Album of the Day

Puritanical is an adjective you’ll never see used to describe Prince Rogers Nelson, born on this day in 1958. While sex has been a popular subject since the beginning of rock ‘n’ roll (itself a sexual euphemism), it’s often merely a tease in the hands of artists less talented than Prince, whose 1980 album DIRTY MIND brought the singer widespread critical acclaim. If the lyrics to “Do It All Night,” “Head” and the title track leave little to the imagination, the funk, new wave and rock settings will get your blood pumping just as quickly. RIAA-certified Gold and still frequently cited as among the decade’s best, DIRTY MIND is the first truly great album from one of popular music’s most fertile minds.