PRINCE (October 16, 1981) – "Sexuality" b/w "Controversy" Format: 7" Single: GER
"Sexuality" was released as the second single from Prince's fourth studio album, Controversy. The single was issued in West Germany on October 16, 1981, around the same period that the Controversy album was released in the United States on October 14, 1981.
Unlike many Prince singles of the period, "Sexuality" was only issued in selected international territories. The release appeared in West Germany, Japan and Australia, while other territories did not receive the single in the same format.
The release paired the album version of "Sexuality" with material drawn directly from the Controversy album. In West Germany and Japan, the B-side featured an edited version of "Controversy", while the Australian release used "I Wanna Be Your Lover" as its companion track.
The single did not chart in the United States, but achieved a chart position in Australia, reaching number 88.
RECORDING
Both "Sexuality" and "Controversy" originated from the Controversy album.
No non-album tracks were included on the release.
STYLE & THEMES
"Sexuality" was issued in its album form as the featured A-side.
The release paired the track with recordings drawn from Prince's existing catalogue, including both an edited version of "Controversy" and, in Australia, "I Wanna Be Your Lover".
TRACK‑BY‑TRACK NOTES
• Sexuality — Released as the A-side in all territories. The album version running 4:20 was used.
• Controversy (Edit) — Featured as the B-side on the West German and Japanese 7-inch releases. Running time: 3:35.
• I Wanna Be Your Lover — Used as the B-side on the Australian release.
• Controversy — Included in full-length form on the West German 12-inch release, running 7:14.
RELEASE HISTORY
Released on October 16, 1981, the single served as the second release from the Controversy album.
The record was issued only in West Germany, Japan and Australia during the initial release campaign. Its release coincided with the launch of the Controversy album in the United States, while many international markets did not receive the album until several weeks later.
West German releases were issued in both 7-inch and 12-inch formats. Japanese issues mirrored the German 7-inch configuration, while Australia received a unique pairing featuring "I Wanna Be Your Lover" on the reverse side.
CHARTS & CERTIFICATIONS
Australia: Top 100 Singles — Peak: 88 — Weeks: 3 (tbc)
PERSONNEL
Prince — vocals, songwriter, performer
PRODUCTION
Produced by Prince
Label: Warner Bros. Records
NOTES
No non-album tracks were issued on the West German or Japanese configurations.
The single was released only in West Germany, Japan and Australia.
The Australian issue used a different B-side from the European and Japanese editions.
The release coincided with the launch of the Controversy album in the United States during October 1981.
See individual tracks and related albums for additional recording credits.
RELEASE VARIANTS TABLE
Artist | Title | Label | Country | Catalogue | Date | Format |
Prince | Sexuality / Controversy (Edit) | Warner Bros. | West Germany | WB 17869 | October 16, 1981 | 7" Single |
Prince | Sexuality / Controversy | Warner Bros. | West Germany | WB 26197 | October 16, 1981 | 12" Single |
--- | INTERNATIONAL VARIANTS | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
Prince | Sexuality / Controversy (Edit) | Warner Bros. | Japan | P-1619 | 1981 | 7" Single |
Prince | Sexuality / I Wanna Be Your Lover | Warner Bros. | Australia | MX205217-8 | 1981 | 7" Single |
TRACKLIST TABLE
Format | Catalogue | Tracklisting |
7" Single | WB 17869 | A. Sexuality (4:20) B. Controversy (Edit) (3:35) |
7" Single | P-1619 | A. Sexuality (4:20) B. Controversy (Edit) (3:35) |
7" Single | MX205217-8 | A. Sexuality (4:20) B. I Wanna Be Your Lover (5:47) |
12" Single | WB 26197 | A. Sexuality (4:20) B. Controversy (7:14) |
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.
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