The Rainbow Children

Lore & Background

This concept album illustrates common Prince themes of spirituality and human sexuality, as well as love and racism, through the fictitious story of a social movement toward a Martin Luther King Jr.-inspired utopian society. The album seems to allude to his recent conversion to the Jehovah's Witnesses denomination, but Egyptian monotheism and New Age concepts such as the Akashic records are used as metaphors as well. Jazzier than any of his previous efforts, it was met with mixed reactions. Some fans saw the album as a musical and spiritual evolution for Prince.

In Their Own Story

The lights dimmed on the stage as the opening chords rang out, heavy with distortion and soul. In the crowd, fans felt the shift in energy, recognizing this was not just music but a statement. The air hummed with purple haze, thick with anticipation. As the final note faded, silence hung for a moment before the roar of approval began, sealing another chapter in an endless tour of sound.

Reader's Guide

All songs written and produced by Prince. Tracks 15–21 are all hidden tracks and are all silent with the exception of track 21, which gradually fades in to the repetition of the word 'one' being sung. Personnel include Prince on lead and backing vocals and various instruments, Najee on soprano saxophone and flute, John Blackwell on drums and percussion, and Larry Graham on bass guitar.

Did You Know?

• It is the first album released outside of the NPG Music Club to be released under the name of Prince again, as he had reverted to his previous stage name from his symbolic moniker a year earlier.
• The album was released on double vinyl with a glossy color booklet, and was not available on vinyl again until the Legacy release in 2020.
• The album cover features Cbabi Bayoc's 'The Reine Keis Quintet'; Prince favored the painting of a women's band, as he was backed by an all-female ensemble.
• The album sold 158,000 copies in US stores as of summer 2007, with an estimated 560,000 copies worldwide.