We don’t get much rain here in sunny, southern California—so when it does rain, it’s such a super-special treat.
When the sky turns gray—dark and heavy with clouds—and that earthy, petrichor scent is in the air, a quiet happiness washes over me. The air is cool, and just listening to the pitter-patter of raindrops hitting the sidewalk is peaceful and comforting.
The rain sets a mood for me…and that mood can be joyful and uplifting, or sometimes it may be a gentle melancholy that’s soothing in a different way. Like the rain, a good song can capture a mood and transport us to a place of contentment.
Below are some of my favorite rain-related tunes. I’m hoping you’ll enjoy them as much as I do!
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The Cascades ~ “Listen to the Rhythm of the Falling Rain”
If you grew up listening to “oldies” like I did, this may be one you you’ll remember!
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The Magnetic Fields ~ “All The Umbrellas In London”
“All the umbrellas in London couldn’t stop this rain,
And all the dope in New York couldn’t kill this pain,
And all the money in Tokyo couldn’t make me stay,
All the umbrellas in London couldn’t stop this rain…”
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Garbage ~ “I’m Only Happy When it Rains”
I’m a child of the 90s….and this is a great song!
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Bob Dylan ~ “A Hard Rain’s a-Gonna Fall”
“Although Dylan may have first played the song to friends, A Hard Rain’s a-Gonna Fall was formally premiered at Carnegie Hall on September of 1962, as part of a hootenanny organized by Pete Seeger.
Seeger recalled: “I had to announce to all the singers, ‘Folks, you’re gonna be limited to three songs. No more. ‘Cause we each have 10 minutes apiece.’ And Bob raised his hand and said, ‘What am I supposed to do? One of my songs is 10 minutes long.'”
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Creedence Clearwater Revival ~ “Who’ll Stop the Rain”
CCR. Classic. Don’t talk. Just listen…
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Pinhead Gunpowder ~ “MPLS Song”
I love the sound of the rain falling in the background of this song.
“Iggy Pop is playing downtown…and I’m outside in the rain, listening and lurking around—it’s another dreary night.
Broke and lonely, cold and hungry, and though it may sound funny…I’m doing alright.”
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The Choir ~ “It’s Cold Outside”
I’m pretty sure this is the song that inspired this playlist. I heard it on Little Steven’s Underground Garage, and I pretty much fell in love. And then it got me thinking about rain songs…
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Herman’s Hermits ~ “Don’t Go out into the Rain (You’re Going To Melt)”
So, the first time I actually heard this song, it was a cover-version by the Groovie Ghoulies (which I loved). But my knowledge of 60s music has since expanded, and I’ve got to give some due credit to Herman’s Hermits!
But…speaking of the Groovie Ghoulies…heh heh.
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Groovie Ghoulies ~ “Walk Out in the Rain”
Okay, so this jam was actually written by Bob Dylan and was also recorded by Eric Clapton, but being a lover of pop-punk, I’m a big fan of the Groovie Ghoulies version. Plus, the Groovie Ghoulies are awesome.
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The Temptations ~ “I wish it would Rain”
Because sometimes you just need some soul on a rainy day…
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J. Frank Wilson and the Cavaliers ~ “Last Kiss”
I adore this song, even though it’s super sad. It came to my mind, as the events in the song take place on a dark rainy night…
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R.E.M. ~ “Fall On Me”
“Bill Berry told Spin magazine in 1986 that the song was specifically about Acid Rain, which occurs when the burning of fossil fuels releases sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides into the atmosphere, causing rain to be acidic and threatening the environment.”
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Violent Femmes ~ “It’s Gonna Rain”
Dig the harmonica on this track.
**Bonus: Also by the Femmes “I Hear the Rain”
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The Ronettes ~ “Walking in the Rain”
Ronnie Spector!
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Gene Kelly ~ “Singin’ in the Rain”
Gene Kelly…swoon. No, really though—the man was a hottie. And he could tap-dance. I mean…
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The Beatles ~ “Rain”
Okay, so this is actually a cover version (not the Beatles), since we can no longer find any Beatles’ songs on YouTube and the like due to copyright infringement legalities. But this Beatles song is one of my all-time favorites, and this cover-version is actually damn pretty good and reminiscent of the original.
What are some of your rainy day favorites?
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Author: Yoli Ramazzina
Image: Instagram @tamarguerite
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