Only Happy When It Rains
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| "Only Happy When It Rains" | ||
|---|---|---|
 |
||
| Single by Garbage | ||
| from the album Garbage | ||
| Released | September 1995 | |
| Format | Vinyl | |
| Genre | Alternative rock | |
| Length | 3:56 | |
| Label | Almo Sounds / Mushroom | |
| Chart positions | ||
|
||
| Garbage singles chronology | ||
| "Subhuman" (1995) |
"Only Happy When It Rains" (1995) |
"Queer" (1995) |
"Only Happy When It Rains" was the breakthrough second single from Garbage's 1995 self-titled debut album.
Contents |
[edit] Song profile
"Only Happy When It Rains" was written and recorded at Smart Studios during the 1994-1995 sessions for the debut album.
With its upbeat and pessimistic lyrics over a grunge pop guitar part, "Only Happy When It Rains" became Garbage's first widely successful single, achieving significant exposure in both the US and the UK.
Bass on "Only Happy When It Rains" was played by Mike Kashou, and additional percussion is credited to Wisconsin musician Pauli Ryan.
[edit] Single release
"Only Happy When It Rains" was considered by Garbage's record companies to be the single on Garbage with the most commercial potential.
In the UK it was issued in September 1995 and peaked at number 29, the band's first top 40 UK entry. In the US it was issued in January 1996, but was not an immediate hit, until its re-issue in May 1996, when it was also released as a single in Europe and Australia.
The vinyl format in the UK for "Only Happy When It Rains" was die-cut metallic green card sleeve with a G hologram on the inner. On the vinyl disc itself, the b-sides were double-grooved so that the songs played randomly, depending on where the stylus landed.
[edit] B-side
"Girl Don't Come" is a Garbage song written and recorded at Smart Studios during the August 1995 sessions in which the band completed several B-sides for their UK singles.
Up-tempo rocker "Girl Don't Come" features several guitars over a vocal about non-compromising.
A slightly shorter version of "Girl Don't Come" was released on the "Only Happy When It Rains" UK 7" vinyl.
"Girl Don't Come" is published by Deadarm Music/Almo Music Corp (ASCAP) and Vibecrusher Music/Irving Music, Inc (BMI).
The song's full legal title is "Girl Don't Come". It is registered at ASCAP under '(Title Code: 370322884)' and at BMI as 'BMI Work #2080108.'
"Girl Don't Come" was first issued with B-side "Sleep" on the UK "Only Happy When It Rains" single release. Some time later it was included on the B-side to "Queer" on European and Australian releases.
The song has been included on several Asian editions of the album Garbage and several promotional-only compilations.
"Girl Don't Come" was first performed live at the band's first show on 5th November 1995 at Garbage's first gig in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Performed on most dates of the 'Garbage' tour and on summer 1998 dates of the 'Version 2.0' tour, the song was performed a few times on the 'beautifulgarbage' tour, notably in Edinburgh, UK in April 2002, and in London, UK in August 2002. It has so far not been performed on any 'Bleed Like Me' tourdates.
On live performances of this song Shirley often ad-libs the line "C'mon, c'mon, c'mon, ooo-aah!" at the end of the song.
"Girl Don't Come" was featured on the PlayStation and Dreamcast racing game 'F1 Racing Championship.'
"Sleep" is the second b-side on the single.
[edit] Music video
The promo video for "Only Happy When It Rains" was shot in Madison, Wisconsin, in January 1996 with director Samuel Bayer. It was shot alongside the promo clip for follow up single 'Stupid Girl'.
[edit] Remixes
No official remixes of "Only Happy When It Rains" exist, however a radio version of the song, which is slightly shorter than the LP version was issued to radio stations in Spring 1996. The radio version is slightly remixed to sound less rock and more pop, but the difference is very subtle.
[edit] Live performances
"Only Happy When It Rains" was first performed live at Garbage's first gig in Minneapolis, Minnesota on 5th November 1995. The song became the biggest live song in Garbage's set, played consistently throughout all four world tours.
The song was slightly re-worked for the 'Beautifulgarbage' tour and became the closing song for the majority of those shows. By 2005, and the 'Bleed Like Me' tour the song had undergone another change, with a completely new intro over which Shirley Manson would often sing the lyrics from "Singin' in the Rain".
"Only Happy When It Rains" was performed by the band at their performance at the MTV Movie Awards in New York on 13th June 1996. They also have performed the song for TV sets on MusiquePlus (Canada), Fuse Comp'd TV (US), Top Of The Pops and Later with Jools Holland (UK).
A live version of the song appeared on the B-side to the European and Australian "Shut Your Mouth" singles. This version was probably recorded on sound-check at one of the band's European 2002 dates.
[edit] Trivia
"Only Happy When It Rains" came in at #42 in the KROQ Top 106.7 Countdown of 1996.
"Only Happy When It Rains" has been used on several TV shows including The X-Files and Homicide: Life on the Street.
"Only Happy When It Rains" was used extensively in television ads by NBC to promote the show, Crossing Jordan, before it premiered in the fall of 2001.
The song was covered, in a lounge version with an intro reminiscent of "Singin' in the Rain", by Richard Cheese for their 2000 album 'Lounge Against the Machine, and in a metal version by rock group Nicklebag for the album 'Mas Feedback.
[edit] "Only Happy When It Rains"
Shirley Manson: "It's about the grunge attitude in America, which is a pretty morose attitude to have. We were being pretty tongue-in-cheek. But it's also a song about wanting love, but knowing that life will always get in the way, and of knowing that, and yet not being obliterated by that. It's a song for people that know what it's like to live on the dark side."
[edit] Comprehensive charts
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | "Only Happy When It Rains" | UK Singles Chart | #29 |
| 1996 | "Only Happy When It Rains" | US Billboard Hot 100 | #55 |
| 1996 | "Only Happy When It Rains" | US Modern Rock | #16 |
| Garbage |
| Butch Vig | Shirley Manson | Duke Erikson | Steve Marker |
| Discography |
|---|
| Albums and extended plays: Garbage | Version 2.0 | beautifulgarbage | Bleed Like Me | Absolute Garbage |
| Singles: "Vow" | "Subhuman" | "Only Happy When It Rains" | "Queer" | "Stupid Girl" | "Milk" | "#1 Crush" | "Push It" | "I Think I'm Paranoid" | "Special" | "The Trick Is to Keep Breathing" | "When I Grow Up" | "You Look So Fine" | "The World Is Not Enough" | "Androgyny" | "Cherry Lips" | "Breaking Up the Girl" | "Shut Your Mouth" | "Why Do You Love Me" | "Bleed Like Me" | "Sex Is Not the Enemy" | "Run Baby Run" |
| Videography |
| Videos and DVDs: Garbage Video | Live at Eagles Ballroom 2002 |
| Related articles |
| Alternative rock | Goodbye Mr. Mackenzie | Angelfish | The World Is Not Enough | Mushroom Records | Almo Sounds | Geffen Records |
