Posted on 04/09/2020 4:20:06 PM PDT by lee martell
For some reason, I awoke with this song on my mind today. Before my eyes parted, I was listening to the piano introduction. "She's A Rainbow" was recorded in 1967 and released on the Rolling Stones album, "Satanic Majesties Request". It took me a while (years, in fact) to move past that name, one with 'Satanic' in the title. Eventually, I saw it as just a marketing ploy to grab attention from the Beatles' Sargeant Pepper Album. The Beatles album was filled with light ditties and toe-tappers. The Stones wanted to exhibit the other side of that coin. Friendly competition among professional musicians.
The song, "She Comes in colors/ she's a rainbow" is beautifully done, simply done. It's mostly refrain that is repeated throughout the piece connected by a few instrumental bridges. The 'verses' act as preludes to the refrain. Opposite of what usually happens in popular music.
The main pianist on this cut was the late Nicky Hopkins. Nicky performed for many top acts of the time, including The Stone, The Kinks, The Who and Jefferson Airplane. His work here is almost Mozart like in it's smooth, though intricate overall effects.
Brian Jones appears on the Mellotron. John Paul Jones provided the string arrangements. John Paul Jones later became part of Led Zepplin.
The song achieves an eveness, a timeless, trancelike density toward the middle. This is followed by deliberate efforts to lighten the mood, with notes being played out of time or off key towards the end. This is then followed by a chorus of altered voices singing "La-La-La" like little children.
The Stones used many different session pianists. Two others were Billy Preston, when a bluesy, or gospel sound was wanted. Another was Ian Stewart who was actually one of the co-founders of the group but pushed out by the manager. The manager didn't this Ian fit the image the rest of the group did. Ian provided several Boogie-Woogie sessions for the group as one of his specialties.
Thank you for sharing!
Mick Jagger said he will never play again in Florida because of their stand your ground law.
Oh yeah? Well I’ve had “Everybody Was Kung Foo Fighting” running through my head all day.
Now get that one out of you head. ;-)
I wouldn’t cross the street to see The Stones.Yes,they were “The Greatest Rock & Roll Band” from ‘64 to about ‘71. But since then they’ve only done one or two things worth listening to.
Similar aggravation, but not so bad as the song going through my head more than anything of value is:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3wUnMo0VWU
Get off My Cloud been running through my head a lot.
“Imagining the world has stopped”
Earworm Extraordinaire, that one!
Before you know it, you’re humming it, out loud.
I woke up to MacArthur Park and it’s still playing.
Don’t forget that Mick Jagger was one of the
Remainers. He wanted to stay under the EU’s diplomatic thumb.
After Sgt. Pepper, a lot of bands jumped onto the “meaningful” bandwagon, including the Stones for the “Satanic Majesty” album. I thought it was a mistake, and I think they did, too, as they quickly went back to something like their former style.
I couldn’t have said it better myself!
Disappointing, since at one time Mick was a Thatcher supporter.
“Paint It Black” has always been my fav Stones tune - rock and/or roll with Brian Jones on sitar!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wCUlPNlQuA
I love MacArthur Park, and I’m not ashamed to say it!
I was just reading about that songwriter Jimmy Webb.
I did not know that he wrote this song while under contract to Motown. He says he was treated well at Motown and learned a lot, but they didn’t know what to do with this composition.
1981's (almost forty years ago) Tattoo You was their last decent album and that consisted of outtakes from the 70s. I have never seen them live and have no desire to do so. It has been nothing but corporate rock for decades. It's certain that nothing fun or interesting will happen at one of their shows.
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