Black Sweat
| "Black Sweat" | ||
|---|---|---|
| File:Black sweat.jpg | ||
| Single by Prince | ||
| From the album 3121 | ||
| Single Released | February 7,2006 (USA) March 27, 2006 (UK) | |
| Single Format | 12" Single Digital single CD Single | |
| Recorded | 2005 | |
| Genre | Funk | |
| Song Length | 3:12 | |
| Record label | NPG Records/Universal Records/Unique Records - (UK release) | |
| Writer | Prince | |
| Producer | Prince | |
| Lyrics | - | |
| Chart Positions | #2 (Canada) #60 (United States) | |
| Prince US and UK single chronology | ||
| "Te Amo Corazón" 2005 |
"Black Sweat" 2006 |
N/A |
"Black Sweat" is a single by Prince, from his 2006 album 3121. The video to accompany the single was released on February 2, 2006.
The song showcases minimalist funk alongside hip hop elements. Similar to "When Doves Cry" and "Kiss", a bassline is absent from the mix, which is an unusual occurrence in a pop song.
The Song
In the song lyrics Prince is apprehensive to dance in the presence of a beautiful woman, but doesn't have a choice because the music is so funky - "I don't want too dance too hard, baby, but this is a groove (yes it is! funky!)". He is also scared to take his clothes off in front her although he wants to ("I don't want 2 take my clothes off, but I do"). He overcomes his inhibitions and just does what comes naturally because he knows he's hot ("I'm hot, and I don't care who knows it, I got a job to do").
Music video
The seemingly low budget video, presented in black and white, has just one scene of a blank background and a seventies-styled chair placed in the center. The video stars Prince and features Celestina, who dances rather seductively to the music, occasionally leaning and lying over the chair as Prince sings. Sanaa Hamri directed the video. It is available in iTunes for $1.99.
Chart performance
For the week ending March 11 2006, "Black Sweat" debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 at number sixty (Prince's highest debut in years), and at number eighty-three on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles and Tracks chart. It also debuted at number one on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles Sales chart, which tabulates both physical and digital sales.
The song's initial surge of 11,500 digital singles sales was prompted by a month-long promotion with iTunes, in which four consumers would win a private concert performance by Prince (source: Billboard magazine, issue date 11 March 2006). "Black Sweat" was bundled with a second track, "Beautiful, Loved and Blessed". The song's lofty Hot 100 debut was attributed to this promotional tactic. As is typical with songs whose chart position is predominantly attributed to initial sales (with little or no radio airplay), "Black Sweat" dropped off the Hot 100 the following week.
"Black Sweat" debuted at number two on the Canadian Singles Chart. The track is released March 27 2006 in the UK. The video continues to be heavily circulated on music TV.
Chart trajectories
| Canadian Singles Chart trajectory | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Chart position | 29 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||