Around the World in a Day is the seventh studio album by Prince, released in April 1985 on Paisley Park Records / Warner Bros. Records and produced entirely by Prince. Following the commercial juggernaut of Purple Rain, the album was a deliberate and surprising left turn into psychedelic pop, drawing on the music of Sgt. Pepper-era Beatles and California's Summer of Love. Rather than ride the momentum of his breakthrough, Prince used the album to signal his refusal to be pinned down commercially or aesthetically, releasing it with almost no promotion and still watching it reach number one on the Billboard 200. The title track and 'Raspberry Beret' became hits despite their experimental character, demonstrating that Prince could follow his muse and still win commercially. Around the World in a Day stands as a bold artistic statement about artistic freedom and the irrelevance of commercial strategy.
Track Listing & Credits
| # | Title | Lyricist(s) | Composer(s) | Producer(s) | Performers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Around the World in a Day | Prince Rogers Nelson, John L. Nelson, David Coleman | Prince Rogers Nelson, John L. Nelson, David Coleman | Prince Rogers Nelson |
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| 2 | Paisley Park | Prince Rogers Nelson | Prince Rogers Nelson | Prince Rogers Nelson |
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| 3 | Condition of the Heart | Prince Rogers Nelson | Prince Rogers Nelson | Prince Rogers Nelson |
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| 4 | Raspberry Beret | Prince Rogers Nelson | Prince Rogers Nelson | Prince Rogers Nelson |
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| 5 | Tamborine | Prince Rogers Nelson | Prince Rogers Nelson | Prince Rogers Nelson |
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| 6 | America | Prince Rogers Nelson | Prince Rogers Nelson | Prince Rogers Nelson |
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| 7 | Pop Life | Prince Rogers Nelson | Prince Rogers Nelson | Prince Rogers Nelson |
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| 8 | The Ladder | Prince Rogers Nelson, John L. Nelson | Prince Rogers Nelson, John L. Nelson | Prince Rogers Nelson |
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| 9 | Temptation | Prince Rogers Nelson | Prince Rogers Nelson | Prince Rogers Nelson |
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Data note: Credited to Prince and the Revolution. 'Around the World in a Day' and 'The Ladder' feature co-writing credits for David Coleman and John L. Nelson (Prince's father) respectively.