Rainbow Demon
Uriah Heep Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

There rides the rainbow demon
On his horse of crimson fire
Black shadows are following closely
On the heels of his desire

Ridin' on in the mist of morning
No one dared to stand in his way
Possessed by some distant calling
Riding on through night and day

Rainbow demon
Pick up your heart and run




Rainbow demon
Lives for his sword and his gun

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Rainbow Demon" by Uriah Heep tell the story of a mysterious and powerful figure called the "Rainbow Demon" who rides on a horse of crimson fire. He is pursued by dark shadows, but no one dares to stand in his way as he is possessed by a distant calling that compels him to ride on through the night and day. The chorus of the song is a plea for the Rainbow Demon to pick up his heart and run. He is described as living for his sword and his gun, suggesting that he is a warrior fighting for a cause.


The Rainbow Demon can be interpreted in many different ways, but one possible explanation is that he represents a force of nature that cannot be restrained or controlled. He is the embodiment of power and freedom, and his pursuit of some distant calling suggests that he is driven by a higher purpose that is beyond the comprehension of mere mortals. The dark shadows that follow him may symbolize the dangers and obstacles that he faces on his journey, but the Rainbow Demon is undaunted and unstoppable.


Overall, the lyrics of "Rainbow Demon" are enigmatic and open to interpretation, but they convey a sense of wonder and awe at the power of nature and the human spirit. The song is a classic example of the progressive rock genre that was popular in the 1970s, and it has remained a favorite among fans of heavy metal and hard rock music to this day.


Line by Line Meaning

There rides the rainbow demon
The Rainbow Demon is present among us


On his horse of crimson fire
He rides on a horse that's fiery red


Black shadows are following closely
There are shadows of darkness lurking around him


On the heels of his desire
These shadows want to fulfill his darkest desires


Ridin' on in the mist of morning
He moves forward through the morning fog


No one dared to stand in his way
Nobody had the courage to confront him


Possessed by some distant calling
He's under the spell of some far-reaching purpose


Riding on through night and day
He continues to ride, day and night


Rainbow demon
The Rainbow Demon


Pick up your heart and run
He should pick up his courage and escape


Rainbow demon
The Rainbow Demon


Lives for his sword and his gun
He's addicted to using his sword and gun to fight his battles




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: KEN HENSLEY

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found
Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@MrHenry1876

There rides the rainbow demon
on his horse of crimson fire.
Black shadows are following in closely
on the heels of his desire.
Riding on in the mist of morning
no one dared to stand in his way.
Possessed by some distant calling.
Riding on through night and day.
Rainbow demon - Pick up your heart and run.
Rainbow demon - Looks for his sword and is gone.
Riding on in the mist of morning
no one dared to stand in his way.
Possessed by some distant calling.
Riding on through night and day.
Rainbow demon - Pick up your heart and run.
Rainbow demon - Looks for his soul and is gone.



All comments from YouTube:

@johnpupo5747

One of the best vocalist of his time.. probably most underrated band ever

@calvinhobbes7504

Totally agree. I call Hensley, Box, Byron, Thain and Kerslake the "magic 5" lineup .... very underrated. I think Mick is the only one left - nobody in the rock press ever considered him a top shelf guitarist, which is a shame .... he did magic with simple chords, lead loops, outros and the whammy bar and wah-wah pedal.

@mrduffin1663

A certain Mr Mercury I’m sure modelled himself on Mr Byron’s early 70’s performances 🎤 🐐 imho

@calvinhobbes7504

@@mrduffin1663 Heh - never thought of that before - I bet you're right. Freddie used a lot of vibrato (more than the usual suspects of the 70s).

@pierrebelanger8656

@@calvinhobbes7504 my good Calvin......I saw this line-up in 1973-1974 and 1976, back in Montréal. I will never forget the first show( a 5$$ concert with Deep Purple.The opener for the concert was Uriah Heep with the classic line-up.........First song " Birds of prey" mentaly , knock me out !!! I will never forget those 3 performances, the best moments in my concerts history ( I seen a lot of shows back in the 70's .) I'm one of the lucky person to see the " Great line-up" except for the third concert ( 1976) sadly, Gary Thain wasn't there,....Have a good day PS sorry for the text, I haven't speak, write or read English for almost 40 years. From Montréal, Pete Bell , a Uriah Heep's fan for ever!!!.

@PolishCaptainC4

Honestly very underrated band, every album is a banger

1 More Replies...

@evanburdette756

My Dad died recently and he had this in his Record collection. I am 39 years old and I've never heard of this band now that I've listened to it, this is some amazing music

@evanburdette756

Rest in peace Dad. Thanks for all the awesome Records you left me

@evanburdette756

So good but my Dad never really mentioned them

@dimethaltryptamine1

I'm really glad you found it!~

More Comments

More Versions