For You

For You
Studio album by Prince
Released	April 7, 1978
Recorded	October–December 1977 Record Plant, Sausalito Sausalito, California, U.S.
Genre	Pop, funk, disco
Length	33:24
Label	Warner Bros.
Producer	Prince
Professional reviews
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Prince chronology
For You (1978) Prince (1979)

For You is Prince's debut album, released on April 7, 1978, two months shy of his 20th birthday, and bearing the classic tag, "Written, composed, performed, and recorded by Prince." It is generally regarded as a promising but somewhat insubstantial early effort. The album sold 430,000 copies in the U.S. and 983,000 copies worldwide. However, during the period of its release, it only sold 150,000 copies in the U.S., 430,000 copies worldwide, reached #163 in the U.S. (#21 R&B), and produced the single "Soft and Wet" which peaked at #92 (#12 R&B).

Music

The album opens with the title track, an a cappella recording which states: "All of this and more is for you. With love, sincerity and deepest care, my life with you I share." This would foreshadow Prince's career of speaking mostly through his music, rather than conventional interviews. Next is "In Love", a bouncy disco track with the very Princely sexual metaphor: "I just want to bathe in your river." The album's only hit, "Soft and Wet", follows. The dance track's combination of sexy lyrics and pop-funk music is the direction Prince would follow to produce some of his biggest future hits. A ballad "Crazy You" is followed by "Just as Long as We're Together", another disco track which ends in a musical coda showcasing Prince's musical prowess.

Side 2 opens with "Baby", a ballad about an unplanned child, but which is not portrayed in a negative light. (A portion of the music from this track was later reused on his 1995 song, "I Hate U".) A light pop-disco number follows, entitled "My Love Is Forever". The country-tinged "So Blue" features Prince on acoustic guitar supplemented by airy synths. The album closes with "I'm Yours", the album's only full-on rock and roll song featuring blazing guitar solos.

The album was clearly intended to establish Prince as an artist and to prove his merits.He lists all 23 instruments he plays on the album, though most were different types of synthesizers, and he did receive some help on various tracks. The album was produced to the point of spending triple the allotted budget. Because of this, Prince's next album would have to have some hits to recoup this somewhat lackluster release.

Track listing

All tracks composed and arranged by Prince; except where noted.

Side one

1. "For You" – 1:08
2. "In Love" – 3:37
3. "Soft and Wet" (Chris Moon, Prince) – 3:02
4. "Crazy You" – 2:17
5. "Just as Long as We're Together" – 6:24

Side two

1. "Baby" – 3:10
2. "My Love Is Forever" – 4:11 (co-written by Moon, but not credited)
3. "So Blue" – 4:30
4. "I'm Yours" – 5:01

Chart history

• "Soft and Wet" (#91 U.S., #12 R&B)

1. "Soft and Wet"
2. "So Blue"

• "Just as Long as We're Together" (#91 U.S. R&B)

1. "Just as Long as We're Together"
2. "In Love"

Personnel

Prince - vocals, guitars, Arp string ensemble, piano, Clavinet, synthesizer, bass, drums, percussion [1]