Comments for Prince and the Revolution, Around the World in a Day

"Prince"'s shocking name change to a lavishly designed symbol in 1993 was unexpected, like seeing a wolf-boy at your local mall, but it was not the first time he reinvented himself and started from scratch with a new persona that allowed more freedom. In fact, the new name is merely one in a history of many strategy's to continually expand his creative lifespan, hence opening up new areas of exploration and sidestepping individual and public boredom. The first major metamorphosis occured after he had created two slick, commercial, eager-to-please kiddie albums in the late '70s and then abruptly made chopped liver out of them by releasing "Dirty Mind", an album which saw him reborn as "Smokey Robinson goes Punk". The critics loved the sparse new wave/ disco/ funk/ rock hybrids from this sleazy, wiry pimp with a brain. "Prince" then took this persona through two more albums before launching himself to super-icon status with 1984's "Purple Rain" mania, a rockin' cash register which turned out to be every corporation's wet dream. But just as Prince had USED the mainstream success of his 1979 album to generate interest in his far more superior and experimental "Dirty Mind", he similarly used the monolithic exposure "Rain" gave him to risk further expanding his musical palette with his first overtly "psycheldelic" album "Around The World In A Day". This is when things got really fun to be a Prince fan. Suddenly, you never knew what to expect to hear on a new album. "Around" has Prince venturing into Beatles-derived world music, Joni Mitchell/ classical piano experiments (a la "Don Juan's Reckless Daugher") and coming up with the most playful, colorful, bright and childlike music of his entire career - TO DATE. On cannot hear "7" or "The Holy River" and not think of it's paisley, multi-colored influence. Chains were broken, and the purple sage spent the next few years designing even more twisted and wonderful soundscapes. The avant-garde fun ended temporarily when the sales of 1988's "Lovesexy" were considerably less than a million and he was forced again to create a retro "1999"-sounding album for the masses, "Batman". Listen to "Around the World" and you'll know exactley what The Artist is about - he's an EXPLORER, bent on not winning the game, but to keep the game going as long as possible, maybe forever.

Possibly it was the diversity in the tracks on this album that put people off? Nevertheless it''s a great one, some of the experiments didn''t work but in "Around The World In A Day", "Paisly Park" and the brilliant "Raspberry Beret" you have another batch of classic pop tunes from Prince. Maybe the rest of the album is not as strong, but it is interesting.

prince was 4 the first time close 2 the truth! the meaning of life

I was a little girl when my brothers brought home your record where were naked on a white horse. I believe that was the album with "Sexy Dancer" & "I Feel For You". Since then I have been a big fan of yours and now so is my 5 yr old nephew. He thinks Purple Rain just came out. Of course he only watches certain concert scenes. Around the World in a Day was/is just like all the rest a phenomenal album. Being 29 now I grew up telling people that you are much more of a musician than your releases reveal. My wish is to not only meet you someday but to also be able to sing a little with you. Of course I would settle for a concert. Your next project is highly anticipated(at least by me). God Bless, Tracie

Dear Prince. I'm a friend of both Penny Ford, and of Slly (Ray). I've heard that you will be in Milan in November. I'd like 2 offer my services to u with my ability with the language (Italian). I look forward 2 hearing from u. Peace