Prince - Around the World in a Day (Deluxe Edition) (2025 Remaster) (1985/2025) Hi-Res

From the spring of 1984 through the first months of 1985, Prince and the Revolution dominated radio and video airwaves, swept awards shows, and sold out venues night after night on the strength of the Purple Rain movie and soundtrack. So when, just a couple of weeks after the final Purple Rain tour date in Miami, Florida, the band re-emerged with an entirely new album, one would be forgiven for assuming that it would be, if not Purple Rain, Pt. 2, something in the same general vernacular. Around the World in a Day was, instead, an entire generation's first encounter with the idea that an artist could—and, in fact, probably should—challenge themselves and their audience. And what a challenge it was.

Although Prince had explored a wide range of styles on his previous albums, with each of them being a distinct statement, the blatantly kaleidoscopic approach of ATWIAD was both a flex and a dare. The album is often described as "psychedelic," but it isn't rooted in retro pastiche so much as Prince absorbing '60s colors—flutes, backwards tapes, swirling harmonies—and a distinctly loose "California" vibe that results in a warm, inviting, and occasionally strange sound that's more aligned with the L.A. Paisley Underground scene than it was with bell bottoms and peace signs. Committed to tape as time allowed during the whirlwind of Purple Rain, the album reflected Prince's vision of "the Revolution" as, basically, him and Wendy & Lisa. Regardless of the recording personnel (a couple cuts are full-band recordings, some are just Prince with Wendy & Lisa, some are just Prince), Around the World in a Day in conception and execution demonstrates just how much creative symbiosis the three had developed. The opening title track immediately signals the shift, unfolding with Middle Eastern-tinged melodies, bright percussion, and a feeling of utopian openness; it is a vibe unlike anything ever heard on a Prince album before. Tracks like "Paisley Park" and "Raspberry Beret" give the album a buoyant charm: breezy pop built on handclaps, chiming guitars, and effortlessly melodic hooks. "Condition of the Heart" is a spacious, lush ballad that's as sad as it is romantic, while "Tamborine" is its polar opposite, stripping things down to a tight, twitchy groove. "America" (possibly one of Prince's best jams with some of his worst lyrics) and "Temptation" (definitely one of Prince's weirdest numbers) show that, yeah, he was just as much of a weirdo as your parents said he was.

This playful, exploratory vibe wasn't just limited to the album's nine tracks; in the same way that "Erotic City," "17 Days," and "Another Lonely Christmas" showed that a Prince B-side could eclipse the quality of most of his contemporaries' A-sides, ATWIAD's "leftovers" were also incredible. B-sides like "Girl" and "She's Always in My Hair" are top-tier Prince songs, and while the tossed-off "Hello" has funny and bitchy lyrics, the song's trippy funk groove is so thick and in the pocket, you can imagine it going on for hours. Likewise for a live version of "America," which actually only goes on for 21 minutes but feels like hours—in a good way. All of these single tracks are included in their 7-inch and 12-inch versions in this deluxe edition, along with a few other era-specific songs.

Tracklist

CD 1: Around The World In A Day (2025 Remaster)
1. Around the World in a Day (2025 Remaster) (3:28)
2. Paisley Park (2025 Remaster) (4:42)
3. Condition of the Heart (2025 Remaster) (6:48)
4. Raspberry Beret (2025 Remaster) (3:33)
5. Tamborine (2025 Remaster) (2:48)
6. America (2025 Remaster) (3:42)
7. Pop Life (2025 Remaster) (3:44)
8. The Ladder (2025 Remaster) (5:29)
9. Temptation (2025 Remaster) (8:18)
10. America (12" Version) (2025 Remaster) (21:41)

CD 2: B-Sides & Bonus Tracks (2025 Remaster)
1. Raspberry Beret (New Mix) (2025 Remaster) (6:36)
2. She's Always in My Hair (7" Version) (2025 Remaster) (3:28)
3. She's Always in My Hair (New Mix) (6:30)
4. Paisley Park (Remix) (2025 Remaster) (7:03)
5. Pop Life (Fresh Dance Mix) (2025 Remaster) (6:15)
6. Pop Life (Extended Version) (2025 Remaster) (9:07)
7. Hello (7" Version) (3:23)
8. Hello (Fresh Dance Mix) (2025 Remaster) (6:14)
9. Girl (7" Version) (3:48)
10. Girl (12" Version) (2025 Remaster) (7:46)
11. 4 the Tears in Your Eyes ('We Are The World' Version) (2025 Remaster) (2:49)
12. 4 the Tears in Your Eyes ('The Hits/The B-Sides' Version) (2025 Remaster) (3:24)

Blog with my downloads here!