✦ Damn U – US Single: Nov. 1992

A velvet‑smooth slow jam from the Love Symbol era, paired with one of Prince’s funkiest B‑sides

✦ Summary

Damn U was released in the United States on November 17, 1992 as a 7-inch vinyl single on Paisley Park/Warner Bros. Records (7‑18700), backed with the interlude‑style funk collage 2 Whom It May Concern.

As the fifth commercial single from the Love Symbol album, the track showcased Prince & The New Power Generation at their most sensual — a quiet‑storm ballad built on orchestral swells, falsetto yearning, and immaculate restraint. The single performed strongly on the US R&B charts, peaking at No. 32 on Billboard Hot R&B Singles for an impressive 18 weeks, and reaching No. 108 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 for 8 weeks.

Issued across vinyl, cassette, promo CD, 12-inch promo, and test pressing formats, Damn U remains a quintessential ’90s Prince slow jam and a favourite among collectors.

✦ Highlights

• Released November 17, 1992 in the US on Paisley Park/Warner Bros.

• Fifth commercial single from the Love Symbol album

• B‑side: 2 Whom It May Concern, sampling The Headhunters’ God Make Me Funky

• Peaked at No. 32 on Billboard Hot R&B Singles (18 weeks)

• Peaked at No. 108 on Bubbling Under Hot 100 (8 weeks)

• Issued in 7-inch, cassette, CD single, promo CD, promo 12-inch, and test pressing formats

✦ Track Details

7-inch Vinyl (7‑18700)

A: Damn U (Album Version) — 4:04

B: 2 Whom It May Concern — 4:01

Runouts: [SRC logo] 7‑18700‑A/B SR1 I‑I

Cassette Single – Variant 1 (9 18700‑4 / 4‑18700)

A: Damn U — 4:04

B: 2 Whom It May Concern — 4:01

Cassette Single – Variant 2 (9 18700‑4 / 4‑18700)

Same tracklist; alternate shell markings (timescale 100/50/0 with 11 hatchmarks)

CD Single – Card Sleeve (9 18700‑2 / 2‑18700)

1: Damn U — 4:04

2: 2 Whom It May Concern — 4:01

CD Single – Promo (PRO‑CD‑5890)

1: Damn U (Album Version) — 4:01

12-inch Promo (PRO‑A‑5890)

A: Damn U (Album Version) — 4:01

B: Damn U (Album Version) — 4:01

12-inch Promo – Test Pressing (PRO‑A‑5890)

A: Damn U (Album Vers.) — 4:04

B: Damn U (Album Vers.) — 4:04

Spain 7-inch Promo (Warner Bros. 1602, 1993)

A: Damn U — 4:04

B: Damn U — 4:04

✦ Chart Performance

United States: No. 32 — Billboard Hot R&B Singles (18 weeks)

United States: No. 108 — Bubbling Under Hot 100 (8 weeks)

International: Spain promo only; no commercial chart entries

✦ Discography

Love Symbol Era Singles:

Sexy MF — Single: 1992

My Name Is Prince — Single: 1992

7 — Single: 1992

Damn U — Single: Nov. 1992

The Morning Papers — Single: 1993

Love Symbol — Album: 1992

✦ Prince Era Mini‑Timeline

Oct. 1992 — Love Symbol album released

Nov. 17, 1992 — Damn U single released in the US

1993 — The Morning Papers continues the era’s rollout

1994 — The Gold Experience sessions begin

✦ Glam Flashback

Damn U is one of Prince’s most elegant slow jams — a velvet‑lined confession delivered with orchestral finesse and symbol‑era sophistication. Paired with the funky, sample‑driven 2 Whom It May Concern, the single captures both sides of Prince’s early‑’90s creativity: sensual minimalism and playful experimentation. Its long R&B chart run and wide array of promo formats make it a standout collectible from the Love Symbol period.

✦ Sources

Prince Vault, Discogs, 45cat, AllMusic, Rate Your Music, Wikipedia, Billboard Chart History, YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Box4XDvBSgE

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