Russ Ballard - 'Since You've Been Gone' (official AI video)

I get the same old dreams same time everynight
Fall to the ground and I wake up
So I get out of bed, put on my shoes and in my head
Thoughts fly back to the breakup

These four wall are closing in
Look at the fix you put me in

Since you been gone
Since you been gone
I'm out of my head can't take it
Could I be wrong
But since you been gone
You cast your spell so break it
Oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh
Since you been gone

So in the night
I stand beneath the backstreet light
I read the words that you sent to me
I can take the afternoon,
He night time comes around too soon
You can't know what you mean to me

Your poison letter, your telegram
Just goes to show you don't give a damn

Since you been gone
Since you been gone
I'm out of my head can't take it
Could I be wrong
But since you been gone
You cast your spell so break it
Oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh
Since you been gone

If you will come back
Baby, you know you'll never do wrong

Since you been gone
Since you been gone
I'm out of my head can't take it
Could I be wrong
But since you been gone
You cast your spell so break it
Oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh
Ever since you been gone

Since you been gone
Since you been gone
I'm out of my head can't take it
Since you been gone
Since you been gone
I'm out of my head can't take it

Η αποχώρηση του Ronnie James Dio από τους Rainbow το 1978 έφερε και αλλαγή μουσικής κατεύθυνσης στο συγκρότημα του Blackmore. Το επικολυρικό στοιχείο στην μουσική και το μυθολογικό στους στίχους περιορίστηκε στο ελάχιστο, με το προσωπικό σχήμα του Ritchie να (μας) προσφέρει πιο "γήινη" μουσική, λιγότερο εξειδικευμένη και περισσότερο εύληπτη στο μέσο αυτί προσπαθώντας (κυρίως) να "ανοίξει" την Αμερικάνικη αγορά.

Συνοδοιπόροι στην προσπάθεια του Blackmore σε αυτό το εγχείρημα ήταν αρχικά ο Graham Bonnet και εν συνεχεία ο Joe Lynn Turner που ανέλαβαν το μικρόφωνο. Η δεύτερη περίοδος των Rainbow ξεκίνησε με τον δίσκο "Down to Earth" που κυκλοφόρησε το καλοκαίρι του 1979.

H σύνθεση του Russ Ballard "Since You Been Gone" αποτέλεσε το πρώτο single που "έβγαλε" ο δίσκος (κυκλοφόρησε ως "επτάρι" βινύλιο με το "Bad Girl" στην δεύτερη πλευρά) και ήταν άκρως χαρακτηριστική της νέας (μουσικής) κατεύθυνσης του συγκροτήματος.

Η "σχέση" των δύο πλευρών συνεχίσθηκε και στον επόμενο δίσκο των Rainbow "Difficult to Cure" που κυκλοφόρησε το 1981 (βλ. το εναρκτήριο τραγούδι του album "I Surrender").

Ο Russ Ballard είναι ενεργός στα μουσικά δρώμενα από την δεκαετία του εξήντα μέχρι και τις ημέρες μας. Τον επόμενο μήνα (18 Απριλίου 2025) θα κυκλοφορήσει (σε διπλό cd και σε διπλό βινύλιο), μέσω της δισκογραφικής εταιρείας Frontiers Music srl, η συλλογή "Songs From The Warehouse / The Hits Rewired"...

Δελτίο τύπου: «Russ Ballard is simply one of the most renowned and gifted songwriters in Pop and Rock music. During the 70’s and 80’s his songs ruled the airwaves and the list of hits is pretty much endless.

From 'Since You Been Gone' (Rainbow), 'God Gave Rock'n'Roll To You' (Argent and Kiss), 'So You Win Again' (Hot Chocolate), 'New York Groove' (Hello and Ace Frehley), ‘You Can Do Magic’ (America), ‘Winning’ (Santana) or ‘I Don’t Believe In Miracles’ (Colin Blunstone) -just to name a few- everyone who needed a great song knew that with Russ Ballard they could not go wrong.

Numerous records / artists were also produced by him, like Roger Daltrey, America, Elkie Brooks, Skindred or Sada Vidoo and he started a solo career (after his stint with the band Argent in early 70’s) in 1974 which had its highest momentum with the “S/t” album in 1984 (which included the hit single “Voices”) and the follow up “The Fire Still Burns”.

He released a total of 10 studio albums and is now back with two albums in one: “Songs from the Warehouse / The Hits Rewired”. The first album is made up of new songs which show once again that the inspiration never left Russ. The second includes brand new recordings of Russ Ballard hits either penned or performed by him during the years. You just need to look at the titles and will immediately recognize the track.»