Prince (November 4, 1983) – Little Red Corvette / Horny Toad Single UK: 7"
Updated: 4 days ago
Little Red Corvette had an unusually complicated UK release history during 1983, with two separate editions that are easily confused. The first British issue, W9688, paired Little Red Corvette (Edit) with Lady Cab Driver (Edit) and carried artwork advertising planned London appearances at the Dominion Theatre on April 18 and 19. Those advertised concerts should not be treated as confirmed performances. The single then returned to the UK on November 4, 1983 in a distinctly different configuration.
For this second release, Warner Bros. changed the catalogue number to W9436 and replaced Lady Cab Driver with Horny Toad, a non-album track that makes the November edition especially significant to collectors. Rather than being simply another pressing of the earlier single, the second UK campaign appeared in several configurations, including standard 7" editions, 7" poster-sleeve variants, 12" editions as W9436T, and 12" poster versions. This Chronicle therefore concentrates specifically on the November 4, 1983 W9436 / W9436T release, keeping it separate from the earlier W9688 edition.
I think this makes the Chronicle much clearer because it tells the reader immediately why there are two UK versions and exactly which one the page is documenting.
THE 1983 SINGLE | THE UK REISSUE |
Little Red Corvette originated as the second single from 1999. The US release appeared on February 9, 1983, followed by the first UK edition on April 4. | On November 4, 1983, Prince’s Little Red Corvette returned to the UK market. The second UK edition used catalogue number W9436 and paired the 3:08 single edit with Horny Toad. |
The first UK edition, W9688, coupled Little Red Corvette (Edit) with Lady Cab Driver (Edit). | The November release therefore differed from the April edition not only through its catalogue number but also through its B-side and sleeve configuration. Prince Vault identifies W9436 as the second-edition picture sleeve. |
RELEASE DETAILS
DETAIL | INFORMATION |
Artist | |
Title | Little Red Corvette / Horny Toad |
Release Date | November 4, 1983 |
Country | UK |
Label | Warner Bros. |
Catalogue Number | W9436 / 929436-7 [discogs.com] |
Format | 7", 45 RPM Single |
Related Album | 1999 |
A-Side | Little Red Corvette (Edit) – 3:08 |
B-Side | Horny Toad – 2:12 |
UK RELEASE HISTORY
FIRST UK EDITION | SECOND UK EDITION / REISSUE |
April 4, 1983 | November 4, 1983 |
Catalogue: W9688 | Catalogue: W9436 |
Little Red Corvette (Edit) – 3:08 | Little Red Corvette (Edit) – 3:08 |
Lady Cab Driver (Edit) – 5:01 | Horny Toad – 2:12 |
Identified by Prince Vault as the first-edition picture sleeve. | Identified by Prince Vault as the second-edition picture sleeve. |
STYLE & VERSIONS
LITTLE RED CORVETTE | HORN Y TOAD |
The November single retained the concise 3:08 edit already developed for the singles market. Other editions of the campaign included the 4:58 album recording, 4:32 Dance Remix Edit and 8:22 Dance Remix. | Horny Toad, running 2:12, replaced Lady Cab Driver as the B-side for this second UK edition. The track was also incorporated into the corresponding W9436T 12" configuration. |
TRACK-BY-TRACK NOTES
SIDE A | SIDE B |
Little Red Corvette (Edit) | Horny Toad |
3:08 | 2:12 |
Written by Prince | Written by Prince |
Produced, arranged and performed by Prince. [discogs.com] | Produced, arranged and performed by Prince. [discogs.com] |
CHART PERFORMANCE
ORIGINAL 1983 CAMPAIGN | UK REISSUE |
USA Billboard Hot 100 – No. 6 / 22 weeks | UK Gallup Singles Chart re-entry – November 26, 1983 |
USA Billboard Black Singles – No. 15 / 17 weeks | Peak – No. 66 |
USA Billboard Dance/Disco Top 80 – No. 61 / 7 weeks | Chart run – 2 weeks |
Canada Singles Chart – No. 5 / 13 weeks | The original April UK release had reached No. 54 during a six-week run. |
AWARDS & CERTIFICATIONS
AWARDS | CERTIFICATIONS |
3rd Minnesota Music Awards – 45 or EP of the Year – May 16, 1983. | No certification is listed in the supplied Prince Vault information. |
PRODUCTION
NOTES
NOTES – COLUMN ONE | NOTES – COLUMN TWO |
• Released in the UK on November 4, 1983. • This was the second UK release of Little Red Corvette during 1983. • Catalogue number W9436 / 929436-7. [discogs.com] • The A-side uses the 3:08 edit. • Horny Toad runs for 2:12. • The first UK edition, W9688, had instead featured Lady Cab Driver (Edit). | • W9436 exists with a special poster sleeve incorporating a 1982 calendar and photograph. [discogs.com] • A conventional picture-sleeve edition of W9436 also exists. [discogs.com] • The November reissue returned the single to the UK chart at No. 66 for two weeks. • The corresponding UK 12", W9436T, expanded the programme with the full 4:58 Little Red Corvette, Horny Toad and D.M.S.R.. • Further US and German reissues appeared in 1988 and 1989. |
RELATED RELEASES
RELATED RELEASE | CONNECTION |
1999 | Parent album |
W9688 | First UK 1983 edition: Little Red Corvette / Lady Cab Driver |
W9436 | November 1983 UK reissue: Little Red Corvette / Horny Toad |
W9436T | UK 12" retaining Horny Toad and adding D.M.S.R. |
RELEASE VARIANTS
UK VARIANT | DETAILS |
W9436 – Poster Sleeve | 7", 45 RPM; calendar/photo poster sleeve. [discogs.com] |
W9436 – Standard Picture Sleeve | 7", 45 RPM; conventional top-opening picture sleeve. [discogs.com] |
W9436T – 12" | Little Red Corvette / Horny Toad / D.M.S.R. |
TRACKLIST – UK 7" W9436
SIDE A | SIDE B |
Little Red Corvette (Edit) | Horny Toad |
3:08 | 2:12 |
TRACKLIST – UK 12" W9436T
SIDE A | SIDE B |
Little Red Corvette – 4:58 | D.M.S.R. – 8:15 |
Horny Toad – 2:12 |
A NOTE ON THE TWO UK RELEASES
FIRST UK RELEASE – W9688 SECOND UK RELEASE – W9436 Little Red Corvette appeared twice as a UK single during 1983, and the two editions are sometimes confused. The first UK issue, W9688, The November 4, 1983 reissue, W9436, changed the B-side to Horny Toad. Unlike Lady Cab Driver, Horny Toad was a non-album track, making the second edition a particularly distinctive release in the 1999 singles campaign.
The W9688 sleeve also advertised Prince's London Dominion appearances on April 18 and 19, supporting its place in the earlier UK campaign. W9436 received several physical configurations, including standard 7" pressings, poster-sleeve editions and an expanded 12" edition.
NOVEMBER 4, 1983 UK FORMATS
FORMAT CATALOGUE / EDITION7" Single W9436
7" Single W9436 – additional pressing
7" with Poster Sleeve W9436
7" with Poster Sleeve W9436 – additional pressing
12" Single W9436T
12" Single W9436T – additional pressing
12" with Poster W9436T
12" with Poster W9436T – additional pressing
The second UK edition is therefore more than a straightforward repress of the earlier single. With a new B-side, the non-album Horny Toad, a new catalogue number and multiple 7" and 12" configurations, I think it is best documented as a distinct November 1983 release rather than simply folded into the April edition.
Yes! 😄 That is a great bit of accidental timing, and worth mentioning in the Chronicle as a little observation rather than implying Warner deliberately chose the date for that reason.
Prince actually sings the date in All The Critics Love U In New York, so the November 4 reissue landing on that date gives this particular UK edition an extra little piece of Prince mythology.
I’d add this to NOTES, keeping the two-column layout:
NOTES | NOTES |
• The second UK edition appeared on November 4, 1983, with Horny Toad replacing Lady Cab Driver as the B-side. • Horny Toad was a non-album track, giving the reissue something unavailable on 1999. • Warner Bros. issued the second UK release across an unusually generous selection of 7", 12" and poster-sleeve configurations. | • There is also a particularly appropriate coincidence surrounding the release date. Prince references November 4 in All The Critics Love U In New York, another track from 1999. • Whether the November 4 release date was deliberately chosen for that connection is not established in the supplied information, but for collectors it makes the date unusually fitting for a Prince release. • A purple high on the fourth day of November, indeed. 💜 |
I would keep that final line. It's perfect for your Chronicle because it adds a little personality without presenting the coincidence as historical fact.
SOURCES Discogs, 45 World, Wikipedia, BBC Official Charts, Prince Vault, Sleeveographia2.
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.
No ownership of the original material is claimed or implied.
Comments