She's a Rainbow
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"She's a Rainbow" is a song by the Rolling Stones and was featured on their 1967 album Their Satanic Majesties Request.[1] 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.[2]
Composition and recording
The song includes rich lyricism, vibrant piano by Nicky Hopkins, and Brian Jones' use of the Mellotron. The second verse includes: Template:Poemquote
John Paul Jones, later of Led Zeppelin, arranged the strings of this song during his session musician days.[3] 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,[4] 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.[1] The song is in the key of B flat major.[5] The ascending run starts on C and goes up the BTemplate:Music scale : C D ETemplate:Music F G A BTemplate:Music.
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."[6] A lyric video for the song was released in 2017 to coincide with the semicentennial reissue of the album it appears on.[7]
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), Singles Collection: The London Years (1989), Forty Licks (2002), and GRRR! (2012).[2]
"She's a Rainbow" was used extensively in season two of the show Ted Lasso.[8] In addition, the song was covered by Tank and the Bangas in 2022 for season three of the show Ghostwriter.[9]
Personnel
According to authors Philippe Margotin and Jean-Michel Guesdon:Template:Sfn
The Rolling Stones
- Mick JaggerTemplate:Snd lead vocal, harmony vocal, tambourine
- Keith RichardsTemplate:Snd acoustic guitar, lead guitar
- Brian JonesTemplate:Snd Mellotron
- Bill WymanTemplate:Snd bass
- Charlie WattsTemplate:Snd drums
- Unidentified musicians (played by the Rolling Stones)Template:Snd backing vocals, percussionTemplate:Refn
Additional personnel
- Nicky HopkinsTemplate:Snd celesta, harpsichord
- John Paul JonesTemplate:Snd string arrangement
- Unidentified session musiciansTemplate:Snd string section
Charts
| Chart (1967–1968) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Template:Single chart | |
| Template:Single chart | |
| Template:Single chart | |
| Template:Single chart | |
| Spanish Singles Chart[10] | 19 |
| Sweden (Kvällstoppen)[11] | 14 |
| Sweden (Tio i Topp)[12] | 9 |
| Template:Single chart | |
| Template:Single chart | |
| Chart (2007) | Peak position |
| Template:Single chart | |
| Template:Single chart |
Certifications
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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),[13][14] but when asked, Baker said that it was "more about the Rolling Stones and their song 'She's a Rainbow.Template:'"[15]
Notes
References
Sources
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Template:The Rolling Stones singles Template:Authority control
- ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1". via the Digital Library of the University of North Texas. Template:Retrieved
- ↑ a b Eder, Bruce. The Rolling Stones "She's A Rainbow". AllMusic. 2007 (accessed 31 October 2008).
- ↑ The Database "She's a Rainbow". Time Is On Our Side. 2007 (accessed 31 October 2008).
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