The fact that I'd even ask this question tells you where I stand, but I want to hear from others who've heard Andre's A.C. album. Which is better, A.C. or ATWIAD? Which did you enjoy listening to more in 1985? What about now? Why?

If you want to rate the following songs, go ahead...

A.C. -- Andre Cymone, 1985
1. The Dance Electric (written by Prince)
2. Neon Pussycat
3. Pretty Wild Girl
4. Book of Love
5. Fallin' Fallin' [CD-only]
6. Lipstick Lover
7. Satisfaction
8. Sweet Sensuality
9. Vacation
B1.Red Light
R1.Lipstick Lover (club version)
R2.Satisfaction (dub mix)

Around the World in a Day -- Prince & The Revolution, 1985
1. Around the World in a Day (written by David Coleman)
2. Paisley Park
3. Condition of the Heart
4. Raspberry Beret
5. Tamborine
6. America
7. Pop Life
8. The Ladder
9. Temptation
B1.She's Always In My Hair
B2.Hello
B3.Girl
R1.Raspberry Beret (extended remix)
R2.Pop Life (extended remix)
R3.America (extended remix)
R4.Paisley Park (extended remix) [UK]


(note: i didn't include edits, 12" album versions, or obscure remix versions)


[Edited 4/26/06 23:17pm]

Apart from the dance electric, I think AC was pretty average.

Snap, U know your my boy and all... but... ATWIAD by a country mile....LOL

I do like Andre's album too, but it's no ATWIAD

Andre's "AC" by far. Just the same as Jesse's and Morris's album that year, they were more "Prince" than Prince was. Prince was off in La La Land trying to be The Beatles.

Waitaminute, Andre's third album was released on CD? I never knew that.

sextonseven said:

I was surprised as well when I found out. I've never heard that "Fallin' Fallin'" song, so now it's got me looking. I didn't see it on gemm -- though there's some other cool Andre stuff there.

IDEJJD said:

Hey, I like ATWIAD and all (especially for the new direction in sound), but I had a lot more fun listening to Andre's album than Prince's that year.

vainandy said:

I was thinking of you when put this thread together and knew I'd get at least one person to agree with me!

ATWIAD!!!!! As good as Andre is, the album woulda been BIN FOOD if it were not 4 "Dance Electric". And PRINCE WROTE THAT!!!!! Ask yourself THIS: What woulda happened if Prince kept D.E. & put it on ATWIAD????? This thread wouldn't have been posted & I wouldn't be responding to it!!!!! NUFF SAID!!!!

vainandy said:

ATWIAD was more innovative. True AC was more Prince than Prince, but it sounds so dated now. I just recently got a copy of AC and really had a hard time listening to all the cuts. I wanted to skip thru some of them.
ATWIAD was like ear candy, so many different sounds, layers upon layers of musical sounds.
Now, Andre's Living in the New Wave... that was my JAAAAMMM!!!

I wish I could get a copy of that.

vainandy said:

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

Snap said:

Actually Vain, you were on my mind when I made MY thread.

http://www.prince.org/msg/7/187034

vainandy said:

Prince GAVE Andre "Dance Electric".....THE selling point of the album!!!! Truthfully, I liked "Surviving In The 80's" the most out of all Andre's LP's. And I have them ALL!!!!!
As far as P trying to be like the Beatles: If THAT was the case, then WHY was "Tamborine" so GODDAMNED FUNKY????? Lennon/McCartney or Harrison NEVER got down like THAT!!!!! "Pop Life"- FUNKY 2 DEATH!!!!!

woogiebear said:

"Lipstick Lover," "Satisfaction," and "Sweet Sensuality" are also great songs, not to mention "Book of Love" and "Pretty Wild Girl" -- oh yeah, and the b-side "Red Light." Lots of great stuff here!!

I've never understood the word "dated" because, to me, I can listen to a song for the first time from any artist and recognize what decade it came from. A lot of ballads from singers still get a lot of airplay today but that's about all unless you turn to an oldies station. My favorite songs have always been the ones that don't fit in with today's music because I hate today's music.




You need to hear "So Fine" from that album!

OK, I'll check it out.

I haven't even heard Andre's album, but I can already conclude that Prince's was better.

I know that. That helped Andre sound even more "Prince" than Prince was sounding at the time.

prodigalfan said:[quote]

vainandy said:

Yeah.. I totally agree... Anyone seen this on CD..

vainandy said:

I think you're missing the point here by making this statement and comparison. Obviously, you don't like ATWIAD due to the fact that it doesn't sound like a Prince album.
And the whole intent of Prince was to not sound like a Prince album. He just made the ultimate statement with that direction with Purple Rain. He knew that putting an album together with the Prince sound would just fall short of the historic heights that he had reached artistically and commercially.
So he set out to expand his and our pallets and gave us a trip to go in a different direction.
For me it's musically miles ahead of AC irrespective of the style. But part of it's brilliance is the balls it took to tell the world to f off. I always get a great feeling thinking about the reaction by millions of teeny bopper fans when prince started that album with an acid trip scream and a middle eastern styled song.
As far as the dated issue:
I've always viewed this comment as speaking to the quality and originality of the song. All music will have roots to the time it was produced but the great songs will transcend that and poor ones or average one will be overwhelmed by the dated nature of the production.

I'm not missing the point at all. I like "Around The World In A Day" but the question that was asked was "Which did you enjoy listening to more in 1985?". The question was not "Which was the most creative or talented album that would stand the test of time better?". I gave my honest answer and it still applies to me in 2006. Just because something is more artistic does not mean I'm going to like it better. Classical music is very artistic and I hate it.



The only old songs I've seen get regular rotation on a station that plays current or up to date music are slow songs by people like Whitney Houston or Anita Baker.

Even on the all oldies stations, the fast songs that get regular rotation on these stations are those that have been played to death and worn out over the years like "Celebration" by Kool and the Gang, "Billie Jean" by Michael Jackson, or "When Doves Cry" by Prince. They are usually only the R&B songs that crossed over also. Even on the oldies stations, for the real jams, you have to catch a particular time of day when they have a mix show or a particular theme such as "Funky Friday" or "Disco Saturday Night" which are usually the jams that people call "dated" around here. They are also usually the hardest funkiest jams so when it comes to dated songs, I'm all for them.

vainandy said:[quote]

I'm not missing the point at all. I like "Around The World In A Day" but the question that was asked was "Which did you enjoy listening to more in 1985?". The question was not "Which was the most creative or talented album that would stand the test of time better?". I gave my honest answer and it still applies to me in 2006. Just because something is more artistic does not mean I'm going to like it better. Classical music is very artistic and I hate it.

The question was actually two parts- which is better and which do you like more. I don't think an argument exists for what a person likes...it is what it is. So I think were talking about quality here. What we think is the better album. There is an inference here on my part. When a person makes the statement to support their argument that one album sounds more prince like- I infer that you are benchmarking your argument that AC is of higher quality than ATWIAD due to fact that AC sounds more like "prince." And my point is I don't believe it is a demerit on ATWIAD that it does not sound like a Prince album. In my view its part of what makes is a far better album than a prince knockoff album. Both in quality and for me personally since I also like listening to it a lot more.

fmarasco said:

I DIDN'T MISS YOUR POINT AT ALL!!!!! In 1985 I WORE OUT ATWIAD & JESSE JOHNSON'S REVUE!!!!! Not taking ANYTHING away from Andre, BUT ATWIAD was in CONSTANT rotation on MANY levels, and "Dance Electric" was ALL you heard on the radio, NOT "LIPSTICK LOVER", "SATISFACTION" etc.....

Post an Andre question like "Which Andre album do you like best??", and I'll say "Surviving In The 80's".....HANDS DOWN!!!!!

OK...well, to answer the other part of the question....

Snap said:



Snap is clearly asking what others who've heard Andre's "AC" album thinks is better compared to "Around In The World In A Day". Not what critics may think, but what the individual thinks.

Well, I am one of the others who have heard "AC" and I think it's a better album also. As for the "Why" part of the question, my answer is still the same because "AC" sounds like Prince and "Around The World In A Day" doesn't.

People have their own reasons for thinking something is better. Some may care about artistic purposes and quality but I am one that has never cared about those things. I am one that likes music strictly because it sounds good to my ears and "AC" definately sounds better to my ears, quality or no quality. Some people's reasons for thinking "ATWIAD" is better is because it's different. Well, I'm not one of those people. The reason I think "AC" is better is because it's not different.