Damn U

"Damn U" is a song by Prince and The New Power Generation from the 1992 Love Symbol album.[1] It is a slow-grooving romantic R&B ballad, featuring strings and violin. Prince sings of a woman who affects him greatly emotionally, and uses the term "damn u" as an expression of surprise at the woman's power over him. His vocal range shifts throughout the song from very high falsetto to his deeper lower baritone. The B-side was "2 Whom It May Concern", which was also available on the maxi single for "7".

For other topics, see Damn You.
"Damn U"
US 7" single
Single by Prince and The New Power Generation
from the album Love Symbol Album
B-side"2 Whom It May Concern"
ReleasedNovember 17, 1992
RecordedPaisley Park Studios, September 1991 to March 1992
Genre
Length4:04
LabelPaisley Park/Warner Bros.
Songwriter(s)Prince
Producer(s)Prince
Prince and The New Power Generation singles chronology
"7"
(1992)		 "Damn U"
(1992)		 "The Morning Papers"
(1993)
Music video
"Damn U" on YouTube

Critical reception

Andy Healy from Albumism said the song is one of "the weak points" on the Love Symbol album, noting that it "underwhelm and feel more like filler".[2] Bray People called it a "soft" and "oozy" ballad.[3] Randy Clark from Cashbox described it as a "soulful ballad".[4] Greg Sandow from Entertainment Weekly said the "ironic, lounge-flavored "Damn U", glimmer with a strange, furtive light."[5] John Martinucci from Gavin Report stated, "Prince delivers this sultry, urban-only torchlight ballad and it has the same performance that made "Insatiable" and "Do Me Baby" memorable slow jams."[6] Music & Media called it a romantic ballad "for the after hours."[7]

Chart performance

"Damn U" was released as a limited edition single and tailored for the R&B market; it became the lowest charting single from the album. It failed to make the US Billboard Hot 100, but it peaked at number 8 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart. It fared better on the R&B/Hip-Hop chart, where it made the Top 40, peaking at number 32. It received the most airplay on Mainstream Urban and Urban Adult Contemporary radio stations, and reached the top 10 on R&R's UAC Airplay chart. The single was not released anywhere else in the world.

Music video

A music video was made to accompany the song, directed by Randee St. Nicholas.[8] It was published on YouTube in September 2017. As of November 2020, the video has been viewed more than 1,3 million times.[9] It features Prince singing in the outfit he is wearing on the cover, sitting on a stool with shots of the New Power Generation performing the music. The video is notable for featuring Mayte Garcia, and was used in the 1994 direct-to-video film 3 Chains o' Gold.

Charts
Chart (1992–93) Peak
position
US Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles 8
US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs 32

References
  1. http://www.discogs.com/Prince-And-The-New-Power-Generation-Damn-U/master/97261
  2. Healy, Andy (12 October 2017). "Prince's 'Love Symbol' Album Turns 25: Anniversary Retrospective". Albumism. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  3. Bray People. 6 November 1992. p. 30. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
  4. Clark, Randy (24 October 1992). "Music Reviews: Albums - Pick Of The Week" (PDF). Cashbox. p. 5. Retrieved 1 November 2020.
  5. Sandow, Greg (23 October 1992). "The Artist Formerly Known As Prince". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2 November 2020.
  6. Martinucci, John (13 November 1992). "Urban: New Releases" (PDF). Gavin Report. p. 20. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
  7. "New Releases: Albums" (PDF). Music & Media. 24 October 1992. p. 9. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
  8. "Damn U (1993) by Prince feat. The New Power Generation". IMVDb. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
  9. "Prince & The New Power Generation - Damn U (Official Music Video)". YouTube. 29 September 2017. Retrieved 28 November 2020.


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