One Classic Rock Song for Every Color of the Rainbow

Classic rock is a genre that welcomes all people—every color of the rainbow. For every type of person there is an artist or hit track that represents them. For that reason, we wanted to explore songs in the style that literally represent colors.

Here below, we will take a look at seven classic rock tracks that have to do with the seven colors of the rainbow—ROYGBIV: red, orange, yellow, green, blue indigo and violet. Indeed, these are classic rock songs for every hue.

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“Red Red Wine” by UB40 from Labour of Love (1983)

A reggae-style cover of a song originally written by Neil Diamond, this song helped make UB40 a household name in the 1980s after it hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Relaxing and sticky, the song resembles its subject: a luscious bottle of red, red wine.

“Orange Crush” by R.E.M. from Green (1988)

A song about a color from an album named after a color, this track exemplifies what made R.E.M. humongous in the music-loving American consciousness. It’s moody, thoughtful, and the kind of song that nestles in your soul like a cat. It’s subversive, too, named after the destructive chemical Agent Orange that was used by the military in the Vietnam War.

“Yellow” by Coldplay from Parachutes (2000)

The band’s debut single released in the U.S., this song made the British-born group the next big thing in rock music at the turn of the 21st century. As far as the track’s subject matter, it’s about these brilliant things in the world that gleam yellow, from the stars to a moment of self-reflection.

“Green Onions” by Booker T. & The MG’s from Green Onions (1962)

Just a classic instrumental blues-rock number. The organ that opens the track is as well-known and beloved as just about any song opening in American music history. Speaking of cats, a cat’s walk inspired the sway of the song, which can be listened to on repeat for days.

“Behind Blue Eyes” by The Who from Who’s Next (1971)

An acoustic-driven song from the British-born band, this track is also one of their most well-known. Featuring beautiful vocal harmonies, this melancholy tune is reflective and showcases the group’s versatility. Known, especially early on, for giant, amplifier-destroying tracks, this song is nuanced and thoughtful and beautiful.

“Closer to Fine” by the Indigo Girls from Indigo Girls (1989)

Another acoustic-driven number, this song is not named after a color, but it’s by a duo that is. “Closer to Fine” is perhaps the Indigo Girls’ best-known song and for good reason: It enlivens and inspires and gets the heart pumping thanks to its giant swelling chorus.

“Violet” by Seal from Seal (1992)

In the late 1980s and early 1990s while grunge music raged on, Seal brought a smooth, satin-voiced sensibility to the world of popular music. One of the greatest singers ever, this song from his 1992 self-titled album brings to mind the deep color violet. For the singer who sang about being kissed by a rose, this is another that conjures the delicate.

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