"Cream" is a song by American singer-songwriter Prince and his backing band the New Power Generation, released in September 1991 by Paisley Park and Warner as the second single from Prince's 13th studio album, Diamonds and Pearls (1991). In a 2004 MTV special, Prince joked that he wrote the song while looking at himself in the mirror. "Cream" became Prince's fifth and last number-one single on the US Billboard Hot 100, staying at the top for two weeks. The song entered the top 10 in 15 other countries worldwide, peaking within the top three in Australia, Canada, Norway, and Switzerland. Its music video was directed by Rebecca Blake. David Browne from Entertainment Weekly described it as "a standard-issue funk workout with oh-so-daring lyrics like U got the horn so why don't U blow it!". George Caplan from Melody Maker complimented it as an "excellent" single, "with its ghostly, Hendrix guitars transcending mere pastiche." Another Melody Maker editor, Everett True, wrote, "'Cream' is drab run-of-the-numbers funk, with only the occasional smoothed-out vocal to recommend it." Pan-European magazine Music & Media commented, "Could this second single from the new album Diamonds and Pearls be a leftover composition of the never-realised Prince/Bonnie Raitt collaboration?" They also concluded, "This basic R&B song is definitely his best single since 1989's "Alphabet Street"." A reviewer from People Magazine deemed it as "tart and bluesy". David Fricke from Rolling Stone described it as "Kiss" "with a garagey funkadelic kick". Another Rolling Stone editor felt the song is "impossibly slinky". Scott Poulson-Bryant from Spin viewed it as "poppy glam-rock". Neil McKay from Sunday Life complimented it as "irresistible pop".
Retrospective response
In a 2016 retrospective review, Patrick Corcoran from Albumism stated that the oft-repeated tale of "Cream"'s composition "doesn't lessen the impact of its swaggering braggadocio years later". Stephen Thomas Erlewine from AllMusic called it a "sexy T. Rex groove" and a "terrific" pop single. Mike Diver for the BBC said in his 2010 review, that it is "quite simply a song about getting it on, and a brilliant one at that".
Music video
A music video was made to accompany the song, directed by Rebecca Blake. It was filmed in Los Angeles on May 31 and June 1, 5 and 6, 1991.
Influence and legacy
In 2020, Cleveland.com ranked "Cream" at number 33 in their list of the best Billboard Hot 100 number-one song of the 1990s, stating that it "fully realizes the sultry funk odyssey Prince was going for on his 13th studio album." The Guardian ranked it number 18 in their list of "Prince's 50 Greatest Singles – Ranked!" in 2019. Alexis Petridis viewed the song as a "glorious, loving homage to "Get It On", complete with lyrical echoes (the object of Prince's affections is "filthy-cute" as opposed to "dirty-sweet")." He added, "Never given to underestimating his own importance, Marc Bolan would doubtless have adored it." NME ranked "Cream" number 34 in their list of "Singles of the Year" in December 1991.
Personnel
Personnel are from adapted from Benoît Clerc and Guitarcloud
- Prince – lead and backing vocals, electric lead guitar, Roland R-8
- Levi Seacer Jr. – electric rhythm guitar
- Rosie Gaines – Hammond organ, backing vocals
- Tommy Barbarella – synthesizers
- Sonny T. – bass guitar
- Michael B. – drums
Track listing
Several tracks on this release include unlisted telephone segues, and are listed with separate lengths on this page.
Charts
Weekly charts
{|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+Weekly chart performance for "Cream"
!Chart (1991–1992)
!Peak<br/>position
|-
|-
|-
|-
|-
|-
!scope="row"|Denmark (IFPI)
| 6
|-
!scope="row"|Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)
| 6
|-
!scope="row"|Europe (European Dance Radio)
| 2
|-
!scope="row"|Europe (European Hit Radio)
| 3
|-
!scope="row"|Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)
| 15
|-
|-
|-
|-
!scope="row"|Italy (Musica e dischi)
| 4
|-
!scope="row"|Luxembourg (Radio Luxembourg)
| 9
|-
|-
|-
|-
|-
!scope="row"|Portugal (AFP)
| 7
|-
!scope="row"|Spain (AFYVE)
| 8
|-
|-
|-
|-
|-
!scope="row"|UK Airplay (Music Week)
| 13
|-
!scope="row"|UK Dance (Music Week)
| 26
|-
|-
!scope="row"|US Cash Box Top 100
| 1
|}
Year-end charts
{|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+1991 year-end chart performance for "Cream"
!Chart (1991)
!Position
|-
!scope="row"|Australia (ARIA)
| 78
|-
!scope="row"|Belgium (Ultratop)
| 83
|-
!scope="row"|Canada Top Singles (RPM)
| 37
|-
!scope="row"|Europe (European Hit Radio)
| 32
|-
!scope="row"|Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)
| 54
|-
!scope="row"|Netherlands (Single Top 100)
| 59
|-
!scope="row"|Sweden (Topplistan)
| 37
|-
!scope="row"|US Billboard Hot 100
| 66
|-
!scope="row"|US Cash Box Top 100
| 31
|}
{|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+1992 year-end chart performance for "Cream"
!Chart (1992)
!Position
|-
!scope="row"|Australia (ARIA)
| 24
|-
!scope="row"|New Zealand (RIANZ)
| 43
|-
!scope="row"|Sweden (Topplistan)
| 92
|-
!scope="row"|US Cash Box Top 100
| 39
|}