Here Comes the Rain Again, Eurythmics
This winter, we can all relate to electronic duo Eurythmics’ 1984 single – their fifth consecutive top 10 single in the UK. As vocalist Annie Lennox contemplates the return of the wet weather, she wishes instead she could “walk in the open wind” and dive into her lover’s “ocean”.
Raining in My Heart, Buddy Holly
As with the majority of songs included in this list, Buddy Holly isn’t singing about a change in the meteorogical forecast, but his emotional state.
“The weatherman says it’s clear today/He doesn’t know you’ve gone away,” the pioneering rock’n’roller croons. Despite the song’s popularity today, it was released in 1959 as the B-side to “It Doesn’t Matter Anymore”, which only reached number 88 in the US Billboard charts.
Only Happy When it Rains, Garbage
At least some people enjoy bad weather. Back in 1995, indie supergroup Garbage released this paean to finding the positive in bad times, supposedly mocking 1990s angst rock.
“You know I love it when the news is bad,” says singer Shirley Manson. And do you know, we probably did know it.
Why Does It Always Rain On Me?, Travis
If you’ve ever lived in Glasgow, hometown to Travis, you can probably relate to singer Fran Healy’s preoccupation with precipitation. Released in 1999, the song became the band’s first UK top 10 hit. According to rock legend, when they performed it at that year’s previously sunny Glastonbury festival, it promptly started to rain. Thanks, Travis.
Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head, BJ Thomas
Burt Bacharach and Hal David’s catchy number one hit featured in the 1969 film Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, and won the Academy Award for Best Original Song.
Despite Thomas’s unfortunate predicament, he can’t help but look on the bright side: “The blues they send to meet me won’t defeat me/It won’t be long till happiness steps up to greet me.”
Purple Rain, Prince
Prince and The Revolution’s apocalyptic Purple Rain was the title track of a 1984 film and soundtrack album of the same name. Cut from 11 to eight minutes and then down to four for the single, each verse touches on different people in Prince’s life: his father, ex-girlfriend Apollonia, and his group.
It was first recorded live at a benefit concert in Mineappolis.
It’s Raining Men, Weather Girls
Barbra Streisand, Cher and Diana Ross had all turned this hi-energy disco number down when the Weather Girls made it into a global hit in 1982.
Since then it’s served as musical shorthand in any number of romcoms – Geri Halliwell’s version features in Bridget Jones’s Diary. It’s also Homer Simpson’s favourite song.
Crying in the Rain, The Everly Brothers
Howard Greenfield and Carole King’s plangent song (covered by A-ha) is something of a pop curio. Normally King worked with Gerry Goffin, while lyricist Greenfield worked with Jack Keller – but for one day the songwriters decided to switch partners at Aldon Music.
Despite producing this hit, the duo never wrote together again.
A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall, Bob Dylan
Though Bob Dylan’s powerful question-and-answer song is said to have been written in response to the Cuban missile crisis, it was premiered at Carnegie Hall in September 1962 – one month before President John F Kennedy appeared on television to denounce the installation of Soviet warheads so close to the USA.
Dylan said it was made up of first lines he’d never have time to use.
