Lesley Duncan was born in Stockton-on-Tees, a market town in north east England, leaving school at fourteen; she would later reminisce about her childhood troubles in her song, "Wooden Spoon". At age 19, she and her brother Jimmy were placed on weekly retainers by a music publisher. Within a year, Lesley Duncan had signed with major label EMI, and appeared in the film What a Crazy World. Starting in 1963, Duncan recorded a number of pop singles throughout the '60s, none of which were able to grab the attention of record buyers at large.
All throughout her career as an active solo performer and beyond, Duncan appeared as a vocalist on numerous recordings by other artists, including Donovan, Ringo Starr, and The Alan Parsons Project. She also appeared on the first original cast recording of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Jesus Christ Superstar. A complete list of Duncan's contributions has yet to be compiled; in her own words, "it would be easier to list the albums on which [she does] not appear."
Duncan was first introduced to Elton John when they were both relatively unknown session workers. In 1970, John covered Duncan's composition "Love Song" for his breakthrough album Tumbleweed Connection; Duncan played guitar and provided vocals on John's version. Duncan's new-found form of understated songwriting was noted by ecstatic critics, leading some to dub her "the British Carole King." Duncan's 1971 debut album, Sing Children Sing, featured amongst others Elton John and Peter Frampton as guest musicians. Despite favorable reviews and radio play, Duncan failed to attract the attention of record buyers.
Her lacf commercial success would haunt her until the release of her last album, Maybe It's Lost (1977), despite a gradual increase in commercial pop sensibility for every album released. Much of the blame for this lack of success could, by Duncan's own admission, be shouldered on her stage fright, which resulted in only a handful of live appearances throughout her career; however, one of these performances were at the 1973 Reading Festival, which was released on a live compilation LP. She continued to release sporadic singles for another decade; in 1979, a re-recorded version of "Sing Children Sing" (b/w "Rainbow Games"), whose proceeds were donated to the foundation for the International Year of the Child, became her biggest UK chart success at the #76 spot. Her recording career concluded in 1986 with a final single release, "Tomorrow" (b/w "Paper Highways").
Duncan retired to the Isle of Mull in Scotland, where she would spend the rest of her life with her family. In 2010, Duncan died of cerebrovascular disease, following an extended period of illness. At her funeral were flower arrangements from David Bowie and Elton John, members of the community in attendance only now realizing her true identity, which she had reportedly seldom brought up. Duncan's legacy remains, as "Love Song" continues to be covered by hundreds of artists, and albums on which she appeared continuing to be heard by unquantifiable numbers of listeners around the world.
Rainbow Games
Lesley Duncan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'd choose to love you just the same
I think of you and know it's true, you're not to blame.
Hurtin' me you made me find
I could see but still be blind
The change was meant your love was lent and truth
Was there for me to find.
Rainbow games
I never thought that I would see
The sun come shining out in me, but
Spring is here and now I know
Flowers need the rain to grow
The future's bright I'm in the light I'm at the
Way and every day, fresh winds blow.
Rainbow games
Rainbow games
In Lesley Duncan's song Rainbow Games, the lyrics delve into the emotions and reflections of someone who has been hurt in love but still holds onto their feelings for the person. The first verse states that if the singer could relive their past, they would still choose to love the person who caused them pain. The singer acknowledges the hurt caused but also recognizes that blaming the other person is not the answer as they come to the realization that the change in the relationship was meant to happen, and the truth about the forlorn love was there all along.
The chorus of the song emphasizes the idea of hope and self-discovery springing up from a period of emotional darkness. The phrase "Rainbow Games" is repeated, possibly representing the emotional highs and lows of a relationship, with each person bringing their own individual hues to the mix. In the second verse, the singer speaks of newfound hope and positivity, with the arrival of spring and the growth of flowers representing the opportunity for new beginnings. The last line, "fresh winds blow," could represent a new direction or a new perspective, bringing a newfound lightness to the situation.
Line by Line Meaning
If I could have my time again,
If I got the chance to live my life once again,
I'd choose to love you just the same
I would still choose to love you with the same intensity and passion
I think of you and know it's true, you're not to blame.
Whenever I think of you, I know that you are not responsible for the hurt and pain I experienced
Hurtin' me you made me find
Your actions that caused me pain helped me grow and discover certain aspects of myself
I could see but still be blind
Even though I could see how things were, I was still ignorant to certain truths and realities around the situation
The change was meant your love was lent and truth
The change that happened was inevitable and your love for me was only temporary, it was not meant to last
Was there for me to find.
The truth was always available for me to uncover and discover
Rainbow games
Life has its ups and downs, just like a rainbow with its different colors
Rainbow games
Life is unpredictable, just like a game. It's full of twists and turns
I never thought that I would see
I never thought something beautiful and amazing could come out of the pain I experienced
The sun come shining out in me, but
But life turned out to be brighter and more beautiful than I initially expected
Spring is here and now I know
With a new season comes new opportunities and fresh beginnings. I now know that things will get better
Flowers need the rain to grow
Just like flowers need rain to grow and blossom, sometimes we need to face hardships to discover new things and grow as individuals
The future's bright I'm in the light I'm at the
The future is looking promising and hopeful, and I am in a good place right now
Way and every day, fresh winds blow.
Every day brings something new and exciting, and I am ready to embrace it all with open arms
Rainbow games
Life is full of surprises and unexpected turns, just like a game or a rainbow
Rainbow games
Life is all about adapting and rolling with the punches. It's all a part of the journey
Contributed by Kaitlyn W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Victoria Racz
LOVE this!
ambidextra ambidextra
Although , as shown on the sleeve image, Kate (&family) may be part of the choir on the A side of the charity single, she is very clearly not the backing vocalist audible on this, It doesn't sound remotely like her. But thanks for uploading these tracks because I had never before been aware of her appearance on the single