herb4 said:

i always kinned "Tamborine" to "Darling Nikki".

"Tamborine" is more in-your-ear, and "Darling Nikki" is garage-band.

But, they are both songs where Prince sexed his intruments up more than his lyrics

RODSERLING said:

herb4 said:

I think it's VERY different. Most people do, in fact, and many folks jumped off the bandwagon when it came out. Prince himself said he said out to MAKe it different on purpose. Your Raspberry Beret/Take Me With U comparison is on point though. I'd never thought about that.

But going through the track list I don't see the strong comparison

Let's Go Crazy = ??? America....maybe? Gonna say no here.
Take Me With U = Raspberry Beret ok
The Beautiful Ones = ?? Condition of the Heart? Why? Just because it's a ballad? Those 2 songs are really different though
Computer Blue = ?? Again, MAYBE America.
Daring Nikki = ?? Paisley Park comes closest I guess
When Doves Cry = ?? Nothing on ATWIAD sounds like this
I Would Die 4 U = ??
Baby I'm a Star = ??
Purple Rain = ?? Closest thing is The Ladder. I suppose. Still no.

Not seeing it. The whole album sounds different to me. And I can tell because I love Purple Rain but can take or leave this record.

This comparison song /by song is a bit superficial. Nobody's expecting the 9 tracks of ATWIAD to be exactly the same formula than the 9 tracks of PR. I would be amazed you could do that to find similiarities in every track of two different albums from any artist. . I didn't say ATWIAD wasn't different than PR. Well it obviously is, since these are not the same songs, the same melodies... . I just said it was not SO different. . It s not like Prince jumped from pop/rock to hip/hop with ATWIAD. He just did the same genre of music, with an overtly sequel to Purple Rain with the Ladder, that sounds VERY similar to the iconic anthem. .

OK, cool. I'll respectfully disagree. ATWIAD was almost downright jarring the first time I heard it and, to my ears, was way WAY different from PR, 1999, DM or Controversy. I'd never heard him sound like that before. Hell, I haven't really heard him sound like that SINCE for that matter.

The album is kind of a wild outlier in his catalog - at least to me.

herb4 said:

This is well put.

ATWIAD was Prince trying to sound psychedelic and experimental. Parade was Prince being psychedelic and experimental. But how do you think ATWIAD used "the Purple Rain blueprint?" I don't see that at all so I'm curious. You mean in terms of pacing?

I tend to think of Parade and this one as connected myself and I'm not sure why. They're not companion albums and they sound totally different but it's more of...a progression...I guess? I'd throw Lovesexy in there as well as far as Prince trying to fully realize shit in his head.

That was a good post though TP.

The blueprint has been talked about before. A quick search would bring up some stuff. OldFriends4Sale posts about ATWIAD a lot, and some of this has bled into those past posts.

But some basics:

Both have 9 songs, 5 on first side, 4 on the second.

America = Baby I'm A Star (same drum track, band interactions, high energy)

Raspberry Beret = Take me With U (practically the same song; same storyline continued)

Condition of the Heart = The Beautiful Ones (3rd track ballad, forlorn love)

The Ladder = Purple Rain (spiritual anthem)

Temptation (or Tambourine) = Darling Nikki (nasty)

ATWAID = Let's Go Crazy (for me, these were similar with big background chants, both opening literally with one note or chord, and a slow build up)

Paisley Park = When Doves Cry (that sparse song with a reflective lyric)

You could regroup some of those, but in general, it's all there. On the surface, people may not see a similarity, but if you look closer, and compare elements, etc., it's all there.

nayroo2002 said:

i always kinned "Tamborine" to "Darling Nikki".

"Tamborine" is more in-your-ear, and "Darling Nikki" is garage-band.

But, they are both songs where Prince sexed his intruments up more than his lyrics

Tick Tick Bang Darling Nikki and Tamborine when listened to back to back WoW

Yes that wild unrestrained stuff

I was in 8th grade when ATWIAD came out. On some fridays we would allowed a class party. we would have pizza , candy, soda etc. The teacher would bring in a record player and we could play music too. Well I had just bought ATWIAD , which was the 1st album that I ever bought. I had not even listened 2 it yet. When the music began 2 play track after track the other kids just could not catch a vibe at all in fact the only songs that seemed 2 resonate with any1 ( teacher included) was Pop Life and Rasberry Beret. It was collectively deemed different. It was fine by me even then because I knew that it was no different than Purple Rain really. But people seemed 2 really just want Purple Rain #2. The genuis was in there in my opinion.

Genesia said:

I loved it.

Here's the thing: I had all of Prince's albums up to that point - so I was totally used to him taking me somewhere different every time. In fact, as much as I loved the phenomenon of Purple Rain, I felt like he'd gone back to making albums for me.

Well Put.

And upon first listen, Condition of the Heart was mind bogglingly breathtaking.

I listened to this album on a daily basis for about a week straight and always discovered something new with each listen. It definitely was a departure from the new wave/r&b/pop sound he made leading up to it, but those roots could be heard on the second listen of ATWIAD. One of my favorites

As a whole i can say now that ATWIAD is my favorite Prince Album......Condition of the heart & Temptation are my favorite trax on it.....the 2 most experimental compositions of the album & Tempation is maybe is most weird song ever written by Prince & probably the most underated song of his carrier ...this is Pure Genius IMO

[Edited 1/16/21 0:19am]

Prince was already my favorite artist, but when I heard ATWIAD he moved up even higher in my eyes. I loved the album with all its quirkiness even more than PR, not that I think it is actually a better album. I think it was his more bold move ever to release it right after PR. It was a big F U to all the folks who wanted to constrict him. There is something he does with his voice in several songs including Paisley Park, Condition of the Heart, parts of ATWIAD, the Ladder, and parts of Temptation that seem more inviting and appealing to me than almost any other album. I am not sure exactly why other than his voice seem more raw and expressive than on his other albums. I know many of his later songs had that same quality, but no album had it with the abundance that ATWIAD does IMO. I also thought Temptation, despite going off the deep in, is as funky musically as any song he ever did.

Genesia said:

I loved it.

Here's the thing: I had all of Prince's albums up to that point - so I was totally used to him taking me somewhere different every time. In fact, as much as I loved the phenomenon of Purple Rain, I felt like he'd gone back to making albums for me.

Yes, well put!

Like many here, I was 14 at the time. It wasn't the album that I wanted, but I could tell that it was the album that I needed. Up until about 1990 or so, if I didn't instantly connect with something P put out, I felt that it was my failing, not his.

RODSERLING said:

Artistically I think he was a brilliant move. He could have released "Purple Rain Part 2" but it wouldn't have been half as successful based on outtakes. ATWIAD's relatively low sales in comparison was chocked up to it's avant garde nature. The followup album to a blockbuster is almost always a sales disappointment so why not do it with style?

williamb610 said:

Third track...UH-OH...all Prince! Boom! Drums. Piano. Keyboards. Rush of percussion/cymbal. Haunting. Little twinkling of the guitar here and there. THIS IS FUCKING MUSIC! This song is exactly what's in my soul. "Oooh ooh. Hoo...hoo..." Keyboard. Raspy voice. Lyrics. First verse ends. Boom of the drums. Second verse. How does he get his voice to do that? Listen to this..."Now isn't that a shame that sometimes money buys you everything AND NOTHING! Love it only seems to buy a terminal condition of the heart." Whoa! "Thinking about you driving me crazy..Oooh! ... I'm blinded by the daisies in your yarrrrrrd." Voice builds later on, several voices..."OHHHH!" Sad. "She never answered back and now...he'sssssssssss...he, he'ssss...got a condition...of the heart." Keyboard. Drums. Boom. Boom. Boom. Boom.

Damn, this dude!

Your whole response is pretty similar to mine, but Condition of the Heart in particular really was a thrilling thing for me. I said in the "what album made you a real fan" or whatever thread that it was ATWIAD, but this song probably was the most important track on it. That said, while I might call this the album that did it, the fact is that a b-side may have been as important. Just like 17 Days made me decide I definitely wanted Purple Rain (I liked the 1999 singles, but I'd never bought anything before I bought the When Doves Cry single), She's Always in My Hair is my favorite song from this era. And, as with 17 Days, if he's putting stuff like that on the b-side, I need to get everything, because you never know where the best stuff's gonna be.

herb4 said:

RODSERLING said:

ATWIAD is not so different from PR.

I think it's VERY different. Most people do, in fact, and many folks jumped off the bandwagon when it came out. Prince himself said he said out to MAKe it different on purpose. Your Raspberry Beret/Take Me With U comparison is on point though. I'd never thought about that.

But going through the track list I don't see the strong comparison

Let's Go Crazy = ??? America....maybe? Gonna say no here.
Take Me With U = Raspberry Beret ok
The Beautiful Ones = ?? Condition of the Heart? Why? Just because it's a ballad? Those 2 songs are really different though
Computer Blue = ?? Again, MAYBE America.
Daring Nikki = ?? Paisley Park comes closest I guess
When Doves Cry = ?? Nothing on ATWIAD sounds like this
I Would Die 4 U = ??
Baby I'm a Star = ??
Purple Rain = ?? Closest thing is The Ladder. I suppose. Still no.

Not seeing it. The whole album sounds different to me. And I can tell because I love Purple Rain but can take or leave this record.

I agree....ATWIAD is very different from Purple Rain.It's also slower,too.The uptempo songs on PR are loud, relentless and "in-your-face",which is why we love 'em so much on ATWIAD,the tempos are slower and less powerful.And you're right.....when ATWIAD came out,many people were confused and thought that Prince had lost his mind,lol.

TraSoul82 said:

TraSoul82 said:

I'll add that the B-sides are no joke on ATWIAD either.

She's Always In My Hair
Hello
Girl

And I always considered 4 The Tears In Your Eyes to belong to this album!

Se7en said:

I'll add that the B-sides are no joke on ATWIAD either.

She's Always In My Hair
Hello
Girl

And I always considered 4 The Tears In Your Eyes to belong to this album!

That would have made it a better album. "Hello"is b-side material IMO but I agree with the rest.

RODSERLING said:

I love how the album sounds, but I think the album is weak in term of good songs, compared to his previous albums. It s the first time songs couldn't be released as singles. . Tambourine is weak, Temptation is way too long and self-indulgent, The Ladder sounds like a fake Purple Rain sold in supermarkets... . I have the same opinion of Parade : I love how it sounds, but taken separately, some of the songs are not that good

Around the World in a Day needed performances. Not a tour. But live renditions of the songs. For me it is a wonderful album. I wouldn't call it weak, I mean there are a lot of songs on 1999 Controversy and Dirty Mind that are not strong single releases.
.
Prince clearly did this one to bring about a different reaction(and connection) than Purple Rain.
.
When I heard America Paisley Park Temptation GO, etc from the Nice France 85 show. They cranked it, like the album but on a whole different energy. He didn't need to do a tour. But he needed to do real videos and small shows. Because the album is an opus.

.

If you haven't already, sit back, go back into your mind to 85 and think what each song(non Paradeish) could have been like/sounded like.

.

I actually spliced Tempation and had it fade out at the end of the song. Then made a seperate piece of the ending. I think i enjoy it even more being able to listen to it like that. I wish America was longer on the album.

.

LOL the Ladder as a fake Purple Rain lol. I love it when it's done on the piano medley on the Parade and Lovesexy show. For me it is the weaker song on the album. As much as I love Eddie M's playing I think a guitar solo would have been better. The Sax makes it sound a bit sappy.

He should have took the Revolution with Eddie/Eric, David Coleman, Suzi Katayama and Novi Novog, with maybe 3 other people Jerome Benton, Susannah Melvoin and someone else on some shows around the country(and Europe)

I can see Prince at a grand piano in a classical music hall with the band doing a full on rendition of Condition of the Heart. No snippet, no rush

.

Parade definately is different in that it is more like a a movie Score, than soundtrack. Not to mention that all the songs in the movie were not on the (Perfect)Parade album. But I can listen to that one all the way through all the time.

OldFriends4Sale said:

Around the World in a Day needed performances. Not a tour.

Agreed. It really needed a "Pop Life" video. I also wonder why something like "Condition of the Heart" wasn't a single and video, instead of "Paisley Park." Although, honestly, besides the colorful motif of "Raspberry Beret," Prince hadn't offered anything significant or interesting in videos - ever. Except maybe "When Doves Cry." (Fite me)

ATWIAD's biggest problem is just the timing. Days after a major tour & campaign, desperate to release something new, yet bouncing right to another project. It sorta gets lost in the mix that way. It wasn't given it's due time (one could compare SOTT's lack of promotion in the US the same way), and suffered from its creator's oversight. That all despite the videos we did get, and the small string of singles.

TrivialPursuit said:

OldFriends4Sale said:

Around the World in a Day needed performances. Not a tour.

Agreed. It really needed a "Pop Life" video. I also wonder why something like "Condition of the Heart" wasn't a single and video, instead of "Paisley Park." Although, honestly, besides the colorful motif of "Raspberry Beret," Prince hadn't offered anything significant or interesting in videos - ever. Except maybe "When Doves Cry." (Fite me)

ATWIAD's biggest problem is just the timing. Days after a major tour & campaign, desperate to release something new, yet bouncing right to another project. It sorta gets lost in the mix that way. It wasn't given it's due time (one could compare SOTT's lack of promotion in the US the same way), and suffered from its creator's oversight. That all despite the videos we did get, and the small string of singles.

I agree. I could have done with different types of videos like Rasperry Beret, with the animated imagery. It would have been perfect for Condition of the Heart. Especially since it was supposed to be some kind of template for UTCM early draft or something. Hello could have rendered a really good video too, ATWIAD Paisley Park Condition of the Heart, Pop Life, America were colorful songs that painted easy video pictures.

.
That Paisley Park video I never even saw back then. Like the SOTT video. Didn't know they existed.
.
FITE U lol add Girls & Boys, Automatic, Kiss, Mountains (maybe Glam Slam) degree of strength indicated by depth of grays. I love those videos

.

I agree the timing, the abrupt timing. It's release while stilly on the PR tour.
.
If I was able to put together a real ATWIAD box set, it would include a video of an aspect of the WB listening party. The purple limo pulling up with Prince in a stripped kimono type outfit. Lisa Wendy Susannah John L Nelson Joni Mitchell all dressed Uptown. The Revolution awaiting with other Prince camp and WB executives. Paisly pillow and balloons everywhere.

.

The Raspberry Beret video with any and all (outtakes) extra's photos etc. I would add by duress the 1985 Masquerade Ball. Because for some reason he including nothing from ATWIAD.
The two wonderful 1985 Interviews. And the 1985 Nice, France mini concert.

Any any direct ATWIAD outtakes(all ATWIAD songs-bass included) long versions (Tamborine???) bsides etc

Album art/painting commentary by the artists and those who have information on whose who...

OldFriends4Sale said:

.
FITE U lol add Girls & Boys, Automatic, Kiss, Mountains (maybe Glam Slam) degree of strength indicated by depth of grays. I love those videos

.

"Automatic" wasn't that interesting. The rest came after the fact, so my statement was up to that point, "Raspberry Beret" and "When Doves Cry" was the most interest I'd had in a Prince video.

I bought it on cassette the day it came out and initially I was surprised by its Beatlesque flavor but after I played it a couple of times I loved it, especially the title song.

RODSERLING said:

I love how the album sounds, but I think the album is weak in term of good songs, compared to his previous albums. It s the first time songs couldn't be released as singles. . Tambourine is weak, Temptation is way too long and self-indulgent, The Ladder sounds like a fake Purple Rain sold in supermarkets... . I have the same opinion of Parade : I love how it sounds, but taken separately, some of the songs are not that good

I'm in complete agreement with u. Taken as a whole, it wasn't very good; not enough potential hits, BUT, those that WERE, were pretty TIGHT (Raspberry Beret and Pop Life.) I remember HATING the song, "America." I hated the tempo, the sound, the whole 9 of that song. Otherwise, as a followup 2 a BLOCKbuster movie/soundtrack, it paled in comparison. I never understood the descriptor "psychedelic." It was anything BUT psychedelic; perhaps, more folky or organic, but not psychedelic in my opinion. And yeah...Temptation and The Ladder...NOPE. Boring, too long, too self indulgent, etc...The Black Album TRUMPED ATWIAD by MILES! He should've MILKED that one!