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Rating:
After the consecration of "Rising" (1976), considered by many to be one of the quintessential hard rock albums, and the official live recordings with "On Stage" (1977), Ritchie Blackmore and RJ Dio's Rainbow returned to the studio to create their third work, which according to RJ Dio was meant to follow in the footsteps of the previous album. However, Blackmore wanted to bring back a touch of blues presence found in "Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow" (1975), the debut work of this hard rock band. The title of this album is "Long Live Rock n Roll", released in 1978. While listening, the differences between Blackmore and Dio become quite clear: in fact, the tracklist alternates between hard rock/blues tracks and heavier ones.
The start of the album is more than good, in fact, excellent. Cozy Powell begins with a well-defined snare roll that launches a real anthem to rock music: "Long Live Rock n Roll" (sacred words!!). It's a track where Blackmore's predominant Deep Purple style is perfectly audible. The piece is a hard rock pounding from start to finish and does justice to what rock is. The singing of RJ Dio is absolutely gritty, and Cozy Powell is powerful behind the drums.
The second track is "Lady of the Lake", slightly heavier than the previous one, even if not very convincing. The chorus is very good, supported by a keyboard pad that is quite decisive for the atmosphere. Ritchie's solo is very sound-based, while the second half of the solo picks up the melody of the chorus.
The third track is very interesting; it starts with a riff heavily influenced by blues and a fairly determined rhythm where RJ Dio resumes singing in his own manner. Only towards the end is it possible to hear a piano solo that accompanies the chorus.
The riff of the fourth track is very beautiful, one of the best on this album: "Gates of Babylon". The keyboard introduces us to a dark and oriental atmosphere that leads us to the entrance of the real riff, played on a harmonic minor scale. The chorus is truly beautiful, almost taking us back to the atmospheres of Stargazer. A small demonstration of what Rainbow will be in future albums, even if they won’t have the same success.
Here's a track that could have been perfectly inserted into the tracklist of Rising: "Kill the King", already performed live since 1977. It is one of the strongest points of the album, the heaviest, the most energetic: everyone plays in a solid and heavy manner. Excellent Blackmore, Dio, and Powell in this track. A fearsome, epic, heroic guitar solo (where you can hear the use of the double pedal by the drummer). The reprise of the verse (raised by a tone compared to the solo, which was already a tone above the beginning of the piece) is truly chilling: RJ Dio sings it in an impressive manner, as if he were angry, releasing all his power into the microphone, and the finale is equally exceptional: absolutely pure heavy metal. Certainly the best track on the album after "Rainbow Eyes", which I will describe next.
"The Shed (Subtle)" is also very solid, where RJ Dio does an excellent job of creating and recording the backing vocals. This too is a prelude to future Rainbow (in other words, Blackmore's will).
Next up is a very lively, active rock n roll track titled "Sensitive to Light" that might remind us of "If You Don't Like Rock n Roll" recorded 3 years earlier. Very pleasant to listen to but nothing exceptional.
But now let's move to the track which, in my opinion, is the best on this album: the sweet "Rainbow Eyes". Blackmore plays with a clean effect and the whole is supported by a mini orchestra of wind instruments, among which a flute emerges; there are neither drums nor bass. The credit for the good outcome of this piece goes especially to RJ Dio who, on this occasion, sings in a truly touching way: we will never hear RJ Dio so expressive and sweet again. But Blackmore also truly deserves much for his sublime and refined composition/interpretation of the track. Undoubtedly, it is one of the most beautiful songs in Rainbow's entire discography. A perfect conclusion, which, if we consider the fact that RJ Dio will leave the group, makes us regret his absence in subsequent albums. In short, we can say that our dear RJ Dio leaves the group with class, great style, and originality.
An album that is not to be discarded even if it's not up to a perfection called "Rising". The trick is to savor the high points (even if, to be honest, there aren't very many) and enjoy them, because focusing only on the negative points deprives us of the pleasure of listening to the music. My rating is 3.5 stars out of 5. The flaws of this album are: the sound is not as solid as the previous album (which would have raised the quality) and the differences in ideas between Blackmore and RJ Dio ...for the rest, the album is very easy to listen to and not difficult to enjoy.
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 Tragopano
LLRnR thus serves as a connecting element, and as often happens in these cases, the result loses a bit of cohesion.
Kill the King and Rainbow Eyes represent the best this group has managed to give during its first phase.
