Rainbow -

Rainbow was an English hard-rock band formed by guitarist Ritchie Blackmore following his initial exit from Deep Purple in 1974. The band released two albums and a live double-LP on Polydor-subsidiary Oyster between 1975 and 1977, followed by five further studio albums on the parent label between 1978 and 1983. Blackmore was the one constant throughout the nine-year existence of the band, which functioned as a springboard for the subsequent careers of vocalists Ronnie James Dio, Graham Bonnet, and Joe Lynn Turner.

Members: Ritchie Blackmore (guitar), Ronnie James Dio (vocals, 1975-79), Craig Gruber (bass, 1975), Mickey Lee Soule (keyboards, 1975), Gary Driscoll (drums, 1975), Cozy Powell (drums, 1975-80), Jimmy Bain (bass, 1975-77), Tony Carey (keyboards, 1975-77), David Stone (keyboards, 1977-79), Mark Clarke (bass, 1977), Bob Daisley (bass, 1977-79), Graham Bonnet (vocals, 1979-80), Don Airey (keyboards, 1979-81), Roger Glover (bass, 1979-84), Bobby Rondinelli (drums, 1980-83), Joe Lynn Turner (vocals, 1980-84), David Rosenthal (keyboards, 1981-84), Chuck Burgi (drums, 1983-84)

Background

Rainbow started in late 1974 as an alternative vehicle for Deep Purple guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, then at odds with the direction of his main band. He wished to record the Steve Hammond composition “Black Sheep of the Family,” recorded earlier by the Purple-associated power-trio Quatermass. To record that song and a new composition, “Sixteenth Century Greensleeves,” he enlisted American hard-rockers Elf, a frequent Purple opening act whose first album was produced by Roger Glover.

In March 1975, the two parties convened in Munich, Germany, to record an album.

Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow

Rainbow released their debut album, Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow, on August 4, 1975, on Oyster (UK) and Polydor. The album features seven originals co-credited to Blackmore and Elf singer Ronnie James Dio, including “The Temple of the King” and “Catch the Rainbow.”

Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow appeared on August 4, 1975, on Oyster (UK) and Polydor. Recorded shortly after the guitarist’s departure from Deep Purple, it marked the debut of Rainbow, a new vehicle for Blackmore’s neo-classical and medieval hard rock vision with Elf frontman Ronnie James Dio.

The album bridges Deep Purple’s heavy riff-based style with Dio’s lyrical mysticism and the baroque sensibility that would define Rainbow’s later output. Backed by Elf’s rhythm section — bassist Craig Gruber, drummer Gary Driscoll, and keyboardist Micky Lee Soule (piano, Mellotron, Clavinet, organ) — Blackmore and Dio craft a focused yet stylistically varied set that ranges from blues-based rockers to stately epics tinged with Celtic and Renaissance motifs.

Blackmore and Dio co-wrote seven of the nine tracks. The remaining cuts include a cover of Quatermass’ “Black Sheep of the Family” and an instrumental rendition of the Yardbirds’ “Still I’m Sad.”

Highlights include the opening “Man on the Silver Mountain,” which pairs a chiseled ascending riff with Dio’s commanding vocal; “Catch the Rainbow,” a slow-building piece whose atmospheric Mellotron passages frame Dio’s soaring delivery; and “Sixteenth Century Greensleeves,” which merges Blackmore’s modal phrasing with Dio’s medieval imagery. “The Temple of the King” functions as the album’s narrative centerpiece, while “Self Portrait” and “Snake Charmer” retain traces of Elf’s earthier rock approach. “If You Don’t Like Rock ’n’ Roll” breaks tone with a brisk boogie rhythm reminiscent of early 1970s barroom rock.

A1. “Man on the Silver Mountain” (4:38) – Ritchie Blackmore and Ronnie James Dio cast an anthemic call rooted in rising pace and ringing chords. The lyric positions a guiding figure who channels strength and deliverance, sung with declarative urgency while the band threads sharp turns around the refrain.
A2. “Self Portrait” (3:16) – Blackmore and Dio frame an introspective lyric of flawed identity, pushed by mid-tempo stride and organ undercurrents. Dio’s phrasing lifts the cycle of doubt toward a decisive, ascending climax.
A3. “Black Sheep of the Family” (3:20) – Originally a 1970 side by Quatermass, written by Steve Hammond. This reading tightens the rhythm around a tale of outsider status, adding clipped keys and serrated guitar accents to emphasize the narrator’s separation.
A4. “Catch the Rainbow” (6:40) – Blackmore and Dio stretch a spacious, slow arc, gradually layering Mellotron and sustained guitar. The lyric contemplates impermanence and fleeting bonds, lifted by careful dynamics that swell into a closing surge.

B1. “Snake Charmer” (4:30) – Blackmore and Dio drive a coiled bass line and steady, forward rhythm as the vocal warns against deception and charismatic control. Brief guitar flares punctuate each stanza, tightening the tension.
B2. “The Temple of the King” (4:46) – Blackmore and Dio deliver a narrative of spiritual quest, carried by acoustic texture and a measured build into electric release. Each verse charts revelation, ending in a reflective hush.
B3. “If You Don’t Like Rock ’n’ Roll” (2:36) – Blackmore and Dio pivot to brisk piano-led swing, a good-humored affirmation of live energy and communal release. The lyric champions the music’s immediacy without pretense.
B4. “Sixteenth Century Greensleeves” (3:35) – Blackmore and Dio evoke medieval imagery over minor-key guitar figures, shifting between hushed pacing and firm accents. The lyric frames tyranny and revolt as a timeless struggle.
B5. “Still I’m Sad” (3:53) – An instrumental cover of the Yardbirds’ 1965 track, written by Paul Samwell-Smith and Jim McCarty. Choir-like keys and terse guitar phrases carry themes of longing and resignation, sustained through patient escalation.

Sessions took place between February and March 1975 at Musicland Studios in Munich with production handled by Blackmore, Dio, and engineer Martin Birch.

Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow features cover art by illustrator David Willardson.

Polydor issued “Man on the Silver Mountain” (b/w “Snake Charmer”) as the album’s single on October 17, 1975.

Rainbow’s live repertoire later introduced a sung version of “Still I’m Sad,” first issued on On Stage (1977). Blackmore’s later folk-rock project Blackmore’s Night revived “Self Portrait” and “The Temple of the King” on their respective albums Under a Violet Moon (1999) and Dancer and the Moon (2013).

“Man on the Silver Mountain”
Released: September 1975 (US)

Blackmore retained Dio for an ongoing Rainbow with a new group of musicians: drummer Cozy Powell (Jeff Beck Group, Bedlam), bassist Jimmy Bain, and American keyboardist Tony Carey. They toured the album with a 40-foot computerized rainbow fixture composed of 3,000 light bulbs.

Rising

Rainbow released their second album, Rising, on May 17, 1976, on Oyster and Polydor.

The album marked the debut of the classic Rainbow lineup with guitarist Ritchie Blackmore and vocalist Ronnie James Dio joined by drummer Cozy Powell, bassist Jimmy Bain, and keyboardist Tony Carey. They recorded at Musicland Studios in Munich with producer Martin Birch, capturing a compact set of six tracks—four on side one and two lengthy pieces on side two—that fused neo-classical grandeur with hard-rock power.

All songs were co-written by Blackmore and Dio, who handled the lyrics. Dio’s writing draws on mystical and historical imagery, including the Egyptian saga “Stargazer” and its continuation “A Light in the Black,” alongside character studies (“Tarot Woman,” “Starstruck”) and more direct rockers (“Run with the Wolf,” “Do You Close Your Eyes”).

Powell’s thunderous rhythms drive the album’s forceful pace, while Carey’s Minimoog and organ layers supply harmonic lift. “Stargazer,” introduced by Powell’s martial drum roll and an orchestral coda by the Munich Philharmonic, serves as the album’s apex, contrasting Powell’s precision with Blackmore’s modal guitar lines and Dio’s operatic phrasing. “Tarot Woman” opens with Carey’s sequenced synth prelude, and “Starstruck” injects a brisk, syncopated pulse inspired by a fan encounter that haunted Blackmore on tour.

A1. “Tarot Woman” (5:58) – Blackmore and Dio open with Carey’s isolated synthesizer figure, widening into a pulsing mid-tempo riff as Powell drives sharp accents beneath Dio’s tale of prophetic warnings and fatal attraction. The arrangement pivots between clipped guitar lines and sweeping keyboard phrases, the solo hurtling through contour and quick turns before dropping to a terse vocal reprise.

A2. “Run with the Wolf” (3:48) – Dio frames the curse of transformation as the moon rises, hinting at surrender to instinct while Powell snaps a brisk, tugging rhythm. Blackmore answers with bent, staccato phrases and clipped sustain, pushing tension through the brief middle change and back into the tightened refrain.

A3. “Starstruck” (4:06) – A swaggering pace underpins Dio’s portrait of an obsessive fan who shadows Blackmore from venue to venue. The riff darts with doubled phrasing, punctuated by Powell’s thudding kick figure; the solo sings in tight arcs before the band cuts clean on the final hit.

A4. “Do You Close Your Eyes” (2:58) – Pressed by a driving pattern and organ stabs, Dio confronts evasive affection, asking whether desire is mutual or merely imagined. The pre-chorus swells on stacked voices before snapping into a punchy refrain, ending in a quick pan of guitar for emphasis.

B1. “Stargazer” (8:26) – A slave in ancient sands narrates the rise and fall of a wizard who forces thousands to build a tower from which to fly, only to plunge to his death as the sky refuses him. Powell’s isolated drum entry blooms into orchestral weight, Blackmore sliding between Middle Eastern-tinged figures and long sustained bends while strings shadow the climb toward the fatal drop.

B2. “A Light in the Black” (8:12) – The enslaved survivors reel after the wizard’s fall, searching for purpose in the void; Dio’s lines chase urgency as Powell locks a racing pace and Carey threads rapid keyboard runs between Blackmore’s flurries. The closing stretch stretches into dueling leads, straining forward as the narrator glimpses hope amid ruin.

Sessions took place at Musicland Studios, Munich, with production and mixing by Martin Birch and engineering assistance from Reinhold Mack.

Rising features cover art by American fantasy illustrator Ken Kelly, depicting a giant fist emerging from the sea and gripping a rainbow.

Oyster promoted the album with “Starstruck” (b/w “Run with the Wolf”) in August 1976. Though not a chart hit, the song and album later gained lasting recognition through their influence on later heavy metal and power metal acts.

On Stage

On July 7, 1977, Rainbow released the live double-album On Stage.

The album presents Rainbow’s signature blend of fantasy-driven hard rock and blues-infused metal, with extended arrangements that stretch the material from their first two studio albums. Guitarist Ritchie Blackmore and vocalist Ronnie James Dio lead the set, supported by keyboardist Tony Carey (keyboards, orchestron), bassist Jimmy Bain, and drummer Cozy Powell. The performances traverse soaring solos, elaborate blues interludes, and dramatic vocal passages, emphasizing improvisation and theatrical flair.

Blackmore and Dio wrote the majority of the material, with contributions from Powell on “Kill the King.” The album also includes covers of Deep Purple (“Mistreated”) and The Yardbirds (“Still I’m Sad”).

Musically, the album divides into two approaches: tracks like “Kill the King” and the “Man on the Silver Mountain/Blues/Starstruck” medley showcase rapid-fire riffs, classical-inspired phrasing, and complex tempo shifts, while “Catch the Rainbow” and “Sixteenth Century Greensleeves” unfold slowly, highlighting contoured vocals, spacious keyboard textures, and layered guitar ornamentation. “Mistreated” stretches the original Deep Purple template into a blues-laden showcase for both Dio’s expressive singing and Blackmore’s intricate fretwork.

A1. “Kill the King” (5:32) — combines Nuremberg 28 September 1976 intro with Munich 29 September remainder; fast-paced, aggressive riffing under Dio’s commanding vocals.
A2. “Medley: Man on the Silver Mountain/Blues/Starstruck” (11:12) — Tokyo 16 December 1976; merges album opener with improvised blues interlude and Starstruck segment, contrasting tempo and tonal shifts.
B1. “Catch the Rainbow” (15:35) — Osaka 9 December 1976; slow, expansive, featuring sustained guitar and piano textures beneath soaring vocal arcs.
C1. “Mistreated” (13:03) — Cologne 25 September 1976; Deep Purple cover, extended guitar/vocal duel, emphasizes blues phrasing and dramatic dynamics.
D1. “Sixteenth Century Greensleeves” (7:36) — Tokyo 16 December 1976; Renaissance-inspired motifs over heavy rock framework.
D2. “Still I’m Sad” (11:01) — Nuremberg 28 September 1976; Yardbirds cover, lengthened with keyboard-driven passages and rhythmic expansion.

Sessions occurred at various venues in Germany and Japan in September and December 1976, captured by producer/engineer Martin Birch. Some edits removed drum solos, blues interludes, and altered running order to fit four LP sides.

Record label promoted On Stage with the single “Kill the King” (b/w “Man on the Silver Mountain”/”Mistreated”), which reached No. 44 on the UK Singles Chart. The single reissued in 1981 peaked at No. 41.

The performances highlight Rainbow’s live prowess, with expansive improvisation and precise ensemble interplay. Later 70s and 80s artists occasionally referenced “Catch the Rainbow” and “Mistreated” in live covers, preserving the album’s influence on fantasy-driven hard rock.

Long Live Rock ‘n’ Roll

Rainbow released their third studio album, Long Live Rock ‘n’ Roll, on April 14, 1978, on Polydor.

The album concluded the band’s trilogy with vocalist Ronnie James Dio and further expanded the sound that guitarist Ritchie Blackmore shaped with drummer Cozy Powell. It retains the neo-classical precision of Rising but alternates between mythic pieces and grounded hard rock numbers, with a heightened polish from producer Martin Birch. Bass duties were split between Blackmore and newcomer Bob Daisley, while the keyboard passages came from Tony Carey (early sessions) and David Stone, who joined mid-project.

Blackmore composed all eight tracks with Dio, who also wrote the lyrics. Powell co-wrote two of the heavier pieces. The album balances epic storytelling (“Gates of Babylon,” “Kill the King”) with muscular riff-driven rockers (“Lady of the Lake,” “The Shed (Subtle)”) and closes with a string-laden ballad (“Rainbow Eyes”).

“Long Live Rock ’n’ Roll” opens with a unison riff and Dio’s commanding declaration, setting a tone of self-mythology that contrasts with the reflective “Rainbow Eyes,” scored for flute, recorder, and string quartet. “Gates of Babylon” stands out for its Middle Eastern modality, orchestral layers, and shifting rhythmic tension, while “Kill the King,” originally previewed live, captures the band at its most urgent and aggressive. “L.A. Connection” and “Sensitive to Light” occupy the album’s more direct, blues-grounded space.

A1. “Long Live Rock ’n’ Roll” (4:24) – Written by Ritchie Blackmore and Ronnie James Dio. A brisk pattern lifts Dio’s salute to the ritual of gathering in sound, tracing late nights and worn stages while the band locks into driving accents that surge behind the final chant.
A2. “Lady of the Lake” (3:39) – Blackmore and Dio frame visions of a spellbound encounter by moonlit water, leaning on clipped guitar figures and rising keyboard turns as the narrator searches for truth in shifting reflections.
A3. “L.A. Connection” (5:02) – Blackmore and Dio pace a slow, tightening rhythm behind lines about isolation in a sprawling city, the vocal circling broken ties and empty promises before drifting into a piano-led outro.
A4. “Gates of Babylon” (6:49) – Blackmore and Dio unfurl an ominous ascent built on Middle Eastern-tinged scales, thickened by strings as the lyric warns of power, temptation, and ruin. The middle break widens for a contoured solo that spirals toward collapse.

B1. “Kill the King” (4:29) – Blackmore, Dio, and Cozy Powell drive a rapid attack where the narrator rallies against tyranny, threading precise rhythmic strikes and quick guitar bursts as tension mounts with each verse.
B2. “The Shed (Subtle)” (4:47) – Blackmore, Dio, and Powell tighten a mid-tempo churn while Dio hints at betrayal beneath calm surfaces; brief instrumental feints mark each shift before the song snaps shut.
B3. “Sensitive to Light” (3:07) – Blackmore and Dio sketch a figure recoiling from exposure, using sudden rhythmic pushes and sharp chords to underline fragility, the chorus pressing toward fleeting escape.
B4. “Rainbow Eyes” (7:31) – Blackmore and Dio close in slow, orchestral sway, flute and strings weaving around clean arpeggios as the narrator holds to love through distance and fading light, the final cadence settling in quiet resignation.

Sessions occurred at The Strawberry Studio, located at Château d’Hérouville, France, between May and July 1977, with final overdubs and mixing in December. Martin Birch produced and engineered the album, assisted by Max Hecker on classical instrument recordings.

Long Live Rock ’n’ Roll features cover art by Debbie Hall. The inner gatefold depicts a crowd scene adapted from a Rush concert photo, retouched to substitute Rainbow insignia and blacked-out T-shirts.

Polydor promoted the album with “Long Live Rock ’n’ Roll” (b/w “Sensitive to Light”) on March 24, 1978, followed by “L.A. Connection” (b/w “Lady of the Lake”) on September 15, 1978.

“Kill the King” and “Gates of Babylon” became staples of Dio’s live repertoire and were later cited by numerous 1980s power metal bands for their influence on thematic scope and compositional scale.

Down to Earth

Rainbow released their fourth studio album, Down to Earth, on August 3, 1979, on Polydor.

Down to Earth appeared on August 3, 1979, as Rainbow’s fourth studio album and the first to feature bassist Roger Glover and keyboardist Don Airey. It marked the band’s only album with vocalist Graham Bonnet and the last with drummer Cozy Powell, forming their only all-British lineup.

The album finds Ritchie Blackmore steering Rainbow toward a brisk, high-impact hard rock sound that tempered his neo-classical tendencies with streamlined structure and radio-ready pacing. Bonnet’s robust, mid-range delivery gave the songs a taut, urgent character, contrasting with the operatic dramatics of predecessor Ronnie James Dio.

Blackmore and Glover co-wrote most of the eight songs, with drummer Cozy Powell credited on one and the only outside contribution being a cover of Russ Ballard’s 1976 single “Since You Been Gone.” Glover handled lyrics and played bass throughout the sessions, while Bonnet developed uncredited vocal melodies.

“Eyes of the World” opens with symphonic organ and cascading guitar lines that build to a martial pulse. “No Time to Lose” and “Makin’ Love” employ brisk, staccato rhythms, while “Love’s No Friend” pivots on a slower, darker phrasing. “Danger Zone” and the closing “Lost in Hollywood” bring back Blackmore’s fast crosspicked patterns and tight exchanges with Powell. The Russ Ballard number “Since You Been Gone” provides the album’s most direct and compact moment, contrasting the ornate textures of “Eyes of the World” with taut rhythm guitar and a concise vocal refrain.

A1. “All Night Long” (3:53)
A2. “Eyes of the World” (6:42)
A3. “No Time to Lose” (3:45)
A4. “Makin’ Love” (4:38)

B1. “Since You Been Gone” (3:25) — originally written and recorded by the ex-Argent frontman for his 1976 album Winning, later covered by Head East, Alcatrazz, and Brian May
B2. “Love’s No Friend” (4:55)
B3. “Danger Zone” (4:31)
B4. “Lost in Hollywood” (4:51) — Blackmore, Glover, Powell

Sessions occurred between March and July 1979 at Château Pelly de Cornfeld in southern France with producer Roger Glover and engineer Gary Edwards. Graham Bonnet recorded his vocals afterward at Kingdom Sound Studios on Long Island.

Down to Earth features cover art by Ron Walotsky. The image shows a spectral figure suspended above a cracked globe, a visual pun on the title’s phrase.

Polydor promoted the album with “Since You Been Gone” (b/w “Bad Girl”), released on August 31, 1979; it reached No. 6 on the UK Singles Chart and No. 57 on the Billboard Hot 100. A second single, “All Night Long” (b/w “Weiss Heim”), appeared in February 1980 and reached No. 5 in the UK.

Rainbow headlined the inaugural Monsters of Rock festival at Castle Donington in 1980, performing several songs from Down to Earth.

Difficult to Cure

Rainbow released their fifth album, Difficult to Cure, on February 9, 1981, on Polydor and Mercury.

The album introduced American singer Joe Lynn Turner and drummer Bobby Rondinelli, joining guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, bassist/producer Roger Glover, and keyboardist Don Airey. The shift completed Rainbow’s transition from the Dio-era’s symphonic grandeur to a sleeker, AOR-oriented sound. Turner’s rounded, midrange delivery contrasted sharply with the rawer power of predecessors Graham Bonnet and Ronnie James Dio, while Rondinelli’s precise percussion supported Blackmore’s tightened structures and Glover’s polished production.

Blackmore co-wrote seven of the album’s nine tracks with Glover, who supplied lyrics and production oversight. Keyboardist Airey co-wrote two pieces, including one of the album’s instrumentals, and Turner contributed to two songs. They also included a cover of former Argent guitarist Russ Ballard’s “I Surrender,” a song first issued by Head East in 1980.

The set opens with “I Surrender,” a direct, high-voiced anthem that became Rainbow’s biggest UK hit. “Spotlight Kid” and “No Release” return to Blackmore’s fast, baroque-inflected phrasing, countered by the keyboard lattice of Airey. “Can’t Happen Here” delivers an environmental warning wrapped in brisk, ascending figures. “Freedom Fighter” and “Midtown Tunnel Vision” balance the taut momentum of the album with lyrics addressing urban stress and social tension. Two instrumentals close each side: “Vielleicht Das Nächste Zeit (Maybe Next Time),” a reflective piece co-written with Airey, and “Difficult to Cure (Beethoven’s Ninth),” an adaptation of the “Ode to Joy” theme, arranged for rock ensemble and synthesizer orchestra.

A1. “I Surrender” (4:01) — first released by Head East in October 1980 on U.S. 1; Rainbow’s version replaced Graham Bonnet’s early vocals with those of new singer Joe Lynn Turner
A2. “Spotlight Kid” (4:54) — Blackmore, Glover
A3. “No Release” (5:33) — Blackmore, Glover, Airey
A4. “Magic” (4:07) — Brian Moran
A5. “Vielleicht Das Nächste Zeit (Maybe Next Time)” (3:17) —

B1. “Can’t Happen Here” (4:57) — Blackmore, Glover
B2. “Freedom Fighter” (4:21) — Blackmore, Glover, Turner
B3. “Midtown Tunnel Vision” (4:31) — Blackmore, Glover, Turner
B4. “Difficult to Cure (Beethoven’s Ninth)” (5:57) —

Sessions occurred at Sweet Silence Studios in Copenhagen and Kingdom Sound Studios in Long Island with producer Roger Glover and engineer Flemming Rasmussen. Greg Calbi mastered the final mix.

The album’s cover features a photograph by Hipgnosis of surgeons adjusting gloves before an operation—a visual metaphor for precision and control. The image was originally proposed for Black Sabbath’s Never Say Die!

Polydor promoted Difficult to Cure with “I Surrender” (b/w “Vielleicht Das Nächste Zeit”) on January 23, 1981, which reached No. 3 on the UK Singles Chart. “Can’t Happen Here” followed on June 12 (b/w “Jealous Lover”), charting in several European territories, while “Magic” appeared later that year as a Japan-only single.

“I Surrender” became one of Rainbow’s most enduring titles, later covered by Praying Mantis, Alcatrazz, and Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow (2017). The album’s closing instrumental “Difficult to Cure” entered Deep Purple’s live repertoire after their 1984 reunion.

Straight Between the Eyes

Rainbow released their sixth album, Straight Between the Eyes, on April 12, 1982, on Oyster and Polydor.

The album continued the concise, high-impact hard rock of Difficult to Cure with American vocalist Joe Lynn Turner, drummer Bobby Rondinelli, bassist/producer Roger Glover, guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, and new keyboardist David Rosenthal, who replaced Don Airey. The title derived from a remark Jeff Beck made to Blackmore in 1967, describing Jimi Hendrix’s playing as “hitting you straight between the eyes.”

Blackmore co-wrote eight of the nine songs with Turner and Glover, who also produced. Rosenthal co-wrote one track and handled orchestral arrangements. François Dompierre conducted the orchestral passages, with Raymond Dessaint as concertmaster.

The album opens with “Death Alley Driver,” a road-racing rocker reminiscent of “Highway Star.” “Stone Cold” follows with a spacious, descending chord sequence and restrained vocal phrasing that became Rainbow’s signature US hit. “Bring on the Night (Dream Chaser)” and “Eyes of Fire” frame the set with atmospheric layering and Middle Eastern tonalities, while “Tearin’ Out My Heart” and “Miss Mistreated” align with the moody, romantic direction of early-’80s AOR. “Power” and “Rock Fever” provide brisk rhythmic drive, and “Tite Squeeze” injects a taut, funk-leaning pulse.

A1. “Death Alley Driver” (4:42) — Blackmore, Turner
A2. “Stone Cold” (5:17) — Blackmore, Turner, Glover
A3. “Bring on the Night (Dream Chaser)” (4:06) — Blackmore, Turner, Glover
A4. “Tite Squeeze” (3:15) — Blackmore, Turner, Glover
A5. “Tearin’ Out My Heart” (4:03) — Blackmore, Turner, Glover

B1. “Power” (4:26) — Blackmore, Turner, Glover
B2. “Miss Mistreated” (4:27) — Blackmore, Turner, Rosenthal
B3. “Rock Fever” (3:50) — Blackmore, Turner
B4. “Eyes of Fire” (6:37) — Blackmore, Turner, Rondinelli

Sessions occurred at Le Studio in Morin Heights, Quebec, with producer Roger Glover and engineer Nick Blagona. Robbie Whelan assisted with recording, and Greg Calbi mastered the final mix at Sterling Sound in New York.

The cover features artwork by Jeff Cummins and Hipgnosis depicting an eye bursting outward from a human head, conveying the impact implied by the title.

Polydor promoted Straight Between the Eyes with “Stone Cold” (b/w “Rock Fever”), released on March 26, 1982; it reached No. 1 on the Billboard Top Rock Tracks and No. 40 on the Hot 100. “Death Alley Driver” followed later that year as a Japanese single. Videos for both songs received regular rotation on MTV and later appeared on Rainbow’s The Final Cut home video (1985).

The subsequent tour featured an elaborate stage design with two moving mechanical eyes that emitted spotlights from their pupils, captured on the concert film Live Between the Eyes (recorded August 18, 1982, at HemisFair Arena in San Antonio).

Bent Out of Shape

Rainbow released their seventh album, Bent Out of Shape, on August 24, 1983, on Oyster and Polydor.

The album continued the refined, radio-aimed hard rock of Straight Between the Eyes with American vocalist Joe Lynn Turner, guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, bassist/producer Roger Glover, keyboardist David Rosenthal, and new drummer Chuck Burgi. It was the group’s final studio release before a twelve-year hiatus and the last to feature Turner, Glover, and Rosenthal.

Blackmore and Turner co-wrote eight of the ten tracks, with Rosenthal and Glover contributing to select numbers. The set includes two instrumentals: Blackmore’s “Anybody There” and “Snowman,” the latter adapted from Howard Blake’s 1982 composition “Walking in the Air,” written for the animated short The Snowman.

The album opens with “Stranded,” a taut, mid-tempo rocker that sets a dramatic tone later reprised in “Desperate Heart,” where Turner’s vocal arcs follow Blackmore’s melodic contouring. “Can’t Let You Go” balances cathedral-organ prelude and restrained tension, while “Fire Dance” reintroduces neoclassical phrasing within a brisk rhythmic pulse. “Fool for the Night” and “Drinking with the Devil” engage the band’s lighter AOR leanings, contrasting the instrumental sequence that pairs the fluid “Anybody There” with the atmospheric “Snowman.” “Street of Dreams,” the album’s standout ballad, combines soft-focus pacing and lyrical hypnosis imagery, and “Make Your Move” closes the album with renewed intensity.

A1. “Stranded” (4:25) — Blackmore, Turner
A2. “Can’t Let You Go” (4:19) — Blackmore, Turner, Rosenthal
A3. “Fool for the Night” (4:03) — Blackmore, Turner
A4. “Fire Dance” (4:27) — Blackmore, Turner, Rosenthal
A5. “Anybody There” (instrumental) (2:37) — Blackmore

B1. “Desperate Heart” (4:00) — Blackmore, Turner
B2. “Street of Dreams” (4:24) — Blackmore, Turner
B3. “Drinking with the Devil” (3:41) — Blackmore, Turner
B4. “Snowman” (4:30) — Blackmore’s adaptation of the Blake instrumental
B5. “Make Your Move” (3:55) — Blackmore, Turner

Sessions occurred at Sweet Silence Studios in Copenhagen with producer Roger Glover and engineer Flemming Rasmussen, assisted by Thomas Breckling. Nick Blagona mixed the album at BearTracks Studios in New York, and Greg Calbi mastered it at Sterling Sound.

The cover features a surreal image by Storm Thorgerson and Hipgnosis that shows a face pressed through a translucent surface, one of the final works completed by the design firm before disbanding.

Polydor promoted Bent Out of Shape with “Street of Dreams” (b/w “Anybody There”), issued August 19, 1983, which reached No. 2 on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock chart. The follow-up, “Can’t Let You Go” (b/w “All Night Long” live), appeared on October 28, 1983. “Street of Dreams” was accompanied by a Storm Thorgerson–directed video centered on hypnosis imagery that MTV briefly banned for its perceived intensity; “Can’t Let You Go” was later filmed in New York with visuals inspired by The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari.

“Anybody There” received a 1984 Grammy nomination for Best Rock Instrumental Performance. Blackmore later re-recorded “Street of Dreams” with Candice Night for Blackmore’s Night’s 2006 album The Village Lanterne.

Discography: