🎼 Sign O’ The Times — Single UK: Mar. 1987
- GlamSlamEscape
- Mar 2, 1987
- 3 min read
Updated: Apr 17
Lead single from Prince’s landmark 1987 album, backed with the previously‑unreleased “La, La, La, He, He, Hee”
A stark, electronic statement released six weeks before the album, with iconic cover art featuring Cat.
🟣 Summary
• Released 2 March 1987 in the UK, Sign O’ The Times was the first single from Prince’s ninth studio album.
• The b‑side, La, La, La, He, He, Hee, was previously unreleased at the time.
• The cover features Cat, a new bandmember, holding a large black heart obscuring her face — often mistaken for Prince.
• The single’s minimalist production, built largely on the Fairlight CMI, marked a dramatic stylistic shift from the lush arrangements of the Revolution era.
• The track received strong early US radio support, becoming the most‑added song on both Billboard’s Hot Black Singles and Hot 100 Singles Action charts on 7 March 1987.
• The single achieved major international success, reaching No. 3 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and No. 1 on the US Black Singles chart, and entering the top 10 in multiple European territories.
• Re‑released in 2020 as part of the Sign O’ The Times Singles Collection.
🟣 Highlights
• Released 2 March 1987 (UK)
• Lead single from Sign O’ The Times
• B‑side previously unreleased
• Cover features Cat (not Prince)
• US Billboard Hot 100 peak: No. 3
• US Black Singles peak: No. 1
• UK peak: No. 10
• Strong European chart performance
• Reissued in 2020
🟣 Track Details
7" Single
A. Sign O’ The Times (Edit) — 3:42
B. La, La, La, He, He, Hee — 3:21
Cat#: UK: W8399
12" Single
A. Sign O’ The Times (LP Version) — 4:57
B. La, La, La, He, He, Hee (Highly Explosive) — 10:32
Cat#: UK: W8399T
12" Picture Disc — UK
A. Sign O’ The Times (LP Version) — 4:57
B. La, La, La, He, He, Hee (Highly Explosive) — 10:32
Cat#: W8399TP
12" Promo — UK
A. Sign O’ The Times (LP Version) — 4:57
B. La, La, La, He, He, Hee (Highly Explosive) — 10:32
Cat#: SAM 349
12" 2007 Reissue — UK
A. Sign O’ The Times (LP Version) — 4:57
B. La, La, La, He, He, Hee (Highly Explosive) — 10:32
Cat#: 920 648‑0
🟣 Reissues & Global Variants
• 2007 UK 12" reissue
• 2020 Sign O’ The Times Singles Collection reissue
• Multiple European pressings with alternate catalogue numbers
🟣 Production and Context
• Written, produced, arranged, and performed by Prince
• Built primarily on the Fairlight CMI
• Lyrics address HIV/AIDS, gang violence, poverty, drug epidemics, and global instability
• Recorded during the transition from the Revolution era to Prince’s new solo workflow
• B‑side recorded during the Sign O’ The Times sessions but unreleased until this single
🟣 Singles Released
• Sign O’ The Times — 1987
• If I Was Your Girlfriend — 1987
• U Got The Look — 1987
• I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man — 1987
🟣 Chart Performance
• Gallup Singles Chart — No. 10 (14 March 1987)
Europe
• Ireland — No. 6
• Belgium — No. 8
• Netherlands — No. 7
• Norway — No. 7
🟣 Mini Discography
• Parade — 1986
• Sign O’ The Times — 1987
• Lovesexy — 1988
🟣 Mini‑Timeline
• Late 1986 — Final version recorded
• 2 March 1987 — UK single released
• 7 March 1987 — Most‑added song on US radio
• April 1987 — Album released
• 2020 — Single reissued
🟣 Glam Flashback
• The single’s stark production and unflinching social commentary marked a turning point in Prince’s artistic evolution, signalling a move toward leaner, more experimental textures that defined the Sign O’ The Times era.
🟣 Image & Artwork Copyright Notice
All images, photographs, and artwork referenced or displayed in this post remain the property of their respective copyright holders. They are included strictly for historical, educational, and archival purposes under fair‑use principles. No ownership is claimed, and all rights belong to the original creators, photographers, designers, and publishers.
🟣 Sources
Prince Vault
Billboard archives
Official Charts Company
Contemporary reviews and chart reports
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