Songs about Rainbows

Cafe Society
1

Yes, I am watching “The Muppet Movie”, why do you ask?

The big ones are Somewhere over the Rainbow (1939) & Rainbow Connection (1979).

Others:
‘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.
OK, what can all of you add?

2

Why are there so many?

3

That is the question.

I’m pretty sure windy by the Association has a line about Rainbows also.

4

Kermit wondered too

5

heZemi - Fuck the Rainbow

if there’s not enough love
and the earth is so dry
then what’s point of a fucking rainbow
in the sky

6

So, okay, I searched for “rainbow” in my Amazon music collection (which includes both music I own and stuff on Prime that I added at some time because it looked interesting, so I’m not familiar with all of these), and came up with (along with several renditions of “Over the Rainbow” and others listed in the OP):

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

7

Rainbows All Over Your Blues – John B. Sebastian

8

No Reading Rainbow? Or this “Doors” cover? :wink:

9

Richie Blackmore’s?

10

Genesis - Silver Rainbow

11

For a real downer, try Richard Thompson’s The End Of The Rainbow.

12

“The Kiss at the End of the Rainbow” - Mitch and Mickey

13

Nirvana (1968) - Rainbow Chaser

14

Somewhere Over the Rainbow really isn’t about rainbows technically.

15

At The Rainbow’s End · Rex Allen

16

And really, there don’t seem to be all that many songs about rainbows.

17

Rainbow Demon - Uriah Jeep. Which probably isn’t technically about rainbows either.

18

But it is about what’s on the other side.

19

IIRC Ruthann Friedman wrote a line, “Who’s stepping out from under a rainbow?” but that’s it. There’s also two brief mentions of rainbows in Joni Mitchell’s CHELSEA MORNING: “…a rainbow on the wall” and “…the rainbow runs away.” But those songs aren’t about rainbows IMHO.

In the prison work song RAINBOW 'CROSS MY SHOULDER the “rainbow” is the gleam of light as he swings a sledgehammer, probably to break rocks.

20

That should be Uriah Heep, obviously.