For You (Prince album)



For You is the first studio album by American recording artist Prince. It was released on April 7, 1978 by Warner Bros. Records. The album bore the soon-to-be classic tag "produced, arranged, composed, and performed by Prince".

Production
The album was produced, arranged, composed, and performed by Prince, as it featured him writing all the songs and playing all 27 instruments on the record. The album was intended to establish Prince as an artist and to prove his merits; it was produced to the point of spending triple the allotted budget. Because of this, his next album would have to have some hits to recoup the somewhat lackluster release.

Singles
Its lead single, "Soft and Wet", became a minor hit on the US Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 92. However, it became a top-twenty hit on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, peaking at number 12 and establishing Prince as a popular teen star in the market. The second single released from the album, "Just as Long as We're Together", stalled at number 91 on the R&B charts.

Critical reception
Critical reviews were mixed. While critics felt Prince had talent and possessed "the most thrilling falsetto since Smokey Robinson", the album itself was regarded as a promising but somewhat insubstantial early disco effort.

Commercial performance
The album originally peaked at number 163 on the US Billboard 200 chart when it was released in 1978. It went on to sell approximately two million copies worldwide. In 2016, the album recharted on the Billboard 200 and peaked at number 138 after Prince's death. The album also peaked at number 200 on the French Albums Chart and number 156 on the UK Albums Chart even though it didn't originally chart in those countries.

Personnel

 * Prince - all vocals, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, Or bass, bass synth, singing bass, fuzz bass, Fender Rhodes electric piano, acoustic piano, Minimoog, Polymoog, ARP String Ensemble, ARP Pro Soloist, Oberheim 4-voice, clavinet, drums, syndrums, water drums, slapsticks, bongos, congas, finger cymbals, wind chimes, orchestral bells, wood blocks, brush trap, tree bell, hand claps, finger snaps