I haven't listened to this CD in AGES, and it sounds pretty good. Prince has some killer guitar playing on this CD (especially on Track 3). Listening to this CD brings back memories of being at the celebration in Minneapolis, back in 2001. Everybody was in a room at Paisley Park, and there was a DJ who was playing this CD for the very first time. They even passed out a lyric booklet before the CD was played, so folks could follow along with the lyrics. I still have the booklet in my celebration memorabilia.

I think this CD was being played the whole week, and I went on a Monday. Wouldn't you know it, Prince was not there that day. Some folks actually had Prince in the room with them, talking about the CD, once the CD was finished playing all the way through. :jealous: Wow, great memories!!!!!

"Wet circles 'round the toy
While U bring urself 2 joy"

Wow, Prince sure knows how the write the lyrics to drive us ladies crazy.

You actually willingly allowed yourself to listen to that drek?
Wow...
And just when I thought nothing could surprise me anymore...

TheMadMonkey said:

I put it on, just for the heck of it. I don't listen to it much, but I guess tonight I was just in the mood to hear it.

prince's last creative effort

rusty1 said:

How so?

psychodelicide said:

*shudder*

i think this is an excellent album. why do people hate it so much?

dawntreader said:

Because of the blatant cultish propaganda, the irritating voice over and the underlying anti-Jewish subthemes and the silly dissing of ex girlfriends.

It's the only Prince album that got me angry. And sad for Prince setting borders to his music, life and mind. It felt like I lost an old friend, musically.

New theocratic order, my ass.

HamsterHuey said:

on the other hand, the arrangement sounded so new and fresh, some type of songs were so different from what Prince had ever done.... i think FAMILY NAME is one of his best songs ever, as it deals with a lot of things he was struggling with. the borders you talk about were a really good creative frame for him, in my opinion.

dawntreader said:

I cannot really get into the music while the lyrics preaches hate and genocide by his deity of choice. I realise I was never qualified to join him in his chosen afterlife, but before his ideas of religion were somewhat more spiritual, which is something I could tap into.

Remember, I am the fella that did NOT raise his hand to the words "Do U believe?" at concerts cuz I am not there to be brainwashed by a good time.

HamsterHuey said:

the lyrics don't preach hate and genocide, don't be silly.

dawntreader said:

Ahemmm.

Like a thief in the night, my Lord come and strike
Leave nothing but ashes 2 the left, dust 2 the right

Please, be aware that, according to his deity of choice, homosexuals are to be cast out, and that you can taptaptap on the door, but he ain't gonna cut you no slack and you are to be smitten down with the rest of the sinners.

That kinda feels hateful to me. And like genocide. But hey! It's religion! And we can dance to it, so fucking what.

Sorry J. my distrust for this album runs too deep.

Why????

I am listening to that other much better "comeback" album of 2001, by some one called Michael Jackson, its called "Invincible" anyone heard of it. Cry is an amazing song.

HamsterHuey said:

i don't mind, i just think it's sad you are missing out on all the good things the album has to offer.

dawntreader said:

The message totally destroys what joy there is said to be in te music. I mean, I can hear that the music is great and all. But them words. To me the two are tied together.

PS, this is also the reason I never listen to Avalanche, which I suppose it another highlight to many others. His want to re-write the scriptures and history just bugs me majorly.

HamsterHuey said:

i don't like that song either. don't think i like that One Nite Alone... piano thing at all. could have been so much more.

dawntreader said:

But then again, the title song is of unparalelled beauty.
To me, easily the best thing he has done the last ten years.

HamsterHuey said:

the only song that stands out, true.

dawntreader said:

It is as hauntingly beautiful as his best 83 or 85 stuff.

It's the first Prince release that I listen to once and never again. If I want to be preached to I'll go to church. True story, my car was broken into not too long after that CD came out and they stole it. They left the cover but the CD was gone. Spooky Electric thought they were stealing my much adored CD collection but he actually did me a favor. Thanks Spooky!!!!!

bigben07 said:

Hear Hear, Prince's job is to preach funk!!, not junk!!

I've never really thought Prince's "preaching" on TRC was any different than the religious messages on Lovesexy or various "spiritual" songs released throughout his career.

Maybe it helps if you can just think of the songs as mere stories instead of sermons. I took a "Bible as Literature" class in high school, and we treated the "stories" in the bible the way we would treat a collection of short stories. So, maybe if you can learn to listen to TRC with that mindset--with Prince as storyteller instead of preacher, you might be able to appreciate the music more.

There really is some great music on TRC, and the musicianship is tight. I think it's his last truly inspired work. To me, the album has what every great Prince album back in the day had: avant-garde experimentalism that made it sound like nothing else out there at the time (e.g, "Rainbow Children", "Digital Garden", "Family Name"), with some enjoyable hit-worthy tunes (e.g.,"Last December", "Evelasting Now", "She Loves Me 4 Me").

This is exactly where there is a difference between a song that sings about, "The Rainbow Children." and the royalties that they recieve...Prince has an ability to draw from a high pool...however...The arrogance of today's music has led my friends to get upset with the man...Prince is the best musician on the planet...however He is not...the best musician in the Universe...and Prince knows as I do...that there is a tune he just can't win with. You see...resistance is his very nature. I Love him though...It's only a musical warning.

rusty1 said:

i would have thought u would have said 1988 since that's the era of time u think was so out of this world and nothing after that has been up 2 YOUR standards

PicassoFace said:

I guess everybody's got their own take on it and that's cool, but objectively speaking there is a HUGE difference between singing:

"Save me Jesus I've been a fool. How could I forget that you are the rule. You are my God, I am your child and from now for you I shall be wild! I shall be quick, I shall be strong, I 'll tell your story, no matter how long, no matter"

followed by:

"Love is God, God is Love, girls and boys love God above"

and:

"Like a thief in the night, my Lord come and strike. Leave nothing but ashes to the left, dust to the right. Holocaust aside, many lived and died, but when all truth is told would you rather be dead or sold? Sold to the one who can now mate the displaced bloodline with the white jailbait, thinking like the keys on Prince's piano will be just fine"

followed by:

"So there it is for all to see. Now what's beyond you and me depends my friends primarily on how you view your role in eternity."


-
[Edited 7/22/08 8:32am]

HamsterHuey said:

without getting in2 a political debate about the subject matter of the song avalanche, it is true that without the 14th amendment, slavery would have still b legal in the united states. thus lincoln had 2 abolish it.

tane1976 said:

Are you serious? TRC beats the dog shit outta Invincible. I dig TRC a lot. I look at the CD like it's a story. I have my own beliefs and I don't let his belief interfer with mine on this CD. It's a story that even has a narrator on it and the music is kickass. It's cool to see TRC get love when 7 years ago it was dogged massively around here. In someways, it's still as divisive now as it was in 2001. I should listen to it again.

L4OATheOriginal said:

Exactly