I don't get it. People always say "ooh it's his most controversial work ever" ... aside from the fact that it preaches of his love for his JW Religion, I don't understand what's so 'offensive' about it.

I've heard :

Anti-semetic - explain
Homophobic - explain

I can't find references to either of these anywhere. Someone please give me specific lyrics that are offensive by any stretch of the imagination
[Edited 11/1/06 22:15pm]

why? your obvious hostility towards the concept of its anti-semetic rants shows that you aren't interested in discussing it, merely telling us that we are wrong. if you can't pick up the obvious yourself, than live in your own defensive ignorance.

dumbass said:

I'm not hostile at all... I'm not even Jewish.. just very curious, because I'm having trouble finding what people are talking about. It's just a curiosity thing, that's all. I'd love to hear his anti-semetic and anti-gay rants.. I just can't find em

Some people have contended that the following lines are at least potentially anti-semitic:

"Holocaust aside, many lived and died
But when all truth is told, would U rather be dead or be sold?"

Others have singleed out the names referred to in 'Family Name' and built an anti-semitic argument around those.

Prince has never, to my knowledge, pronounced on an interpretation of these particular lyrics.

There has also been disagreement over the interpretation to be placed on the the theocratic order described in 'The Rainbow Children' and '1+1+1 is 3', where some suggest that this promotes a belief in the subordination of women.

Prince sometimes would make passing reference to this when performing the song on the 'One Nite Alone ...' tour in 2002, by prefacing the song with such comments as 'Don't get it twisted'.

.
[Edited 11/1/06 23:34pm]

Jakeasaurus said:

If that's the kind of thing you're after, don't waste your time with Prince. Try Hitler.

poisonmouth said:

Oh, stop it. You people... I swear. Stop twisting what I'm saying.

If it wasn't for this album, I would have never noticed John Blackwell. He was a great adition to my band!
[Edited 11/2/06 1:40am]

Jakeasaurus said:

Sorry. Bad joke.

Prince is saying to jews who complain about the past;'hey what you mad about, you still got your family name', which isn't true. He is saying it's less of a punishment to be dead than sold as slaves.

'white jailbait', 'misplaced bloodline'.


First of all, the term "black and white" is a fallacy. It simply is another way of saying "this or that". Let's examine the term "this or that" in its ultimate form which is: "this" means the truth or "that which is resistant 2 it. When a minority realizes its similarities on a higher level- not just "black"- but PEOPLE OF COLOR, and higher still "INDIGENOUS", and even higher still, "FROM THE TRIBE OF.", and yet higher- the "RAINBOW CHILDREN". When this understanding comes, the so-called minority becomes a majority in the wink of an eye. This action will cause a Reaction or Resistance. The source of this Resistance must b banished as it is in direct conflict with the initial action. It cannot be assimilated, 4 its very nature is resistance. In other words, ONE CANNOT SERVE 2 MASTERS. U r either "this" or "that" which is not "this".

He is saying white people opress blacks and are 'resistant' to them; IT'S CLEAR TO COMPREHEND MY AMIGOS!
[Edited 11/2/06 3:07am]

Anti semetic? Homophobic?

Man... I better give it another listen!!

JustinTimberlake said:

Wow.. is that really you, Justin? Replying in MY thread.. that's pretty surreal. Love the new album, keep up the great work man.

aint nothing CONTROVERSIAL about the rainbow children, some of you have your heads too far up each others asses.
And if that were really Justin, i'd tell you to fuck right off. But as you aint really him, I wont bother. why would you want to be a whack, wannabe, muthafucka, anyway??

JustinTimberlake said:

I cant breath

christos7 said:

me too

Critics say that about most of Prince's music. Remember Cinnamon Girl they tried to start something with that, Controversy, they just don't know what catagory to box him into so they made up that one. Chill
[Edited 11/2/06 19:06pm]

langebleu said:

As always - very nicely put!

Nothing. Just people over active IMAGINATION.

Hell, in my area, this album shipped with a sticker on it that read, 'The Controversial New Album from Prince'. I hate it when recording artists do that - it's so contrived.

I've never even read the lyric sheet of this album, and never will. Maybe that's why I love this album so much...

eyewishuheaven said:

I agree. The CONTROVERSY seemed to be planned from the very beginning. I think a few people heard it, disagreed with the message, and it was then dubbed controversial.

Nothing controvercial,....just a lot of people keep tring to say this crap album is good when it aint, they cant seem to convince anybody other than the Prince-can-do-no-wrong-Fams, every so often they come out of the woodwork to try again.

ingela said:

Nobody can convince the 'Prince-can-do-no-wrong-fams of anything, because we already know that Prince-can-do-no wrong!