donnyenglish said:

The doctor on the cover of ATWIAD is spooky. It looks like an older Prince and he is holding the "ladder" in his hand. Given the way he died and that it was arguably doctors had a hand in sending him to the ladder, it is yet another spooky coincidence in his life and death. Prince was living in his own lucid dream. He knew things subconsciously that he may not have known consciously. I realize that I could be wrong about the doctor but that is my take.

Here we go with the lucid dream nonsense again . . . .

#WorstThreadEver

It would have been even weirder if Prince was dreamingly lucid enough to bring a doctor on tour with him. Maybe even put him on stage in case there was a medical emergency. But in order to keep the fans from getting worried, this doctor would pretend to be playing keyboards.

.

Oh, and he would have a ladder backstage too. Just in case.

TrivialPursuit said:

#WorstThreadEver

.

TP, you're killing me this morning with this GIF. I may have to use this everywhere.

GiggityGoo said:

TrivialPursuit said:

#WorstThreadEver

.

TP, you're killing me this morning with this GIF. I may have to use this everywhere.

He was one of the most prolific pop artists of all time, you're bound to find a few coincedences, especially on an album cover with a ton of different characters on it. That said, yeah that's creepy af.

GiggityGoo said:

It would have been even weirder if Prince was dreamingly lucid enough to bring a doctor on tour with him. Maybe even put him on stage in case there was a medical emergency. But in order to keep the fans from getting worried, this doctor would pretend to be playing keyboards.

.

Oh, and he would have a ladder backstage too. Just in case.

He DID have a doctor backstage with him - have you not read the Muscicology rider?!? (OK, it was to administer a B12 shot each evening but, still..!)

How come the cover looks like this?

It was kind of the anti-"Purple Rain" album. Prince was trying not to rest on his laurels of his previously massive success and regarding the briliant album art, he made sure not to have a picture of him on the album cover. You see a white guy wearing what he wore on the "Raspberry Beret" video and several figures resembling members of his band.

In an interview, Prince once spoke on the album's cover art, psychedelic vibe, and the Sgt. Pepper comparison:, Prince disputed claims that the album cover was inspired by The Beatles and said, “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.”

“The influence wasn't the Beatles. 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."

Illustrator Doug Henders was asked to create the cover art for Around the World in A day shortly before Christmas 1984. He was given a brief 15-point outline from Prince with some ideas of what he wanted graphically. "The process of creating the cover work and the rock trip (Purple Rain tour) itself were very gruelling," says Henders. "I think that's reflected in the melancholic rendering of the painting." Inspiration came from amongs cartoon images and the surrealistic landscapes René Magritte [early twentieth century Belgian surrealist painter]

For some of the images, Henders snapped Polaroid photos of Revolution band members and people close to the band. Then he slightly altered the face or real-life features for the painting.

"Most of the figures on the cover are characters in the songs, but I think some of the people Prince wanted are parts of himself, so they're all of a piece and somewhat autobiographical," Henders explains. "The little puppy in the picture was added simply because Princ got himself a dog while on the road."

The first single on the album 'Paisley Park' came in an organic interlocking paisley printed record sleeve with paisley typeface. He also named his record label and recording studios, Paisley Park Records and Paisley Park Studios giving his royal seal of approval to the paisley pattern

Prince previewed the album for Warner Bros Records during a ceremonious listening party for about 20 company officials in early February 1985 in Los Angeles.

Joni Mitchell and Prince's father John L. Nelson were among the special guests present. Attendees were seated on the floor of a large conference room, and as the high pitched flute that begins "Around the World in A Day" lilted from the speakers, Prince & Lisa walked in holding flowers; the whole scene was according to one attendee very Haight Ashbury.

Cover Art direction: Laura LiPuma

Cover Illustrator: Doug Henders

GiggityGoo said:

BillieBalloon said:

mikeyaddict said:

Dr Fink?

Nothing else to it . It's Dr Fink.

mikeyaddict said:

donnyenglish said:

mikeyaddict said:

Dr Fink?

No way. This doctor is black. It is Prince. It is the only character in the painting that resembles him.

What about the three people together with a dove . Two of them look like Prince.

[Edited 8/7/16 11:54am]

Guitarhero said:

donnyenglish said:

GiggityGoo said:

donnyenglish said:

TrivialPursuit said:

march said:

Just realized the mountains in the background are a female body

really? i noticed when i bought it in 85 haha

[Edited 8/7/16 14:09pm]