‘Since You Been Gone’ is a song written by former Argent guitarist Russ Ballard and first released on his 1976 album Winning. It was covered by Rainbow in 1979 and released as a single from their album Down to Earth. When interviewed, Ballard said “I knew immediately that ‘Since You Been Gone’ was radio-friendly,” he recalled. “Because I wrote it on the piano, we recorded it that way. Which was bad because it was an obvious rock song. My version was kinda soft.”
In 1979, ‘Since You Been Gone’ was covered by Rainbow, who released it as the first single from their 1979 album Down to Earth with Graham Bonnet on vocals and Ritchie Blackmore on guitar. It was produced by Roger Glover of Deep Purple. It was a top-10 single in the United Kingdom, where it reached number six. In the US, the song reached number 57. It was named the 82nd-best "Hard Rock Song of All Time" by VH1. Rainbow's version plays during the trailer for the 2023 Guardians of the Galaxy 3 movie., which first aired on February 12, 2023, during Super Bowl LVII. The MCU film series is renowned for resurrecting classic rock gems.
The upbeat melody belies the heartache in this song, as the singer is losing his mind now that his girl has left him. He can't stop thinking about her, reading her breakup letter under the streetlight and wishing for her return. When reflecting on Rainbow’s version of his song, Ballard said “I first heard Rainbow’s version on the radio out in my garden on a nice summer day, and I went: ‘Wow!’ Because what they had done with it sounded really strong,”
Label – Polydor
Songwriter – Russ Ballard
Producer – Roger Glover
SONG LYRICS
[Verse 1]I get the same old dreams, same time every night
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 break-up
[Pre-Chorus]
These four walls are closing in
Look at the fix you've put me in
[Chorus]
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 the spell so break it
Oh-oh-oh-oh, woh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh
Since you been gone
[Verse 2]
So in the night, I stand, beneath the back street light
I read the words that you sent to me
I can take the afternoon
The night-time comes around too soon
You can't know what you mean to me
[Pre-Chorus]
Your poison letter, your telegram
Just goes to show you don't give a damn
[Chorus]
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 the spell so break it
Oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh, woh-oh-oh-oh
Since you been gone
[Guitar Solo]
[Bridge]
If you will come back, baby you know
You'll never do wrong
[Chorus]
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 the spell so break it
Woh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh
Ever since you been gone
[Guitar Solo]
[Chorus]
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