Discovering the Weirdest Tracks on Prince’s Around the World in a Day

When Prince released Around the World in a Day in 1985, it came hot on the heels of Purple Rain, one of his most commercially successful and iconic albums. Fans and critics alike were expecting a continuation of that success, but Prince, ever the musical chameleon, took a sharp left turn into experimental territory. Around the World in a Day proved to be a psychedelic pop record full of unexpected sounds, lyrical eccentricity, and unconventional arrangements. While some tracks became beloved classics, there are others that still leave listeners puzzled in the best possible way.

Here, we dive into the weirdest and most eclectic tracks from this boundary-pushing album, which showcase Prince’s genius in defying musical conventions.

1. “Around the World in a Day”

The opening track sets the tone for the album with a lush, swirling tapestry of Middle Eastern-inspired sounds, flutes, and tablas. It immediately announces that Prince was not going to deliver another Purple Rain. The structure of the song is unconventional, with its wandering tempo and mystical vibe, almost like a dreamscape. Prince’s vocal delivery shifts between a storytelling tone and an ethereal chant, making it an odd but intriguing entry point into the album’s world.

2. “Condition of the Heart”

“Condition of the Heart” is one of Prince’s most abstract ballads. The nearly six-minute track opens with an extended, wandering instrumental that feels like it could belong in a fantasy movie soundtrack. Prince’s lyrics are cryptic, delivered in a distant, haunting manner as he explores themes of longing and emotional complexity. The absence of a traditional song structure, coupled with its slow, atmospheric build, makes this track both mesmerizing and perplexing.

3. “Tamborine”

One of the most bizarre tracks on the album, “Tamborine” is a frenetic mix of jittery drums, pitched-up vocals, and eccentric lyrics. Prince’s falsetto is at its strangest here, and the song itself sounds like it’s constantly on the verge of falling apart. Lyrically, it touches on themes of sexual frustration and isolation, but the quirky, manic energy of the song makes it feel more like a surreal fever dream than a coherent narrative.

4. “America”

On the surface, “America” might seem like a more straightforward rock-funk jam, but the track’s marathon runtime (extended to over 21 minutes in some versions) and the layers of subversive commentary make it one of the album’s most politically charged yet unusual offerings. The lyrics mix patriotism with skepticism, while the extended instrumental breaks stretch the track into a near-hypnotic repetition. The sheer audacity of its length and its dense sonic landscape make it one of the more outlandish cuts on Around the World in a Day.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pq98n2j75XA&ab_channel=Prince

5. “The Ladder”

While “The Ladder” is often praised for its spiritual themes, it’s the peculiar storytelling style and the almost gospel-like delivery that make it stand out as one of the album’s most unique tracks. Prince crafts an allegorical tale filled with abstract characters, and the song’s slow burn, combined with its minimalistic arrangement, gives it a meditative, otherworldly quality. The ambiguous nature of the lyrics leaves listeners guessing at the deeper meanings, which only adds to its strange allure.

6. “Temptation”

The closing track, “Temptation,” is perhaps the most bewildering of all. It starts as a sultry, bluesy number, but midway through, it takes a sharp turn into a bizarre spoken-word segment where Prince engages in a dialogue with “God.” The abrupt tonal shift, coupled with the song’s dramatic, almost theatrical flair, makes it one of Prince’s most unpredictable and surreal pieces of work. The track ends in a cacophony of sounds, a fittingly chaotic conclusion to an album full of surprises.

Final Thoughts

Prince’s Around the World in a Day is an album that dared to deviate from the expected and dive into the experimental. While it may not have resonated with all listeners upon its release, its weirdest tracks continue to fascinate, mystify, and challenge those who seek to understand Prince’s boundary-pushing genius. For those willing to take the journey, Around the World in a Day offers a sonic adventure unlike any other—one filled with oddities that, while perplexing, are essential pieces of Prince’s expansive musical legacy.