Tarot Woman

Hey there, Zoo Freaks! The Zoo Crew is spinning the mystical vibes of Tarot Woman by Rainbow from their iconic 1976 album Rising. This track kicks off the album with an ethereal keyboard intro by Tony Carey, setting a cinematic tone before Ritchie Blackmore’s searing guitar and Ronnie James Dio’s powerhouse vocals crash in. According to Roy Davies’ book Rainbow Rising: The Story of Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow, Dio revealed that the song’s original title was different, and its narrative centers on a man warned by a tarot reader to beware a deceptive lover with “a smile on a bright shiny face.” The song’s six-minute journey, blending neoclassical metal with fantasy lyrics, showcases the band’s ability to craft proto-power metal, as noted by fans on Prog Archives. Recorded in Munich in just one or two takes with minimal overdubs, as Cozy Powell shared in a 1996 Record Collector interview, the raw energy of Tarot Woman captures Rainbow at their creative peak.

Another cool tidbit comes from a 2024 post on X by user @doomedparade, who praised Tarot Woman for its “balls-to-the-wall metal” sound, highlighting Blackmore’s triumphant solo, Dio’s intense delivery, and Carey’s spacey keys in the outro. While Stargazer often steals the spotlight from Rising, fans argue Tarot Woman is just as essential, with its blend of hard rock and progressive elements. The song’s influence even reached Metallica, who included it in their Ronnie Rising Medley for the 2014 Ronnie James Dio tribute album This Is Your Life. The Rising album itself, as noted on Wikipedia, was a landmark, voted the greatest heavy metal album of all time in a 1981 Kerrang! poll and ranked 48th on Rolling Stone’s 100 Greatest Metal Albums in 2017.

Now, let’s dive into how Rainbow got started. Formed in 1975, Rainbow was the brainchild of guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, who left Deep Purple to pursue his own vision. Blackmore, known for his fiery fretwork, recruited singer Ronnie James Dio and members of the band Elf to create the debut album Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow. As detailed on Prog Archives, Blackmore’s dissatisfaction with Deep Purple’s direction led him to form Rainbow, blending hard rock with neoclassical and fantasy elements. Before Rising, Blackmore fired most of Elf’s members, except Dio, and brought in Cozy Powell, Jimmy Bain, and Tony Carey, crafting what many consider Rainbow’s definitive lineup. This new crew delivered a sound that laid the groundwork for power metal, with Blackmore’s virtuosity and Dio’s mythical storytelling at the forefront.

For all you Zoo Freaks wanting to connect with Rainbow’s legacy, check out their official website at rainbowfanclan.com. While the band doesn’t maintain active social media, you can follow Ritchie Blackmore’s current projects on Facebook and explore fan-driven content on the Rainbow Fanclan Legacy Facebook group, where fans share memories and updates. The Rainbow Fanclan account on X also keeps the spirit alive with posts about the band’s history. For more fan interaction, visit RainbowFanclan.com, a dedicated fan site packed with discographies, photos, and news. So, keep those dials locked on THE ZOO, and let Tarot Woman guide you through the mystic vibes!