Track Listing

1. Long Live Rock N Roll
2. Lady Of The Lake
3. L.A. Connection
4. Gates Of Babylon
5. Kill The King
6. The Shed
7. Sensitive To Light
8. Rainbow Eyes

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3105 in Music
• Released on: 1999-06-28
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered
• Dimensions: .20 pounds
• Running time: 40 minutes

CD Description
Released in 1978, LONG LIVE was the final Ronnie James Dio-fronted release by Rainbow. Dio would go on to front Black Sabbath, while guitarist Richie Blackmore would reunite with Deep Purple. The album caps off a string of tremendous releases from one of the strongest branches on the heavy-metal family tree.
The title track is a fan favourite and one of the strongest tunes from this era--a heavy rock tune writtenfor arenas. "Lady of the Lake" is a solid number featuring haunting background vocals. "L.A. Connection" features the piano tinglings of keyboardist David Stone. "Gates of Babylon" is a mammoth track featuring the Bavarian String Ensemble,as synthesizer and strings combine for a symphonic big-rocksound. Another standout is "Kill the King", a speedy, full force tune with Mr. Blackmore doing what he does best. Blackmore opens the thunderous "The Shed (Subtle)" with a fluid, effects-laden bluesy solo. "Rainbow Eyes" is a seven-minute epic that features a string quartet, flute, and Dio's euphonic balladry. LONG LIVE, while not the masterwork that is RAINBOW RISING, is a strong album that ends the Dio era on a high note.

Customer Reviews

Long Live Rock 'N' Roll!
The third studio outing for the Rainbow boys, and the last one to include Ronnie James Dio on vocals, before Blackmore went for a more commercial style. This album is proper hard rock performed by a band of musicians that would be hard to rival. The legendary singer Ronnie James Dio, hailed by many (including me) as the best rock singer ever. Ritchie Blackmore, lead guitarist of hard rock legends Deep Purple (although his work with Rainbow is better). Cozy Powell, one of the best drummers to ever live.
The songs on this album are all hard-rockers with the exception of "Rainbow Eyes", which is, despite its different style, one of the best songs on the album.
The album kicks off with the title track which is one of Rainbow's best songs. Lively and energetic it is certainly a high point on the album and an excellent song that will get you hooked on the album as a whole.
After that comes "Lady Of The Lake" which, along with a great riff makes use of fantastic fantasy lyrics.
Then we move onto "L.A. Connection", which is in my opinion the worst song on the album. It is mid-paced song that chugs along quite enjoyably. Its a good song, just not as high a standard as the rest of the album.
"Gate of Babylon" is nearly seven minutes long and is another high point. It has a sort of Arabian feel to it and is a classic that seems to be forgotten by many people.
At the start of what was on vinyl the second side is LLRNR's best song. The blisteringly fast "Kill The King". This again makes use of the fantasy lyrics that Dio is so good with and the whole band shine on this song. The last 10 seconds is the best bit of the song, where
"Shed (Subtle)" starts off with a solo from Ritchie and then leads into a hard rocker with an amazing riff. After that is "Sensitive To Light" which is quite a short song (only 3 minutes) but it is still of very high quality. As you would expect from one of the best Hard Rock bands ever. The last song is not something you would expect though. This is a very slow, soft song and still one of the best.
This is one of the best rock albums ever, by some of the best rock musicians ever. A must have for any rock fan.

better than 'Rising'
I disagree with the view that Rising is Rainbow's best release: LLR&R is far better!

Dio's voice is superb, Blackmore's guitar excites and the late Cozy Powell is as solid and rocky as the Himalayas. A favourite balls-out moment is the fabulously frenetic guitar solo and accompanying double bass drums and fills in Kill The King (winner of 'most exciting axe solo' on the album for my money).

There are no bad tracks at all on this album (which can't be said for Rising: Tarot Woman, Run With The Wolf and Do You Close your Eyes are all turgid and stodgy to my ears - only Starstruck and Stargazer really cut the mustard, tho' Light In The Black's okay, I guess). Even the weaker moments of LLR&R are damn good by anyone's standards: The Shed and Sensitive to Light ain't Rainbow's best, but they still rock righteously enough.

Blackmore's penchant for medieval tom-foolery rears it's head on the beautifully mellow (they use recorders for Christ's sake!) Rainbow Eyes, which Dio sings exquisitely.

Truly their finest hour, and a classic taste of heavy rock at it's best...

A classic Rainbow album
Together with "Rising" this is the second in a pair of two fantastic albums . Worth buying purely on the the strength of "Kill the king " where the guitar solo rates as one of Ritchie Blackmore's greatest.The album also includes the stargazeresque "Gates of Babylon" with another typical Rainbow combination of a string ensemble and a rock band, and finshes with the ballad "Rainbow Eyes" giving Ronnie Dio an opportunity to display another side to his of his vocal talents in his last recording with Rainbow.This really is Rainbow at the top of their form.