Rainbow - Stargazer - 1976

"Stargazer" is the fifth track from British rock band Rainbow's 1976 album Rising. An epic song narrating the story of a wizard whose attempt to fly by constructing a tower to the stars led to the enslavement of vast numbers of people, it is notable for its musical qualities as well, with the guitar and drum solos cited as important examples of the qualities of guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, singer Ronnie James Dio, and drummer Cozy Powell.

The long, epic track with symphonic influences starts with a short drum solo by Cozy Powell, a "great drumming moment" frequently cited as an example of his skills. It features the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra, a Vako Orchestron, and what Ritchie Blackmore called "a string thing all playing this half-Turkish Scale". Blackmore's solo, after the second verse, is in B Phrygian dominant scale, and is cited as "one of his best".

Lyrics

High noon, oh I'd sell my soul for water

Nine years worth of breakin' my back

There's no sun in the shadow of the wizard

See how he glides, why he's lighter than air?

Oh I see his face!

Where is your star?

Is it far, is it far, is it far?

When do we leave?

I believe, yes, I believe

In the heat and the rain

With whips and chains

To see him fly

So many die

We build a tower of stone

With our flesh and bone

Just to see him fly

But don't know why

Now where do we go?

Hot wind, moving fast across the desert

We feel that our time has arrived

The world spins, while we put his dream together

A tower of stone to take him straight to the sky

Oh I see his face!

Where is your star?

Is it far, is it far, is it far?

When do we leave?

Hey, I believe, I believe

In the heat and the rain

With whips and chains

Just to see him fly

Too many die

We build a tower of stone

With our flesh and bone

To see him fly

But we don't know why

Ooh, now where do we go

All eyes see the figure of the wizard

As he climbs to the top of the world

No sound, as he falls instead of rising

Time standing still, then there's blood on the sand

Oh I see his face!

Where was your star?

Was it far, was it far

When did we leave?

We believed, we believed, we believed

In heat and rain

With the whips and chains

To see him fly

So many died

We built a tower of stone

With our flesh and bone

To see him fly

But why

In all the rain

With all the chains

Did so many die

Just to see him fly

Look at my flesh and bone

Now, look, look, look, look,

Look at his tower of stone

I see a rainbow rising

Look there, on the horizon

And I'm coming home, I'm coming home, I'm coming home

Time is standing still

He gave back my will

Ooh ooh ooh ooh

Going home

I'm going home

My eyes are bleeding

And my heart is leaving here

But it's not home

Ooh

Take me back

He gave me back my will

Ooh ooh ooh ooh

Going home

I'm going home

My eyes are bleeding

And my heart is leaving here

But it's not home

Ooh

Take me back, take me back

Back to my home ooh, ooh, ooh

Songwriters: Dio Ronnie / BLACKMORE RICHARD / BLACKMORE RITCHIE / DIO RONNIE