S7E384: Rainbow “Snowman” (w/ Kevin Williams)
What’s up, dudes? Kevin Williams from ‘Tis the Soundtrack joins me to talk about Rainbow “Snowman!” Yes, the former Deep Purple guitarist took Howard Blake’s song from the 1982 classic and reworked it as an atmospheric synth and electric guitar anthem!
Rainbow was formed in 1975 by guitarist Ritchie Blackmore after he began to tire of Deep Purple and the band’s changing musical direction. Deep Purple had already replaced Ian Gillan and Roger Glover with David Coverdale and Glenn Hughes, but Blackmore remained unhappy with where the music was headed. What began as Blackmore recording a single with members of the band Elf ultimately grew into a full album and the creation of Rainbow. The band quickly became known for its larger-than-life live shows, whose centerpiece was a massive computer-controlled rainbow containing some 3,000 lightbulbs and stretching 40 feet across the stage. Rainbow also became notorious for its revolving door of musicians, with original vocalist Ronnie James Dio departing in 1978 over disagreements about the band’s increasingly commercial musical direction. After further lineup changes, Joe Lynn Turner eventually took over as lead singer, ushering in Rainbow’s more radio-friendly early-’80s era. That lineup would lead to Bent Out of Shape, released September 9, 1983, which featured the song in question as the album’s ninth track.
Rainbow’s instrumental “Snowman,” featured on their 1983 album Bent Out of Shape, is based on “Walking in the Air,” the haunting theme written by composer Howard Blake for the beloved 1982 animated film The Snowman, itself adapted from Raymond Briggs’ 1978 children’s book. Blake had actually composed the melody around 1970 before later adapting it for the television special, where it became the musical centerpiece of the story. The Snowman—which went on to become a seasonal television favorite in Britain and Finland—follows the fleeting adventure of a young boy and the snowman he brings to life. During their magical flight to the North Pole, “Walking in the Air” accompanies the pair as they soar through the night before attending a gathering of snowmen and meeting Santa Claus and his reindeer. In the original film, the song was performed by St. Paul’s Cathedral choirboy Peter Auty, whose recording was later reissued in 1985 and 1987. Ritchie Blackmore was captivated by the composition’s haunting, melodic beauty and, having long enjoyed adapting classical and traditional melodies into rock instrumentals, transformed Blake’s delicate vocal theme into “Snowman.” Rainbow’s version builds atmospheric tension around the familiar melody before giving Blackmore the opportunity to let loose with a soaring, emotional electric-guitar lead—turning one of animation’s most delicate Christmas themes into a distinctly Rainbow instrumental.
Synth flute? Check. Fuzzy guitar? Got it. Brad Fiedel The Terminator-style synth percussion? Definitely! So grab your guitar, stand behind that keyboard, and rock out to Rainbow “Snowman!”
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