This record is really enjoyable, it has great mood, brilliant jams/songs and I can't see the reason why the most of people hate it..

If you read the reasons here on the org, you get very different responses. Some say the deep voice is annoying, some say it is too religious, and others say it's dull.

Personally, I don't see how anyone can say it's not a good album. Listening to it as an album, it is one of Prince's best....ever.

I happen to love it!

The voice has always bothered me, but I don't hate it. Some of the songs are really very touching

the Darth Vader voice is spoiling the fun a little

but great album,

The Work,
She Loves Me 4 Me,
The Everlasting Now,
Family Name,
Last December

are my fave songs.

That deep voice is annoying just a little..as whole that album has power..one of Prince's best! Religious lyrics? Just listen to the music..

Endless threads about this.

Honestly, do a search. There's a thread going right now, I think started by Imago, that addresses some of this. There was another last month too IIRC.

Well, gee...where should I begin? Anti-semitic lyrics...lyrics that advocate the subjugation of women...silly tripe like The Wedding Feast...unremitting JW dogma...

The music is great - it's just hard getting to it through all the crap that surrounds it.

oh come on!



But really i think the hate comes from the lyrical content based around his growing interesting in the JW faith. as for the music, it's topz.
[Edited 5/26/09 9:33am]

Genesia said:

Examples please.

The narration / voice monologues were irritating and overtly JWy. Very inaccessible. The music alone was good but the album in general gets far more credit than it deserves IMO.

daPrettyman said:

You're kidding, right? Family Name and 1+1+1=3, respectively.

I have to respectfully disagree and say that Family Name is done rather well for the subject matter-it could have been worse. But Prince handled it well. Slavery is not pretty

nurseV said:

No, it wasn't pretty. But it doesn't call for anti-semitism, either.

Genesia said:

fair enough

Doesn't anybody remember the sticker that was on the wrapping of the disc when you bought it. "The New Controversial Album by Prince" or something like that. That statement alone should summed it up.

Genesia said:

I don't interpret the lyrics to mean that.

Give me some examples of lyrics that you feel this way about.

FAMILY NAME LYRICS by PRINCE:






Mirror, mirror what u see?
Have I still got those dark clouds over me?
Or am I really feeling what I feel? The last days of the Devil's Deal
Mirror, what u see?

Devil, devil what u know?
U been here since 1914, but now u got 2 go
U been hidin' behind corporate eyes
U wanna war, but u can't fight
Devil, u got 2 go

U might say, "what u mad about?"
But u still got ur Family Name
Pleased 2 meet u, Mr. Rosenbloom
I'll b John Blackwell just the same
What's ur Family Name?

[ Family Name lyrics from http://www.lyricsyoulove.com/ ]
Teacher, teacher what u say?
Did we really come over in a boat?
Did it really go down that way?
Or did I arrive b4 and ruin Thanksgiving Day?
Teacher, what u say?

Preacher, preacher is it true?
That Jesus wants me 2 give my money 2 the likes of u?
Ride around in ur Lexus Coupe/Drive us 2 the cleaners in a pinstripe suit
Preacher, that ain't truth!

U might say, "what u mad about?"
But u still got ur Family Name
Pleased 2 meet u, Mr. Pearlman
U can call me Clay. Can I play?

People, people what's ur name?
Maybe we should start all over
Let everybody get in the game
Put up a one-gloved fist
Make a sound, Violet Brown

U might say "what u mad about?"
But u still got ur Family name
Pleased 2 meet u Mr. Goldstruck.

We found this tape in the Akashic records. This is Thomas Jefferson:

"My fellow Americans, if there is a just God, we're gonna pay 4 this!"

"Black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics will b able 2 join hands in the words of the old Negro spiritual: "free at last, free at last, thank God almighty we are free at last!"

Love the album...Love the Narration.

This could be a movie..."The Rainbow Children," tells a great story. If it were a movie...It would need a few more songs to help realize the success of the work accomplished that leads to "The Everlasting Now."

And a couple of songs to tie the side story of the Muse and the Pharoah's marriage.

Tame said:

Great idea!

I don't really see how family name is anti semitic just because he mentions jewish names

Yes, maybe there's the whole "holocaust vs slavery" comparison (as in Muse to the Pharoah), but even that is not necessarily anti-semitic.

ON the whole I have to say that the name rainbow children, and the MLK samples all point to a vision of equality, except maybe for women

superspaceboy said:

Luke....you have small penis!

NDRU said:

NOT a movie for sure...but realistically it could B a Wonderful Play...and since Prince loves dancers it could very well B a Musical.....I've always said that from the Get go....the first time I heard the album...it was meant to B a Musical, so I think....
Then again...what do I know?

fec06 said:

i think it gets a lot of love here. i think ppl hate the darth vader voice and that its a JW propaganda record. music wise, i concur, BRILLIANT!

NDRU said:

Me neither.

It can be seen as anti-semitic because he's saying that Jews, even though they suffered through the Holocaust and a whole slew of shiz in the Bible (and the rest of history), they shouldn't be mad, cuz at least they have their last name! Wheeeee!

billymeade said:

Which many of them don't - because if they managed to survive the centuries of persecution and slaughter in Europe and immigrate to the United States, they had their names changed for them at Ellis Island.