1+1+1 Is 3 (a.k.a. 1+1+1=3) is the eighth track on Prince's 24th album The Rainbow Children, his first album after reverting to the name Prince.
In 2002 a live version from the One Nite Alone... Tour was released as the sixth track on the first disc of the One Nite Alone... Live! album (with no other tracks included from the same show). An edit of the same version had previously been included on the Days Of Wild single.
In 2003, another 2002 live version was included on the Live At The Aladdin Las Vegas concert DVD. Another live version from the 2002 Xenophobia Celebration was released as a 'free' download to NPG Music Club members in 2002, with Prince adding a spoken overdub at the end saying "Xenophobia - Coming soon 2 a monitor near U". The project indicated (presumably a set of live recordings from the celebration) remains unreleased.
Recording process
Specific recording dates are unknown, but it is likely that initial tracking took place in late 2000 or early 2001 at Paisley Park Studios, Chanhassen, MN, USA.
The beginning of the track contains narrative to continue the album's story. As "The Muse" is brought into "the sensual everafter" by "The Wise One", he implants in her a "seed of knowledge", asking her to repeat "1 plus 1 plus 1 is 3".
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