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It was 1978, and the Rainbow, a group born as a side project of the capricious Ritchie Blackmore, and later confirmed as one of the most appreciated and influential hard rock bands ever (who said power metal?), released their third studio effort: Long Live Rock n Roll. So far, the musical journey of the group had been marked by epic, robust but also very melodic rock, balancing between Blackmore's solos and the voice of the late Ronnie James Dio, as well as the rhythmic intensity of Cozy Powell from the album Rising onwards; however, this record marks a partial shift towards new territories, a move wanted by the group's leader Blackmore, which would cause him several disagreements with RJ Dio, who would leave the group to join the newly Ozzy-less Black Sabbath. LLRnR thus serves as a connecting element, and as often happens in these cases, the result loses a bit of cohesion.
The album essentially has two stylistic matrices: on one hand, there are the classic Rainbow-style tracks, powerful and evocative, and on the other, some incursions into American hard rock and AOR. It is precisely these more commercial and immediate tracks that are the least interesting points of the album: the ideas are there, but they are not expressed adequately, the compositions lack freshness, and often, unfortunately, turn out to be mere fillers. The most glaring examples of what I've said are The Shed, Sensitive to Light, and the tired boogie of L.A. Connection, while Lady of the Lake manages to maintain a good level, proving to be pleasing.
Speaking of the more "classic" side of the album, we find the opener Long Live Rock n Roll, the oriental-flavored Gates of Babylon, and finally Kill the King and the ethereal ballad Rainbow Eyes. Here too, the result is inconsistent, especially regarding the title track, elevated by many to an absolute masterpiece but frankly, I find it too conventional, while the others maintain levels of excellence, in particular, Kill the King and Rainbow Eyes represent the best this group has managed to give during its first phase.
To sum it up, LLRnR remains a somewhat subdued product but carries with it several noteworthy episodes and serves as an epitaph for the so-called "Dio Era" and the more immediate and sparkling "Commercial Era" of the charismatic Blackmore's second musical project.
Tracklist Lyrics Samples and Videos
02 Lady of the Lake (03:39)
There's a magical sound slidin' over the ground
Makin' it shiver and shake
And a permanent cry fallin' out of the sky
Slippery and sly like a snake
With a delicate move kind of shifty and smooth
A shadow has covered the light
Then a beam in the shade from a silvery blade
Has shattered the edge of the night
I know she waits below
Only to rise on command
When she comes for me
She's got my life in her hands
When a movement behind hit the side of my mind
I trembled and shook it away
Then another assault and I started to faulter
Fibres of steel turned to clay
With a bubbly turn now the water should churn
And push it way from the core
And a lady in white will bring sun to the night
Brighter than ever before
I know she waits below
Only to rise on command
When she comes for me
She's got my life in her hands
Lady of the lake
There's a magical sound slidin' over the ground
Makin' it shiver and shake
And a permanent cry fallin' out of the sky
Slippery and sly like a snake
With a delicate move kind of shifty and smooth
A shadow has covered the light
Then a beam in the shade from a slivery blade
Has shattered the edge of the night
Straight down I'm swirling around
Blinded and bruised by the strain
There must be some way to see
Diamonds out of the rain
I know she waits below
Only to rise on command
When she comes for me
She's got my life in her hands
Lady of the lake
03 L.A. Connection (05:02)
Oh, carry home my broken bones and lay me down to rest
Forty days of cries and moans I guess I've failed to pass the test
I've been sent away not a thing to say
I'm banished from the fold
I'm a fallen angel who's lost his wings and left out in the cold
Ooooh L.A. connection
Oh L.A. connection
L.A. connection, yeah
Operator place a call keep secret but it through
Investigator knows it all he's at the window I wonder who
I've got to cut the line and let me drift find a haven in the storm
I got no time I need a lift to where it's sweet and close and warm
I say
Ooooh L.A. connection
Oh L.A. connection
L.A. connection
Hey, carry home my broken bones and lay me down to rest
Forty days of cries and moans well I've just failed the test
Feel I'm balanced on the brim should I lean another way
Like a flame that's going on the dim needs blessing from the day, oh
Ooooh L.A. connection, L.A. connection
Oh take me away I got nothing to say
It's got to be an L.A. connection, oh
Ooooh L.A. connection, L.A. connection
Ooooh, L.A., L.A., L.A., L.A., L.A. connection
Connection, oh
Ooooh L.A. connection, L.A. connection
Oh L.A., oh, L.A. connection
L.A., L.A. inspection
Ooooh L.A. connection, L.A. connection
Oh I'm down, oh I'm down
I can't take a rejection
L.A., need an L.A. connection
L.A., yeah, oh L.A. connection
L.A. connection
I'm flying away
Take me back home, I gotta get home to L.A.
L.A., L.A. connection, L.A.
Oh, L.A. connection, L.A. connection
Ooooh, ooooh, L.A. connection, L.A.
04 Gates of Babylon (06:49)
Look away from the sea
I can take you anywhere
Spend a vision with me
A chase with the wind
Move closer to me
I can make you anyone
I think you're ready to see
The gates to babylon
The power of what has been before
Rises to trap you within
A magic carpet ride a genie maybe more
A city of heavenly sin
Sleep with the devil and then you must pay
Sleep with the devil, the devil will take you away
Oh gates of babylon
You can see but you're blind
Someone turned the sun around
But you can see in your mind
The gates of babylon
You're riding the endless caravan
Bonded and sold as a slave
A saber dance removing all the veils
Getting as good as you gave
Sleep with the devil and then you must pay
Sleep with the devil, the devil will take you away
Look away from the sea
I can take you anywhere
Spend a vision with me
A chase with the wind
Move closer to me
I can make you anyone
I think you're ready to see
The gates of babylon
The power of what has been before
Rises to trap you within
A magic carpet ride a genie maybe more
A city of heavenly sin
Sleep with the devil and then you must pay
Sleep with the devil, the devil will take you away
Black gates of babylon
The devil is me
And I'm holding the key
To the gates of sweet hell
Babylon
05 Kill the King (04:29)
Danger, danger the Queen's about to kill
There's a stranger, stranger and life about to spill
Oh no move me out of harm
I need a spell and a charm
Fly like the wind
I'm no pawn, so be gone, speed on and on
Kill the King
Tear him down
Chorus:
Kill the King
Strike him down
Power, power it happens every day
Power, devour all along the way
Oh no move me out of harm
I need a spell and a charm
Fly like the wind
I'm no pawn, so be gone, speed on and on
Kill the King
Treason, treason, the spectre looms again
Treason, reason, the realm is safe and then
Oh no move away from harm
I need a spell and a charm
Fly like the rainbow
I'm no pawn, so be gone, speed on and on
Chorus:
Kill the King
Tear him down
Kill the King
Got to take his crown
Chorus:
Kill the King
He'll rule no more
Strike him dead
The people roar
Kill the King
Take his head
Down, down, down, down
Oh, kill, oh, kill, oh, oh
06 The Shed (Subtle) (04:47)
I'm like a freight train
Feelin' no pain
I never turn back one track
Better step aside
Like a shotgun
I'm really someone
You'll feel my heatwave
Won't save anyone near to me
I'm steel
So come and try to bend me if you can, hah
I don't feel
Before you know it it's over
Get out of my way
I'm street walking, street walking
Night stalking, I'm street walking
No reputation
You better quick run
Cause I got no time I'll climb
All over you
You need a strong hand
To be a mean man
You've got to think fast
I'll last longer than you could know
I'm steel
So won't you come and try to bend me if you can
I don't feel
Before you know it it's over
Out of my way
I'm street walking
Hey, I'm a wild cat
Don't need to prove that
I'm always howlin' prowlin'
Stalkin' my prey
It could be your night
To feel the dog bite
And hear the slashing, crashin'
Tearin' inside of you
I'm steel
So come and try to break me if you can, no way
Like a wheel
About to roll you over
Get out of my way
I'm street walkin', street walkin'
No talkin', street walking
Night stalking, street walking
No talkin', I'm street walkin', yeah
Street walkin', street walkin'
Night stalking, street walking
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Other reviews
By Edoardo1
"The fantastic 'Gates of Babylon' lifts the album, in my opinion, the best track on the album."
"Long Live Rock N' Roll presents us with an album that is less epic and majestic, but damn more edgy and catchy."
By XBend
"Long Live Rock n Roll is a track where Blackmore’s predominant Deep Purple style is perfectly audible."
"Rainbow Eyes is one of the most beautiful songs in Rainbow’s entire discography and a perfect conclusion to Dio’s era."
