RAINBOW – The Singles Box Set 1975-1986 – CD review

RAINBOW
The Singles Box Set 1975-1986
Polydor 2014

Now that’s a stupid amount of money to pay for a collection of singles, all previously released on vinyl, but now shrunk down to CD size. But then I’m stupid, and Rainbow singles were a stalwart of my miniscule record collection when I was 14. So, sold to the eejit at the back.

And, as box sets go, it’s rather lovely.

So, what are you getting in what claims to be an indeterminate limited edition? Well, there are 19 singles (see below for tracks) in an assortment of foreign replica sleeves housed in a rigid box with lift-off lid. So at least it won’t fall apart like so many others. And bonus points for making the 32 page booklet featuring detailed annotations on each release a hardback, rather than the flimsy booklets that have enraged me over the years.

Musically, some will moan that it’s the remastered versions from a few years back, but this is just something to drool over, while firing up Discogs to look for that Dutch only 12″ single you’ve been having wet dreams about since the eighties.

I loved all the various incarnations of Rainbow, but am especially fond of the live Joe Lynn Turner numbers I have on 12″, and which will now be played more often than the neighbours will care for. I still think it’s over priced, but it’s just lovely to look at.

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Tracklist
CD 1
1. Man On The Silver Mountain (7” Edit)
2. Snake Charmer

CD 2
1. Still I’m Sad
2. Temple Of The King

CD 3
1. Man On The Silver Mountain
2. Snake Charmer
3. If You Don’t Like Rock ‘N’ Roll
4. Sixteenth Century Greensleeves

CD 4
1. Starstruck
2. Run With The Wolf

CD 5
1. Kill The King (Live / Edit – On Stage)
2. Man On The Silver Mountain (Live – On Stage)
3. Mistreated (Live / 7” Edit – On Stage)

CD 6
1. Long Live Rock ‘N’ Roll
2. Sensitive to Light

CD 7
1. LA Connection (7” Edit)
2. Lady of the Lake

CD 8
1. Since You Been Gone
2. Bad Girl

CD 9
1. Since You Been Gone
2. No Time To Lose

CD 10
1. All Night Long
2. Weiss Heim

CD 11
1. I Surrender
2. Vielleicht Das Nächster Zeit (Maybe Next Time)

CD 12
1. Difficult To Cure
2. Can’t Happen Here (7” Edit)
3. Jealous Lover

CD 13
1. Magic
2. Freedom Fighter

CD 14
1. Can’t Happen Here (7” Edit)
2. Jealous Lover

CD 15
1. Stone Cold
2. Rock Fever

CD 16
1. Death Alley Driver
2. Tite Squeeze

CD 17
1. Street Of Dreams
2. Anybody There
3. Power (Live at the Convention Center, San Antonio)

CD 18
1. Can’t Let You Go (7” Edit)
2. All Night Long (Live at David’s Hall, Cardiff)
3. Stranded (Live at David’s Hall, Cardiff)

CD 19
1. Bad Girl
2. Spotlight Kid (Live at Budokan, Tokyo)
3. Man On The Silver Mountain (Live)

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