Cuddle Up for Some Rainy Day Songs

By Gary Bennett

This article appears in the Frederick News Post’s 72 Hours magazine, April 13, 2023.

I love a rainy day, and just like Eddie Rabbitt, a rainy night even more. April showers that gently tap, tap, tap on your window pane is one of the great joys in life, and like most things, music makes it even better.

Here are my top 10 classic rainy-day songs that are sure to brighten your day, figuratively speaking, of course. Rain is a handy metaphor for lost love, hard times, and every now and then, surprising happiness. These songs don’t disappoint.

Can you add to this list?

10. Here Comes the Rain Again Eurythmics

Poppy, syncopated and wistful. Extra points for the beginning that brings to mind actual raindrops.

“Falling on my head like a memory, falling on my head like a new emotion.”

9. I Made It Through the Rain Barry Manilow

The king of syrupy pop writes movingly about tough times and how to overcome them.

“And found myself respected, by the others who, got rained on too, and made it through.”

8. Who’ll Stop the Rain CCR

First of two Credence Clearwater Revival classics about rain. How’d they do that? A true rocker with a cool groove.

“Long as I remember, rain been coming down, clouds of mystery pouring, confusion on the ground.”

7. It Never Rains in Southern California Albert Hammond

Achingly sad song about making a devastatingly poor life choice.

“Got onboard a westbound 747, didn’t think before deciding what to. Don’t tell ‘em how you found me, don’t tell ‘em how you found me, give me a break, give me a break.”

6. I Wish It Would Rain Down Phil Collins

A slow, moody and beautiful song about lost love that’s never coming back with the painful knowledge that you caused it.

“You said you didn’t need me in your life, I guess you were right.”

5. Rain Beatles

A cooler-than-you, slow jam love letter to actual precipitation by the greatest band of all time. Extra points for being an actual Beatles music video!

“I can show you, when it starts to rain, everything’s the same, I can show you.”

4. Rhythm of the Rain Cascades

A 60’s classic about lost love that starts with a bang — a thunderclap and actual rain. A happy tune that belies the subject.

“Listen to the rhythm of the falling rain, telling me just what a fool I’ve been.”

3. Rainy Days and Mondays Carpenters

This quintessentially sad rainy-day song is a painful cry for help from such a beautiful voice.

“What I’ve got they used to call the blues, nothing is really wrong, feeling like I don’t belong, walking around, some kind of lonely clown.”

2. Have You Ever Seen the Rain CCR

A cosmic metaphor for things that aren’t quite what they seem. Classic guitar work with John Fogarty lending his unmistakable whiskey-rock voice.

“Someone told me long ago, there’s a calm before the storm, I know, it’s been coming for some time.”

Rainy Night in Georgia Brook Benton

This obscure artist hit it out of the park in 1970 with this hauntingly beautiful, soulful ballad about nothing going right. The best rainy-day song ever, IMHO!

“Hoverin’ by my suitcase, trying to find a warm place to spend the night, heavy rain fallin’, seems I hear your voice callin’, and I think it’s raining all over the world.”