Up above the streets and houses.... (Rainbow)

Member Name: mreyre

Product:	Rainbow
Date:	31/10/01 (3390 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Enough websites around for memories to come flooding back, Now available on DVD and video - hooray!, The film clips on the websites are excellent

Disadvantages: "Rod, Jane and Freddy" video unavailable at present, Follow-up series in the shop was terrible, "ainbow Days" was even more dire

Here we go again! Another extensive internet search on “Rainbow”, the classic children’s TV programme which featured a pink hippo, a yellow thing with a zip and a scary man in a bear suit. I wonder what we shall find on the net to flood all these memories back? Well, I found and excellent “unofficial” site (usually the best ones) at:

http://www.btinternet.com/~acbarrett/rainbow1. htm

This has a great picture of the gang waving on the title page, then loads of links to different places. A little too cluttered, I feel, but let’s explore!
The first thing I noticed about this site is how regularly updated it is, apparently there is a new book coming out on November the 5th entitled “Cult Classic Children’s TV”, of which Rainbow gets an entry. The other striking thing about this site is the sense of humour. I suppose if you are sad enough to spend time dedicating a website to Rainbow, then you have to laugh. The webmasters of this site clearly have a hilarious sense of humour.

As there is an eighties revival going on at the moment, the website also advertises the new video and DVD entitled “Zip Up Zippy”, which although new to video, it features seven classic OLD Rainbow episodes. I’m sure other episodes are available on video, too.

The website also gives very useful links to on-line shops where you could purchase all manner of Raibow cuddly toys – the backpacks of Zippy are quite popular these days.

If you are a true Rainbow fan and just love Geoffrey Hayes, you will be delighted to know that he is appearing in Panto at the end of the year at the Wimbledon Theatre. Quick, go and get your tickets!! The site gives full details.

As you may know, Rainbow came a very respective seventh in the recent 100 Kids TV Shows on Channel 4. How it beat some of the other contenders though, I shall never know!

The award winning original Rainbow
, and the one we all love, was made by Thames TV and ran from late 1972 until 1992, when Carlton was awarded the London weekday franchise. Rainbow was ITV's answer to the popular BBC TV Play School and the American Sesame Street - and was launched as part of a new package of day time programmes. Originally, the shows were broadcast in the lunchtime slot on a Monday to Friday. I, for one, remember coming home from school to watch Rainbow whilst eating my potted beef sarnies.

The full lyrics to the lovely theme tune are:
Up above the streets and houses,
Rainbow climbing high,
Everyone can see it smiling over the sky...
Paint the whole world with a Rainbow.

Rainbow, All along the the streams and rivers,
shinning in the lakes,
See the colours of the Rainbow as the morning breaks,
Paint the whole world with a Rainbow.

Red, the colour of a sunrise,
White clouds floating in a sky of blue,
Green for the rivers,
Gold for the cornfields,
The day is shinning new.

Red, the colour of a sunset,
Grey shadows creep across the hills,
The sun is sinking, colours are fading,
The fields are dark and still.
Rainbow, Take some green from a forest,
blue from the sea,
Find the misty pot of gold,
And mix them for a week.
Paint the whole world with a Rainbow.

(Altogether now…..)
Rainbow ended its lunchtime run when Thames lost its franchise, although it later returned minus Geoffrey and with a new female puppet called Cleo ( a blue rabbit ) in an afternoon slot. The story centered on Zippy, George and Bungle's attempts to run a toy store for Mr Top (who owns the shop). I have a children’s compilation video at home which features on e of these episodes and it is VERY rubbish!! However, my 3 year old daughter likes it, so I have to endure it on a weekly basis. Bungle looks very weird, with large black eyes. I think I would be ve
ry frightened if he was serving behind the counter of our local toyshop. A subsequent revival in 1996/7 saw the programme retitled Rainbow Days and with a new presenter, Dale Superville. (But this was also pathetic).

Finally, on the unofficial website, there are hundreds of sound clips, some of which are hilarious, which you may wish to send as a file attachment to one of your mates. There are also zillions of pictures from the series.

Another equally brilliant, and regularly updated Rainbow site can be found on:

http://www.widdy.demon.co.uk/rainbow/main.htm

This gives excellent details on all the main characters. Again, the webmaster must have an incredible sense of humour, as all the screenshots are given hilarious captions.
There are some hilarious and very suspect Film clips which you will want to download and play to your mates, they are excellent!

Finally, apparently, you can download the Rainbow theme tune for your mobile phone on:

www.findatone.co.uk.

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