In the movie Purple Rain, on Prince's motorcycle his unpronouncable name of 1993 is on his motorcycle, yet the movie was made in 1984. He thought of the unwritable symbol or God told him about the unwritable symbol 8 years ahead of time! Does this make sense?

He used this symbol since 1992 or so. All over the years.
The symbol wasn't something new to him. It was a part of him.

Lariza said:

Prince didn't invent that symbol. It's been around for centuries. It's the alchemical symbol for soapstone and an almagation of the mars and venus symbols (male and female).

Heavenly said:

You mean '82?

jacktheimprovident said:

mars and venus, man and woman i understand --
the mixing of the 2 symbols implies, sex or two are as one, love and unity.

But what does soapstone imply in the mix?

gvnblkr said:

yes

I have a masonic symbol book that shows it among thousands of other symbols found throughout Egypt and the pyramids. It's been around for thousands of years. I suppose Prince first made it himself by combining both the male and female signs (seems to be his thought process as evidenced on the 1999 album cover). He probably didn't know it had been in existence for thousands of years. The alchemical "soapstone" part wasn't merged into it until 1992 or so.
[Edited 2/12/05 16:53pm]

OceanOfViolets said:

Rev 2:17
He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth [it].

Snap said:

Thanks VERY much for the info!!!!! i had no idea it was specifically inspired from a bible verse. It makes more sense now.
i also did a search on "ANKH" the egyption symbol which might have influenced him as well - meaning LIFE and MIRROR - in my mind it seems that the idea here is to ofcourse represent life but also realize living in the moment without labels or limiting your potential in life. Something without a name seems ideal for Prince's personality. (it is also useful in the WB dispute)

Thanks again for the help Snap, it is appreciated!

He's been using the merging symbol of the male/female signs since 1982, as on the cover of 1999. Did you notice also in the Doves Cry video, when he first gets out of the bathtub and starts crawling on the floor, the symbol is in the window to the right? It was also, as you said, on the motorcycle in Purple Rain and Graffiti Bridge, and was also on the cover of Graffiti Bridge as an earing.

This symbol: (the one with the horn) didn't come in to play until 1992, I believe, on the cover of the album of the same name.