For those not in the know, Prince’s seventh studio album, and the second to be credited to Prince and the Revolution, Around The World In A Day, was released on April 22nd, 1985. Featuring no fewer than four singles, Around The World In A Day saw Prince and the Revolution change musical direction yet again, experimenting with psychedelic textures, incorporating new instrumentation, and expanding the genres of songs within the album.

With audio newly remastered by original mastering engineer Bernie Grundman, with additional mastering by Chris James, the Around The World In A Day Deluxe Edition includes the original album plus two extra discs of bonus material.

The B-Sides & Bonus Tracks discs include the extended versions of the A & B sides including the remix of Paisley Park, the extended version of Girl and Hello (Fresh Dance Mix), the nearly 22-minute 12 version of America, and two versions of the 1985 song, 4 The Tears In Your Eyes.

Side A Around The World In A Day (2025 Remaster):
1. Around The World In A Day
2. Paisley Park
3. Condition Of The Heart
4. Raspberry Beret
5. Tamborine

Side B:
6. America
7. Pop Life
8. The Ladder
9. Temptation

Side C B-Sides & Bonus Tracks (2025 Remaster):
1. Raspberry Beret (New Mix) (a.k.a. Extended Remix)
2. She’s Always In My Hair (New Mix)
3. Paisley Park (Remix)

Side D B-Sides & Bonus Tracks (2025 Remaster):
4. Pop Life (Fresh Dance Mix)
5. Pop Life (Extended Version)

Side E B-Sides & Bonus Tracks (2025 Remaster):
6. Hello (Fresh Dance Mix)
7. Girl (12” Version)
8. 4 The Tears In Your Eyes (We Are The World Album Version)
9. 4 The Tears In Your Eyes (The Hits/The B-Sides Version)

Side F B-Sides & Bonus Tracks (2025 Remaster):
10. America (12” Version)

Oh boy, the Purple One really threw the expectant music world a generous curveball after the mammoth breakaway success of Purple Rain when he brought forth this psych dream beauty. Though not as immaculate as its predecessor, Around The World In A Day is most assuredly an underrated gem that showcases Prince maturing and expanding his artistic palette; and in some bravo style at that.

In one of the last real contributions from the backing band The Revolution, we see a blend of musical influences pop up throughout the record; guitarwork reminiscent of the paisley underground movement of the time (it’s said that Prince was a huge fan of this movement and named his studio after it) middle-eastern percussion, flute, cello, et al; all under the sweeping flavor of 60’s psychedelic pop - the result being one of the freshest records put out by a popular musician who could have easily cashed in on his formula from 1984.

The songwriting is top-notch, for Paisley Park is psychedelic goodness all round, Tamborine is a stripped down funk track that sounds like a crazier predecessor to Sign O’ The Times (the track, not the album) and Condition of the Heart is balladry that ranks up there with The Beautiful Ones, in my humble opinion.

Then you have the monster singles, such as Pop Life, which is an orchestral, yet bitingly concise recalling of idleness at the heights of fame, features some amazing backup work from The Revolution and the delirious swirly Raspberry Beret - which I think is one of the 10 best songs he penned; an endlessly hummable recounting of infatuation on very modest terms as far as Prince is concerned.

For the record, the B-Side of that 7” single contained arguably Prince’s most interesting track, She’s Always In My Hair, which is now included here amongst the 2LP’s of B-Sides and Bonus Tracks. Getting back on track and for my personal taste, The Ladder is just plain weird, but endlessly listenable, with the only so-called flaw on this album being the closer Temptation, which relies too much on the grander and bombastic side of things, and sounds like it would be more fitting on a compilation than alongside the four minute pop punches that Prince was dishing out here overall.

Overall, a challenging and downright offbeat collection of pop songs that are, at its worst, danceable and demanding, and at its best, absolutely knocked-out-the-park brilliant. And now that it comes with a whole host of aforementioned B-Sides and Bonus Tracks - such as A trippy Raspberry Beret (New Mix) (a.k.a. Extended Remix), a vibrantly upbeat Pop Life (Fresh Dance Mix), and an underrated Girl (12” Version) - this album is as complete as it could ever have hoped to be.

Psych-lollies, anyone?

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