Ever since the Great Rainbow Bridge Bombing of '23 I’ve had Rainbow Connection stuck in my head. As I wonder every time when Kermit asks why there are so many songs about rainbows, I wonder: are there “so many” songs about rainbows? Because I’m not coming up with a lot of them.
Good question. “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” is the biggie, I guess.
The most depressing song of all times is about rainbows:
Uriah Heep - “Rainbow Demon”
Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows:
From a few years back:
‘Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows’ by Lesley Gore
‘She’s a Rainbow’ by The Rolling Stones
‘Pocketful of Rainbows’ by Elvis Presley
‘Rainbow’ by Sia
‘Rainbow (Interlude)’ by Mariah Carey
‘Rainbowland’ by Miley Cyrus
‘Rainbow’ by Kacey Musgraves
‘Rainbow’ by Kesha
Rainbow in the Dark Dio
Billboard successes:
Year Artist Track
1908 Frank Stanley & Henry Burr Rainbow
1908 Billy Murray & Haydn Quartet Rainbow
1918 Charles Harrison I’m Always Chasing Rainbows
1918 Harry Fox I’m Always Chasing Rainbows
1918 Prince’s Orchestra I’m Always Chasing Rainbows
1918 Sam Ash I’m Always Chasing Rainbows
1918 John McCormack The Rainbow of Love
1927 George Olsen & His Orchestra Where’s That Rainbow?
1928 Al Jolson There’s a Rainbow Round My Shoulder
1937 Guy Lombardo & His Royal Canadians Rainbow on the River
1939 Glenn Miller & His Orchestra Over The Rainbow
1939 Bob Crosby & His Orchestra Over the Rainbow
1939 Judy Garland Over the Rainbow
1939 Larry Clinton & His Orchestra Over the Rainbow
1939 Dick Jurgens & His Orchestra Rainbow Valley
1943 Perry Como There’ll Soon be a Rainbow
1944 Glenn Miller & His Orchestra Rainbow Rhapsody
1946 Perry Como I’m Always Chasing Rainbows
1946 Helen Forrest & Dick Haymes I’m Always Chasing Rainbows
1946 Harry James & His Orchestra I’m Always Chasing Rainbows
1957 Russ Hamilton Rainbow
1960 Demensions, The Over The Rainbow
1960 Frankie Avalon Swingin’ On A Rainbow
1961 Deane Hawley Pocketful Of Rainbows
1961 Phill Wilson Wishin’ On A Rainbow
1962 Jimmie Rodgers Rainbow At Midnight
1963 Gene Chandler Rainbow (Studio)
1965 Danny Hutton Roses And Rainbows
1965 Lesley Gore Sunshine, Lollipops And Rainbows
1966 Gene Chandler Rainbow ’65 (Part 1)
1967 Box Tops, The Neon Rainbow
1967 Gunter Kallmann Chorus Wish Me A Rainbow
1968 Rolling Stones, The She’s A Rainbow
1969 Dells, The I Can Sing A Rainbow/Love Is Blue
1969 Andy Kim Rainbow Ride
1970 Marmalade, The Rainbow
1976 Leon and Mary Russell Rainbow In Your Eyes
1978 Gary Tanner Over The Rainbow
1979 Kermit (Jim Henson) Rainbow Connection
1983 Sergio Mendes Rainbow’s End
2006 Katharine McPhee Somewhere Over The Rainbow
2010 Glee Cast Over The Rainbow
“I’m Always Chasing Rainbows” by Judy Garland
“Look to the Rainbow” from Finian’s Rainbow.
From @Thudlow_Boink
Rainbow Eyes - Brian Wilson
Silver Rainbow - Genesis
Magical Rainbow Door - L.S.U.
When the Rainbow Comes - World Party
Love In a Rainbow - Brian May & Kerry Ellis
Rainbow in the Dark - Dio
Here Comes That Rainbow Again - Kris Kristofferson
The 7 Colours of the Rainbow - Mannheim Steamroller
Rainbows - Madness
Rainbows - Dennis Wilson
Rainbows & Butterflies - Wussy
Chasing Rainbows - Jenn Bostic
Rainbows Will Fade - John Austin & Erin Echo
Never Blame the Rainbows For the Rain - The Moody Blues
Okay, I accept that’s a considerable number of songs about rainbows.
Looks like Kermit was right about that.
So, on to the next topic: is it easy being green, or not?
It only mentions rainbows, but one cannot help but think of the most famous Rainbow Bridge:
Kormt and Ormt | and the Kerlaugs twain
Shall Thor each day wade through,
(When dooms to give | he forth shall go
To the ash-tree Yggdrasil;)
For heaven’s bridge | burns all in flame,
And the sacred waters seethe.
I feel like the song, quite importantly, answers this question very effectively. And that is: No, and also Yes.
A Kiss at the End of the Rainbow – Mitch & Mickey
(2004 Oscar nominee for best original song)
Earl Grant, At the End of a Rainbow.
Don’t forget SWLABR. Maybe the only song with “rainbow” as part of an acronym.
Neither the Hulk, nor Martian Manhunter are very upbeat, so, no.
There’s an old Scorpions song Fly To the Rainbow from when they were a little more prog than metal:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGDefpjTqFY
The first one I thought of was the theme to Reading Rainbow.
There was also a beloved UK series for tiny kids called Rainbow.
Not quite as catchy, guess you had to grow up with it, but I like the drummer’s flex when the lyrics kick in.