The last precious days of summer are waning but you could do worse to maximize these last afternoons of warmth than watch this mesmerizing new lyric video for the Rolling Stones’ “She’s a Rainbow,” guaranteed to make you yearn for a beach on which to blaze it while wearing a caftan.
The video, which we are premiering here, is being released in connection with ABKCO Music’s luxe fiftieth anniversary edition—specifically, a “a limited edition deluxe double vinyl/double hybrid Super Audio CD,” which I believe is serious music fan speak for “really, really nice Christmas gift”—of
Their Satantic Majesties Request, the far-out Rolling Stones album on which the song first appeared. “‘She’s a Rainbow’ contains a kaleidoscopic array of sonic effects which are more adventurous than what anyone other than the Beatles were putting on chart singles at the time,” explains Rob Bowman in an accompanying essay.
The video is therefore appropriately trippy. It was also conceived of as a tribute to women in all our glory. According to the team working on the release, it’s “a colourful and playful celebration of women through the ages from all walks of life,” and “The subjects of Renaissance, Romantic and Classical art, Victorian theatre, vintage ballerinas, traditional dancers, stars of the silent screen, Tribal women and mid-century groovers all rub shoulders in this psychedelic, kaleidoscopic collage.” Featured women range from a painting of Venus by Titian to jazz pianist Mary Lou Williams.
Where did I leave that caftan?