I admire his guts and willingness to throw such a divisive artistic turn at his fans (mostly suburban white kids won over by 1999 and PR) when he was practically as successful as any musician can ever be. (He is still the only artist since the Beatles to simultaneously have the #1 movie, #1 album, and #1 song.)

The album isn't for all tastes, really for the hardcore fans and let's admit it, the eclectic nature was too uneven. (Never met anybody who liked "Condition of the Heart," which goes nowhere) But I'll be honest: ATWIAD was my first Prince record, which I bought from the bargain bin, and it won me over to the P side.

In retrospect, Prince made another gutsy if very foolish move by refusing to release the "Raspberry Beret" single until a month after the album was out. He screwed himself out of an easy #1 smash hit. Not that it stopped it from becoming a classic, but still.

Also foolish I suppose, if I must admit I dig it: Releasing it to stores with ZERO pre-release buzz, just dumped it out there like he just did with "Extralovable." He cost himself and WB money by doing that, but again: I admire that (pretentious) artistic integrity.

Conditon of the Heart is incredible on many levels.

RRA said:

I admire his guts and willingness to throw such a divisive artistic turn at his fans (mostly suburban white kids won over by 1999 and PR) when he was practically as successful as any musician can ever be. (He is still the only artist since the Beatles to simultaneously have the #1 movie, #1 album, and #1 song.)

The album isn't for all tastes, really for the hardcore fans and let's admit it, the eclectic nature was too uneven. (Never met anybody who liked "Condition of the Heart," which goes nowhere) But I'll be honest: ATWIAD was my first Prince record, which I bought from the bargain bin, and it won me over to the P side.

In retrospect, Prince made another gutsy if very foolish move by refusing to release the "Raspberry Beret" single until a month after the album was out. He screwed himself out of an easy #1 smash hit. Not that it stopped it from becoming a classic, but still.

Also foolish I suppose, if I must admit I dig it: Releasing it to stores with ZERO pre-release buzz, just dumped it out there like he just did with "Extralovable." He cost himself and WB money by doing that, but again: I admire that (pretentious) artistic integrity.

I Totally disagree with U on Condition of the Heart, it goes straight to the heart

shows a very skilled pianist and vocalist out of Prince, the songs is a ruff draft of the beginning of the movie Under the Cherry Moon

and I loved it when I 1st heard it in 1985, it's haunting and very much a Prince song

And tons of Prince fans love it, he's played it in a medley since the Parade tour and Lovesexy tour as well as aftershows and when you hear the audiences response you know most Prince fans love this song

OldFriends4Sale said:

I Totally disagree with U on Condition of the Heart, it goes straight to the heart

shows a very skilled pianist and vocalist out of Prince, the songs is a ruff draft of the beginning of the movie Under the Cherry Moon

and I loved it when I 1st heard it in 1985, it's haunting and very much a Prince song

And tons of Prince fans love it, he's played it in a medley since the Parade tour and Lovesexy tour as well as aftershows and when you hear the audiences response you know most Prince fans love this song

Prince calls it "condition of the heart," I call it heartburn. Of course I don't need that piece to show me that Prince knows his way around a piano. But hey, you corrected about it having no fans.

(Of course some Purples defend "Purple & Gold" as not the biggest disgrace of the Prince catalogue.)

BTW, did anyone else always wonder why the album closed out on "Temptation" instead of the supposed more likely/obvious contender in "The Ladder"?

My guess, I guess (and shared by the Peach & Black podcast) is that Mr. P was self-concious that if he had ended it on "Ladder," people would've made the inevitable comparison to "Purple Rain," which makes sense.

(Of course personally I laugh at "Ladder" the redemptation gospel track, followed by the ode to screwing when Mr. P relapses.)

Let me also say that "Condition of the Heart" is a fantastic song. Maybe the three minute intro rambles a little too much but it is a beautiful song.

I love the way he screams the chorus of "Temptation" at around four and a half minutes into the song.

"Tambourine" is incredibly funky and the drums are very tasty.

I love "The Ladder" but the version on the album is a bit too sterile. He really needs to release the version from the Lovesexy tour rehearsals that was featured at the end of the BBC Omnibus documentary.

PositivityForever said:

Conditon of the Heart is incredible on many levels.

My favorite ballad and a top 10 of all time song for me. I actually met him once in Studio 54 in Vegas upstairs and told him this was my song. He shook my hand and said "Thank You". He was real cool.

PositivityForever said:

Conditon of the Heart is incredible on many levels.

If I ever heard this at an afterjam, I would tip him a $100.00 , even though this song is priceless...

RRA said:

OldFriends4Sale said:

I Totally disagree with U on Condition of the Heart, it goes straight to the heart

shows a very skilled pianist and vocalist out of Prince, the songs is a ruff draft of the beginning of the movie Under the Cherry Moon

and I loved it when I 1st heard it in 1985, it's haunting and very much a Prince song

And tons of Prince fans love it, he's played it in a medley since the Parade tour and Lovesexy tour as well as aftershows and when you hear the audiences response you know most Prince fans love this song

Prince calls it "condition of the heart," I call it heartburn. Of course I don't need that piece to show me that Prince knows his way around a piano. But hey, you corrected about it having no fans.

(Of course some Purples defend "Purple & Gold" as not the biggest disgrace of the Prince catalogue.)

I doubt Purple & Gold can be compared 2 Condition of the Heart

Some fans defending Purple & Gold which I am not is not the same as the overwhelming number of fans who from the beginning adore Condition of the Heart

To each his own.

How long have you been a fan, you made a very uneducated statement about fans not liking the song

OldFriends4Sale said:

RRA said:

I admire his guts and willingness to throw such a divisive artistic turn at his fans (mostly suburban white kids won over by 1999 and PR) when he was practically as successful as any musician can ever be. (He is still the only artist since the Beatles to simultaneously have the #1 movie, #1 album, and #1 song.)

The album isn't for all tastes, really for the hardcore fans and let's admit it, the eclectic nature was too uneven. (Never met anybody who liked "Condition of the Heart," which goes nowhere) But I'll be honest: ATWIAD was my first Prince record, which I bought from the bargain bin, and it won me over to the P side.

In retrospect, Prince made another gutsy if very foolish move by refusing to release the "Raspberry Beret" single until a month after the album was out. He screwed himself out of an easy #1 smash hit. Not that it stopped it from becoming a classic, but still.

Also foolish I suppose, if I must admit I dig it: Releasing it to stores with ZERO pre-release buzz, just dumped it out there like he just did with "Extralovable." He cost himself and WB money by doing that, but again: I admire that (pretentious) artistic integrity.

I Totally disagree with U on Condition of the Heart, it goes straight to the heart

shows a very skilled pianist and vocalist out of Prince, the songs is a ruff draft of the beginning of the movie Under the Cherry Moon

and I loved it when I 1st heard it in 1985, it's haunting and very much a Prince song

And tons of Prince fans love it, he's played it in a medley since the Parade tour and Lovesexy tour as well as aftershows and when you hear the audiences response you know most Prince fans love this song

I am like you, I know plently of people who LOVE this song. So many of my friends have become fans because of this track. I don't know where the notion "No one likes this song" comes from...

Wow people sure got offended by a throwaway comment, one I was making offhand about my personal world (you know, the real world outside of Prince World? I know we forget that, but it exists) and which my fellow P fans in the flesh just don't care for that track either. OH THE HERESY!

And OldFriends4Sale, I'll show you my Fan Card but apparently I've misplaced it since my last trip to the laundry. Can you give me an address where I can mail myself a new one?

(But keep the newsletter.)

RRA said:

Wow people sure got offended by a throwaway comment, one I was making offhand about my personal world (you know, the real world outside of Prince World? I know we forget that, but it exists) and which my fellow P fans in the flesh just don't care for that track either. OH THE HERESY!

And OldFriends4Sale, I'll show you my Fan Card but apparently I've misplaced it since my last trip to the laundry. Can you give me an address where I can mail myself a new one?

(But keep the newsletter.)

Funnily enough, its usually "throwaway comments" (or, shall we say, comments defended as such) that are the most offensive.

COH is a massive fan favourite - and I'd like you to show me anyone who has defended P&G!

Are we to take your latest digs at fans above as simply "throwaway comments". Perhaps you are just here to wind people up a little? Even your compliments about Prince are somewhat barbed ("pretentious artistic integrity", for example).

Maybe its just who you is

Around The World In A Day~ Captured Me, Hook, Line & Sinker...

Without - America, Pop Life, Paisley Park, A.T.W.I.A.D, Condition of the Heart I would never made it Past Purple Rain... Honest! This album set me on fire as a Prince Fan~

No Shit~

RRA said:

Wow people sure got offended by a throwaway comment, one I was making offhand about my personal world (you know, the real world outside of Prince World? I know we forget that, but it exists) and which my fellow P fans in the flesh just don't care for that track either. OH THE HERESY!

And OldFriends4Sale, I'll show you my Fan Card but apparently I've misplaced it since my last trip to the laundry. Can you give me an address where I can mail myself a new one?

(But keep the newsletter.)

No one is being offended, you probably were not expecting that others LOVE it

RRA said (Never met anybody who liked "Condition of the Heart," which goes nowhere)

That's not a throwaway comment, that's a really critical thought

& why isn't Prince a part of the real world? Millions of people all over the world know about him so why is that there has to be a divide between being a prince fan and a person in the 'real' world?

It's ok to not like a song, but you put more to it than that, also saying you never met anyone who liked it. People meet online all the time, and anyone whose been a member here should know fans love that song.

Don't get all offended now and backbeddle. And you don't have to be personal and come for me

RRA said:

Best proof he was in for the music!

OldFriends4Sale said:

Don't get all offended now and backbeddle. And you don't have to be personal and come for me

Would you come for me?

RRA said:

OldFriends4Sale said:

Don't get all offended now and backbeddle. And you don't have to be personal and come for me

Would you come for me?

Tell you what, if you guys kiss and make up I will come for the both of you.

'Eye Thank God For ATWIAD'

^I don't believe in God, but I thank PRINCE for this masterpiece.

those brilliant 12 inches and b-sides.

the whole psycadelic album....

THOSE were the days to be a Prince fan....

I miss seriously the old days....

thedance said:

'Eye Thank God For ATWIAD'

^I don't believe in God, but I thank PRINCE for this masterpiece.

those brilliant 12 inches and b-sides.

the whole psycadelic album....

THOSE were the days to be a Prince fan....

I miss seriously the old days....

If you dig the psychedelic Prince why not give Lotusflow3r a spin?

thedance said:

This is the album that solified me as a Purplehead. I was a fan after PR, but ATWIAD made me want any and all things the guy touched or was influenced by. 12", associated artists, Joni, and the whole 60s hippie scene...I got into all of it after this album sunk in. Condition of the Heart is a work of art. The only thing on there I am not a fan of the craziness at the end of Temptation.

Poplife88 said:

This is the album that solified me as a Purplehead. I was a fan after PR, but ATWIAD made me want any and all things the guy touched or was influenced by. .

this is the exact problem

rialb said:

thedance said:

'Eye Thank God For ATWIAD'

^I don't believe in God, but I thank PRINCE for this masterpiece.

those brilliant 12 inches and b-sides.

the whole psycadelic album....

THOSE were the days to be a Prince fan....

I miss seriously the old days....

If you dig the psychedelic Prince why not give Lotusflow3r a spin?

?

thanks for your advise RialB, LF is really ok, but that album can't be compared to the masterpiece ATWIAD, imo.

All those extended versions from 1985, those excellent b-sides... just wow.

.

[Edited 12/21/11 12:14pm]

The only issue with this album is mastering. Otherwise it's perfect

PositivityForever said:

Conditon of the Heart is incredible on many levels.

To say it goes nowhere is to never truly have listened to it.

(Of course some Purples defend "Purple & Gold" as not the biggest disgrace of the Prince catalogue.)

It's not. That dubious honor would easily go to "Arms of Orion".

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

PositivityForever said:

Conditon of the Heart is incredible on many levels.

To say it goes nowhere is to never truly have listened to it.

It swirls like moon pulled waves of color