Since You Been Gone by Rainbow

Album: Down To Earth (1979)

Charted: 6 57

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Songfacts®:

"Since You Been Gone" was written and originally recorded by the guitarist Russ Ballard, who included it on his 1975 Winning album. In an interview with Songfacts, Ballard said he wrote the song for himself, but the best-known version was recorded by Rainbow for their 1979 Down To Earth album, with Graham Bonnet on vocals and Ritchie Blackmore on guitar. It was produced by Roger Glover of Deep Purple.

Released as the first single from the album, it became one of Rainbow's most popular songs, reaching #6 in the UK and #57 in America, where it hung around on Classic Rock playlists. >>>
Suggestion credit:
Alexander Baron - London, England
The upbeat melody belies the heartache in this song, as the singer is losing his mind now that his girl has left him. He can't stop thinking about her, reading her breakup letter under the streetlight and wishing for her return.
The Illinois rock band Head East was the first to chart with this song, taking it to #46 US in 1978 (it was the band's biggest hit).

In 1979, Cherie & Marie Currie took the song to #95 US. Their version, with the gender flipped, was issued with the grammatically correct title "Since You've Been Gone." This was the only chart appearance for the twin sister duo, who formed after Cherie Currie left The Runaways.
Rainbow's version plays during the trailer for the 2023 Guardians of the Galaxy 3 movie. The MCU film series is renowned for resurrecting classic rock gems.

Comments: 5

Don from Sevierville, TnRainbow did record another Russ Ballard song in 1981, I Surrender, with Joe Lynn Turner singing lead. I think that song sounds like it has some Scorpions influence.
Don from Sevierville, TnIt's also been covered by Head East (their lead singer John Schlitt would later be in the Christian rock group Petra - Petra also covered the Russ Ballard/Argent song God Gave Rock and Roll to You, which KISS would also record later) and by the South African group Clout (mostly a female group, not well known in the USA, but I heard of them when I lived in Germany).
R, from Victoria, AustraliaBrian May? This is Ritchie Blackmore!
Jon from Avon, CtBrian May does a very good job
Lee from Huntsville, Ali have always thought this song was an under-achiever on the charts...i liked it the first day i ever heard it in "79,as a matter of fact i bought the 8-track. "your poison letter your telegram"...

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