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Damn U
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Wikipedia article
{{Infobox song
| name = Damn U
| cover = Prince_DamnU.jpg
| alt =
| caption = US 7" single
| type = single
| artist = Prince and The New Power Generation
| album = Love Symbol Album
| B-side = 2 Whom It May Concern
| released = November 17, 1992
| recorded = Paisley Park Studios, September 1991 to March 1992
| studio =
| venue =
| genre =
| length = 4:04
| label = Paisley Park/Warner Bros.
| writer = Prince
| producer = Prince
| prev_title = 7
| prev_year = 1992
| next_title = The Morning Papers
| next_year = 1993
| misc =
}}
"'Damn U'" is a song by American musician Prince and The New Power Generation, released as a single from the 1992 'Love Symbol' album. 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".
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". Irish newspaper 'Bray People' called it a "soft" and "oozy" ballad.'Bray People'. 6 November 1992. p. 30. Retrieved 28 November 2020. Randy Clark from 'Cashbox' described it as a "soulful ballad". Greg Sandow from 'Entertainment Weekly' said the "ironic, lounge-flavored "Damn U", glimmer with a strange, furtive light." John Martinucci from the '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." A reviewer from 'Music & Media' called it a romantic ballad "for the after hours."
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. It was published on YouTube in September 2017. As of November 2020, the video has been viewed more than 1,3 million times. 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
References
Category:1992 singles
Category:1992 songs
Category:Music videos directed by Randee St. Nicholas
Category:Paisley Park Records singles
Category:Prince (musician) songs
Category:Pop ballads
Category:Song recordings produced by Prince (musician)
Category:Songs written by Prince (musician)
Category:Warner Records singles
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