Prince, one of the most iconic and influential musicians of the past 50 years, had a moment that would surprise many: the first time he ever heard The Beatles. This experience occurred in 1985 during a tour, and it left a lasting impression on him.
The story comes from Bobby Z, the drummer for Prince’s band, The Revolution. He vividly recalls the moment when he introduced Prince to The Beatles’ music while they were on the road. Bobby Z had decided to play Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band on the tour bus, a groundbreaking album by The Beatles that revolutionized music in 1967.
The song “Good Morning, Good Morning,” known for its experimental sound and quirky animal noises, particularly caught Prince’s attention. Remarkably, Prince had never listened to The Beatles before this.
Bobby Z recounted the moment: “He asked, ‘What’s that?’ We told him, ‘That’s Sgt. Pepper.’ He was surprised and said, ‘The Beatles? Really?’ It was as if he hadn’t expected that from them. We tried to get him to listen from the beginning, but Prince wasn’t the most patient. Still, I believe he went back later to fully appreciate that song and the album.”
This experience seemed to have a significant impact on Prince, as Bobby Z believed it opened his eyes to The Beatles’ depth. “I think that was the moment he realized The Beatles were more than he had thought,” Bobby Z explained. “He just absorbed it all.”
Bobby Z also speculated that Prince might have only explored The Beatles’ later, more psychedelic work, without delving into earlier albums like Rubber Soul or Revolver.
He also addressed the rumors about Around the World in a Day being influenced by Sgt. Pepper’s and Magical Mystery Tour: “I’m assuming that by taking in Magical Mystery Tour and Sgt. Pepper, Around the World in a Day was shaped by those albums.”
However, Prince offered a different perspective in a 1985 interview with Rolling Stone. He clarified that The Beatles were not the direct influence on Around the World in a Day. “The influence wasn’t the Beatles. They were great at what they did, but I’m not sure how that would fit today,” Prince remarked.
He explained that the cover art was a deliberate move away from featuring his image, as he felt people might be tired of seeing him. Instead, he wanted to create something more engaging, something that would resonate on a different level.
Prince concluded by saying, “I don’t mind the album being called psychedelic because that was the only recent era that brought together songs and colors. Led Zeppelin, for instance, could evoke different emotions with each track.”
