ATWIAD: Way overrated

its been a good while since i listened to this album. i've never had it on cd, recently got it used and i recall why i wasn't in a rush to get it on cd. VERY uneven. For some its a classic, or highly touted because of W & L's involvement, but for a 9 song album, it was lacking much, the songs i don't like are almost unlistenable.

Condition of the Heart - achingly long intro demotivates me to want to hear the actual song, which turns out to be anti-climatic

Temptation - i like the HARD rock approach, but it was overdone, vocals indiscernible
The Ladder - o-KAY but..

i love Raspberry, Pop Life, Paisley, America, Tambourine and the title track is ok but this album NEEDED She's Always in My Hair to actually be ON it, to account for these missteps. it was gr8 artistic curveball so ppl wouldn't put him in a "box", but i was surprised that despite the total number of songs that i like out of 9, the album felt unfulfilling and overblown

well it looks like the majority of them U like

And I totally disagree about Condition of the Heart classic Prince and to me this is one of the 1st songs were he really showcases his piano skills
(He wrote this as a backdrop story to Under the Cherry Moon)

ATWIAD is one of my top 3 favorit Prince albums
and all 3 B sides are hot:She's Always In My Hair, Hello, Girl


http://prince.org/msg/7/309890 Around the World in a Day 4.22.1985

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[Edited 6/29/09 9:41am]

I do have moments where I just can't deal with this album. Other times, I can get into it. I would agree with the general opinion that songs like "She's Always In My Hair" and "Girl" or even "Hello" could have been on the album, while cutting out the long COTH intro. Cutting off the tag ending of "Temptation".

I think the whole set should have started with "America", and ended with the title track.

One of my favorites too. Brilliant album, but even more so, it was a statement of sorts that he wasn't going to keep making 'Purple Rain II' over and over again. It was a complete reversal from PR- quirky, psychadelic, reverse beats, non-commercial- and yet still heartfelt and funky. ATWIAD, not Purple Rain, convinced me that Prince was truly brilliant and genuine.

i remember getting chills the first time i heard 'condition of the heart', and to this day i think it's an incredibly effective song emotionally.

there are things i like about 'the ladder' and 'temptation' but i always thought those were the weakest links on the album. too much chit-chat, maybe. they were more message than melody. that said, the guitar in the first half of 'temptation' still kicks my ass, and there is some nice stuff going on in 'the ladder'. i do think you have to be in the mood to listen to that album from beginning to end, but when you take it all into account...the ideas, the production, the remixes and extended versions, the artwork...i think it's a pretty important album where prince's career is concerned. or if not important, at least significant.

Anxiety said:

Anxiety said:

Anxiety said:

For sure this album would have benefited from the inclusion of She's Always in my Hair. The real thing I don't get is why Prince used the Version on ATWIAD on the album instead of the unreleased version (much more similar to how it was played live as well). Does anybody know the specific reason(s) why he used the less pop oriented version of this track?

As for Condition, I've actually gone in with a music editor and snipped off the interlude segment at the beginning, much better for adding into mixes as well.

Genesia said:

Anxiety said:

i remember getting chills the first time i heard 'condition of the heart', and to this day i think it's an incredibly effective song emotionally.

there are things i like about 'the ladder' and 'temptation' but i always thought those were the weakest links on the album. too much chit-chat, maybe. they were more message than melody. that said, the guitar in the first half of 'temptation' still kicks my ass, and there is some nice stuff going on in 'the ladder'. i do think you have to be in the mood to listen to that album from beginning to end, but when you take it all into account...the ideas, the production, the remixes and extended versions, the artwork...i think it's a pretty important album where prince's career is concerned. or if not important, at least significant.

Agreed.

I also like the whole, "Don't get it twisted - I won't be rehashing Purple Rain" attitude of the thing. The first time I listened to this album, I thought, "Oh, maaaaan! Some purple heads are going to explode over this one!"

I think it took quite a lot of guts to release this album. It's filled with great tracks, only the title song is slightly weaker (he should have released the rockier alternate I think). This is one of the Prince albums that really take a lot of effort to get into, even more so then TRC or Lovesexy.

As said above, the b-sides and the extended single versions (check out the extended version of Pop Life on the UK 12"!) make this an even more impressive album that I rate even higher than SOTT, which I think is somewhat overrated.

My highlight is The Ladder, the vocal delivery there is brilliant. As XNY said above I think they key-word fot this album is 'heartfelt', to a point Prince only returned during maybe TGE and definately TRC.

Together with DM this is quintessential Prince.

I can't say that it is overrated because it seems like this is one of Prince's least popular albums. I have never bothered purchasing it on CD (I have a cassette lying around somewhere).

Around the world in a day is one of my favorite Prince albums.

this is the album that changed my life in terms of viewing the work of all artists 2 not xpect the same as b4 but allowing them 2 grow musically. and 4 that i'm very grateful.


but if after the success of purple rain he would have relased planet earth, i think i might have said "THAT'S IT I'M DONE!" thankfully he didn't back then and thanks 4 lotus/mplsound i'm still around

I like it.
Paisley Park is a great track,very Beatle-esq

Fuck the funk - it's time to ditch the worn-out Vegas horns fills, pick up the geee-tar and finally ROCK THE MUTHA-FUCKER!! He hinted at this on Chaos, now it's time to step up and fully DELIVER!!

KrystleEyes 22/03/05

For me this is his best album. It took so much guts to release this directly after the PR hype.

The Ladder is one of my favorite songs and condition of the heart is truly magical.

Everybody got a different taste but this album hooked me to the artist.

muirdo said:

I agree with what others have said, the inclusion of Girl, Hello and She's Always in My Hair would have made this a stronger album (and cut the intro to Condition of the Heart and the outro to Temptation.)

I also include 4 The Tears in Your Eyes in my version of ATWIAD.

To me the weak link is the title song. Don't like the version used, and the arrangement is a little annoying.

LOVE the vocals on The Ladder.

NoVideo said:

OldFriends4Sale said:

OldFriends4Sale said:

eelco said:

I loved the cd, start 2 finish.....especially live.

...i L-O-V-E the album name!!!...
..so who was reading jules vern??..
..mzsexybaby

overrated? I don't think so, cuz it's a truly fine album,

I it from start to finish:

Raspberry Beret (New Mix 6:37)
Paisley Park (Remix 6:59)
She's Always In My Hair (New Mix 6:33)
Pop Life (UK Extended Version 9:08)
Pop Life (Fresh Dance Mix 6:20)
Hello (Fresh Dance Mix 6:15)
America (21:39)

those 12 Inch versions are some of Prince's finest material,

Hello... I'm Come funkateer 'Danceelectric'
from Housequake.com

I love the album from start to finish but it is definately overrated around here and was definately not the right album to release after "Purple Rain". But believe it or not y'all, "Condition Of The Heart" is my favorite track on the album and even was back in 1985.

ATWIAD isn't one of my favorites,either.I find much of it to be....boring The best song is "Paisley Park",but the other songs range from good to mediocre.Not one of his strongest efforts.

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[Edited 6/29/09 13:05pm]

vainandy said:

I love the album from start to finish but it is definately overrated around here and was definately not the right album to release after "Purple Rain". But believe it or not y'all, "Condition Of The Heart" is my favorite track on the album and even was back in 1985.

I rate those songs very high:

Around The World In A Day (3:25) 10
Paisley Park (4:41) 10
Condition Of The Heart (6:46) 10
Raspberry Beret (3:31) 10
Tamborine (2:46) 9
America (3:40) 10
Pop Life (3:42) 10
The Ladder (5:26) 10
Temptation (8:17) 9

Another masterpiece.....

Hello... I'm Come funkateer 'Danceelectric'
from Housequake.com

This album can not be overrated. If anything, it's not appreciated enough since it received such a lukewarm reception post-PR and is so little-known outside the fan community. Though I suppose since that seems to have been Prince's goal with doing this musical 180 that that's not really a bad thing. It is, IMO, one of those rare, perfect albums that only comes along once in a long time. I don't listen to it much, but when I do I never feel the need to skip a track.


[Edited 6/29/09 13:19pm]

Adonis & Bathsheba

Is this an outtake from this album/period or when?