Around the World in a Day | ||||
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Studio album by Prince and the Revolution | ||||
Released | April 22, 1985 | |||
Recorded | February–December 1984 | |||
Studio |
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Genre | ||||
Length | 42:33 | |||
Label | Paisley Park, Warner Bros. | |||
Producer | Prince | |||
Prince chronology | ||||
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Singles from Around the World in a Day | ||||
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Around the World in a Day [8] is the seventh studio album by American recording artist Prince, and the second release on which his backing band the Revolution is billed. It was released on April 22, 1985, by Paisley Park Records and Warner Bros. Records. Departing somewhat from the commercial sound of his previous release, the massively successful Purple Rain (1984), the album instead saw Prince experimenting with psychedelic styles and more opulent textures. In compliance with Prince's wishes, the record company released the album with minimal publicity, withholding accompanying singles until almost a month after the album's release. [9]
Around the World in a Day was released to mixed reception among crossover audiences after the success of Purple Rain, though it nonetheless sold relatively well and became Prince and the Revolution's second number-one album on the Billboard 200. Two of its four singles reached the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100: "Raspberry Beret" and "Pop Life". Following Prince's death, "Raspberry Beret" re-charted on the Billboard Hot 100 as a top 40 hit, reaching number 33. [10] Around the World in a Day was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on July 2, 1985.
Recording for Around the World in a Day was begun in sessions dating back before that of Purple Rain . [11] Following six months of touring behind that bestselling album, Prince returned to recording. [11] An initial inspiration for the album's sound came in the form of a demo, recorded by David Coleman, the brother of Revolution band member Lisa Coleman, which would ultimately become the title track. [11]
The album pursued a dense, psychedelic style that made use of unconventional instruments and cryptic lyrics. [11] Its sound and album cover painting by Doug Henders (artist) drew numerous comparisons to the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album. [4] [9] Prince spoke in an interview about the album's sound and cover, denying inspiration from the Beatles:
"The influence wasn't the Beatles. They were great for what they did, but I don't know how that would hang today. The cover art came about because I thought people were tired of looking at me. Who wants another picture of him? I would only want so many pictures of my woman, then I would want the real thing. What would be a little more happening than just another picture would be if there was some way I could materialize in people's cribs when they play the record. I don't mind [the album being called psychedelic], because that was the only period in recent history that delivered songs and colors. Led Zeppelin, for example, would make you feel differently on each song." [12]
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Blender | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Chicago Sun-Times | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Entertainment Weekly | C [16] |
The Guardian | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Mojo | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Pitchfork | 8.8/10 [11] |
The Rolling Stone Album Guide | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Spin Alternative Record Guide | 4/10 [18] |
The Village Voice | B− [19] |
Despite the muted promotion and its less commercial sound, the album still had two American top 10 hits, and went double platinum. Initial critical reception was mixed, but retrospective reviews are positive.
According to Prince, George Clinton was a fan of the album. [12]
Greg Tate of Spin wrote, "Perhaps it's inevitable, given a career built as much on calculated mindfucking as mindblowing music, that Prince would choose to follow the best album of his career with the most bewildering, if not the worst." [20]
In a positive retrospective review for Pitchfork , Alan Light described the album as "a brave and deeply personal project, exploring sounds and ideas that were almost shocking coming from a pop icon at his peak." [11] Simon Price wrote for The Guardian that the album "always sounds better than you think it will, when you revisit." [2]
All tracks are written by Prince, except where noted
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
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1. | "Around the World in a Day" | Prince, John L. Nelson, David Coleman | 3:28 |
2. | "Paisley Park" | 4:42 | |
3. | "Condition of the Heart" | 6:48 | |
4. | "Raspberry Beret" | 3:33 | |
5. | "Tamborine" | 2:47 | |
Total length: | 21:18 |
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
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Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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New Zealand (RMNZ) [38] | Gold | 7,500^ |
United Kingdom (BPI) [39] | Gold | 100,000^ |
United States (RIAA) [40] | 2× Platinum | 2,000,000^ |
Summaries | ||
Worldwide | — | 4,300,000 [41] |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
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The Revolution is an American band formed in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 1979 by Prince, serving as his live band and later as his studio band. The band's sound incorporated rock, pop, R&B, funk, new wave and psychedelic elements. Along with Prince's other projects, the Revolution helped create the Minneapolis sound. By the time of their 1986 breakup, the Revolution had backed Prince on two studio albums, two soundtracks and two videos.
Parade is the eighth studio album by American recording artist Prince, and the third and final album where the Revolution is billed. It also was the soundtrack album to the 1986 film Under the Cherry Moon, directed by and starring Prince. It was released on March 31, 1986 by Paisley Park Records and Warner Bros. Records.
"Let's Go Crazy" is a 1984 song by Prince and The Revolution, from the album Purple Rain. It is the opening track on both the album and the film Purple Rain. "Let's Go Crazy" was one of Prince's most popular songs, and was a staple for concert performances, often segueing into other hits. When released as a single, the song became Prince's second number-one hit on the Billboard Hot 100, and also topped the two component charts, the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and Hot Dance Club Play charts, as well as becoming a UK Top 10 hit. The B-side was the lyrically controversial "Erotic City". In the UK, the song was released as a double A-side with "Take Me with U".
"Raspberry Beret" is a song written by American musician Prince and the lead single from Prince & the Revolution's 1985 album Around the World in a Day.
"Take Me with U" is a song by Prince and the Revolution, and the final US single released from their album, Purple Rain (1984).
"Paisley Park" is a 1985 song by Prince and The Revolution. It was the first single released in some international markets from their 1985 album, Around the World in a Day and so is also the album's last single internationally. "Paisley Park" was recorded 3 months after the Purple Rain album was released. Violin on the song was played by Novi Novog, and Wendy & Lisa provide backing vocals. The rest of the song was performed by Prince. The song reached the Top 40 in all of the countries it was released in. It peaked within the Top 20 in both Ireland and the UK.
"Pop Life" is a song by Prince and the Revolution. It was the second US single from their 1985 album, Around the World in a Day, reaching number 7 in the US charts, becoming Prince's eighth top-ten hit in a two-year span.
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"Cool" is a song by The Time, released as the second single from their eponymous debut album. Like most of the album, the song was recorded in Prince's home studio in April 1981, and was produced, arranged, and performed by Prince with Morris Day later adding his lead vocals. The song was co-written with Revolution guitarist Dez Dickerson and contains background vocals by keyboardist Lisa Coleman, however both were uncredited.
Sheila E. in The Glamorous Life, often shortened as The Glamorous Life, is the first album by the singer-drummer-percussionist Sheila E., released on June 4, 1984. The title track, "The Glamorous Life", entered the US top ten, and her second single, "The Belle of St. Mark" charted in the US, UK, Ireland, Netherlands and New Zealand.
Romance 1600 is the second album by the singer-drummer-percussionist Sheila E. Prince contributed some backing vocals, guitar, and bass guitar, and co-wrote/co-produced "A Love Bizarre", a 12-minute epic that became a major hit in its edited radio-friendly form.
"The Beautiful Ones" is the third track on Prince and the Revolution's soundtrack album Purple Rain. It was one of three songs produced, arranged, composed, and performed by Prince, the other two being "When Doves Cry" and "Darling Nikki". The song was recorded at Sunset Sound in Los Angeles by Peggy Mac and David Leonard on September 20, 1983. The song replaced "Electric Intercourse" on the Purple Rain album.
Straight from the Heart is the tenth studio album by American singer-songwriter Peabo Bryson. It was released in 1984 on Elektra Records, his first of four discs for the label. The album peaked at number 44 on the US Billboard 200 and produced three singles, including his first top-ten pop hit "If Ever You're in My Arms Again", which also topped the Adult contemporary chart. Bryson himself co-produced the record as well as writing five of the eight songs himself and playing keyboards throughout the album.
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"Jungle Love" is a song from The Time's third album, Ice Cream Castle.
Prince had followed up Purple Rain with the psychedelic pop LP Around The World In A Day.