She's a Rainbow explained

She's a Rainbow
Cover:Shesarainbow.jpg
Type:single
Artist:the Rolling Stones
Album:Their Satanic Majesties Request
B-Side:2000 Light Years from Home
Released:
Recorded:17–21 May 1967
Studio:Olympic, London
Genre:
Length:
  • (US promo single edit)
  • (US single)
  • (album version)
Label:
Producer:The Rolling Stones
Chronology:The Rolling Stones US
Prev Title:In Another Land
Prev Year:1967
Next Title:Jumpin' Jack Flash
Next Year:1968

"She's a Rainbow" is a song by the Rolling Stones and was featured on their 1967 album Their Satanic Majesties Request.[5] It has been called "the prettiest and most uncharacteristic song" that Mick Jagger and Keith Richards wrote for the Stones, although somewhat ambiguous in intention.

Composition and recording

The song includes rich lyricism, vibrant piano by Nicky Hopkins and Brian Jones' use of the Mellotron. The second verse includes:

John Paul Jones, later of Led Zeppelin, arranged the strings of this song during his session musician days.[6] Backing vocals were provided by the entire band except for Charlie Watts. Notably, all of the vocals sound like soft background singing with the music overshadowing them to the point of the lyrics being difficult to hear. The lyrics in the chorus share the phrase "she comes in colours" with the song of that title by Love,[7] released in December 1966.

The song begins with the piano playing an ascending run with a turnaround, which returns throughout the song as a recurring motif. This motif is developed by the celesta and strings in the middle 8. Humorous and ambiguous devices are used, such as when the strings play out-of-tune and off-key towards the end of the song, and when the other Stones sing their "La La's" like little children.[5] The song is in the key of B flat major.[8] The ascending run starts on C and goes up the Bb scale : C D E F G A B.

Release and appearances

"She's a Rainbow" was released as a single in November 1967 and went to No. 25 in the United States. Cash Box said that the Rolling Stones "[step] up their blues beat with orchestrations that surround the listener in a swirling collage of offsetting tonal colors."[9]

It has regularly featured on Stones' hits compilations, including Through the Past, Darkly (Big Hits Vol. 2) (1969), More Hot Rocks (Big Hits & Fazed Cookies) (1972), 30 Greatest Hits (1977), (1989), Forty Licks (2002), and GRRR! (2012).[10]

Personnel

According to authors Philippe Margotin and Jean-Michel Guesdon:

The Rolling Stones

Additional personnel

Charts

Chart (1967–1968)Peak
position
Spanish Singles Chart[11] 19
Sweden (Kvällstoppen)[12] 14
Sweden (Tio i Topp)[13] 9
Chart (2007)Peak
position

Other

People have speculated that Gilbert Baker's creation of the rainbow flag was inspired by the Judy Garland song "Over the Rainbow" (Garland being among the first gay icons),[14] [15] but when asked, Baker said that it was "more about the Rolling Stones and their song 'She's a Rainbow.[16]

References

Sources

Notes and References

  1. . The Rolling Stones. Bruce. Eder. Boxed set booklet. 1989. New York City. ABKCO Records. 1218-2. 72.
  2. Book: Philippe Margotin. Jean-Michel Guesdon. Rolling Stones All the Songs: The Story Behind Every Track. 25 October 2016. Hachette Books. 978-0-316-31773-3. 433.
  3. Book: Nigel Williamson. The Rough Guide to the Best Music You've Never Heard. 2008. Rough Guides. 978-1-84836-003-7. 181.
  4. Book: DeRogatis, Jim . Jim DeRogatis . 2003 . Turn On Your Mind: Four Decades of Great Psychedelic Rock . The Stones' Ten Best Psychedelic Rock Songs . . 54 . 0-634-05548-8 . https://books.google.com/books?id=U7cQmRsLgN8C&pg=PA54.
  5. Show 46: Sergeant Pepper at the Summit - The very best of a very good year (part 2, segment 5) . Pop Chronicles . . . John Gilliland (narrator) . via the Digital Library of the University of North Texas.
  6. http://timeisonourside.com/SOShesARain.html The Database "She's a Rainbow"
  7. Web site: R.I.P. Arthur Lee - thanks for all the Love . 4 August 2006 . Pierce . Tony . . 23 August 2012 . 'Da Capo' also includes Love's biggest hit '7&7 Is' which some regard as the first punk tune, as well as 'She Comes in Colors' which was clearly an inspiration for the Rolling Stones hit 'She's A Rainbow'. . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20081007160537/http://laist.com/2006/08/04/rip_arthur_lee_thanks_for_all_the_love.php . 7 October 2008 . dmy-all .
  8. Web site: Key & BPM/Tempo of She's a Rainbow by the Rolling Stones | Note Discover.
  9. CashBox Record Reviews . December 23, 1967 . 90 . 2022-01-12 . Cash Box.
  10. Eder, Bruce. [{{AllMusic|class=song|id=t806540|pure_url=yes}} The Rolling Stones "She's A Rainbow"]. AllMusic. 2007 (accessed 31 October 2008).
  11. Book: Salaverri, Fernando. Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002. 1st . September 2005. Fundación Autor-SGAE. Spain. 84-8048-639-2.
  12. Book: Hallberg, Eric. Eric Hallberg presenterar Kvällstoppen i P 3: Sveriges radios topplista över veckans 20 mest sålda skivor 10. 7. 1962 - 19. 8. 1975. Drift Musik. 1993. 243. 9163021404.
  13. Book: Hallberg . Eric . Eric Hallberg, Ulf Henningsson presenterar Tio i topp med de utslagna på försök: 1961 - 74 . Henningsson . Ulf . Premium Publishing . 1998 . 919727125X . 313.
  14. Book: The National Museum & Archive of Lesbian and Gay History . Lesbian and Gay Community Services Center . 1996 . The Gay Almanac . New York . Berkeley Books . 978-0-425-15300-0 . 636576927 . 94 .
  15. Book: Higgs, David . Queer Sites: Gay Urban Histories Since 1600 . November 19, 2012 . 1999 . Psychology Press . 978-0-415-15897-8 . 173– . Google Books .
  16. Fitzharris . Dustin . June 27, 2008 . True Colors Shining Through: The rainbow flag, a symbol of LGBT Pride, celebrates three decades . New York Blade . 12 . 26 . 9 . "I come from the '60s, so [the flag's] more about the Rolling Stones and their song 'She's a Rainbow,'" Baker said. "That era was a time when people were asserting themselves as artists in the true sense. But, I get the Garland thing, and being from Kansas, I double get it." . EBSCO.