1985 April 22: Around The World Era

A genuine piece of Prince’s iconic Purple Rain tour history is now available: a stage-used tambourine personally played by Prince during the 1985 Purple Rain Tour, featuring the handwritten inscription “Love God.” Item Highlights Artist: Prince Era: Purple Rain Tour (1985) Item: Tambourine (stage-used) Inscription: “Love God.” handwritten by Prince Auction: Heritage Auctions This tambourine was used by Prince on stage during one of his most legendary and visually spectacular

Three handwritten lyric sheets created by Prince during the 1985 production of Under the Cherry Moon have been announced for auction, including a screen‑used prop page from the film. SUMMARY PARAGRAPH Three handwritten lyric sheets created by Prince during the 1985 production of Under the Cherry Moon have been announced for auction, including a screen‑used prop page from the film. NEWS DATA Source: Julien’s Auctions Date: 2026 listing (Lot #612) Location: Gardena, California

A rare and elegant 1985 Christmas card personally sent by Prince, featuring striking original artwork on the front The card features a bold, artistic front cover with a winged angel in a red robe standing on a globe against a black-and-white geometric background, accented by a flowing red ribbon. Below the illustration it reads “Happy Christmas” in elegant script. Inside, on a plain cream background, Prince wrote the simple message “Love God” followed by his flowing signature

A major two-page feature in Blues & Soul spotlighting Sheila E. during the peak of her solo success with the album Romance 1600 and her association with Prince. SOURCE DETAILS Publication: Blues & Soul Date: October 15, 1985 (Issue 443) Country: United Kingdom Section / Pages: Cover Story + Two-page interior feature THE STORY This in-depth feature explores Sheila E.’s solo career breakthrough with Romance 1600, her transition from percussionist to frontwoman, and her strong c

This was the third single from Around The World In A Day, featuring artwork taken from the album cover. Artist: Prince and the Revolution Label: Warner Bros. / Paisley Park Date: October 14, 1985 Catalogue: W8858 / 928 858-7 Format: 7" Single Country: UK Produced, arranged, composed and performed by Prince & The Revolution TRACK LIST UK 7" Single (W8858) Side A Pop Life Side B Girl LINKED RELEASES / VARIANTS Album version on Around The World In A Day (1985) 12" versions with

This extended 12" single was the fourth and final release from Around The World In A Day. Artist: Prince and the Revolution Label: Warner Bros. / Paisley Park Date: October 2, 1985 Catalogue: 0-20389 Format: 12" Single Country: USA Produced, arranged, composed and performed by Prince & The Revolution TRACK LIST USA 12" Single (0-20389) Side A America (21:46) Side B Girl (7:36) LINKED RELEASES / VARIANTS Album version on Around The World In A Day (1985) UK/European releases (p

One of the most important and visually striking Rolling Stone covers of the 1980s, featuring Prince’s major interview breaking his silence after Purple Rain. SOURCE DETAILS Publication: Rolling Stone Date: September 12, 1985 (Issue No. 456) Country: United States Section / Pages: Front Cover + Six-Page interior feature THE STORY This landmark Rolling Stone cover and extensive six-page interview captures Prince opening up about his life, career, family, and creative process. T

Romance 1600 (full title Sheila E. In Romance 1600) is the second album by Sheila E., following her debut The Glamorous Life. Although the credits state that all tracks were produced, written, and arranged by Sheila E. (with A Love Bizarre giving Prince co‑credit), seven of the eight tracks were in fact produced, written, and arranged by Prince, with Sheila E. contributing additional input. Only Merci For The Speed Of A Mad Clown In Summer contained no writing input from Prin

A.C. is the third and final solo album by André Cymone (who had left Prince’s band in 1981), and was released on 16 August 1985. The album included one song written and produced by Prince, The Dance Electric, which was Prince’s first and only contribution to André Cymone’s solo studio recordings. Prince reportedly gave him the song after Cymone’s mother asked him for a composition, although Cymone has denied this claim. Track Listing All songs written by André Cymone, except

The Family’s self‑titled debut album was released in the UK on August 12 1985. Conceived and produced by Prince, the project introduced a new Minneapolis‑based group featuring St. Paul Peterson, Susannah Melvoin, Jerome Benton, Jellybean Johnson, and Eric Leeds. Although Prince was officially credited only for writing Nothing Compares 2 U, he composed seven of the eight tracks and played nearly all instruments. The record marked the first Prince‑related release to feature Eri

Bedtime Story was issued in the USA on 12 August 1985 as the second single from Sheila E.’s album Romance 1600, arriving two weeks ahead of the album’s release. The B‑side, Dear Michaelangelo, also taken from the album, appears here in a slightly shortened fade‑out edit, although this is not identified on the label. Prince wrote, produced and performed the majority of both tracks, but his involvement was not credited. COUNTRY VARIANTS Artist: Sheila E. Title: Bedtime Story La

Pop Life was the third single (second in North America) to be released from Prince’s eighth album Around The World In A Day, the second to be credited to Prince and the Revolution. It was released three months after the album’s release. The single included a non-album track b-side, Hello as well as extended versions ("Fresh Dance Mix") of both Pop Life and Hello. Raspberry Beret was released concurrently in the UK (with Hello as the b-side), so when Pop Life was released ther

P BACKGROUND The Screams Of Passion was the first single released from The Family’s debut and only album The Family. Issued four weeks before the album, it marked the first release of any kind by the group and the first Prince‑related release to feature strings arranged by Clare Fischer. The single contained both an edit and an extended version of the track, with the b‑side Yes also taken from the album. It was released in North America, the UK, and Europe. RECORDING Recorded

The Dance Electric was released on Jul 16, 1985 as the first single from André Cymone’s third album A.C., arriving four weeks before the album itself. The track was written and produced by Prince and André Cymone, marking one of their final collaborations of the 1980s. The single contained two different edits of the song, while the B‑side Red Light was produced solely by Cymone and did not involve Prince. BACKGROUND The Dance Electric originated from a 1984 session where Prin

This 1985 clip marks Prince’s first black‑and‑white promotional video, created specifically for the worldwide Live Aid broadcast. Instead of appearing at the Philadelphia or London concerts, Prince contributed a filmed studio performance of 4 The Tears In Your Eyes, recorded on 4 June 1985 at SIR Studios, Los Angeles. The intimate trio arrangement with Wendy Melvoin and Lisa Coleman became one of the most widely seen Prince performances of the mid‑’80s, later issued in audio

Pop Life was the third single (second in North America) to be released from Prince’s eighth album Around The World In A Day, the second to be credited to Prince and the Revolution. The single included a non-album track b-side, Hello. RELEASE INFORMATION Released July 10, 1985 7" Vinyl Single Reference: US: 7-28998 A. Pop Life (3:42) B. Hello (3:23) 7" Promo A. Pop Life (3:42) B. Pop Life (3:42) US VARIANTS: • US - Warner Bros. 7-28998 - 1985 (Commercial) • US - Warner Bros

The extended 12" single release from Prince’s eighth studio album Around the World in a Day. Released in the United States on June 19 1985 on Paisley Park / Warner Bros. Records. This was Prince’s first single on his own Paisley Park label. RELEASE DETAILS Artist: Prince and The Revolution Label: Paisley Park / Warner Bros. Records Release Date: June 19 1985 (12" release) Country: United States Format: 12" Single (Commercial & Promo) TRACK LISTINGS (US 12") Commercial 12" Sin

Vanity, Prince’s former protégé and former leader of Vanity 6 / Apollonia 6, asserts full control over her career, starring in the new film The Last Dragon and releasing her own solo album on Motown. Publication: Chronicle Tribune Date: Monday, June 10, 1985 Country: United States Location: Marion, Indiana Section: Entertainment THE STORY The article profiles Vanity (Denise Matthews) one year after Purple Rain, highlighting how she has taken complete charge of her career afte

A 1985 feature article from The Winona Daily News focusing on Vanity (Denise Matthews), Prince’s former protégé and leader of Vanity 6 / Apollonia 6, as she attempted to move beyond her provocative “nasty girl” image toward a more controlled and multifaceted career in film and music. Publication: The Winona Daily News Date: June 5, 1985 Country: United States Section / Pages: Entertainment / Feature Page Title: “Prince Protege Sheds ‘Nasty Girl’ Image” THE STORY The article b

Concert review of Jesse Johnson’s Revue making their local debut at First Avenue in Minneapolis, following the breakup of The Time. PUBLICATION: Date: May 31, 1985 Country: United States Section / Pages: Entertainment / Review (Page 2C) Title: Johnson revue a bit short in local debut THE STORY Jon Bream reviews Jesse Johnson’s Revue performance at First Avenue. While noting Johnson’s charisma, strong backing band, and hits like “Be Your Man,” the review criticizes the show fo

A contemporary news article in the Star Tribune discussing the controversy surrounding sexually explicit lyrics in popular music, prominently citing Prince’s “Erotic City” as a key example. PUBLICATION Publication: Star Tribune (Minneapolis Star and Tribune) Date: May 28, 1985 Country: United States Section / Pages: Page 24 Title: Sexually Explicit Songs Still Lead Charmed Life THE STORY The article by Carolyn Skorneck (Associated Press) examines how songs with explicit sexua

A commentary piece from the Minneapolis Star Tribune reviews the fifth annual Minnesota Music Awards, noting the event’s overall success despite Prince’s absence, while praising the production and media coverage. PUBLICATION Publication: Star Tribune Date: May 26, 1985 Country: USA Section / Pages: Awards / Page 77 Title: Minnesota Music Awards score well, mostly, even without Prince THE STORY Staff writer Jon Bream gives the fifth annual Minnesota Music Awards a B+ grade. He

A music section clipping from the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports the arrest of former The Time guitarist Jesse Johnson after a concert in Cincinnati, while also noting that Prince & The Revolution’s Around the World in a Day had reached No. 1 on the Billboard pop chart that week. PUBLICATION Publication: Star Tribune Date: May 26, 1985 Country: USA Section / Pages: Music / Page 78 Title: (Music section header) THE STORY The article details the arrest of Minneapolis rock ‘n’

A local Minnesota newspaper publishes a three-star review of Prince’s hit film Purple Rain, praising his musical performances while noting the film’s stiff dramatic elements PUBLICATION Publication: Post-Bulletin Date: Saturday, May 25, 1985 Country: United States Section / Pages: Page 42 Title: PURPLE RAIN (R) PUBLICATION Publication: Post-Bulletin Date: Saturday, May 25, 1985 Country: United States Section / Pages: Page 42 Title: PURPLE RAIN (R) THE STORY The review descri