1st of all, if this was posted then I'm sorry. I don't feel like digging old threads and read. Beside, the "search" section is down for the looongest time now.

Ok, I'm no Christian thats why I don't get half of the stuff in there. But I heard many people(including DJs & Radio Personalities) say that "Family Name" got white folks offended but personaly I don't see it as a diss, I see it as a point of view about the state of the people of colors in US(Ok I know its a wrong term but you know what I mean already).

So explain 2 me why do some people find TRC(in general) offinsive?

i don't. i love the album. to be honest, some of the lyrics i don't understand. but as a whole it's his best work lately.

I dont find it in the least offensive

Just a load of ole rubbish

Thats all

Much love Pochacco

I'm not offended by it at all and I'm a white gal. I think a lot of the lyrics are somewhat closed-minded, but I am not the least bit offended by any of Princes' lyrics.

kisscamille said:

Close-minded?? Mind 2 explain how?

I find it interesting that some of those who aren't "offended" by the lyrics, also are not VALIDATING the historical events he's outlining.

I guess that's how one doesn't get offended at the mention of certain parts of history, eh?

He just doesn't validate the existence of the historical event in the first place.

Hold on 2 your soul... we got A LONG WAY 2 go.

CDHTUNE said:

Even my mother who WAS neva crazy about the brotha,,picked this one after reading the lyrics and she said 2 me with a chuckle "Seems that yo ol' boy caused a mess with thiss".

Excuse my ignorance but LOL whats so messy? I really can't fidure out why people make such a big deal out of this. I heard a DJ back in 2001 say "Ol' brotha man neva fails 2 cause a controversy" WHAT?

Poeple can be sooo pre-judging sometimes when it comes to Prince. But from what I hear in TRC, sounds like the brotha is trying 2 prove a point.

only thing offensive 2 me was that this album wasn't promoted or nominated 4 any type of award...

diamondpearl1 said:

Damn right!

I'm offended by the way a brilliant musician could make such a piece of foulness.

EvilWhiteMale said:

How come all ya'll say its "ignorance" and "foulness" and neva explain whats so foul or ignorant about it? Please explain why do you find it "foul"??

The lyrics and music are all so foul to listen to. When I have to skip through every track on a CD cuz they all suck, it's foul.

Do you know what theocratic order is? I can't believe that more people aren't offended that he believes in that.

lovemachine said:

I honestly don't know what the hell theocratic order means? Which is the main reason why I posted this thread in the 1st place, so people could give me the scoop.

Harlepolis said:

Theos = Religion
cracy = Rule

Theocracy = ruled by religious beliefs.

one2three said:

Thank you, now whats so offinsive about this?

Theocratic order is God, Man, Woman meaning that Prince believes that he is superior to women.

one2three said:

I asked a JW about that, being as how Prince is a JW now and they believe that God will rule all nations, hence, Theocratic order.

one2three said:

In essence, the reference to there being a "theocratic order" means ruled by religion, as opposed to our current society (here in the US, anyway) in which religion is seperated by "state".

My opinion (and strictly that) is that in "TRC", Prince is trying to relay that his world is run by religion exclusively, with all that is a byproduct remaining untainted by the politics involved in "state".

But, back on the point...now, although I can't directy relate to the points trying to be made in "Family Name" (being of Mexican descent myself), I can appreciate the historical relevance behind it's meaning. I just wish he wouldn't be so selective in bringing some of these points to light.

Listen, the man has a voice...and, he obviously has a platform in which to preach. Should we expect him to remain unchanged, and construct his songs about his libido and sexual escapades his entire career??? Shit, that worked when he ws in his 20's, but sooner or later he was bound to tackle more meaningful subject matter. Also, I don't know why this is such a shock anyway. Even in his heyday, he mixed the 2 up rather frequently (Annie Christian, Partyup, SOTT) to name a few...

EvilWhiteMale said:

Because YOUR opinion is law,right?

It's my law, for myself.

EvilWhiteMale said:

you got that part right.

one2three said:

It is not proven that Prince is a JW;
and people who know him, now very well that he equates God to love,
hence: love will rule all nations.

I think he still believes in this, why else would he end the ONA tour with the chant "love is God, God is love, girls and boys love God above."

I really shouldn't worry too much about him having fundamentalist ideas, he's just in search of what he defines as 'the truth'. And this truth appears to be the exact same thing he was preachting back in '88.

just my

Oh and.. I don't find the album offensive Harlepolis, so I can't give you an accurate answer.

Peace!

antoon said:

Yes as a non Jehovah Witness it makes a lot of sense that he would a Jehovah's Witness Holiday celebration at Paisley Park and he has told fans on the ONA tour (Tackam) that he is.

Harlepolis said:

How do you want it Harle? My general overview of the album or song by song?

stymie said:

Both actualy(if you have the time Stymie )

lovemachine said:

That's the one I find appalling. Had a hard time even dancing to 1+1+1 is 3 when I saw it live. Of course, I love the song, musically, so I would have had a hard time trying not to dance too. But yes, lyrically, very offensive.

Harlepolis said:

I don't like the album as a whole. It sits next to C&D and the Truth and Emancipation albums collecting dust on a shelf. If P was gonna release an instrumental album, it should have been this one. My opinion.

I had asked on another forum for an online discussion of the song Family Name. I got a lot of great answers from everyone but everyone also kinda had their own interpretation of it. My interpretation was that Prince was comparing the atrocities of the Holocaust to slavery and was saying: yeah, you might have had that terrible thing happen to you, Jewish people but we, I'm guessing he meant black people, don't have our family names. Maybe I'm not bright enough to get what he was trying to say. I would love if he would address some of the questions I have about the music.

The Everlasting Now may be a funky little ditty, the bass kicks serious ass but he makes a specific reference to a specific religious group unlike the general God Is Love inclusiveness of Lovesexy. It was an immediate turn off for me. I know that other people will say he can do what he wants and say what he wants, it his music but, just like with some other Prince albums I don't have to like it all just because it's Prince.

1+1+1=3...a lot of people have had discussions about this song. I happen to like it...I don't want to delve into the meaning of the theocratic order cuz I have no idea what P is talking about. Would love to know.

(1) I just can't get over the shock that he is advocating oppressive hierarchies. Just before the track The Rainbow Children song begins, he mentions how the woman is subordinate to the Pharaoh and God. Why should she be inferior or a lesser being just because she is female? Why must a woman receive approval from her husband?
(2) The assumption that women are weak in matters of virtue. So, this woman he refers to is in the same level as the Resistor (Satan). For example, in The Rainbow Children, the lyrics:
"...the Wise One and his woman were tempted by the Resistor. He, knowing full well the Wise One's love 4 God, assimilated the woman first and only..."
(3) Women as breeders:
"...And every time she obeys, she gives birth to the Son of Man..", The Rainbow Children.
"...4 the future rests in her belly...",Muse 2 the Pharaoh.

I used to be Catholic, but I left the church and the bible behind. I find their way of life and teachings to be oppressive and dogmatic. At least there is such a group as "Catholic liberals", but I don't know that any JW liberals exist. JWs believe it is wrong for women to be autonomous and assertive (I used to study the bible with a group of JWs). These women issues were decisive in my selling this album to the nearest used CDs store. Otherwise, I would have kept it in my collection.

And now what I find to be Prince's clever commentaries:

I liked the awareness he shows anout how his people were oppressed and enslaved by the white people. I think he may have had experienced racism. I understand "Family Name" as the serious conflicts that result from misunderstandings between African-Americans and Jews. Harlepolis, what is your opinion on this one?
[This message was edited Sun Jun 22 10:33:25 PDT 2003 by gyro34]