I remember walking to the bus stop one day listening to this tape with my headphones and walkman, thinking what a beautiful day, although there wasn't a ounce of sun shining...I was in my own little world.

Perfect album to share its birthday with Earth Day.

Still one of my favorite Prince albums and perhaps his most under-rated.

Happy 18th ATWIAD, old enough for a pint now!

But sadly only in the UK!

Prince's finest album it has everything on it, and the production is clear and crisp.
Underated 2 a fault, it's a damn shame but let's celebrate it it was with this album that I knew that I was a Prince Fan!

ATWIAD was my first Prince album + the one that got me.
All hail ...

Can't believe it.

Can it be that I've spent 18 years (more than half of my life) now listening to our man.

That thought is incredible + frightening at the same time.
I'm getting old.

Pochacco said:

pochacco, u make me laugh! i couldn't wait to get out school myself that day, although i actually skipped so i could go buy the album! my first year of college, i had other things on my mind.
in the store, they were playing it for me. they knew i loved prince, and the manager was teasing me, saying it sucked. i took it home and when i heard that quiet flute begin the title song...i thought, this record is scratched! i took it back, because the same thing happened during the quiet passages of condition of the heart. but even the new copy was the same: it wasn't the record, it was the recording that was that way! i thought the album was kind of strange, but i liked it for sure. it took me a while to get into some of the cuts, like condition of the heart, the ladder, around the world in a day. honestly, i wanted more mainstream, more tightly focused rock/funk/groove a la purple rain. i wanted guitar! this album was too murky and floating for me! but i kept listening, and it grew on me. i love it just the way it is! when i read prince say that he could've easily began the album with the guitar solo on the end of let's go crazy, i laughed and thought, he must have read my mind!
it was also wierd not to have any strong visuals to go along with the music, except for "raspberry beret" video. unlike sign, parade, purple rain, this album does not evoke a particular visual mood. it's very free-floating, nebulous at times. kind of like albums were before the video era.
how much we live and learn...today i respect around the world. i tought me how to really listen and not take anything for granted. it definitely holds its own in prince's catalogue. i have to admit, though, to this day i feel let down whenever i play it through and it comes to "the ladder" and "temptation". those are not the strongest songs to end an album with, in my opinion. but i guess prince knew that too and just did what he wanted to do. and that's fine.

Very well said, fms !
Agree totally to most of it.

fms said:

fms...I 2 felt the same about 'The Ladder' and 'Temptation' - but have u ever heard the version he did of 'The Ladder' at a soundcheck at L.A. Memorial Sports Arena in 1988 (im sure somone here may be able 2 hook u up with it!) Because the day I did, and heard Him sing it with SUCH conviction, it totally made me re-evaluate that song. It moved me - I hope u can get 2 hear (or even better - SEE the footage of Him performing it!!!) Its stirring stuff - trust me on this one!

Anyone here agree/able 2 help hook Him up?