Prince: Around The World In A Day (3LP, deluxe edition) [NPG RECORDS]

Why you'll love it

This 40th anniversary deluxe edition pairs the remastered album with two more LPs of B-sides, mixes and edits, including "She's Always In My Hair" and the 12-inch "America." The album went to No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and double platinum, and "Raspberry Beret" and "Pop Life" both reached the Top 10.

This edition

• 3LP set
• 40th anniversary deluxe edition
• Remastered

About the album

After Purple Rain, Prince could have made the same album again and nobody would have blamed him. He went the other way entirely, into paisley, finger cymbals and psychedelic swirl, and asked Warner Bros. to put the record out with minimal fuss so people would take it in as a whole. The singles were held back for almost a month.

The opening title track sets the tone with exotic percussion and a carnival lurch, "Paisley Park" imagines a utopia (and gave his studio its name), and "Condition Of The Heart" is a lovely, piano-led ballad. "Raspberry Beret" is a perfect, string-laden pop song, "Pop Life" glides on a sly bass line, and "The Ladder" builds to a gospel climax before "Temptation" closes the original LP in a blaze of guitar.

The bonus discs dig into the 12-inch era, with the Fresh Dance Mix of "Hello," the 12-inch version of "Girl" and both versions of "4 The Tears In Your Eyes." Prince wanted the album taken in its entirety before anyone zeroed in on a single song; with three LPs here, we'd suggest clearing the afternoon.

Also at Kops: more Prince on vinyl · browse 70s Soul On Up

Tracklist

Listen

On NPG Records / Warner Records, a reissue of the 1985 album.