Here Comes the Rain Again
Encyclopedia
"Here Comes the Rain Again" is a song by British pop
duo Eurythmics
. It was written by group members Annie Lennox
and David A. Stewart
and produced by Stewart. The song was released as the third single in the UK from the album Touch and in the United States as the first single. It became Eurythmics' second Top 10 U.S. hit, peaking at number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100
. "Here Comes the Rain Again" hit number eight in the UK singles chart
, becoming their fifth consecutive Top 10 single in that country.
with falling rain. Notably, the group adorned the recording with the composition and arrangement skills of Michael Kamen
, resulting in more natural feel to the overall finished product (versus the heavily synthetic aesthetic of the Sweet Dreams album and its singles). Stewart explained to Songfacts that creating a melancholy mood in his songs is something he excels at. He said: "'Here Comes The Rain Again' is kind of a perfect one where it has a mixture of things, because I'm playing a b-minor, but then I change it to put a b-natural in, and so it kind of feels like that minor is suspended, or major. So it's kind of a weird course. And of course that starts the whole song, and the whole song was about that undecided thing, like here comes depression, or here comes that downward spiral. But then it goes, 'so talk to me like lovers do.' It's the wandering in and out of melancholy, a dark beauty that sort of is like the rose that's when it's darkest unfolding and bloodred just before the garden, dies. And capturing that in kind of oblique statements and sentiments."
The string arrangements by Michael Kamen were performed by members of the British Philharmonic Orchestra. However, due to the limited space in the studio, the Church, the players had to improvise by recording their parts in other parts of the studio. Once the improvisations seem to match the finished synthesized track, the song was mixed by having the orchestral tracks laid down on top of the original backing track.
During Eurythmics reunion "Peacetour" they performed an in-studio concert for the A&E Network
in the U.S. Dave Stewart revealed that the lyrics to the song came into being after an argument between himself and Lennox while they were doing some songwriting in New York City
's Columbus Hotel. The basic melody had already been written and Lennox looked out the window after their fight and noticed it was starting to rain. She announced, "Here comes the rain again."
The running time for "Here Comes the Rain Again" is in actuality about five minutes long and was edited on the Touch album (fading out at approximately four-and-a-half minutes). Although it was edited even further for its single and video release, many U.S. radio stations played the full-length version of it. The entire five-minute version did not appear on any Eurythmics album until the US edition of Greatest Hits
in 1991.
, featuring Lennox and Stewart, was directed by Jonathan Gershfield and released in December 1983, a month before the single came out. The video opens showing The Old Man of Hoy on the Island of Hoy
in the Orkney Islands, with Lennox walking along the rocky shore and cliff top and later entering a derelict cottage in a nightgown, holding a lantern. Stewart stalks her with a video camera. In many scenes the two are filmed separately, then superimposed into the same frame. The result is that the viewer may perceive one as being a ghost in the world of the other.
12"
* both these versions are longer than the ones found on the "Touch" album
Other Versions
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
duo Eurythmics
Eurythmics
Eurythmics were a British pop rock duo, formed in 1980, currently disbanded, but known to reunite from time to time. Consisting of members Annie Lennox and David A...
. It was written by group members Annie Lennox
Annie Lennox
Annie Lennox, OBE , born Ann Lennox, is a Scottish singer-songwriter, political activist and philanthropist. After achieving minor success in the late 1970s with The Tourists, with fellow musician David A...
and David A. Stewart
David A. Stewart
David Allan Stewart , often known as Dave Stewart, is an English musician, songwriter and record producer, best known for his work with Eurythmics. He is usually credited as David A. Stewart, to avoid confusion with other musicians named "Dave Stewart".-Early life:Stewart was born in Sunderland,...
and produced by Stewart. The song was released as the third single in the UK from the album Touch and in the United States as the first single. It became Eurythmics' second Top 10 U.S. hit, peaking at number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
. "Here Comes the Rain Again" hit number eight in the UK singles chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
, becoming their fifth consecutive Top 10 single in that country.
Song information
The track is similar in musical style to past Eurythmics singles and its melancholy lyrics draw a comparison between the painful and tragic feelings of unrequited loveUnrequited love
Unrequited love is love that is not openly reciprocated or understood as such, even though reciprocation is usually deeply desired. The beloved may or may not be aware of the admirer's deep affections...
with falling rain. Notably, the group adorned the recording with the composition and arrangement skills of Michael Kamen
Michael Kamen
Michael Arnold Kamen was an American composer , orchestral arranger, orchestral conductor, song writer, and session musician.-Background:...
, resulting in more natural feel to the overall finished product (versus the heavily synthetic aesthetic of the Sweet Dreams album and its singles). Stewart explained to Songfacts that creating a melancholy mood in his songs is something he excels at. He said: "'Here Comes The Rain Again' is kind of a perfect one where it has a mixture of things, because I'm playing a b-minor, but then I change it to put a b-natural in, and so it kind of feels like that minor is suspended, or major. So it's kind of a weird course. And of course that starts the whole song, and the whole song was about that undecided thing, like here comes depression, or here comes that downward spiral. But then it goes, 'so talk to me like lovers do.' It's the wandering in and out of melancholy, a dark beauty that sort of is like the rose that's when it's darkest unfolding and bloodred just before the garden, dies. And capturing that in kind of oblique statements and sentiments."
The string arrangements by Michael Kamen were performed by members of the British Philharmonic Orchestra. However, due to the limited space in the studio, the Church, the players had to improvise by recording their parts in other parts of the studio. Once the improvisations seem to match the finished synthesized track, the song was mixed by having the orchestral tracks laid down on top of the original backing track.
During Eurythmics reunion "Peacetour" they performed an in-studio concert for the A&E Network
A&E Network
The A&E Network is a United States-based cable and satellite television network with headquarters in New York City and offices in Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, London, Los Angeles and Stamford. A&E also airs in Canada and Latin America. Initially named the Arts & Entertainment Network, A&E launched...
in the U.S. Dave Stewart revealed that the lyrics to the song came into being after an argument between himself and Lennox while they were doing some songwriting in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
's Columbus Hotel. The basic melody had already been written and Lennox looked out the window after their fight and noticed it was starting to rain. She announced, "Here comes the rain again."
The running time for "Here Comes the Rain Again" is in actuality about five minutes long and was edited on the Touch album (fading out at approximately four-and-a-half minutes). Although it was edited even further for its single and video release, many U.S. radio stations played the full-length version of it. The entire five-minute version did not appear on any Eurythmics album until the US edition of Greatest Hits
Greatest Hits (Eurythmics album)
-Chart performance:-1999 Reissue:-2005 Reissue:-Certifications:-Video version:A version of the compilation with 21 music videos was also released, on VHS in 1991, and on DVD in 2000...
in 1991.
Music video
The music videoMusic video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
, featuring Lennox and Stewart, was directed by Jonathan Gershfield and released in December 1983, a month before the single came out. The video opens showing The Old Man of Hoy on the Island of Hoy
Hoy
Hoy is an island in Orkney, Scotland. With an area of it is the second largest in the archipelago after the Mainland. It is connected by a causeway called The Ayre to South Walls...
in the Orkney Islands, with Lennox walking along the rocky shore and cliff top and later entering a derelict cottage in a nightgown, holding a lantern. Stewart stalks her with a video camera. In many scenes the two are filmed separately, then superimposed into the same frame. The result is that the viewer may perceive one as being a ghost in the world of the other.
Track listings
7"- A: "Here Comes the Rain Again" [edited] 3'50
- B: "Paint a rumour" [edited] 4'00
12"
- A: "Here Comes the Rain Again" [full version]* 5'05
- B1: "This City never sleeps" (live San Francisco 83) 5'30
- B2: "Paint a rumour" [full version]* 8'00
Other Versions
- "Here Comes the Rain Again" (FreemasonsFreemasons (band)Freemasons are an English dance band from Brighton, East Sussex, England. The act consists of producers Russell Small and James Wiltshire .-2005-2007: Early Career:Their name is taken from the Brighton pub, Freemasons Tavern, Hove, which they frequently...
Vocal Mix) - 7:17 - "Here Comes the Rain Again" (Freemasons Radio Edit) - 4:41
Original release
| Chart (1984) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Belgian Singles Chart | 12 |
| Canadian Adult Contemporary Chart | 7 |
| Canadian Singles Chart | 8 |
| Dutch Singles Chart | 33 |
| French Singles Chart | 33 |
| German Singles Chart | 14 |
| Irish Singles Chart | 8 |
| New Zealand Singles Chart | 32 |
| Norwegian Singles Chart | 10 |
| Polish Singles Chart | 4 |
| Swedish Singles Chart | 20 |
| Swiss Singles Chart | 19 |
| UK Singles Chart | 8 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 4 |
| U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary Chart | 6 |
| U.S. Billboard Dance/Club Play Songs Chart | 4 |
1991 Re-issue
| Chart (1991) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| French Singles Chart | 92 |
Cover versions
- A dance cover of the song by Sheryl Lee RalphSheryl Lee RalphSheryl Lee Ralph is an American actress, singer, and activist.-Personal life:Raised between Mandeville, Jamaica, and Long Island, New York, Sheryl Lee Ralph was born in Waterbury, Connecticut to an African American father and a Jamaican mother. Sheryl attended Uniondale High School in Uniondale, NY...
was released in 1999 through Trax RecordsTrax RecordsTrax Records is a house-music record label based in Chicago. It played a major part in the development of house music with records such as Jamie Principle & Frankie Knuckles's "Your Love."...
. - Other dance cover of the song by Akyra featuring Maria RubiaMaria RubiaMaria Rubia , is an English model, actress, TV presenter and singer-songwriter. She debuted as the vocalist on the Fragma's dance song, "Everytime You Need Me", which stayed in the UK Singles Chart for eleven weeks, and sales thereof earned her a silver disc.-Life:Born in England, Rubia moved with...
was released in 2002. - Alternative synth pop group The CrüxshadowsThe CrüxshadowsThe Crüxshadows is an Dark Electro group from Florida. Their sound is made up of a combination of male vocals, electric violin, guitar, and synth...
recorded a cover of the song for their 1999 EPExtended playAn EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
Until the Voices Fade...Until the Voices Fade...Until the Voices Fade... is an EP released by The Crüxshadows as a lead up to The Mystery of the Whisper, released later in the year. The song "Here Comes the Rain Again" is a Eurythmics cover.-Track listing:#"Leave Me Alone"...
. - Fame AcademyFame AcademyFame Academy is a televised competition to search for and educate new musical talents. The winner received a chance to become a successful music artist. The prize consisted of a £1m recording contract with a major record company, plus the use of a luxury apartment in London and a sports car for one...
winner Alex ParksAlex ParksAlex Parks is an English singer-songwriter. She is best known for winning Fame Academy in 2003, for her singles, and for the albums, Introduction and Honesty.-Biography:...
included a rendition of the song on her debut album IntroductionIntroduction (Alex Parks album)Introduction is Alex Parks' debut album, released on 24 November 2003. Recorded and released within only two weeks of Parks winning the BBC's Fame Academy, it included seven original compositions, mostly co-written with songwriters Helen Boulding, Gary Clark and Boo Hewerdine, as well as six cover...
from 2003. - The song was covered in a modern rock style by AmericanUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
indie band The Drama ClubThe Drama ClubThe Drama Club was a five-piece alternative rock group from Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, United States.-History:The band idea and initial concept began in circa 2005 when lead singer and primary composer Nick Coyle, formerly of the rock band Lifer , moved back to Pennsylvania after singing for the...
(from northeastern PennsylvaniaPennsylvaniaThe Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
) for their 2005 Greatest Hits compilation EP. - A eurotrance cover of the song was released in 2007 by dance artist Shockwave. An audio sample can be heard on the artist's official website.
- Hungarian goth rock/doom metalDoom metalDoom metal is an extreme form of heavy metal music that typically uses slower tempos, low-tuned guitars and a much "thicker" or "heavier" sound than other metal genres...
band Nevergreen recorded an English language cover of the song for their album Uj Sotet Kor/Cedeum. - American alternative music artist HypnogajaHypnogajaHypnogaja is an American rock band from Los Angeles, CA. The group is composed of vocalist Jason "ShyBoy" Arnold, keyboardist Mark Nubar Donikian, drummer Adrian Barnardo and guitarists Bryan Farrar and Abe Parker.-Formation:...
covered the song on their 2005 CD, Below Sunset. - Covered by Kim KuzmaKim KuzmaKim Kuzma is a Canadian musician. Her award winning debut CD Contradictions received positive reviews from critics and held the No.1 spot on the HMV Vancouver indie sales charts for over seven and a half months...
voted Canada's Best Independent Artist in 2001, on her 1999 CD Contradictions - Serbian rockSerbian rockSerbian rock is the rock music scene of Serbia. During the 1960s, 1970s and the 1980s, while Serbia was a constituent republic of Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Serbian rock scene was a part of the SFR Yugoslav rock scene....
band Night ShiftNight Shift (band)- Underground years :The band was formed in 1991, by the Šćepanović brothers, Milan and Danijel , with their friend Marko Dacić . The official date of the band formation was chosen to be January 11, 1991, when the trio had their first live performance...
covered the song in 2002 on their debut album UndercoversUndercovers (Night Shift album)- Night Shift :* Milan Šćepanović * Danijel Šćepanović * Marko Dacić - Additional personnel :* Mirko Vukomanović * Ivana Pavlović * Dejan Cukić - References :...
. - New JerseyNew JerseyNew Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
prog metal band Autumn Hour covered the song in 2010 on their debut album Dethroned. - A TurkishTurkeyTurkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
alternative-rock and progressive girl band Aseton covered the song in 2010 as a promo for their upcoming album in September/October.
Sampling
- George NozukaGeorge NozukaGeorge Koichi Nozuka better known by his stage name George is a Canadian singer. He is signed to HC Entertainment Group record label as their main act.-Career:...
sings the same note when he says "Talk to me" with a slight stutter in his hit single, "Talk To Me". Another hit by Nozuka, "Last Night", features a riff that is inspired by Sweet Dreams. - The lyrics of the chorus were sampled in the 1995 song "Tragedy" by RZARZARobert Fitzgerald Diggs, better known by his stage name RZA , is an American Grammy-winning music producer, multi-instrumentalist, author, emcee, and occasional actor, director, and screenwriter. A prominent figure in Hip Hop, RZA is the de facto leader of the Wu-Tang Clan. He has produced almost...
from the Wu-Tang ClanWu-Tang ClanThe Wu-Tang Clan is a hip-hop group from Staten Island that consists of RZA, GZA, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, U-God, Masta Killa, and the late Ol' Dirty Bastard. They are frequently joined by fellow childhood friend Cappadonna, a quasi member of the group...
. - The lyric "Talk To Me" was sampled in Alice DeejayAlice DeeJayAlice DeeJay was an electronic music group, who achieved success from 1999 to 2002.-Members:The group consisted of record producers Pronti , Kalmani and DJ Jurgen with Marc Lee-Smith remixing and the DJ's From Mars lead singer Judith Anna Pronk...
's 1999 hit song "Better off Alone," - The lyrics "Walk with me, like lovers do/Talk to me, like lovers do" were used in Platinum WeirdPlatinum WeirdPlatinum Weird is a musical collaboration formed in 2004 between Dave Stewart and Kara DioGuardi. It is also the subject of an elaborate hoax placing the band in 1974, including a half hour mockumentary produced for television network VH1 and a series of bogus World Wide Web fan sites and related...
's song "Taking ChancesTaking Chances (song)"Taking Chances" is a single by Celine Dion and written by songwriter Kara DioGuardi and ex-Eurythmics member Dave Stewart's band Platinum Weird, taken from their unreleased self-titled album. The song was originally released in February 2007, and later made famous by a cover version by Céline...
" which incidentally, was co-written by Stewart. "Taking Chances" was later covered by Celine DionCeline DionCéline Marie Claudette Dion, , , is a Canadian singer. Born to a large family from Charlemagne, Quebec, Dion emerged as a teen star in the French-speaking world after her manager and future husband René Angélil mortgaged his home to finance her first record...
and released as the title track of her 2007 album.