Rain (The Beatles song)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| "Rain" | ||
|---|---|---|
 |
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| Single by The Beatles | ||
| A-side(s) | "Paperback Writer" | |
| Released | 1966-05-30 (U.S.) 1966-06-10 (UK) |
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| Format | 7" | |
| Recorded | Abbey Road: 14 and 1966-04-16 | |
| Genre | Psychedelic Rock | |
| Length | 2:59 | |
| Label | Parlophone R5452 (UK) Capitol 5651 (U.S.) |
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| Writer(s) | Lennon/McCartney | |
| Producer(s) | George Martin | |
| Chart positions | ||
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| The Beatles singles chronology | ||
| "Paperback Writer" (1966) |
"Eleanor Rigby" / "Yellow Submarine" (1966) |
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"Rain" is a song by The Beatles, first released in 1966. The song was released as a B-Side to Paperback Writer as a single on 30 May 1966 in the United States and 10 June 1966 in the United Kingdom (see 1966 in music). "Rain" is not featured on an original album and was not released as part of a compilation album until Hey Jude in the US and Rarities in the UK.
The two songs were recorded during the sessions for Revolver. "Paperback Writer" was sung live in concert during The Beatles' last tour in 1966, but "Rain" was only performed in the studio. It is notable for being the first song to contain backwards vocals.
[edit] Facts
- Some claim that the song contains a hidden message in the last verse. However, when played backwards one can clearly hear:
- Sunshine
- Rain
- When the rain comes, they run and hide their heads
This is simply the first verse of the song with the word "rain" sung in front of it (which one would hear after it when backwards).
- The song was originally recorded at a faster speed, then slowed down, giving the backing track a droning effect. The vocals were recorded at the normal speed.
- John Lennon commented that "After we'd done the session on that particular song-- it ended at about four or five in the morning-- I went home with a tape to see what else you could do with it. And I was sort of very tired, you know, not knowing what I was doing, and I just happened to put it on my own tape recorder and it came out backwards. And I liked it better. So that's how it happened."[1]
- Although the videos for Rain and Paperback Writer show Paul playing the Hofner Bass, the songs were reported to have been recorded with a Burns Nu-sonic bass owned by George. The use of the Nu-Sonic Bass adds to the pumped up sound of the bass on both tracks. However, contemporary photographs of McCartney in the studio during the Revolver sessions show him playing a Rickenbacker bass, making it likely it was the instrument used here. Also, they recorded the Bass through a loudspeaker instead of a traditional mike and amp combo. These two tracks display some of Paul's slickest bass playing.
- If you take a look at the "Paperback Writer/Rain" videos from 1966, you can see Paul has a busted lip and a chipped tooth. They are easily noticed in the scene where the Beatles play on a sound stage in the Rain video. This occurred in a moped accident some time before the video was shot. This same accident played a role in the "Paul is Dead" rumors from 1969.
- Ringo Starr displays what he referred to as his best performance on "Rain". Ringo used a technique in which he used the hi-hat to lead into each break or fill. This technique was also used on the song "Wait" from the Rubber Soul LP and the song She Came in Through the Bathroom Window on Abbey Road.
- The song contains some of the Beatles' first overtly psychedelic lyrics, as Lennon suggests that "when it rains and shines" it is "just a state of mind." Lennon would continue to include psychadelic imagery, themes, and allusions on his songs recorded from 1966 to early 1968.
- For a Beatles song, relatively few cover versions exist:
- In 1967 Mary McCaslin, briefly with Capitol Records, released the single, "Rain"/"This All Happened Once Before".
- Ibex, a precursor to Queen, recorded a version in November 1969.
- In 1972 Randy California included a cover of "Rain" on his album Kapt. Kopter and the (Fabulous) Twirly Birds
- In 1975 Humble Pie did so on their album Street Rats.
- In 1976, a version by Todd Rundgren appeared on his Faithful album.
- The Arizona Smoke Revue recorded a version on their album Thundering on the Horizon (1981)
- Released in 1989, The Allman Brothers on the boxed set "Dreams".
- In 1991, Shonen Knife released their album 712 with a cover of "Rain."
- In 1997, a cover by The Jam appeared on their boxed set, Direction Reaction Creation.
- In 2005, smooth jazz band Soko covered an instrumental version of the song on their album, Two.
- It is has also been covered by U2, Of Montreal, Robyn Hitchcock and The Grateful Dead live on a number of occasions. It has also been covered live by folk band Big Smith.
- Dan Fogelberg sings the refrain on his cover of John Gummoe's "Rhythm of the Rain" on The Wild Places (1990).
- British rock band Oasis were first named The Rain, after the song, before changing to their current name when Noel Gallagher joined.
- "Rain" is one of the songs featured in Nick Hornby's book 31 Songs.
- Although the song is arguably not well-known to casual listeners, "Rain" is one of the group's most critically-acclaimed songs, appearing on a number of best-of lists, including Rolling Stone magazine's The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time (#463). AcclaimedMusic.net, a site which combines hundreds of such lists from around the world, ranks "Rain" at #624 on the Top 3000 Songs (as of early January 2007), and is the Beatles' 23rd highest-rated song on the site.
