Rainbow release Difficult to Cure

Difficult to Cure is the fifth studio album released by Rainbow, in 1981, and marked a further commercialisation of the band's sound.

Blackmore openly stated his liking for Foreigner and erstwhile vocalist Ronnie James Dio has referred to this period of Rainbow as "Foreigner Junior".

The album material was started with Graham Bonnet still in the band, getting as far as recording an early version of "I Surrender", before Bonnet left the band due to his dissatisfaction over the material. American singer Joe Lynn Turner, formerly of Fandango was recruited and sang over backings already completed. In a 1982 interview with British Rock magazine Kerrang! Turner stated that, because of this, he was singing in higher keys than he would do normally (and would do subsequently).

The cover design is by Hipgnosis though it was not specifically for this album. It had previously been put forward as a cover for Black Sabbath's 1978 album, Never Say Die!

A remastered CD reissue was released in May 1999, with packaging duplicating the original vinyl release.

Jealous Lover, the first track written by Turner and Blackmore, was the non-album B-side to Can't Happen Here. Spotlight Kid was covered by German power metal band Angel Dust for the album Border of Reality.