She's a Rainbow

A psychedelic confection of harpsichord, Mellotron, and string arrangements that paints femininity in kaleidoscopic color, "She's a Rainbow" is the Stones at their most baroque and whimsical. Nicky Hopkins's piano figures tumble like light through a prism, while John Paul Jones's string arrangement (yes, Led Zeppelin's future bassist) adds genuine orchestral sophistication. Jagger's vocal is unusually gentle, almost childlike in its wonder, describing a woman whose very presence transforms the world into vibrant color. The production by the Stones and Andrew Loog Oldham is layered and lush, miles from the band's raw blues-rock core, reflecting the baroque pop ambitions of 1967's Summer of Love. Brian Jones's Mellotron adds dreamy washes of synthetic orchestration that complement the real strings beautifully. The song's structure is episodic rather than verse-chorus, unfolding like a series of impressionist paintings. This is the Stones' most beautiful anomaly — proof that beneath the bad-boy swagger lived genuine melodic tenderness and adventurous musical imagination. Perfect for spring mornings, gallery visits, or falling in love for the first time.