🎵 Little Red Corvette – Single UK: Apr. 1983
- GlamSlamEscape
- Apr 4, 1983
- 4 min read
Updated: Apr 16
Little Red Corvette was released for the first time in the UK on April 4 1983 as part of a concentrated promotional push surrounding Prince’s planned London dates at the Dominion Theatre. Multiple formats — a standard 7", a double‑pack 7", and two 12" editions — were issued to support the campaign.
🟣 Format: 7" Single
Label: Warner Bros.
Catalogue Number: W 9688
Released: April 4 1983 (UK)
Chart Position: #54
Track List — 7"
Side A
• Little Red Corvette (Edit) — 3:08
Side B
• Lady Cab Driver — 2:12
Writing Credits
• Prince — all tracks
Production Credits
• Produced by: Prince
🟣 Format: Double Pack 2×7"
Label: Warner Bros.
Catalogue Number: W 9688 / W 9896
Track List — Double Pack
Side A
• Little Red Corvette (Edit)
Side B
• Lady Cab Driver
Side C
• 1999
Side D
• How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore
Writing Credits
• Prince — all tracks
Production Credits
• Produced by: Prince
🟣 Format: 12" Single
Label: Warner Bros.
Catalogue Number: W 9688T / 929671‑0
Released: April 1983 (UK)
Track List — 12"
Side A
• Little Red Corvette (Full Version)
Side B
• Automatic
• International Lover
Writing Credits
• Prince — all tracks
Production Credits
• Produced by: Prince
🟣 Format: 12" Single — Limited Edition (Poster)
Label: Warner Bros.
Catalogue Number: W 9688T / 929671‑0
Released: 1983 (UK)
Format: Vinyl, 12", 45 RPM, Stereo, Poster Edition
Genre: Funk / Soul, Pop
Style: Funk, Minneapolis Sound, Soul
Track List — Limited Edition
Side A
• Little Red Corvette (Full Version)
Side B
• Automatic
• International Lover
🟣 Format: 12" Double Pack
Prince – Little Red Corvette / Automatic / International Lover
Label: Warner Bros. – W 9688T / 929671‑0
Released: 1983 (UK)
Format: Vinyl, 12", 45 RPM, Limited Edition, Stereo, Double Pack
Track List — 12" Double Pack
A — Little Red Corvette (Full Version) — 5:03
B1 — Automatic — 9:28
B2 — International Lover — 6:38
C — 1999 — 6:17
D1 — How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore — 3:51
D2 — D.M.S.R. — 8:17
🟣 Key Highlights
• Released April 4 1983
• Five UK variants issued simultaneously
• A‑side: Little Red Corvette
• B‑side (7"): Lady Cab Driver
• Double‑pack adds 1999 + How Come U Don’t Call Me Anymore
• 12" editions add Automatic + International Lover
• Chart performance: UK #54
• Released to coincide with Dominion Theatre dates (18–19 April)
• European tour cancelled, but UK releases proceeded
🟣 The Story
The April 1983 UK rollout of Little Red Corvette was unusually expansive, offering collectors five distinct configurations. The standard 7" paired the radio edit with Lady Cab Driver, while the double‑pack added two additional 1999‑era tracks. The 12" editions expanded the single further, including Automatic and International Lover, and in the double‑pack configuration added 1999, How Come U Don’t Call Me Anymore, and D.M.S.R.
These releases were timed to support Prince’s scheduled London dates at the Dominion Theatre. Although the European tour was cancelled, the UK singles remained on schedule, helping maintain momentum as Prince’s visibility grew internationally.
🟣 Personnel
• Prince — lead & backing vocals; electric guitar; bass; Oberheim OB‑Xa; Linn LM‑1; Pearl SY‑1 Syncussion
• Dez Dickerson — electric guitar solo; backing vocals
• Lisa Coleman — backing vocals
🟣 Variants
• 7" — Warner Bros. – W 9688 — UK — 1983
• 2×7" Double Pack — Warner Bros. – W 9688 / W 9896 — UK — 1983
• 12" — Warner Bros. – W 9688T / 929671‑0 — UK — 1983
• 12" Limited Edition (Poster) — Warner Bros. – W 9688T / 929671‑0 — UK — 1983
• 12" Double Pack — Warner Bros. – W 9688T / 929671‑0 — UK — 1983
All variants were issued in April 1983 to coincide with Prince’s planned London dates at the Dominion Theatre.
🟣 Chart Performance
United Kingdom — UK Singles Chart
Peak Position: 54
Total Weeks: —
First Chart Date: —
🟣 Context & Notes
• Single era: 1999
• Production: Prince
• Sleeve notes: Standard Warner Bros. UK design
• Historical placement: Early UK breakthrough moment
• Reissues / remasters: None for this configuration
🟣 Related Material
• Previous single: 1999 — 1982
• Next single: Let’s Pretend We’re Married — 1983
• Associated album: 1999
• Associated tour: 1999 Tour (European leg cancelled)
🟣 Mini‑Timeline
✦ 1982 — Recording completed
✦ April 4 1983 — UK single released
✦ April 1983 — Multi‑format UK rollout
✦ April 18–19 1983 — Planned Dominion Theatre dates
🟣 Glam Flashback
A synth‑lit glide into the mainstream — and a UK rollout so format‑rich it became a collector’s treasure trove.
🟣 Sources
Primary reference sources: Warner Bros., Discogs, Official Charts Company, archival documentation.
🟣 Copyright Notice
All magazine scans, photographs, and original text excerpts referenced in this entry remain the property of their respective copyright holders. This Chronicle entry is a transformative, non‑commercial archival summary created for historical documentation and educational reference
Comments