Thirty years ago this week, I went from being a Prince fan, to a Prince fanatic.

As a 15 year old lad, who had recently fallen in love with the music from Prince Rain, been bowled over by the worldwide live broadcast a few weeks before, I was pleasantly surprised when the posters went up to announce a new album so soon.

I snapped it up, ran home, unwrapped it, marvelling at the gatefold sleeve, and put the needle on the wax, hotly anticipating hearing what the next “Let’s Go Crazy” was going to sound like…….

And of course, I though….”WTF!?!?!?”

On first play, I didn’t quite know what to think. It wasn’t what I wanted (or at least, that’s what I thought at the time). I gravitated to America, The Ladder and Paisley Park. I wasn’t feeling the others.

But of course, I was trying too hard to make the comparisons. ATWIAD Vs Lets Go Crazy, Condition of the heart Vs The Beautiful Ones. The new album was losing.

Then I played it again….and again and again, with the gatefold open, reading as I went. I started to love it, and loved the fact that Prince had thrown his past in the bin.

So 30 years on do you think it holds up?

I think it’s improved with age. Its only one of two Prince 80’s albums (along with Parade) that sonically, dates extremely well. The piano was in, horns were in, synths were taking a back step. Wendy & Lisa were clearly changing his approach to music.

I find it incredible that behind the scenes, this record (and the Family Album) was created the year before, in the middle of Purple Rain fever. And to think the day before ATWIAD even came out, he was already recording Sometimes it snows in April.

Most of all, my favourite part of the era were the incredible long versions and b-sides. If ever there was a case for Prince to have released a double album with all the long versions, I think it should have been this. I only hope a remaster deluxe will capture the era fully.

Side 1 - ATWIAD, She's Always in my hair, Paisley Park, Condition of the Heart, Raspberry Beret

Side 2 – Hello, 4 the tears in your eyes, Tamborine, Girl

Side 3 – America (22 minute version)

Side 4- Pop Life (9 minute version) , The Ladder, Temptation

Where does ATWIAD stand for you? Were you a fan back in the day, or did you think it was the beginning of the end?

How has your opinion of the album changed over 30 years?

What were the highlights for you back when, and what are the highlights for you now?

Would love to hear. We don’t discuss the music enough these days.

Well, I applaud his guts to release such a complete 180 of an album compared to PR. I like the fact that he also did it quietly when in actuality he could have easily used the momentum from PR to get ATWIAD into the public eye quicker. I wasnt even born until 1986, so obviously I missed all of this.

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As for how it holds up for me? I think its held up quite well, and theres a generous amount of GREAT material on it. But, the sound and vibe he was flirting with during this era was done so much better with Parade. Hell, you could even say The Family succeeded in finding that middle ground he was looking for, but ATWIAD is nevertheless a great stepping stone in his career, and Prince's overall restlessness to break new ground with his music. While its not exactly an album I'd choose right off the bat for somebody discovering Prince for the first time (much like Lovesexy), I think its a welcome addition for somebody whos very familiar with Prince's songwriting chops. Overall, an essential record if you're more than a casual fan, but not one I'd go through hoops to tell you to check out if you dont exactly know what Prince is all about yet.

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"All alone by myself, me and I play my Tamborine."

I was 7 when ATWIAD came out so I didn't really discover it until after the fact. The music of 1999 and Purple Rain was what first sparked my interest in Prince. I do remember first listening to it and not liking it at all. But with repeated listens it grew on me and now I have come to regard it as one of his best works. Condition of the Heart and The Ladder are 2 of my favorite Prince songs. Perhaps I was too young when I first heard it to really appreciate it. The extended versions and B-sides from this time period are also incredible. Love the extended version of Girl and She's Always In My Hair! Funny though, I never cared much for Raspberry Beret. Overall it's an amazing album and one that I find myself revisiting frequently.

[Edited 4/23/15 20:10pm]

Always #1 album for me.

I fell in love with it when I looked at the artwork outside and inside, and the fonts, the lyrics, the credits. I remember getting lost in the inner artwork, that park of trees

By the time I got home, I wasn't shocked to hear the music. I might have been expecting something more like Purple Rain, but I wasn't shocked in that ATWIAD did not have to grow on me.

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The celebratory feel of the title track Around the World in a Day, the utopian vision of Paisley Park, Condition of the Heart -I can listen to over and over and it is never enough, the wild frenzic horniness of Tambourine, the rocking rush of America, the wisdom of Pop Life

These were my favorites, on first listen. But the new sound of Eddie M's saxaphone on the Ladder & Temptation blew me away

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My brother and I also tried to compare the music song by song to Purple Rain and imagined that there would be a movie for this album too

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Around the World in A Day & Parade are two albums I cannot put a time stamp on. It holds up extremely well.

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This is the next stage of a short period where an explosion of music came out of Uptown. this is part of the years that he said his band, proteges, engineer etc were a community.
Prince, the Revolution, David Coleman, Jonathon & Susannah Melvoin, Brad Marsh, Suzi Katayama, Novi Novog, Taj Sevelle, Eddie M. Sheila E and the other wind & string instrumentalists... and can't leave out Coke Johnson and Susan Rogers.

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A 3rd round of Bsides and extended versions. Only 2 videos but Raspberry Beret gained him an award.

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And era that came and went to soon, a tease.

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3 events I wish I could have attended
1.) the WB album premiere

2.) the 6.7.1985 Masquerade Ball

3.) the mini Paris concert where America was made into a video

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ATWIAD stands in the top 3 for me, usually #1. It's the album I always and can always listen all the way through, but usually NEED to replace album cuts with the extended versions, and B sides

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Colorful, haunting, like someone righting in a diary (or blog 2015) while sitting outside on a colorful Spring day

A love letter to his fans and his community

There's still nothing that sounds like this and back then while everyone was wanting purple rain 2...i was thrilled ....to me this album was an idelaized prince world that showed there was heaven on the other side of the pain in purple rain....

it reminded me of the dark side of the moon by pink floyd tho most compare it to a sgt pepper vibe....

the songs are timeless, because no one has been able to copy it badly <3

this sent my love for prince to another level.

This album has aged the best of any from the first 10. A good listen from start to finish.

Well the CD is in its case on a bookcase sandwiched between Purple Rain and Parade. Same with the vinyl album and several 12 inch singles. As long as there is not an earthquake, they should remaining standing up well!!!

I like the album very much. But of his 80-88 period I would sy it is the lesser of the lot. I dont listen to it that much. I dont feel it is as out there as many fans claim it is though. I hear a lot of the PR soundscape within the album. The Ladder could be Purple Rain with piano and sax, sans guitar. America's underlying beat is almost identical to the underlying beat of Baby Im a Star. The first half of Temptation feels, musically at least, like a hybrid of Darling Nikki. The 2nd half rambling of Temptation feels like an expansion of what he did on the PR tour, talking to god and what not. The title track is definately something he hadnt done previously and sets a tone for the album that makes it feel like something completely different, but I feel it is not as much of a 180 as people say it is. I can definately see it as the bridge between PR and Parade. To my ears anyway.

In my defence, I havent listened to it in a long time, so my memory may be playing tricks on me.

But seriously, it is an album I like a lot and I have a lot of fun listening to. It is not as good as most of his 80s albums, but it is easier to listen to at time, as it does not have the emotion of Purple Rain, lust of Dirty Mind, electronic agenda of 1999 or sexualised spirituality of Lovesexy. What it does have is a light hearted funk take on neo psychedelic soul.

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I was only a few days shy of my 9th birthday when it came (Hence I am a few days shy of my 39th birthday as I write this) and had barely heard of Prince, I was really too young to be obsessed over pop music yet, but had heard of and kind of liked the Purple Rain singles and Little Red Corvette as they were the first big hits here in NZ (I was too young to remember I wanna be your lover when that became a huge #3 hit back in 1980 here). But I do remember the video for Raspberry Berey and thus counts as the first time I had seen Prince.

I remember he was wearing a weird blue outfit, big hair, a guitar and lots of big permed up hair and remember swings, so my guess was it was late at night on our indie show then called "Radio with Pictures) and I may have also seen the Paisley Park video as I remember those swings (Paisley Park was a single in the UK and Australia but not here, still we could see the video I guess, it was 1985 and Prince was everywhere, even in New Zealand). I knew the guy was called Prince and he was kind of like Michael Jackson, who I did like and even had Thriller by this time.

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Back in 1985 fond memories of one video and an image of Michael Jackson with bigger hair and brighter clothes hardly made me a fan. We had to wait for 1991 for that. By that stage I had gotten the current Diamonds and Pearls as my first album and rapidly added Purple Rain to my collection, but my first copy of ATWIAD only came in 1994/95 when I bought the Prince back catalogue and knew I would like it as the Hits had Pop Life along with Raspberry Beret. Then I really liked it. My tastes for the songs are the same as now. Basically tracks 1 to 4 are the best and also Pop Life. The rest is okay, although a bit fillery like Tamborine and Temptation.

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Back in 1995 Condition of the heart was my favourite song and I still like it now (Put it on loud and its amazing how fresh it sounds), but now its the title track. I love all the instrumentation and wish he made a whole album with darbukas, sitars, ouds and the like (We get some of it on a 1985 mix of Strange Relationship). I love the lyrics too "Open your mind, open your heart, a wonderful train is coming today" I wish he wrote stuff like that now. Of course we all know the story, WendynLisas brothers got free studio time for their birthdays paid for by Uncle Prince and Prince liked the noise they made so much he just had to have it on his next album.

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I really like Paisley Park too, the simple positive message and the videos of the kids at the playgrounds, it is clever as Prince was trying to simplify things after the circus that was Purple Rain and I guess the whole disc is a breather from Purple Rain. Raspberry Beret and Pop Life of course were the hit singles and are as strong as any single he has done. Both are infectious and great songs. Condition of the heart has a fabulous building and brooding piano part with pleading and yearning vocals. Again culminating in a Beautiful Ones style screaming (More whimpering here) crescendo. Its the closest to the Purple Rain templates any of the tracks here come.

America is okay and quite catchy, but not as strong as the others, another 1995 purchase of mine was a 12 inch single with the 22 minute version and I agree it was better. The Ladder is alright, an okay soul take and good melody. Temptation starts of great and I love the sexualised screamz "I JUST LOOVE IT WHEN our bodies......TOUCH!" Lose the God part at the end though. Tambourine I have little to say, its just a song, but I guess its a follow up to Darling Nikki, she has left the building, so playing with his Tambourine is all he can do?

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Overall a great and fresh sounding album. It is a solid A in my book, but the problem is it is sandwiched between Purple Rain and Parade, which are 2 A+ albums and the albums either side of those 1999 and SOTT are the best he has ever made. The timing is all wrong, place it between New Power soul and Rave and the thing shines, but here it is like an 1880s 2 story house between the empire state building and sears tower in terms of greatness. Yet the sound is a good bridge between Purple Rain and Parade.

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To make it better, I would take off Tamborine and Temptation (Or at least cut the God bit out, leaving him in sexual ecstasy, add some Jill Jones out takes fom the time like Wonderful Ass. All day all night and the songs Our Destiny, Feline and 100mph, then you have Purple rain quality.

It´s one of my favorite albums. Musically it is, in my opinion, not that different from Purple Rain. I know it was supposed to be a drastic change from Purple Rain but I don´t see it that way, except for a few details of course. We´ve discussed this on some other thread already. This is what I wrote on that other thread:

I never really understood that "ATWIAD is not Purple Rain pt.2 " talk . Or how he could´ve easily continued with something similar to Let´s Go Crazy. But I don´t see ATWIAD as a big departure from Purple Rain at all. Except for the few psychodelic sprinkles on the title track and maybe on Paisley Park, the sound is not that different from the Purple Rain sound. Maybe less heavy and less in your face and less upbeat than most songs on Purple Rain but sound- and lyricwise Parade is the next big step as far as different style and sound go. The Ladder is very reminiscent of Purple Rain, Temptation is in a very similar vein as Darling Nikki, and Condition of the Heart, albeit longer and maybe a bit less catchy, is not that from the Beautiful Ones. Raspberry Beret and She´s Always In My Hair easily could´ve been on Purple Rain, too. Remember he had a cartoon version of the deleted barn scene from Purple Rain in the video for Raspberry Beret.

Strange how even Prince thought that this album was so different from Purple Rain.

In my opinion, the only thing that was different was his shorter hair.

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When it came out, I was 13 and was still soaking up my beloved Purple Rain cassette and to me, it sounded like an extension, like a darker, more introverted cousin or brother to the more upbeat Purple Rain album. Some of the themes are similar and it´s interesting that he recorded most of it while on tour with the Purple Rain album.

I also love the cover art but the alternate version of the album cover looks nice, too.

I forgot to give credit and a source to that alternate album cover. It´s by Jim Warren, and from what I recall it was planned to be the album cover at first, but Prince decided against it and used the Doug Henders version. But I think he also like Jim Warren´s version a lot and bought it.

http://jimwarren.com/portfolio/around-world-day/

Really good, but I wish the alternate bass line had been used for ATWIAD. I love that simple little run.

RodeoSchro said:

Fantastic album. As a whole it has stood the test of time really well. None of the tracks are derivitive of anything else from that time or even anything from Prince himself. It is inventive, quirky and fun. The soundscape and musical pallet is so rich, colorful and vibrant. Prince at his peak.

Major props to Wendy and Lisa too as you can hear their touch all over it. The touch of sophistication. ...which is sorely lacking in the sloppy badly produced seemingly all-Prince closer/downers The Ladder and Temptation. Those two fit on this album like "squares" stuck in the trippy hippy round rabbit hole.

[Edited 4/26/15 6:53am]

Favourite Prince album.

V10LETBLUES said:

Fantastic album. As a whole it has stood the test of time really well. None of the tracks are derivitive of anything else from that time or even anything from Prince himself. It is inventive, quirky and fun. The soundscape and musical pallet is so rich and colorful. Prince at his peak.

Major props to Wendy and Lisa too as you can hear their touch all over it. The touch of sophistication. ...which is sorely lacking in the sloppy badly produced seemingly all-Prince closer/downers The Ladder and Temptation. Those two fit on this album like "squares" stuck in the trippy hippy round rabbit hole.

[Edited 4/25/15 19:29pm]

You can? What exactly did they DO on the album? Other than background vocals and arranging some strings?

warning2all said:

ATWIAD was flawed then & it's flawed now- but it has aged better than most of his albums; it is timeless like "Parade". He was onto a good thing with The Revolution; they were ahead of their time. If he released something like this today it would be a return to form

I think it has aged well because it was retro to begin with, not because it was ahead of its time. Time always catches up.

paulludvig said:

V10LETBLUES said:

Fantastic album. As a whole it has stood the test of time really well. None of the tracks are derivitive of anything else from that time or even anything from Prince himself. It is inventive, quirky and fun. The soundscape and musical pallet is so rich and colorful. Prince at his peak.

Major props to Wendy and Lisa too as you can hear their touch all over it. The touch of sophistication. ...which is sorely lacking in the sloppy badly produced seemingly all-Prince closer/downers The Ladder and Temptation. Those two fit on this album like "squares" stuck in the trippy hippy round rabbit hole.

[Edited 4/25/15 19:29pm]

You can? What exactly did they DO on the album? Other than background vocals and arranging some strings?

oh boy, why Paul why lol

I've been spinning it in the car and it must have SOMETHING. My boys haven't really heard it and they have both got into it pretty quickly. They are already requesting it.

"Condition Of The Heart" IMO is TOP 5 greatest ballad of ALL time...by anyone..

if not THEE best of all time

KoolEaze said:

So glad this wasn't chosen, the horror if that was an actual album cover

My main issue with the album is the Ladder followed by Temptation. They're already not Prince's strongest songs and putting them one after the other really drag down the end of the album for me. Separated i'd probably have no issue with either of them but together... no.

I also wish he'd kept the psychedelic vibe of the first four songs for the whole album. I always feel like the potential concept falls apart and it bugs me.

I wasn't around back in the day so can't comment from that perspective!

SquirrelMeat said:

Thirty years ago this week, I went from being a Prince fan, to a Prince fanatic.

As a 15 year old lad, who had recently fallen in love with the music from Prince Rain, been bowled over by the worldwide live broadcast a few weeks before, I was pleasantly surprised when the posters went up to announce a new album so soon.

I snapped it up, ran home, unwrapped it, marvelling at the gatefold sleeve, and put the needle on the wax, hotly anticipating hearing what the next “Let’s Go Crazy” was going to sound like…….

And of course, I though….”WTF!?!?!?”

On first play, I didn’t quite know what to think. It wasn’t what I wanted (or at least, that’s what I thought at the time). I gravitated to America, The Ladder and Paisley Park. I wasn’t feeling the others.

But of course, I was trying too hard to make the comparisons. ATWIAD Vs Lets Go Crazy, Condition of the heart Vs The Beautiful Ones. The new album was losing.

Then I played it again….and again and again, with the gatefold open, reading as I went. I started to love it, and loved the fact that Prince had thrown his past in the bin.

So 30 years on do you think it holds up?

I think it’s improved with age. Its only one of two Prince 80’s albums (along with Parade) that sonically, dates extremely well. The piano was in, horns were in, synths were taking a back step. Wendy & Lisa were clearly changing his approach to music.

I find it incredible that behind the scenes, this record (and the Family Album) was created the year before, in the middle of Purple Rain fever. And to think the day before ATWIAD even came out, he was already recording Sometimes it snows in April.

Most of all, my favourite part of the era were the incredible long versions and b-sides. If ever there was a case for Prince to have released a double album with all the long versions, I think it should have been this. I only hope a remaster deluxe will capture the era fully.

Side 1 - ATWIAD, She's Always in my hair, Paisley Park, Condition of the Heart, Raspberry Beret

Side 2 – Hello, 4 the tears in your eyes, Tamborine, Girl

Side 3 – America (22 minute version)

Side 4- Pop Life (9 minute version) , The Ladder, Temptation

Where does ATWIAD stand for you? Were you a fan back in the day, or did you think it was the beginning of the end?

How has your opinion of the album changed over 30 years?

What were the highlights for you back when, and what are the highlights for you now?

Would love to hear. We don’t discuss the music enough these days.

Hello had yet to be recorded at the time the album was released, so it couldn't possibly had been on it.

I wasn't there at the time of release but I instantly fell in love with it when I first bought it in late 90 or early 91.

Like anything from Parade to Lovesexy it was kind of an out of time album, not too related to the trendy sounds of its time, and it that regard I feel it's aged well, because it's timeless. Like all those old albums, I don't listen to it too often anymore (maybe once or twice a year) but I still love it as deeply as I did at first, from beginning to end.

jaawwnn said:

KoolEaze said:

So glad this wasn't chosen, the horror if that was an actual album cover

My main issue with the album is the Ladder followed by Temptation. They're already not Prince's strongest songs and putting them one after the other really drag down the end of the album for me. Separated i'd probably have no issue with either of them but together... no.

I also wish he'd kept the psychedelic vibe of the first four songs for the whole album. I always feel like the potential concept falls apart and it bugs me.

I wasn't around back in the day so can't comment from that perspective!

I actually like this picture more than the album cover that was chosen. I think it really captures the essence of the song Paisley Park. What don't you like about it?

Musically ambituous and occassionally uneven with some moments of pure genius.

Around the World In A Day and Paisley Park are wonderful.

Condition of the Heart is decent, a bit of a step down. A tad meandering.

Raspberry Beret is pure pop genius with a McCartney-esque melody.

Tamborine is filler but I still enjoy it nonetheless.

America and Pop Life are genius. America is very funky and I would've loved the hear the extended version. Pop Life is just a very beautifully written and again reminds me of McCartney.

The Ladder is just boring and should've been replaced.

Temptation is cool and all, but it's tedious and could have been replaced with another song. It's a bit of a weak album closer.

[Edited 5/16/15 10:26am]

It's OK but it sounds forced. Like hes TRYING to be hippy dippy and trippy instead of actually feeling it. There's something missing and lacking with this record (funk for one) that I could never quite put my finger on, like he's just trying too hard to be different for the sake of it and it comes off contrived. Prince never had to TRY to be different.

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It's sort of like when the Stones did "Satanic Majesty's Request" in answer to "Sgt. Peppers" but had to force feed their sound into an area outside of their comfort zone, style and skill. I like a lot of the tracks on ATWIAD but I rarely play it. Parade was a better stab at melding his style with psychedlia.

jaawwnn said:

KoolEaze said:

So glad this wasn't chosen, the horror if that was an actual album cover

My main issue with the album is the Ladder followed by Temptation. They're already not Prince's strongest songs and putting them one after the other really drag down the end of the album for me. Separated i'd probably have no issue with either of them but together... no.

I also wish he'd kept the psychedelic vibe of the first four songs for the whole album. I always feel like the potential concept falls apart and it bugs me.

I wasn't around back in the day so can't comment from that perspective!

I really like your opinion about the concept falling apart. As well as the end of the album being a little inferior to others.

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My issue falls primarily with Temptation...maybe if The Ladder or even Condition of the Heart as the last song and insert She's always in my hair as track 8. That would give this album another strong song and eliminates the weakest.

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I do love and prefer that picture as the album cover over what was chosen. It has so much more to say and like wouldntulove2loveme said "it really captures the essence of the song Paisley Park." IMO

bonnie184 said:

jaawwnn said:

So glad this wasn't chosen, the horror if that was an actual album cover

My main issue with the album is the Ladder followed by Temptation. They're already not Prince's strongest songs and putting them one after the other really drag down the end of the album for me. Separated i'd probably have no issue with either of them but together... no.

I also wish he'd kept the psychedelic vibe of the first four songs for the whole album. I always feel like the potential concept falls apart and it bugs me.

I wasn't around back in the day so can't comment from that perspective!

I really like your opinion about the concept falling apart. As well as the end of the album being a little inferior to others.

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My issue falls primarily with Temptation...maybe if The Ladder or even Condition of the Heart as the last song and insert She's always in my hair as track 8. That would give this album another strong song and eliminates the weakest.

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I do love and prefer that picture as the album cover over what was chosen. It has so much more to say and like wouldntulove2loveme said "it really captures the essence of the song Paisley Park." IMO

wouldntulove2loveme said:

I actually like this picture more than the album cover that was chosen. I think it really captures the essence of the song Paisley Park. What don't you like about it?

ah fair enough. I just don't like the realistic drawings. I think it looks like the cover of a paperback from the 80's.

The man hugging the tiger, the creepy clown in the sky, the laughing children look like they are captured just before an atom bomb goes off... it's all the stuff of nightmares to me.

[Edited 5/18/15 6:51am]