How Rainbow Changed Their Style and Lineup for an Unforgettable 1979 Hit

It reigned as one of the punchiest pop-rock hits of the late 70s. With hooks aplenty and a simple message of heartbreak, “Since You Been Gone” soared to the Top 10 in the UK in 1979. The song didn’t do quite that well in the US. But it has since implanted itself as a staple of American classic rock playlists.

What was most shocking about “Since You Been Gone” was the band that recorded it. The song represented almost a total 180-degree shift from what people normally expected out of the British hard rockers Rainbow.

A Side Project Becomes a Force

Rainbow started as a side project for Deep Purple guitarist Ritchie Blackmore. Blackmore soon left Deep Purple behind and made Rainbow his main musical endeavor. And the new unit quickly carved out their own unique niche in the hard rock scene.

Some critics took to calling Rainbow “castle metal,” with the heavy riffs and thunderous rhythms balanced out by gothic musical touches and adventurous lyrics. The band took hardly any time before delivering classic albums like the 1976 powerhouse Rising.

But with every new Rainbow album release, band members came and went. In 1978, shortly after beginning the process of making their fourth album, Ronnie James Dio, the band’s singer and chief lyricist, quit the group to join Black Sabbath. But Blackmore pressed on with an idea to make the band more radio-friendly.

“Gone” for Good

Blackmore had added two new band members by that time, including former Deep Purple member Roger Glover, who produced the record, took over on bass, and provided the lyrics. Meanwhile, drummer Cozy Powell, the lone holdover from the previous record, balked at playing a cover song that Blackmore wanted to do. (Powell eventually relented, although he became so frustrated with playing the song live that it spurred his decision to leave the group.)

That cover was “Since You Been Gone”, written and first performed by Russ Ballard in 1976. Ballard would eventually go on to become one of pop-rock’s most reliable songwriters-for-hire. Rainbow’s version of “Since You Been Gone” would help him get there, at least once the band found a lead singer.

They settled on Graham Bonnet, who scored a late 60s hit with the band Marbles. Bonnet stood out like a sore thumb from the rest of Rainbow’s long-haired lineup with his New Wave clothes and short hair. But his incredible range was just what “Since You Been Gone”, a No. 6 hit in the UK, needed.

Behind the Lyrics of “Since You Been Gone”

“Since You Been Gone” comes from a guy both bitter at his ex’s actions while still haunted by her memory. “Thoughts fly back to the break-up,” he complains. “These four walls are closing in,” he moans. “Look at the fix you put me in.”

He mostly gets by, at least until the hours pass: “I can take the afternoon, the nighttime comes around too soon.” Later, he bemoans her cruelty. “Your poison letter, your telegram,” he complains. “Just goes to show you don’t give a damn.” He begs her for a bit of mercy in the end: “You cast the spell, so break it.”

Rainbow enjoyed another big hit with a Ballard cover in 1981 when “I Surrender” went to the UK Top 5. By that time, there was another new batch of musicians in place, including the lead singer. Even when this band succeeded, they made sure to stick close to their tradition of constant lineup change.

(Photos by Brad Elterman/FilmMagic)