22 August 2011. Retrieved 3 September 2011.
↑ "Extreme Makeover: Prince Edition". The Smoking Gun. 20 March 2006. Retrieved 15 March 2010.
↑ "Australiancharts.com – Prince – 3121". Hung Medien. Retrieved May 2, 2016.
↑ "Austriancharts.at – Prince – 3121" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved May 2, 2016.
↑ "Ultratop.be – Prince – 3121" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved May 2, 2016.
↑ "Ultratop.be – Prince – 3121" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved May 2, 2016.
↑ "Danishcharts.com – Prince – 3121". Hung Medien. Retrieved May 2, 2016.
↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Prince – 3121" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved May 2, 2016.
↑ "Prince: 3121" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved May 2, 2016.
↑ "Lescharts.com – Prince – 3121". Hung Medien. Retrieved May 2, 2016.
↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Prince – 3121" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved May 2, 2016.
↑ "Italiancharts.com – Prince – 3121". Hung Medien. Retrieved May 2, 2016.
↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – Prince – 3121". Hung Medien. Retrieved May 2, 2016.
↑ "Spanishcharts.com – Prince – 3121". Hung Medien. Retrieved May 2, 2016.
↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Prince – 3121". Hung Medien. Retrieved May 2, 2016.
↑ "Swisscharts.com – Prince – 3121". Hung Medien. Retrieved May 2, 2016.
↑ "Prince | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart Retrieved May 2, 2016.
↑ "Prince – Chart history" Billboard 200 for Prince. Retrieved May 2, 2016.
↑ "British album certifications – Prince – 3121". British Phonographic Industry. Enter 3121 in the field Keywords. Select Title in the field Search by. Select album in the field By Format. Select Silver in the field By Award. Click Search
↑ "American album certifications – Prince – 3121". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH

External links

Preceded by High School Musical Soundtrack	Billboard 200 number-one album April 2–8, 2006	Succeeded by King by T.I.

Prince

Discography Albums Singles Videography Unreleased projects Awards and nominations Associates

Concert tours	Prince Tour Dirty Mind Tour Controversy Tour 1999 Tour Purple Rain Tour Parade Tour Sign o' the Times Tour Lovesexy Tour Nude Tour Diamonds and Pearls Tour Act I and II Interactive Tour The Ultimate Live Experience Love 4 One Another Charities Tour Jam of the Year Tour New Power Soul Tour Hit n Run Tour A Celebration One Nite Alone... Tour World Tour 2003 Musicology Live 2004ever Per4ming Live 3121 21 Nights in London: The Earth Tour 20Ten Tour Welcome 2 Live Out Loud Tour Hit and Run Tour Piano & A Microphone Tour

Filmography	Purple Rain Under the Cherry Moon Sign o' the Times Graffiti Bridge

Videography	Prince and the Revolution: Live Diamonds and Pearls Video Collection The Hits Collection 3 Chains o' Gold Rave Un2 the Year 2000 Live at the Aladdin Las Vegas

Video games	Prince Interactive

Stage productions	Glam Slam Ulysses Billboards

Associated companies	Paisley Park Records NPG Records

Related articles	The Revolution The New Power Generation 3rdeyegirl The Time Vanity 6 Apollonia 6 The Family Madhouse Mazarati John L. Nelson Mayte Garcia Manuela Testolini NPG Music Club Minneapolis sound Purplish Rain

Book:Prince

Prince albums

Studio albums	For You Prince Dirty Mind Controversy 1999 Purple Rain Around the World in a Day Parade Sign o' the Times Lovesexy Batman Graffiti Bridge Diamonds and Pearls Love Symbol Album Come The Black Album The Gold Experience Chaos and Disorder Emancipation Crystal Ball The Truth The Vault: Old Friends 4 Sale Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic The Rainbow Children One Nite Alone... Xpectation N.E.W.S Musicology The Chocolate Invasion The Slaughterhouse 3121 Planet Earth Lotusflow3r MPLSound 20Ten Plectrumelectrum Art Official Age Hit n Run Phase One Hit n Run Phase Two

Live albums	One Nite Alone... Live! One Nite Alone... The Aftershow: It Ain't Over! C-Note Indigo Nights

Remix albums	Rave In2 the Joy Fantastic

Compilation albums	The Hits 1 The Hits 2 The Hits/The B-Sides Girl 6 The Very Best of Prince Ultimate Prince 4Ever

The NPG albums	Goldnigga Exodus Newpower Soul

The NPG Orchestra albums	Kamasutra

Madhouse albums	8 16

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" "Bambi" "Uptown" "Dirty Mind" "Do It All Night" "Controversy" "Let's Work" "Do Me, Baby" "Sexuality" "1999" "Little Red Corvette" "D.M.S.R." "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" "Pope" (remix) "Come" "Letitgo" "Space" "The Most Beautiful Girl in the World" "P Control" "Dolphin" "Endorphinmachine" "I Hate U" "Gold" "Dinner with Delores" "Betcha by Golly Wow!" "The Holy River" "Somebody's Somebody" "Face Down" "The Truth" "Extraordinary" "The Greatest Romance Ever Sold"

2000s	"U Make My Sun Shine" (with Angie Stone) "When Will We Be 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." "Dance 4 Me"

2010s	"Extraloveable" "Rock and Roll Love Affair" "Screwdriver" "Fixurlifeup" "Breakfast Can Wait" "Pretzelbodylogic" "Fallinlove2nite" "Breakdown" "Clouds" "Baltimore" "Hardrocklover" "This Could B Us" "Free Urself"

Promotional singles	"When You Were Mine" "D.M.S.R." "Another Lonely Christmas" "Erotic City" "Hot Thing" "Trust" "Willing and Able" "Nothing Compares 2 U" "Pope" "Love Sign" (with Nona Gaye) "Come" "P. Control" "Dolphin" "Endorphinmachine" "Slave" "Somebody's Somebody" "Face Down" "The Rest of My Life" "5 Women" "It's About That Walk" "Baby Knows" "Man'O'War" "She Loves Me 4 Me" "Last December" "One Nite Alone... Live EP" "Live at the Aladdin Las Vegas" "Call My Name" "The Song of the Heart" "Beautiful, Loved & Blessed" (with Tamar Davis) "Chelsea Rodgers" "Future Baby Mama" "The One U Wanna C" "U're Gonna C Me"

Airplay-only songs	"International Lover" "Shhh" "Satisfied" "Better with Time"

Internet downloads	"One Song" "Cybersingle" "Bataclan" "Glass Cutter" "Live from Paisley Park" "Strange Relationship" (Live in Minneapolis) "Guitar" (original "demo" version) "Love" (acoustic version) "Rock and Roll Love Affair" (Remix 7) "Screwdriver" (Remix) "Boyfriend" (Demo) "That Girl Thang" "Live Out Loud" "Ain't Gonna Miss U When U're Gone" "Extraloveable Reloaded" "Menstrual Cycle" "Octopus Heart" "Groovy Potential" "The Sweeter She Is" "Something in the Water" (Paisley Park Rehearsal) "Da Bourgeoisie" "What If" "The X's Face"

Streams	"U're Still the One" "Xylophone" "In a Large Room with No Light" "Purple and Gold" "Cause and Effect" "Hot Summer" "Rich Friends" "Same Page Different Book" "Stare"

EP's	The Scandalous Sex Suite EP New Power Generation Remixes Gett Off Remix EP Cream Remixes My Name Is Prince Remixes 7 Remixes The Beautiful Experience Letitgo Remixes Space Remixes I Hate U Remixes 1999: The New Master The Greatest Romance Ever Sold Remixes Breakfast Can Wait

Other songs	"I Feel for You" "When You Were Mine" "Head" "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"

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