Little Red Corvette Single: Feb 1983
- GlamSlamEscape
- Feb 9, 1983
- 4 min read
Updated: 9 hours ago
Prince’s breakthrough crossover hit — a sleek, seductive synth‑rock classic backed with the downtown pulse of All The Critics Love U In New York
Release Date
• February 9, 1983 (US)
Formats
• 7" Single
• 7" Promo
• 12" Promo
Catalogue Numbers
• US/NZ: 7‑29746
• US 12" Promo: PRO‑A‑2001
Track Variants
• Little Red Corvette (Edit) — 3:08
• All The Critics Love U In New York (Edit) — 3:15
• Little Red Corvette (Dance Remix Edit) — 4:32
• Little Red Corvette (LP Version) — 4:58
• Little Red Corvette (Dance Mix) — 8:22
Chart Performance
• US Billboard Hot 100: No. 6
• US Billboard Black Singles: No. 15
• UK: Re‑released later in 1983
Production
• Produced, arranged, composed and performed by Prince
✦ PRINCE 1982–1983 MINI‑TIMELINE
✦ October 1982
Prince releases the double album 1999, introducing a darker, neon‑lit synth‑rock sound that becomes a defining moment in his career.
✦ November 1982
The single 1999 is released, establishing the album’s tone and giving Prince his first major MTV‑era visibility.
✦ January 1983
Delirious becomes a US hit, further expanding Prince’s crossover audience.
✦ February 9, 1983
Little Red Corvette is released in the US. Its seductive, slow‑burn synth‑rock style becomes one of Prince’s signature tracks.
✦ Spring 1983
Little Red Corvette climbs the Billboard charts, peaking at No. 6 — Prince’s highest US chart position to date.
✦ Late 1983
The single is re‑released in the UK following Prince’s growing international success.
This period marks Prince’s transition from cult favourite to global star, setting the stage for Purple Rain.
✦ ESCAPE — LITTLE RED CORVETTE VS. 1999 AND DELIRIOUS
✦ 1999
• Apocalyptic party anthem
• Dense synth layers, robotic funk
• Sets the tone for the album’s neon‑dystopian world
• More communal, chant‑driven energy
✦ Delirious
• Rockabilly‑infused synth pop
• Playful, jittery, tightly wound
• Driven by a staccato keyboard hook
• Prince at his most mischievous and kinetic
✦ Little Red Corvette
• Slow‑burn synth‑rock seduction
• Clean guitar lines over shimmering synth pads
• One of Prince’s most accessible and emotionally direct singles
• The moment he fully crosses into mainstream pop consciousness
Together, the three singles map out the full emotional and sonic spectrum of the 1999 era — from apocalyptic celebration to jittery pop to sleek, sensual rock.
✦ SUMMARY
Released in the US on February 9, 1983, Little Red Corvette was the second single from Prince’s fifth studio album 1999. Arriving three and a half months after the album, the single became one of Prince’s first major international hits and played a crucial role in establishing him as a mainstream force.
The track’s blend of rock guitar, shimmering synths and slow‑burn sensuality made it instantly distinctive. Its success helped drive renewed attention to the 1999 album, prompting a UK re‑release later in 1983 following Prince’s rising profile.
The B‑side, All The Critics Love U In New York (Edit), offered a contrasting, minimalist funk groove taken from the same album sessions. Multiple promotional formats were issued in the US, including a 7" promo and a 12" promo featuring extended dance mixes.
Little Red Corvette became Prince’s highest‑charting single to date in the US, reaching number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 15 on the Billboard Black Singles Chart.
✦ HIGHLIGHTS
• Released February 9, 1983 (US)
• Second single from the album 1999
• Worldwide release, with UK re‑issue later in 1983
• US Billboard Hot 100 Peak: No. 6
• US Billboard Black Singles Peak: No. 15
• One of Prince’s earliest major crossover hits
• Multiple promo formats issued in the US
✦ TRACK DETAILS
7" Single (US/NZ: 7‑29746)
A. Little Red Corvette (Edit) — 3:08
B. All The Critics Love U In New York (Edit) — 3:15
7" Promo (US: 7‑29746)
A. Little Red Corvette (Edit) — 3:08
B. Little Red Corvette (Dance Remix Edit) — 4:32
12" Promo (US: PRO‑A‑2001)
A. Little Red Corvette (LP Version) — 4:58
B. Little Red Corvette (Dance Mix) — 8:22
All tracks produced, arranged, composed and performed by Prince.
✦ CHART PERFORMANCE
United States
• Billboard Hot 100 Peak: No. 6
• Billboard Black Singles Peak: No. 15
✦ DISCOSIDEBAR — LITTLE RED CORVETTE (1983)
Release Date
• February 9, 1983 (US)
Formats
• 7" Single
• 7" Promo
• 12" Promo
Catalogue Numbers
• US/NZ: 7‑29746
• US 12" Promo: PRO‑A‑2001
Track Variants
• Little Red Corvette (Edit) — 3:08
• All The Critics Love U In New York (Edit) — 3:15
• Little Red Corvette (Dance Remix Edit) — 4:32
• Little Red Corvette (LP Version) — 4:58
• Little Red Corvette (Dance Mix) — 8:22
Chart Performance
• US Billboard Hot 100: No. 6
• US Billboard Black Singles: No. 15
• UK: Re‑released later in 1983
Production
• Produced, arranged, composed and performed by Prince
✦ PRINCE 1982–1983 MINI‑TIMELINE
✦ October 1982
Prince releases the double album 1999, introducing a darker, neon‑lit synth‑rock sound that becomes a defining moment in his career.
✦ November 1982
The single 1999 is released, establishing the album’s tone and giving Prince his first major MTV‑era visibility.
✦ January 1983
Delirious becomes a US hit, further expanding Prince’s crossover audience.
✦ February 9, 1983
Little Red Corvette is released in the US. Its seductive, slow‑burn synth‑rock style becomes one of Prince’s signature tracks.
✦ Spring 1983
Little Red Corvette climbs the Billboard charts, peaking at No. 6 — Prince’s highest US chart position to date.
✦ Late 1983
The single is re‑released in the UK following Prince’s growing international success.
This period marks Prince’s transition from cult favourite to global star, setting the stage for Purple Rain.
✦ GLAM FLASHBACK — LITTLE RED CORVETTE VS. 1999 AND DELIRIOUS
✦ 1999
• Apocalyptic party anthem
• Dense synth layers, robotic funk
• Sets the tone for the album’s neon‑dystopian world
• More communal, chant‑driven energy
✦ Delirious
• Rockabilly‑infused synth pop
• Playful, jittery, tightly wound
• Driven by a staccato keyboard hook
• Prince at his most mischievous and kinetic
✦ Little Red Corvette
• Slow‑burn synth‑rock seduction
• Clean guitar lines over shimmering synth pads
• One of Prince’s most accessible and emotionally direct singles
• The moment he fully crosses into mainstream pop consciousness
Together, the three singles map out the full emotional and sonic spectrum of the 1999 era — from apocalyptic celebration to jittery pop to sleek, sensual roc
✦ SOURCES
US chart archives
Label release documentation
Prince Vault
Wikipedia
Discogs
Collector and marketplace references
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