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Rating: "Bent Out Of Shape" is the title of the last album by Rainbow before the reunion of Deep Purple Mark II for the recording of "Perfect Strangers". Recorded in Denmark in 1983, this album is probably the best with Joe Lynn Turner on vocals. Besides the aforementioned Turner, we find of course Ritchie Blackmore on guitar, D. Rosenthal returns on keyboards, former Deep Purple member Roger Glover on bass, and the newly hired Chuck Burgi on drums.
The style of the compositions is that of melodic Hard Rock (like all of Rainbow's production from 1979 onwards) of excellent quality. Unlike its predecessors, this album has a qualitative level that does not suffer from awkward drops in tone and happier episodes, but is more regular and balanced. The class of the musicians involved is unquestionable: masterful are the performances of "Can't Let You Go" (certainly the best of the group), characterized by a stunning vocal performance from Turner, "Streets Of Dreams" (the single released), very beautiful and compelling, and the splendid instrumental "Anybody's There" in which the more "sanguine" side of Blackmore's guitar is also explored. The fast tracks are not missing: "Fire Dance" is hard and compact, a classic Rainbow speed song with excellent solos from Blackmore and Rosenthal, "Make Your Move" is fierce and at the same time catchy in which I highlight a splendid Turner, "Drinking With The Devil" is nice with an overwhelming guitar riff. There are less successful tracks as well, like "Desperate Heart" which in my opinion is a bit flat and struggles to take off and "Fool For The Night" which, despite being played excellently, is written too "by the book" to hit the target.
In conclusion, however, the result is more than good, aided by a finally fitting vocal performance from Turner (definitely the added value of the album compared to the two previous ones always with him on vocals) and a more attentive work in songwriting. Of course, Rainbow has done better, but right at the last moment, they have shown they could strike a winning blow.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
06 Desperate Heart (04:08)
Yesterday you were here by my side
Nothing to prove and nothing left to hide
You promised me there would be no goodbye
But now I find another set of lies
Babe you must be crazy
How could you be so blind
Why would you deceive me
Now you're saying that you're leaving me behind
So strong I'm not gonna run away
Want you to know that I'm gonna break through
How long can I go on this way
There's nothing I can do
Desperate heart think you better hold out
Torn apart I was left to bleed
Don't start feeling you were sold out
Now you better face reality
Did my best did the best that I could
It's all been wasted just misunderstood
You keep on talking
Your words are sounding so smoothe
Why don't you say it
You just want to cut me loose
Oh don't say that you love me
Don't wont to hear that you tried
Oh don't tell me that you need me
Don't want to hear none of your alibis
So strong I'm not gonna run away
Want you to know that I'm gonna break through
How long can I go on this way
There's nothing I can do
Desperate heart think you better hold out
Torn apart I was left to bleed
Don't start feeling you were sold out
Now you better face reality
So strong I'm not gonna run away
Want you to know that I'm gonna break through
How long can I go on this way
Tell me what can I do
Nothing I can do
Desperate heart think you better hold out
Torn apart I was left to bleed
Don't start feeling you were sold out
Now you better face reality
(Twice)
07 Street of Dreams (04:30)
Street Of Dreams
(Blackmore/Turner)
I heard the sound of voices in the night,
Spellbound there was someone calling,
I looked around no one was in sight
Pulled down and I kept on falling
I've seen this place before
And you were standing by my side
I've seen your face before tonight
Maybe I just see what I wanted to be
I know it's a mystery
Do you remember me on the street of dreams,
Running through my memory
On the street of dreams
There you stood a distant memory
So good like we never parted
Said to myself I knew you'd set me free
And here we are right back where we started
Something's come over me
And I don't know what to feel
Maybe this fantasy is real
Now I know I see what I wanted to be
But it's still a mystery
Do you remember me on the street of dreams,
Running through my memory
On the street of dreams
You're in every face I see
On the street of dreams
Something's come over me
And I don't know what to feel
Maybe this fantasy is real
Now I know I see what I wanted to be
But it's still a mystery
Do you remember me on the street of dreams,
Running through my memory
On the street of dreams
On the street of dreams
I know you have always been
On the street of dreams
Will we ever meet again my friend
On the street of dreams
Do you know just what it means to be
On the street of dreams
Never know just who you'll see
On the street of dreams
You can be who you want to be oh
On the street of dreams
I can hear you calling me
On the street of dreams
I can feel you haunting me
Haunting me
08 Drinking With the Devil (03:46)
I never felt like this before
I think I'm gonna explode
Had so much I couldn't take no more
I'm heading for an overload
Oh no here I go
I can see the end
Looked around and I heard the sound
Of have one more my friend
Drinking with the devil
Gonna raise some hell
I'm just a rock and roll rebel
Got my soul to sell
Out all night till the sun comes up
You know I'm never gonna learn
Raise my glass and fill my cup
I'm playing with fire
I'm gonna get burned
And he came on through the door
A glass was in his hand
Sat me down and he poured me one more
And said I'm at you command
And I was drinking with the devil
Gonna raise some hell
I'm just a rock and roll rebel
Got my soul to sell
Out all night till the sun comes up
You know I'm never gonna learn
Raise my glass and fill my cup
I'm playing with fire
And I'm gonna get burned
Lord here i go,
looks like its the end
Turn away and i heard him say
Come with me my friend
Drinking with the devil
Gonna raise some hell
I'm just a rock and roll rebel
Got my soul to sell
Drinking with the devil
You know I had my fill
Drinking with the devil
He sticks me with the bill
10 Make Your Move (03:57)
You better not mess around with me
You know you better think twice
Because I've been running on a really bad streak
And I'm just looking for a fight
So you took me by surprise
Thought I was gonna run
But the cross fire is in my eyes
And my body holds the gun
Here I come
You better get ready to make your move
Got my finger on the trigger and I'm gonna shoot
Get ready make your move
Got your name on my bullet and my aim is true
You better not mess around with me
I got you in my sights
I've been running on a really bad streak
Gonna shoot you down tonight
My back's against the wall
You know that you better think twice
One of us is gonna fall
I'm looking for a fight and the time is right
You better get ready to make your move
Got my finger on the trigger and I'm gonna shoot
I say you better get ready
Make your move
Got your name on my bullet and my aim is true
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