Yesterday i was listening to this album again, since a long long time.

I don't play it a lot, because i can't really stand the annoying 'darth vader' voice and the silly dogmatic lyrics.

But yesterday i felt that are other reasons too why i don't play TRC a lot.
While Lovesexy sounded like a, sometimes manic and over the top celebration of 'spirituality' it least sounded uplifting and positive.
TRC on the other hand sounds detached when it comes to Princes delivery: it sounds like he's 'singing' those lyrics and 'playing' the music, but his heart and soul don't sound to be 'there'.
Next to that the music itselve, with the use of weird eerie sound effects, and a the use of minor chords, sounds rather dark: instead of celebrating the message the lyrics 'preach' there is a sort of 'depressive' edge to the music.
Finally, the artwork of the CD booklet is borderline creepy, the portrayed bandmember have weird facial expressions and the drawings of Prince somehow seem more suitable for an album filled with 'satanic' lyrics...

These things combined (the deep narrative voice, the very dogmatic delivery, the detached sounding music, the lack of real passion in the delivery, the weird coverart' make The Rainbow Children a very uneasy album to listen to.

I could be prejudiced, but the general impression this album gives me is something that others have stated before: After the period where he lost his baby, both his parents and he divorced Mayte, he walked into Larry Graham, who told him about the Jehovah Witness movement, and Prince probably 'used' the messages of the JW probably as a sort of relief for his sorrow and grief. But alltough he converted to being a JW, it seems like his heart and soul are not really into it.
I mean: on both musicology and 3121 you can catch glimpses of the 'old' Prince popping up: the more carnal, passionate Prince. IMO that is an important part of his personality.
On TRC he sounds like he has hidden that part of his personality away, blinding himselve with religious dogmatics, but on the same time you can hear he is not completely happy with it.

In short: on The Rainbow Children Prince sounds as a person repressing himselve, and therefore this album gives such an uneasy feeling.

Yeah, it's a creepy affair.
And it leaves me feeling like I've had a door slammed in my face.
Horrid thing.

Riverpoet31 said:

No.

I like my Prince weird, creeped out, paranoid and delusional

no, i find it quite uplifting and feel so when i put it on.

even though the events you cite DID occur, all the speculations u alluded to are shaping how you "receive" the album. speculation should never be treated as fact.

LittleSmedley said:

Me 2! That's 1 reason I love him so much!

Riverpoet31 said:

I find "Everywhere" to be very uplifting and joyful sounding...not represeive at all...also the closer, "Last December" doesnt seem repressive..it seems uplitfting and inviting for all of us to come together.
Now the vader voice..that was unnecessary, I agree.
I also think all fams agree that the album is not easy to listen to..but when
u break down the songs..they are positive...look at "Everlasting Now"....'dont let nobody, bring u down' he sings...also "She loves me for me" seems to be full of love and tenderness....

I guess the receiver of the music also plays a role in how the music is received.

Also, the JW religion is not a 'movement' it is an actual religion that has been around almost 100 years. And for the record..I dont believe in the JW beliefs.

I love this album! While I don't agree with everything that he says, I'm not offended by anything on it. I just enjoy the music (which is brilliant!) I could do without the Darth Vader voice. If it weren't for the voice, I would put the CD on, and listen to it all the way through, instead of skipping past those parts.

Alot of the songs are really beautiful, and even if I didn't believe in what they said, I would still like them.
[Edited 4/27/07 8:47am]

R U Serious??

Last December ALONE is reason enough to love this album...

This Album is BRILLIANT!!

yes, I have issues with this album as well. It is quickly going the way of Rave in my collection- meaning before I realize it, it will have been years since I last played it.
For one, it's a bit too jazzy for my taste. Also too eerie, and to me really doesn't sound like Prince for the most part. That being said, I do like the last 3 tracks.

I have refrained from putting it down too much publicly only because seeing that show at Avery Fisher Hall in NYC, and attending the soundcheck was an amazing experience for me that was not topped until Vegas.

Well, like we've said before, Prince has something for everyone.

I actually thought the album art was very good... until I noticed a creepy little Prince that was Photoshopped in late in the day, it looks really really funny now.

Cloudbuster said:

Exactly.

Love it

I don't think it sounds like Prince is holding himself back from anything, I think TRC is a great album and you proobably can't dig it because it's something new and different for him and like so many others you want 'the same old thing'.

wlcm2thdwn said:

I think you probably like to negatively categorize people's opinions just so you can dismiss them.

wlcm2thdwn said:

I've got no problem with new and different as long as it's good.

if you saw the ONA tour, there wasn't a soul who felt uneasy at those shows

that album was the main reason the ONA tour was so good

3121Addict said:

That show was INCREDIBLE!

3121Addict said:

as stated in my post- I loved the show, but it was the soundcheck that made it special for me, which had nothing to do with the album.

Ohh larwd.....

huh?

I feel uplifted and musically fulfilled when I listen 2 'The Rainbow Children'.

I don't.

I hear a persom and musician who is brainwashed, who is not in touch with his inner feelings and desires.

TRC is the most overrated Prince album in the first place, next to that its a very sad, irritating epidose, an artist repressing himselve, a person thinking that dogmatic nonsense offered by the JW-movement, offers relieve.

Nonsense of course. Its time Prince grows further.

sorry so many have given you grief on this thread
you absolutely make some valid points

i agree with your comparisons between lovesexy and the rainbow children
and with your observations about the drawings, vocals, and lyrics

if you had the chance or get a chance to listen to any of his live shows during 2001
he spent a lot of time sharing his beliefs, many times sounding preachy
but i still feel the music he produced during this time is some of his greatest
he also reached out to sheila e. (who's been back in his circle since then), rosie, & others
yeah, the album was most likely born out of a lot of the personal things going on in his life at the time
there's definitely jw and (dare i say it) racial (not racist) undertones and overtones throughout
but... once again, the music is some of his best
its general "atonality" may be what makes it so great
[Edited 4/27/07 12:17pm]

Its unfortunate if you are one of the few
who cant feel it.

Snap said:

Awesome.

Riverpoet31 said:

I tend to disagree.

At the very first listening party organised at Paisley Park for the album's airing, Prince had the album compared in its introduction to the 'Lovesexy' album.

On first listening I was really interested in the music and its production (much more interested than on first listen to 'Lovesexy' on the first week of its release), but less enthusiastic about the lyrics. I have no major problem about the lyrical delivery style. I don't think I've changed my view considerably apart from growing to like some of the arrangements and performances on tour.

Is it like 'Lovesexy'? Not really. But I now rarely listen to 'Lovesexy because I've always thought, for example, it was too cluttered in general, and at least there's 'room' on 'The Rainbow Children'.

And, although many will disagree, I preferred the ONA tour and its presentation of TRC, compared to the Lovesexy album and tour. Sacrilege, I know.

Prince's more relaxed personal approach was also in evidence on the subsequent tour towards his audience, despite people's fears and some resentment towards him expressing his beliefs so strongly. The events of 2001 and 2002 might have influenced here.

Finally, I've never really thought that his vocal delivery on the album (TRC) came across as soul-less, and I really like the artwork on the album.

(BTW - the album was written and recorded before the death of his parents).

.

It doesn't make me feel uneasy. But I do a lot.

I'm listening 2 it... and I'm chilling

luvsexy4all said:

One of the few? Let's face it, only a 'few' people even bought it, but judging by the backlash around the org at the time a great deal of people had major problems with it. It's only gained a rosier glow with age, imo.