Thoughts and opinions: My girlfriend and I got in a spirited adult debate last night over which is the superior Dio song: Holy Diver, or Rainbow in the Dark. For all those ready to chime in with "Duuuude, come on Holy Diver ride the tigerlollolololz" consider everything Rainbow has over Holy Diver.

1. No drawn out boring exposition. That might be really cool live after you huffed your first pencil shavings at your friends house before his older brother took you to see Dio and Megadeth at Babyhead BUT Rainbow in the Dark kills right out of the gate. Awesome catchy vocals and keyboard part happens right off the bat. Do you want to watch Terminator 2, or do you want to watch the trailers for Cop and 1/2 and Look Who's Talking Now for 10 minutes first?

2. There's more emotion in Dio's voice in "WHEN THERE'S LIGHTNINGGGGGGG" 15 seconds into the song then Holy Diver musters up in it's entirety.

3. The riff in the main verse to Rainbow takes more than just a pulse to play, as opposed to that stupid Iron Maiden gallop that eats up 90% of Holy Diver.

4. Rainbow has 99% less ironic novelty appeal than Holy Diver.

5. That part on the floor toms before the guitar solo in Rainbow makes you think you could do chinups with Kathy Bates hanging onto your legs. Holy Diver makes you think you can make ironic conversation at Throwed.

I'm not starting a poll because this is intended to be a qualitative study.

rainbow has a better solo and i definitely get more psyched about that song than holy diver when im drunk

Rainbow.

No explanation.

my meathead boss says that Rainbow pumps him up more than any song.

Dio was better with Rainbow, as well as on Heaven and Hell and Mob Rules.
The first Rainbow album is the best I think.

well played.

i agree, ritchie blackmore's rainbow is a solid album all the way through. Rising is sick but it pretty much boils down to tarot woman and stargazer although i've been listening to Rainbow On Stage a lot lately.

I did not read this thread as I am driving; however, I will sum it up as such... ITT: garlic truffle mashed potatoes > french fries

This sums it up. When I hear "HOLY DIVER RULES" there's just not enough facepalms in the world...just not enough...

But if you're a splitter of cunt-hairs, "Stargazer" is the best song the man ever sang. Look to "Live in Germany 1976". Pretty sure I posted a link to that a while back.

If it didn't have that ridiculous keyboard sound in it, I would say Rainbow. Holy Diver is a little played out at this point and terrible bands have covered the song way too much.

I'll go with Rainbow.

Hi I'm just here to read more tales of Mike Shea huffing pencil shavings with his friends before see Megadeth.

Rainbow in the Diver

Holy Dark

CWUTIDID questionmark

ill take RITD, but the the entire holy diver album from front to back is amazing.

ONLY DIO IN ELF IS REAL

Holy Diver just because Killswitch Engage covered it

Don't Talk to strangers or you're a pussy.

Rainbow, for the keyboards

CAUGHT IN THE MIDDLE is the best song on Holy Diver, and one the best in Dio's catalog.

i've had so many home sweet home moments, walking into Ralphs's and finding a dozen other people singing Holy Diver.

Holy Diver singalongs > Rainbow in the Dark singalongs

caught in the middle rules.

like a DIVER IN THE RAIN

Don't Talk to Strangers is superior to both of those songs in my opinion