Can I tell you all that some things are no coincidences? This song is something other-worldly. A little more than a month after Prince's passing, I was travelling by road and it was raining. I was missing him just so much that I couldn't stop those damn tears. Just then, I spoke inwardly, I wish he knew how much we love him. Then this song came up on the playlist and I saw a strike of lightening. It turned the sky purple. And then, what followed was magical. I saw some 20 strikes that evening (tearing apart the chest of heaven down to the bosom of the earth), with the purple sky renting its heart out with the rain and this song on repeat. I have never seen such an amazing sky in my life. At night, on an empty road, when it had stopped raining, I danced to him, for him, with him on Erotic City, shouting his name out to the sky. The most beautiful night of my life.

Yesterday, a few of us were here in solidarity, wishing peace and love to one another, that we were one with him in the stardust we share. In the afternoon, I shed some more tears, thinking of how he was alone. And I wished that evening/night would return and I could feel one with him again. And the evening came and I played this song again, and amazingly, the sky turned purple again, blessing me with its lightening and its rain, proving once again, that he is listening. That he is stardust himself. And that he knows.

It feels spooky and human at the same time.

To all of you, love and peace.

Aerogram said:

I had this friend and colleague who didn't like Prince one bit, he decided to leave to work as a freelance writer/teacher/impressario.

Years later, he sent me an email to say they'd play one Prince song at one the shows he put together and it was Condition of the heart.

I didn't initially like the long intro but now -- it just makes the song stand apart among his ballads.

Now how cool is that sounds like he did like Prince after all...

FlyOnTheWall said:

CherryMoon57 said:

I have just listened to this song again and even though I have been playing it regularly for the past 30 years, it still blows my mind everytime. In my opinion, everything about this song is perfect and shows Prince's meticulousness and awe-inspiring talent at its best... From the fascinating beauty of the melancholic music to the universal aspect of the lyrics about disillusionment, as well as the poetry... well, what more can I say?

So, in your option, should Condition of the Heart be considered a masterpiece... or not, and why?

Absolutely!!!! I think Free is also a masterpiece.

Interesting that you mentioned Free, it is actually never far from Condition of the Heart in my playlists.

OldFriends4Sale said:

CherryMoon57 said:

Glad to see that you are an appreciator of this "masterpiece".

Appreciator? lol I'm in LOVE with that song. ATWIAD has always been my #1 favorite album. I still have my album/lp from 1985 and the Bsides.
Such a vulnerable song. A template of an early version of UTCM.

It moves so fast, waves of sound and expression.

That's what I'm talking about... It's so hard to find words to describe such mesmeric music. I think the vulnerability of the song comes from its nostalgic aspect, it is slightly distanced from what is portrayed, with the use of the past tense, it's all about regret, loss and sadness... It's also very metaphoric (the sounds of the sea and waves illustrating the fluctuation of emotions). I love it when Prince bares it all this way. I also love the way he pronounces that "heart" at the end. The cherry on the cake for me

mrfog said:

The intro always makes me feel like I'm watching a rainstorm swell to a thunderous, electric cataclysm, before the clouds finally break: crystal notes sounding like drops falling from trees and plants in the storm's aftermath. Then that brief guitar run takes flight into the clearing sky. When the melody comes in it's always as heartbreaking as the first time I heard it. And all that's before he even begins to sing...

You described it so beautifully... Thank you!

CherryMoon57 said:

OldFriends4Sale said:

Appreciator? lol I'm in LOVE with that song. ATWIAD has always been my #1 favorite album. I still have my album/lp from 1985 and the Bsides.
Such a vulnerable song. A template of an early version of UTCM.

It moves so fast, waves of sound and expression.

That's what I'm talking about... It's so hard to find words to describe such mesmeric music. I think the vulnerability of the song comes from its nostalgic aspect, it is slightly distanced from what is portrayed, with the use of the past tense, it's all about regret, loss and sadness... It's also very metaphoric (the sounds of the sea and waves illustrating the fluctuation of emotions). I love it when Prince bares it all this way. I also love the way he pronounces that "heart" at the end. The cherry on the cake for me

Just beautiful. Thank you.

Redisabsurd said:

Can I tell you all that some things are no coincidences? This song is something other-worldly. A little more than a month after Prince's passing, I was travelling by road and it was raining. I was missing him just so much that I couldn't stop those damn tears. Just then, I spoke inwardly, I wish he knew how much we love him. Then this song came up on the playlist and I saw a strike of lightening. It turned the sky purple. And then, what followed was magical. I saw some 20 strikes that evening (tearing apart the chest of heaven down to the bosom of the earth), with the purple sky renting its heart out with the rain and this song on repeat. I have never seen such an amazing sky in my life. At night, on an empty road, when it had stopped raining, I danced to him, for him, with him on Erotic City, shouting his name out to the sky. The most beautiful night of my life.

Yesterday, a few of us were here in solidarity, wishing peace and love to one another, that we were one with him in the stardust we share. In the afternoon, I shed some more tears, thinking of how he was alone. And I wished that evening/night would return and I could feel one with him again. And the evening came and I played this song again, and amazingly, the sky turned purple again, blessing me with its lightening and its rain, proving once again, that he is listening. That he is stardust himself. And that he knows.

It feels spooky and human at the same time.

To all of you, love and peace.

Thank you for sharing these powerful experiences redisabsurd, how incredible that must have been... that song definitely seems to harness that spiritual connection between our human emotions and the natural elements. And talking about coincidences, did you see, we posted almost the same thing at the exact same time!

Love & Peace to you

CherryMoon57 said:

Redisabsurd said:

Can I tell you all that some things are no coincidences? This song is something other-worldly. A little more than a month after Prince's passing, I was travelling by road and it was raining. I was missing him just so much that I couldn't stop those damn tears. Just then, I spoke inwardly, I wish he knew how much we love him. Then this song came up on the playlist and I saw a strike of lightening. It turned the sky purple. And then, what followed was magical. I saw some 20 strikes that evening (tearing apart the chest of heaven down to the bosom of the earth), with the purple sky renting its heart out with the rain and this song on repeat. I have never seen such an amazing sky in my life. At night, on an empty road, when it had stopped raining, I danced to him, for him, with him on Erotic City, shouting his name out to the sky. The most beautiful night of my life.

Yesterday, a few of us were here in solidarity, wishing peace and love to one another, that we were one with him in the stardust we share. In the afternoon, I shed some more tears, thinking of how he was alone. And I wished that evening/night would return and I could feel one with him again. And the evening came and I played this song again, and amazingly, the sky turned purple again, blessing me with its lightening and its rain, proving once again, that he is listening. That he is stardust himself. And that he knows.

It feels spooky and human at the same time.

To all of you, love and peace.

Thank you for sharing these powerful experiences redisabsurd, how incredible that must have been... that song definitely seems to harness that spiritual connection between our human emotions and the natural elements. And talking about coincidences, did you see, we posted almost the same thing at the exact same time!

Love & Peace to you

I guess, this is all love is. Connection. So so incredible that he touched so many souls. We were blessed to have him.

And that lightening emoticon is real good

Redisabsurd said:

CherryMoon57 said:

Thank you for sharing these powerful experiences redisabsurd, how incredible that must have been... that song definitely seems to harness that spiritual connection between our human emotions and the natural elements. And talking about coincidences, did you see, we posted almost the same thing at the exact same time!

Love & Peace to you

I guess, this is all love is. Connection. So so incredible that he touched so many souls. We were blessed to have him.

And that lightening emoticon is real good

Yes to all of that, and we're still blessed to have his music.

drumm23 said:

Around

The

World

In

A

Day

Absolutely stellar record. The title track; Paisley Park; Condition of the Heart; the Beret and *POP* LIFE.... fckin unbelievable musical accomplishment ... and he was, what? twenty seven years old! Wow.

I know... Just makes you realise what a genius he was. The song (and even the whole album) reveals a certain level of maturity, like he had already sussed out so much about music and life, so early... what an artist, what a man!

RJOrion said:

i always make my wife laugh when i try to sing this song, and i get to the part where he sings:

"....how was i to know that she would wear the same cologne as you and giggle the same giggle that you do...whenever i would act a fool, a fool with a condition of the heart....."

trying to impersonate that quirky vocal yodeling delivery he uses when he says giggle ... im always thinking i nailed it, but apparently, im fucking it up...i'll never stop doing it though...what a great song..

You're such a rebel you are, love your style!

Condition of the Heart

ROCK & SOUL * APRIL 1986

THE PRINCE INTERVIEW
Mr. Purple Discusses His Movies, His Music, His Musicians
And More, More, More.

By Michael Shore

Under the Cherry Moon is a love story, set in the 1940s and shot in black and white. Word from the set has it that the plot is more or less spelled out in the lyrics to "Condition of the Heart" on Around the World in a Day, which appears to be about a musician falling in love with a woman too rich and worldly for his own lifestyle.

There was a girl in Paris
Whom he sent a letter 2
Hoping she would answer back
Now wasn't that a fool
Hardy notion on the part of a
Sometimes lonely musician
Acting out a whim is only good
4 a condition of the heart

There was a dame from London
Who insisted that he love her
Then left him 4 a real prince
From Arabia, now isn't that
A shame that sometimes money
Buys U everything and nothing
Love, it only seems 2 buy a
Terminal condition of the heart

Thinking about U driving me crazy
My friends all say it's just a phase, but ooh-ooh
Every day is a yellow day
I'm blinded by the daisies in your yard

There was a woman from the ghetto
Who made funny faces just like
Clara Bow, how was I 2 know
That she would wear the same
Cologne as U and giggle the same
Giggle that U do?
Whenever I would act a fool, the fool
With a condition of the heart

Thinking about U driving me crazy
My friends all say it's just a phase, but ooh-ooh
Every single day is a yellow day
I'm blinded by the daisies in your yard

There was a girl (There was a girl in Paris)
whom he sent a letter to... (Whom he sent a letter 2)
(Hoping she would answer back)
She never answered back and now (wasn't that a foolhardy)
He's got a condition of the heart. (notion ...)

Initial tracking took place on 9 October, 1984

at Sunset Sound, Hollywood, CA, USA (the day after Yes).

Condition of the Heart
All instruments and voices performed by Prince
Recorded at Sunset Sound by Peggy Mac

OldFriends4Sale said:

CherryMoon57 said:

Glad to see that you are an appreciator of this "masterpiece".

Appreciator? lol I'm in LOVE with that song. ATWIAD has always been my #1 favorite album. I still have my album/lp from 1985 and the Bsides.
Such a vulnerable song. A template of an early version of UTCM.

It moves so fast, waves of sound and expression.

Yes! It's not difficult to imagine Christopher Tracy singing it.

mrfog said:

The intro always makes me feel like I'm watching a rainstorm swell to a thunderous, electric cataclysm, before the clouds finally break: crystal notes sounding like drops falling from trees and plants in the storm's aftermath. Then that brief guitar run takes flight into the clearing sky. When the melody comes in it's always as heartbreaking as the first time I heard it. And all that's before he even begins to sing...

Wonderful description!

CherryMoon57 said:

RodeoSchro said:

It is to me.

There's a Prince tribute band in Houston called The Breakdown. They played at a Prince party a couple Saturdays ago. Their setlist is always cool but when the keyboardist started this song, I nearly fell over.

And he NAILED it. Didn't miss a single note, as far as I could tell. The vocalist did a bang-up job, too. What a pleasant surprise!

Wow, this must have been quite an experience for everyone... For some reason, I wouldn't expect a tribute band to cover this song either... Wish I had been there.

It was. Blew the crowd away. If I can find video of it, I'll post it.

OldFriends4Sale said:

Condition of the Heart

ROCK & SOUL * APRIL 1986

THE PRINCE INTERVIEW
Mr. Purple Discusses His Movies, His Music, His Musicians
And More, More, More.

By Michael Shore

Under the Cherry Moon is a love story, set in the 1940s and shot in black and white. Word from the set has it that the plot is more or less spelled out in the lyrics to "Condition of the Heart" on Around the World in a Day, which appears to be about a musician falling in love with a woman too rich and worldly for his own lifestyle.

There was a girl in Paris
Whom he sent a letter 2
Hoping she would answer back
Now wasn't that a fool
Hardy notion on the part of a
Sometimes lonely musician
Acting out a whim is only good
4 a condition of the heart

There was a dame from London
Who insisted that he love her
Then left him 4 a real prince
From Arabia, now isn't that
A shame that sometimes money
Buys U everything and nothing
Love, it only seems 2 buy a
Terminal condition of the heart

Thinking about U driving me crazy
My friends all say it's just a phase, but ooh-ooh
Every day is a yellow day
I'm blinded by the daisies in your yard

There was a woman from the ghetto
Who made funny faces just like
Clara Bow, how was I 2 know
That she would wear the same
Cologne as U and giggle the same
Giggle that U do?
Whenever I would act a fool, the fool
With a condition of the heart

Thinking about U driving me crazy
My friends all say it's just a phase, but ooh-ooh
Every single day is a yellow day
I'm blinded by the daisies in your yard

There was a girl (There was a girl in Paris)
whom he sent a letter to... (Whom he sent a letter 2)
(Hoping she would answer back)
She never answered back and now (wasn't that a foolhardy)
He's got a condition of the heart. (notion ...)

Initial tracking took place on 9 October, 1984

at Sunset Sound, Hollywood, CA, USA (the day after Yes).

Condition of the Heart
All instruments and voices performed by Prince
Recorded at Sunset Sound by Peggy Mac

Thank you. Always loved that inside art illustration (I used this picture for my fb profile picture on 04/21). Was the connection between UTCM and Condition of the Heart ever mentioned by Prince himself? Could it have been autobiographical, do you know?

RodeoSchro said:

Yes, without a doubt!

Thank you mrfog, I agree, it is ...fascinating. I have had a look at the ebay photos, the writing does look like his. I wonder why he wrote "I love you lots" in French not in English... How did you come across this to start with?

CherryMoon57 said:

Redisabsurd said:

Can I tell you all that some things are no coincidences? This song is something other-worldly. A little more than a month after Prince's passing, I was travelling by road and it was raining. I was missing him just so much that I couldn't stop those damn tears. Just then, I spoke inwardly, I wish he knew how much we love him. Then this song came up on the playlist and I saw a strike of lightening. It turned the sky purple. And then, what followed was magical. I saw some 20 strikes that evening (tearing apart the chest of heaven down to the bosom of the earth), with the purple sky renting its heart out with the rain and this song on repeat. I have never seen such an amazing sky in my life. At night, on an empty road, when it had stopped raining, I danced to him, for him, with him on Erotic City, shouting his name out to the sky. The most beautiful night of my life.

Yesterday, a few of us were here in solidarity, wishing peace and love to one another, that we were one with him in the stardust we share. In the afternoon, I shed some more tears, thinking of how he was alone. And I wished that evening/night would return and I could feel one with him again. And the evening came and I played this song again, and amazingly, the sky turned purple again, blessing me with its lightening and its rain, proving once again, that he is listening. That he is stardust himself. And that he knows.

It feels spooky and human at the same time.

To all of you, love and peace.

Nice. Beautiful story! Glad you had that connection.

HeavenMustBNear said:

Redisabsurd said:

Can I tell you all that some things are no coincidences? This song is something other-worldly. A little more than a month after Prince's passing, I was travelling by road and it was raining. I was missing him just so much that I couldn't stop those damn tears. Just then, I spoke inwardly, I wish he knew how much we love him. Then this song came up on the playlist and I saw a strike of lightening. It turned the sky purple. And then, what followed was magical. I saw some 20 strikes that evening (tearing apart the chest of heaven down to the bosom of the earth), with the purple sky renting its heart out with the rain and this song on repeat. I have never seen such an amazing sky in my life. At night, on an empty road, when it had stopped raining, I danced to him, for him, with him on Erotic City, shouting his name out to the sky. The most beautiful night of my life.

Yesterday, a few of us were here in solidarity, wishing peace and love to one another, that we were one with him in the stardust we share. In the afternoon, I shed some more tears, thinking of how he was alone. And I wished that evening/night would return and I could feel one with him again. And the evening came and I played this song again, and amazingly, the sky turned purple again, blessing me with its lightening and its rain, proving once again, that he is listening. That he is stardust himself. And that he knows.

It feels spooky and human at the same time.

To all of you, love and peace.

Nice. Beautiful story! Glad you had that connection.

It makes his going away still harder to accept because he feels right here. In my heart.

mrfog said:

CherryMoon57 said:

Thank you mrfog, I agree, it is ...fascinating. I have had a look at the ebay photos, the writing does look like his. I wonder why he wrote "I love you lots" in French not in English... How did you come across this to start with?

I saw the auction mentioned in another thread, but I thought the full text deserved to be preserved here on the org before it disappears from eBay... Handwriting and everything else looks genuine for sure, and if it was a fake, why lose the last page? Story rings true also, and certainly seems to have a correlation with the beautiful song discussed here - though how close I guess we may never know. As for the French, my instinct is Prince was just trying to show off and impress the object of his 19 year old affection!

Yes it does ring genuine to me also, and I think it deserves to be mentioned in this thread in connection with the song, as it could have been what inspired Prince to write it. Thanks for posting the ebay link, I saved all the photos last night and was very moved (being French and having met him) by one of them that shows the end of the last page of the letter.

"have to go now

please write me

Je T'aime Beaucoup

Prince"

Also from reading the whole text, it is very moving to imagine what he must have felt being so enamoured with that girl and not be loved in return, considering he was still relatively young. So it more than likely could have inspired Condition of the Heart to be written, and could explain the intensity of the emotions described in the song.

[Edited 6/15/16 2:03am]

CherryMoon57 said:

mrfog said:

CherryMoon57 said: I saw the auction mentioned in another thread, but I thought the full text deserved to be preserved here on the org before it disappears from eBay... Handwriting and everything else looks genuine for sure, and if it was a fake, why lose the last page? Story rings true also, and certainly seems to have a correlation with the beautiful song discussed here - though how close I guess we may never know. As for the French, my instinct is Prince was just trying to show off and impress the object of his 19 year old affection!

Yes it does ring genuine to me also, and I think it deserves to be mentioned in this thread in connection with the song, as it could have been what inspired Prince to write it. Thanks for posting the ebay link, I saved all the photos last night and was very moved (being French and having met him) by one of them that shows the end of the last page of the letter.

"have to go now

please write me

Je T'aime Beaucoup

Prince"

Also from reading the whole text, it is very moving to imagine what he must have felt being so enamoured with that girl and not be loved in return, considering he was still relatively young. So it more than likely could have inspired Condition of the Heart to be written, and could explain the intensity of the emotions described in the song.

[Edited 6/15/16 2:03am]

Well, now he could even write this beautifully (not just the letter but the handwriting!). Can the man not do anything!

[Edited 6/15/16 2:11am]

Redisabsurd said:

CherryMoon57 said:

Yes it does ring genuine to me also, and I think it deserves to be mentioned in this thread in connection with the song, as it could have been what inspired Prince to write it. Thanks for posting the ebay link, I saved all the photos last night and was very moved (being French and having met him) by one of them that shows the end of the last page of the letter.

"have to go now

please write me

Je T'aime Beaucoup

Prince"

Also from reading the whole text, it is very moving to imagine what he must have felt being so enamoured with that girl and not be loved in return, considering he was still relatively young. So it more than likely could have inspired Condition of the Heart to be written, and could explain the intensity of the emotions described in the song.

[Edited 6/15/16 2:03am]

Well, now he could even write this beautifully (not just the letter but the handwriting!). Can the man not do anything!

[Edited 6/15/16 2:11am]

Well, I don't know but apparently he couldn't cook (only knew how to make omelettes)!

Redisabsurd said:

Can I tell you all that some things are no coincidences? This song is something other-worldly. A little more than a month after Prince's passing, I was travelling by road and it was raining. I was missing him just so much that I couldn't stop those damn tears. Just then, I spoke inwardly, I wish he knew how much we love him. Then this song came up on the playlist and I saw a strike of lightening. It turned the sky purple. And then, what followed was magical. I saw some 20 strikes that evening (tearing apart the chest of heaven down to the bosom of the earth), with the purple sky renting its heart out with the rain and this song on repeat. I have never seen such an amazing sky in my life. At night, on an empty road, when it had stopped raining, I danced to him, for him, with him on Erotic City, shouting his name out to the sky. The most beautiful night of my life.

Yesterday, a few of us were here in solidarity, wishing peace and love to one another, that we were one with him in the stardust we share. In the afternoon, I shed some more tears, thinking of how he was alone. And I wished that evening/night would return and I could feel one with him again. And the evening came and I played this song again, and amazingly, the sky turned purple again, blessing me with its lightening and its rain, proving once again, that he is listening. That he is stardust himself. And that he knows.

It feels spooky and human at the same time.

To all of you, love and peace.

Nice writing -- you're surely a poet at hear.