Single:
1999 entered the Australian singles chart* on 14 Februrary 1983 and peaked at #2. The song was #23 on the Top 100 of 1983.
Album:
The song is on 1999. A double album version entered the Australian albums chart* on 4 April 1983 and peaked at #35. A single album version entered the Australian albums chart* on 9 May 1983 and peaked at #36.
Songwriter:
Prince
Producer:
Prince
Record label of Australian release:
Warner Bros
*Kent Music Report / Australian Chart Book. See About.
Wikipedia:
Written in 1982 during the height of the Cold War, this party jam has a much deeper meaning, as Prince addresses fears of a nuclear Armageddon. Under the Reagan administration, the United States was stockpiling nuclear weapons and taking a hawkish stance against the Soviet Union. This scared a lot of people, and Prince voices their concerns:
“Everybody’s got a bomb, we could all die any day”
He is far more optimistic though, responding by making the point that we should enjoy whatever time we have on earth while we still can, even if it all ends by the year 2000:
“But before I’ll let that happen I’ll dance my life away”
Read more: www.songfacts.com/facts/prince/1999
Lyrics:
I was dreamin’ when I wrote this
Forgive me if it goes astray
But when I woke up this morning
Could have sworn it was judgement day
Click for full lyrics
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