Prince released The Rainbow Children to retail on this day in 2001. (He released TRC to NPG Music Club members on October 16, 2001.)

.

.

1. Rainbow Children (10:04)
2. Muse 2 The Pharaoh (4:21)
3. Digital Garden (4:07)
4. The Work Pt. 1 (4:28)
5. Everywhere (2:55)
6. The Sensual Everafter (2:58)
7. Mellow (4:24)
8. 1+1+1 Is 3 (5:17)
9. Deconstruction (2:00)
10. Wedding Feast (0:54)
11. She Loves Me 4 Me (2:50)
12. Family Name (8:17)
13. The Everlasting Now (8:18)
14. Last December (7:58)
15. untitled track (0:38) (uncredited Last December reprise) 1

Awesome! I like this album except for the darth vader voice. I also have it without the darth vader voice.

luv4u said:

Awesome! I like this album except for the darth vader voice. I also have it without the darth vader voice.

I'd like to hear that...

I interpret the Darth Vader voice as being "the voice of God." I think Morgan Freeman has a better "voice of God" that the Darth Vader voice on The Rainbow Children, but what do I know?

luv4u said:

Awesome! I like this album except for the darth vader voice. I also have it without the darth vader voice.

[Edited 11/20/17 17:57pm]

I know, I know I'm in the minority here, but free speech FTW.

It really puts me off. I want to like it, but it just really rubs me wrong. Production-wise it's quite lush and interesting. Organic in nature. Lyrically it's totally off-putting. Darth Vader voice aside, the dogma on it is way too much. I'm not one that can just listen to the music and ignore the lyrics. Half of Prince's goodness in his music is his lyrical content. His preachy, know-it-all nature around this time was really annoying and to have it concentrated on a record is a bit too much to take.

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?) I can appreciate it all as a musical work, but I just have no desire to be beat over the head with the New World Translation corruption of the bible.

TrivialPursuit said:

Ironically JWs won't be celebrating that birthday with you...

JohnCragg said:

JohnCragg said:

Ironically JWs won't be celebrating that birthday with you...

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.

In my book the only real classic P album of the 2000 (together with AOA).

Classic album, one of his greatest tour.

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.

Just curious.... is it sound-processed to remove the voice or is it simply edited cutting away all segments where the voice appeared?!?!?!?

BoraBora said:

langebleu said:

The latter - fan-made, unofficial.

Just curious.... is it sound-processed to remove the voice or is it simply edited cutting away all segments where the voice appeared?!?!?!?

I believe it's cut away.

TheEnglishGent said:

BoraBora said:

Just curious.... is it sound-processed to remove the voice or is it simply edited cutting away all segments where the voice appeared?!?!?!?

I believe it's cut away.

So it's not for my ears.

I can't stand the "D&P"-"Symbol" De-TonyMosley-zied experiment.

I love this album, the deep voiced narrator doesn't bother me one little bit, I refuse to call it a Darth Vader voice as the Star Wars nerd in me doesn't think it sounds anything like Darth Vader .

The only bit of the album I really can't stand is the start of Family Name with the synthesised voice giving the black/white, this/that speech. I did an edit on that myself which cuts out all that nonsense, repeating the first 5 seconds twice before going into, "End of part one" and continuing from there. Love this track in general though, very funky.

BoraBora said:

langebleu said:

The latter - fan-made, unofficial.

Just curious.... is it sound-processed to remove the voice or is it simply edited cutting away all segments where the voice appeared?!?!?!?

The one I had it was cut out and bits of N.E.W.S. or Xpectation was segued in. Fan made but a decent effort. NPG Vandals I recall

dodger said:

BoraBora said:

Just curious.... is it sound-processed to remove the voice or is it simply edited cutting away all segments where the voice appeared?!?!?!?

The one I had it was cut out and bits of N.E.W.S. or Xpectation was segued in. Fan made but a decent effort. NPG Vandals I recall

I have mixed feelings on this one. Great production, great musicianship etc but the lyrics are off putting.

Still, The Everlasting Now is a great jam especially live (the performance on Leno was amazing), The Work It is funky as it gets and She Loves me 4 me is a nice love song. 3 worthy additions to his catalogue. These 3 songs would have been highlights even on his better albums.

This and 3121 were the last "good" Prince album, in my opinion. Rainbow Children had some really solid joints and some real "meh" joints but was still an enjoyable album

*

Sidenote- I always like the "Napster" version of "The Work" better than the album version.

*

Sidenote 2- some of the songs on Rainbow Children that didn't appeal to me on the album (like "Muse To The Pharoah") sounded great on One Night Alone.

"Everywhere" is one of P's most underrated songs ever... it reminds me of "In A Large Room With No Light"... i can understand why Prince's white fans would be turned off by "Family Name", but us black fans LOVE it when he acknowledges and champions his heritage... good album...

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]

Loved this album. Made me "get back into" Prince more than before. I felt like he waas back to serious rhythms and arrangements.

Tracks like Rainbow Children, Everlasting Now and Family Name rally showed his songwriting ability and skill was not to be matched again after several uninspired releases for several years after Emancipation.

^^ 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.


...

I think this is the one true "new directions in music from Prince" album, despite what the promos for N.E.W.S. may have you believe.

The music and production on this record is unlike anything else Prince released, and it's more than enough to help me move past lyrics that might otherwise put me off.

I'm with CoolMF - the version of The Work pt II released on Napster (and also on the third NPG Ahdio Show, I believe) is superior to the album version.

I love Last December - a great Prince ballad that's uplifting and takes off in crazy directions, awesome guitar tone, just spectacular.

Doozer said:

Doozer said:

I think this is the one true "new directions in music from Prince" album, despite what the promos for N.E.W.S. may have you believe.

The music and production on this record is unlike anything else Prince released, and it's more than enough to help me move past lyrics that might otherwise put me off.

I'm with CoolMF - the version of The Work pt II released on Napster (and also on the third NPG Ahdio Show, I believe) is superior to the album version.

I love Last December - a great Prince ballad that's uplifting and takes off in crazy directions, awesome guitar tone, just spectacular.

If it is of anyone's interest, the first version was also the 2nd Track on the "U Make My Sunshine" cardsingle CD.

206Michelle said:

Prince released The Rainbow Children to retail on this day in 2001. (He released TRC to NPG Music Club members on October 16, 2001.)

.

.

1. Rainbow Children (10:04)
2. Muse 2 The Pharaoh (4:21)
3. Digital Garden (4:07)
4. The Work Pt. 1 (4:28)
5. Everywhere (2:55)
6. The Sensual Everafter (2:58)
7. Mellow (4:24)
8. 1+1+1 Is 3 (5:17)
9. Deconstruction (2:00)
10. Wedding Feast (0:54)
11. She Loves Me 4 Me (2:50)
12. Family Name (8:17)
13. The Everlasting Now (8:18)
14. Last December (7:58)
15. untitled track (0:38) (uncredited Last December reprise) 1

I thoroughly enjoyed that day.

[Edited 11/22/17 0:55am]

206Michelle said:

Prince released The Rainbow Children to retail on this day in 2001. (He released TRC to NPG Music Club members on October 16, 2001.)

.

.

1. Rainbow Children (10:04)
2. Muse 2 The Pharaoh (4:21)
3. Digital Garden (4:07)
4. The Work Pt. 1 (4:28)
5. Everywhere (2:55)
6. The Sensual Everafter (2:58)
7. Mellow (4:24)
8. 1+1+1 Is 3 (5:17)
9. Deconstruction (2:00)
10. Wedding Feast (0:54)
11. She Loves Me 4 Me (2:50)
12. Family Name (8:17)
13. The Everlasting Now (8:18)
14. Last December (7:58)
15. untitled track (0:38) (uncredited Last December reprise) 1

Is it really 16 years since this was released,

wow how time flys by, i recall listening to this CD a lot whilst driving in my car.

I wasnt a big fan of all the religiose type themed chatter between the tracks but otherwise some great Tracks on this album...

I particuliarly like ...

Muse 2 the Pharaoh

Everlasting Now

Family Name

Last December

[Edited 11/22/17 2:50am]