Expert: Bong Santos - 10/14/2006

Question
i think the version which i frequently heard before was done by Dana Vallery cause i tried the version of Judy Collins in Itunes, it's not the one i wanted to but anyhow no matter how i to looked a copy of it in the net, its only Dana's rendition which is  not available, very unfortunate cos it added to my most wanted songs, Midnight Girl of Christian Vega, Long As We Believe by Siedah Garrett, So Far Away from Home by David Newman & the one i read recently from other posts, I'd Give You Anything by Rodway. By the way thank you very sir, you hit it again.
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Followup To

Question -
Sir Bong,

Its me again, i got a query of the above subject of who did the female version in which its not a Carpenter or Sara McLaughlan, she sounded like Mary McGregor. any idea sir, cos it just cant get out of my mind as i compared the two versions, it wasnt the even sounded like what i heard before.
Thanks & Regards
jojo

Answer -
Dear Jojo,

RAINBOW CONNECTION (or THE RAINBOW CONNECTION as it is sometimes billed) is a composition by noted songwriter/singer/actor PAUL WILLIAMS in collaboration with songwriter/musician KENNY ASCHER for the 1979 movie JIM HENSON'S THE MUPPET MOVIE. It was originally sung in the movie by KERMIT THE FROG (as voiced by the late JIM HENSON). A surprise radio hit, it charted on the Billboard Hot 100 peaking at #25 on November 24, 1979. Also in 1979, singer DANA VALERY recorded the song to somewhat give the song an adult contemporary sound. Since then, the song has been recorded a number of times by WILLIE NELSON, KENNY LOGGINS and JUDY COLLINS to name a few.
Here's how it goes:

RAINBOW CONNECTION

Why are there so many songs about rainbows
And what's on the other side?
Rainbows are visions, but only illusions,
And rainbows have nothing to hide.
So we've been told and some choose to believe it
I know they're wrong, wait and see.
Someday we'll find it, the rainbow connection,
The lovers, the dreamers and me.

Who said that every wish would be heard and answered
when wished on the morning star?
Somebody thought of that
and someone believed it,
and look what it's done so far.
What's so amazing that keeps us stargazing?
And what do we think we might see?
Someday we'll find it, the rainbow connection,
the lovers, the dreamers and me.

All of us under its spell,
we know that it's probably magic....

Have you been half asleep
and have you heard voices?
I've heard them calling my name.
Is this the sweet sound that calls the young sailors?
The voice might be one and the same.
I've heard it too many times to ignore it.
It's something that I'm supposed to be.
Someday we'll find it, the rainbow connection,
the lovers, the dreamers and me.
La, la la, La, la la la, La Laa, la la, La, La la laaaaaaa.

Maraming salamat po!!

BONG M. SANTOS
Manila, Philippines

Answer
Dear Jojo,

Very unfortunate that DANA VALERY's version is rare nowadays. I used to have a 45" vinyl copy of the song when I was a kid. Had I known it would be a collector's item, I would have kept all my 45" records. I remember almost all of them are hard-to-find songs.
But I also did some researching before I answered your question, I found out that DANA's version is not available to download but eBay has a copy of its 45" vinyl for sale. You might be interested.

Maraming salamat po!

BONG M. SANTOS
Manila, Philippines