The Very Best of Rainbow

Rating

Album: The Very Best of Rainbow
#	Song Title		Time
1)	Man On The Silver Mountain	More Info...	4:38
2)	Catch The Rainbow	More Info...	6:38
3)	Starstruck	More Info...	4:07
4)	Stargazer	More Info...	8:26
5)	Kill The King	More Info...	4:29
6)	Long Live Rock 'N' Roll	More Info...	4:23
7)	Gates Of Babylon	More Info...	6:47
8)	Since You Been Gone	More Info...	3:18
9)	All Night Long	More Info...	3:50
10)	I Surrender	More Info...	4:02
11)	Can't Happen Here	More Info...	4:57
12)	Jealous Lover	More Info...	3:12
13)	Stone Cold	More Info...	5:17
14)	Power	More Info...	4:26
15)	Can't Let You Go	More Info...	4:20
16)	Street Of Dreams	More Info...	4:26
2)	Catch the Rainbow	More Info...
3)	Starstruck	More Info...
4)	Stargazer	More Info...
5)	Kill the King	More Info...
6)	Long Live Rock 'N' Roll	More Info...
7)	Gates of Babylon	More Info...
8)	Since You've Been Gone	More Info...
9)	All Night Long	More Info...
10)	I Surrender	More Info...
11)	Can't Happen Here	More Info...
12)	Jealous Lover	More Info...
13)	Stone Cold	More Info...
14)	Power	More Info...
15)	Can't Let You Go	More Info...
16)	Street of Dreams	More Info...

Album: The Very Best of Rainbow
#	Song Title		Time
1)	Man On The Silver Mountain	More Info...	4:38
2)	Catch The Rainbow	More Info...	6:38
3)	Starstruck	More Info...	4:07
4)	Stargazer	More Info...	8:26
5)	Kill The King	More Info...	4:29
6)	Long Live Rock 'N' Roll	More Info...	4:23
7)	Gates Of Babylon	More Info...	6:47
8)	Since You Been Gone	More Info...	3:18
9)	All Night Long	More Info...	3:50
10)	I Surrender	More Info...	4:02
11)	Can't Happen Here	More Info...	4:57
12)	Jealous Lover	More Info...	3:12
13)	Stone Cold	More Info...	5:17
14)	Power	More Info...	4:26
15)	Can't Let You Go	More Info...	4:20
16)	Street Of Dreams	More Info...	4:26
2)	Catch the Rainbow	More Info...
3)	Starstruck	More Info...
4)	Stargazer	More Info...
5)	Kill the King	More Info...
6)	Long Live Rock 'N' Roll	More Info...
7)	Gates of Babylon	More Info...
8)	Since You've Been Gone	More Info...
9)	All Night Long	More Info...
10)	I Surrender	More Info...
11)	Can't Happen Here	More Info...
12)	Jealous Lover	More Info...
13)	Stone Cold	More Info...
14)	Power	More Info...
15)	Can't Let You Go	More Info...
16)	Street of Dreams	More Info...

Tracks

1. Man On The Silver Mountain

2. Catch The Rainbow From Ritchie Blackmore's Rain

3. Starstruck

4. Stargazer From Rainbow Rising

5. Kill The King

6. Long Live Rock 'n' Roll

7. Gates Of Babylon From Long Live Rock 'n' Roll

8. Since You Been Gone

9. All Night Long From Down To Earth

10. I Surrender

11. Can't Happen Here From Difficult To Cure

12. Jealous Lover B Side Of Can't Happen Here

13. Stone Cold

14. Power From Straight Between The Eyes

15. Can't Let You Go

16. Street Of Dreams From Bent Out Of Shape

Performer Notes

Rainbow: Ronnie James Dio, Joe Lynn Turner, Graham Bonnet (vocals); Ritchie Blackmore (guitar, bass); Mickey Lee Soule (piano, Mellotron, clavinet, organ); David Rosenthal, Don Airey, Tony Carey, David Stone (keyboards); Jimmy Bain, Craig Gruber, Bob Daisley, Roger Glover (bass); Gary Driscoll, Cozy Powell, Bob Rondinelli, Chuck Burgi (drums).
Additional personnel: Rainer Pietsch (conductor); Munich Philharmonic Orchestra.
Producers: Ritchie Blackmore, Martin Birch, Ronnie James Dio, Roger Glover.
Compilation producer: Bill Levenson.
Engineers include: Gary Edwards, Flemming Rasmussen, Nick Blagona.
Includes liner notes by Pete Frame, Mark Welch, Jerry Bloom.
All tracks have been digitally remastered.
Personnel: Graham Bonnet, Joe Lynn Turner, Ronnie James Dio (vocals); Ritchie Blackmore (guitar); Micky Lee Soule (piano, Clavinet, organ, Mellotron); David Rosenthal, Don Airey, David Stone, Tony Carey (keyboards); Cozy Powell, Bob Rondinelli , Chuck Burgi, Gary Driscoll (drums).
Audio Mixer: Martin Birch.
Photographers: Anthony Loew; Fin Costello.
Unknown Contributor Role: Munich Philharmonic Orchestra.
Arranger: Ritchie Blackmore.
The Best of Rainbow compiles 16 of the best tracks from Rainbow's first seven studio albums, wisely avoiding 1977's live On Stage release. The first two tracks from their debut album, 1975's Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow, showcases the instant bond that was formed between Blackmore and Ronnie James Dio, especially on "Man on the Silver Mountain." Blackmore changed the band for the following year's Rainbow Rising, with Jimmy Bain replacing bass player Craig Gruber, and Cozy Powell taking percussion duties away from Gary Driscoll. Adding keyboard player Tony Carey helped tracks like "Starstruck" and the lengthy "Stargazer" to sound a little more dimensional and fluent than the group's first effort. All of 1978's Long Live Rock and Roll have Rainbow settling in to a heavier sound with faster guitar riffs, proven on the frantic "Kill the King" and on the string accompanied "Gates of Babylon." With Dio leaving in 1978, Graham Bonnet filled in on vocals for Down to Earth, with Roger Glover playing bass. Although the album gave the band a number 40 hit with "Since You've Been Gone," one of Russ Ballard's creations, Bonnet left thereafter and was replaced by Joe Lynn Turner for the Difficult to Cure album. The album sold on the strength of "I Surrender," one of their best tracks, but the remaining tunes marked the beginning of Rainbow's recession. "Jealous Lover," the B-side to 1981's "Can't Happen Here" is a nice addition to the collection, while the next four tracks from Rainbow's most disappointing releases are best heard here than on their parent albums. For a hits package, The Very Best of Rainbow doubles as both a handy sift through the group's changing lineup and as a good place to start for those who are inquisitive. ~ Mike DeGagne