275:– the standpoint of a "slave in Egyptian times". They relate the story of the Wizard, an astronomer who becomes "obsessed with the idea of flying" and enslaves a vast army to build a tower from which he can take off and fly. Building the tower in harsh conditions ("In the heat and rain, with whips and chains; /just to see him fly, so many die"), the people hope for the day when their misery ends. In the end, the wizard climbs to the top of the tower but, instead of flying, falls and dies: "No sound as he falls instead of rising / Time standing still, then there's blood on the sand." According to Dio, the next song, "A Light in the Black", continues the story of the people, who have lost all purpose after the Wizard's death "until they see the light in the dark".
210:(1976). It is an epic song narrating the story of a powerful wizard whose attempt to fly by constructing a mystical tower to the stars leads to the enslavement of vast numbers of people. "Stargazer" is notable for its musical complexity, with the guitar, lyrics, and drum intro cited as significant examples of the talents of guitarist
297:
and MusicHound describe the song as one of
Rainbow's classics, AllMusic calling it a "bombastic, strings-enriched epic". Vincent DeMasi, transcribing part of Blackmore's solo as an example of his taste for "classical drama" with a "Middle Eastern flavor", calls the song an "operatic blockbuster".
253:"We went into the studio with a 28-piece orchestra…" recalled Blackmore. "But the backing was too flowery, so we kept taking out parts and making it less and less complicated. The orchestra was getting angry for having to play it so many times. And there was a very fine
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302:, composer for the neo-operatic metal project Lyraka, argued for both Wagnerian and existentialist interpretations of the lyrics. A poll held by Gibson ranked the song the 17th greatest heavy metal song of all time.
257:
violinist who decided to play after the orchestra had finished, but the tape spool ended. The poor guy was frantically playing and we weren't recording him, which was very frustrating for all involved."
298:
Jeff
Perkins argues that the "incredible epic", one of the band's highlights, derives its strength from Blackmore's guitar playing, Dio's lyrics and vocals, and Powell's drumming.
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from a fax sent by concert promoters MCP to
Guinness Publishing on 18 April 1997, providing background information for the publisher's book Rockopedia
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The Guitar Player Book: 40 Years of
Interviews, Gear, and Lessons from the World's Most Celebrated Guitar Magazine
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UK hard-rock outfit
Rainbow went all metaphysical with the world's first ever power-metal record, 'Stargazer'.
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278:"Stargazer" was the first song to be played by different bands at the UK's
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The epic-length rock track, with symphonic influences, starts with a short
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The song has been called a "morality tale", from – according to lyricist
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20th
Century Masters – The Millennium Collection: The Best of Rainbow
572:"Metal Goes 'Pop': The Explosion of Heavy Metal into the Mainstream"
29:
730:
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Woodstra, Chris; Bush, John; Erlewine, Stephen Thomas (2007).
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Schwermetallanalysen: die musikalische
Sprache des Heavy Metal
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called "a string thing all playing this half-Turkish Scale".
204:, released as fifth track from the band's second studio album
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festival: by
Rainbow in 1980 and – in abbreviated form – by
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The
Drummer: 100 Years of Rhythmic Power and Invention
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614:All Music Guide Required Listening: Classic Rock
261:Blackmore's solo, after the second verse, is in
546:Shred!: The Ultimate Guide to Warp-speed Guitar
310:"Stargazer (Rough Mix)", an early mix from the
408:. Link House Publications. 2006. p. 162.
1104:Winning Combinations: Deep Purple and Rainbow
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641:MusicHound rock: the essential album guide
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1030:Live in Germany 1976 / Live in Europe
444:. Modern Drummer. 2010. p. 112.
425:Famous DRUM FILLS, Licks & Solos!
268:, and is cited as "one of his best".
7:
428:. www.DrumsTheWord.com. p. 372.
405:High Fidelity News and Record Review
196:" is a song by the British-American
1290:Songs written by Ritchie Blackmore
549:. Backbeat Books. pp. 32–33.
543:Maloof, Rich; Prown, Pete (2006).
502:Rainbow - Uncensored on the Record
471:. transcript Verlag. p. 129.
382:Fritz Sonnleitner – concert master
14:
1295:Songs written by Ronnie James Dio
422:Litten, Robert (26 August 2021).
1097:Catch the Rainbow: The Anthology
1090:All Night Long: An Introduction
671:. Backbeat Books. p. 163.
617:. Backbeat Books. p. 171.
693:"Full Top 50 Metal Songs List"
1:
370:Munich Philharmonic Orchestra
240:Munich Philharmonic Orchestra
576:Heavy Metal Music in Britain
931:Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow
722:Lyrics for the entire album
1313:
1140:Man on the Silver Mountain
665:Mike Molenda, ed. (2007).
385:Rainer Pietsch – conductor
1280:Rainbow (rock band) songs
966:Straight Between the Eyes
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465:Elflein, Dietmar (2010).
186:
173:
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1069:The Very Best of Rainbow
1037:Deutschland Tournee 1976
574:. In Bayer, Gerd (ed.).
945:Long Live Rock 'n' Roll
578:. Ashgate. p. 56.
570:Earl, Benjamin (2013).
266:Phrygian dominant scale
644:. Visible Ink Press.
638:Graff, Gary (1996).
532:(158): 7. June 2011.
526:"Ready Steady Go!".
364:Additional personnel
18:1976 song by Rainbow
1285:Songs about wizards
1154:Since You Been Gone
1122:Live in Munich 1977
1062:The Best of Rainbow
1044:Live in Munich 1977
347:– drums, percussion
312:2011 Deluxe Edition
1054:Compilation albums
980:Stranger in Us All
699:on 28 October 2016
306:Alternate versions
1257:
1256:
1239:Heaven & Hell
1209:Blackmore's Night
973:Bent Out of Shape
959:Difficult to Cure
770:Ritchie Blackmore
333:Ritchie Blackmore
248:Ritchie Blackmore
212:Ritchie Blackmore
190:
189:
137:Ritchie Blackmore
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1244:Yngwie Malmsteen
1192:Related articles
1182:Street of Dreams
876:Bobby Rondinelli
806:Ronnie James Dio
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300:Andy DiGelsomina
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273:Ronnie James Dio
216:Ronnie James Dio
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374:strings section
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244:Vako Orchestron
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61:February 1976
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856:Roger Glover
816:Craig Gruber
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701:. Retrieved
697:the original
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529:Classic Rock
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159:Martin Birch
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1219:Deep Purple
1199:Discography
1168:I Surrender
1083:Pot of Gold
1023:Finyl Vinyl
1008:Live albums
909:John Miceli
891:Paul Morris
886:Chuck Burgi
851:Bob Daisley
846:David Stone
836:Mark Clarke
826:Cozy Powell
798:Bob Nouveau
791:David Keith
703:20 December
378:french horn
359:– keyboards
345:Cozy Powell
246:, and what
236:Cozy Powell
226:Description
220:Cozy Powell
200:supergroup
176:"Stargazer"
153:Producer(s)
80:power metal
75:Heavy metal
53:17 May 1976
24:"Stargazer"
1270:1976 songs
1264:Categories
1229:Whitesnake
1175:Stone Cold
896:Greg Smith
841:Tony Carey
831:Jimmy Bain
390:References
357:Tony Carey
351:Jimmy Bain
1147:Stargazer
861:Don Airey
322:Personnel
286:in 1983.
232:drum solo
214:, singer
194:Stargazer
1016:On Stage
295:AllMusic
58:Recorded
50:Released
1204:Members
758:Rainbow
327:Rainbow
202:Rainbow
181:YouTube
114:Polydor
34:Rainbow
938:Rising
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316:Rising
207:Rising
118:Oyster
89:Length
43:Rising
1132:Songs
255:gypsy
169:Audio
106:Label
67:Genre
705:2017
673:ISBN
646:ISBN
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580:ISBN
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507:ISBN
473:ISBN
446:ISBN
242:, a
198:rock
30:Song
1234:Dio
1214:Elf
990:EPs
314:of
284:Dio
234:by
179:on
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372:–
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