langebleu said:

TrivialPursuit said:

I would be interested in at least hearing it without the Darth Vader voice. (Is it really one without those vocals, or did someone just edit those things out and shorten it all?)

The latter - fan-made, unofficial.

And, therefore, not to be shared widely on the internet.

2045RadicalMattZ said:

^^ And don't 4get... John Blackwell.... just the same...


pleased to meet u, Mr. Rose In bloom. I'll be John Blackwell just the same.


...

You might say what you're mad about..,But you still got your family name. Loved that line too! Makes you think about your own lineage and history.

paisleypark4 said:

2045RadicalMattZ said:

^^ And don't 4get... John Blackwell.... just the same...


pleased to meet u, Mr. Rose In bloom. I'll be John Blackwell just the same.


...

You might say what you're mad about..,But you still got your family name. Loved that line too! Makes you think about your own lineage and history.

Yeah.

coming from someone with mixed heritage (Tarahumara/Yaqui/uknown 1/2 black/native origin [great grandmother]) it hit home with me after years of just "following the program"

It changed my perspective on things...and having worked at a music retailer/rental store I wound up seeing a lot of surnames that reflected many facets of life. Some were even ugly Ellis island bastardizations and some were downright ugly... like this beautiful young black girl who came in with her grandmother...and the last name "Carrion"... shit spun my head.

I can't recall the elllis island ones... but they were mean as well. Things akin to "dimwit", etc...

It really upset me.

It's no joke. Some people don't have to contend with that. But from an emerging human heart/identity, all that stuff from the album was formatively influential. It lead to deeper reflection on matters, civil and historical, as well as furthering into etymology

For us... we have a "hispanic" surname... despite no real indication of my family wanting anything to do with that stuff.. just survival.

It occurred to me, that much of my family heritage probably consisted of trying to do whatever it took to survive. I'd heard a story of my grandmother moving off with gramps to actually raise poppies (yep) in mexicali to get through the some bad years for them (that would put it in the 1930/40's)

I looked into some of the regional history of the main lineage (Tarahumara, now occupying Chihuahua, Mexico) afterward, finding a people devastated my "missionaries" that had to move to the hills from their preferred once fertile lands.

With my grandmother's passing most of any family ties has gone, and what's left is being incorporated into the "very very very large corporation of America" (to quote a monty python background title)

[Edited 11/22/17 9:16am]

GTsymbolover said:

I posted about a week or so ago about how I really have become enamored by The Rainbow Children despite not understanding the message of the album. The production is so rich, organic and sophisticated, and the overall soundscape of the record is just beautiful. It's a record where you can close your eyes and each note just takes you to a different place in your mind. It's an evocative record.

Song-wise, I can enjoy most of them even only having at best a cursory knowledge of what exactly Prince is singing about. My favorites are "Muse 2 the Pharoah," "Everywhere," "The Everlasting Now," and especially "Last December." "Last December" is actually one of my Top 3 favorite deep cuts, along with "And God Created Woman" and "The Ballad of Dorothy Parker."

I love everything about this album: music, lyrics, live show. It's in my top ten favorite Prince albums.

The album needs to be celebrated for the simple reason that it truly is a one-off in his whole catalogue, sonically and in its playfulness. Lotus comes close in its orgenic sounds, but it misses the lushness and in-you-face appraoch of The Rainbow Children.

At first, the narrator's voice made me being irritated. Now, after years of listening to it, I just accept it as something totally ridiculous.

nonesuch said:

The album needs to be celebrated for the simple reason that it truly is a one-off in his whole catalogue, sonically and in its playfulness. Lotus comes close in its orgenic sounds, but it misses the lushness and in-you-face appraoch of The Rainbow Children.

At first, the narrator's voice made me being irritated. Now, after years of listening to it, I just accept it as something totally ridiculous.

Sonically I think "N.E.W.S" is on the same league.

And I'm sayin' this in a positive way.

TrivialPursuit said:

2045RadicalMattZ said:

It's a concept album...

If you find you have to ALTER anything... you're clearly not a fan of the work. I'm sure it alienated anybody who was a singles fan. Another PLUS for Prince.... not afraid to be himself and release stuff that won't even likely get a real review anywhere.

It's a great cohesive album. Clearly one of his most inspired.... That album changed my life.

I've still got one of the original few promos I nabbed from my job before my manager was to give it away to some douche.

[Edited 11/21/17 14:26pm]

.

SPEAK ON IT

.

While personally speaking the album isn't entirely my kettle of fish, I agree when your thought here.

.

Speaking of Darth Vader, it's bad enough when the creator of the work (i.e. George Lucas) makes changes - but unconscionable when the changes are made by someone outside of the creative process altogether.

.

I'll take 'Rainbow' with the pseudo-basso profund, just like I'll take 'D&P' with Tony, despite not being particularly fond of either. Respect the artist's original intentions.