♫ Have You Ever Seen The Rain? ♫ (Redux)

Posted on by under Bits 'n Pieces, History, music, Social commentary

Going down a different street tonight.  I saw a post somewhere of “Bad Moon Rising” by Creedence Clearwater Revival, aka CCR, and I wanted to play that one, but I found that I just played it a year ago, so … I dug into my CCR archives and found … this!

This song was written by John Fogerty and released as a single in 1971 from the album Pendulum (1970) by roots rock group Creedence Clearwater Revival.  The song charted highest in Canada, reaching #1 on the RPM 100 national singles chart in March 1971. In the U.S., in the same year it peaked at #8 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. In the UK, it reached #36. It was the group’s eighth gold-selling single.

Some have speculated that the song’s lyrics are referencing the Vietnam War, with the “rain” being a metaphor for bombs falling from the sky. In his review for Allmusic website, Mark Deming suggests that the song is about the idealism of the 1960s and about how it faded in the wake of events such as the Altamont Free Concert and the Kent State shootings, and that Fogerty is saying that the same issues of the 1960s still existed in the 1970s but that people were no longer fighting for them. However, Fogerty himself has said in interviews and prior to playing the song in concert that it is about rising tension within CCR and the imminent departure of his brother Tom from the band.  Tom Fogerty left the group in early 1971, after this album was released. He released three solo albums before dying of tuberculosis in 1990. A fourth album, completed in 1988, was released posthumously.

In an interview, Fogerty stated that the song was written about the fact that they were on the top of the charts, and had surpassed all of their wildest expectations of fame and fortune. They were rich and famous, but somehow all of the members of the band at the time were depressed and unhappy; thus the line “Have you ever seen the rain, coming down on a sunny day?”. The band split in October the following year after the release of the album Mardi Gras.

Have You Ever Seen the Rain
Creedence Clearwater Revival

Someone told me long ago
There’s a calm before the storm
I know, it’s been comin’ for some time

When it’s over, so they say
It will rain a sunny day
I know, shinin’ down like water

I wanna know, have you ever seen the rain?
I wanna know, have you ever seen the rain
Comin’ down on a sunny day?

Yesterday and days before
Sun is cold and rain is hard
I know, been that way for all my time

And forever, on it goes
Through the circle, fast and slow
I know, it can’t stop, I wonder

I wanna know, have you ever seen the rain?
I wanna know, have you ever seen the rain
Comin’ down on a sunny day?

Yeah

I wanna know, have you ever seen the rain?
I wanna know, have you ever seen the rain
Comin’ down on a sunny day?

Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: John C. Fogerty
Have You Ever Seen the Rain lyrics © Jondora Music

21 thoughts on “♫ Have You Ever Seen The Rain? ♫ (Redux)”

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  7. Haven’t heard this one for a few years. Thanks for finding it again, Jill. Guess you could say that this past week I’ve had some potential rain in my life with the problems with the baby, but now we are finding that miracles still happen and we received another one. Now I’m sniffling because I’m so happy. Go figure!

    Thanks for the memories.

    Liked by 1 person

    • I just read your post about Asher … so happy he is doing better!!! I know you must be so relieved! Yes, I would call that not only rain, but a category 5 storm! Nothing worse than worrying about a child or grandchild. I’m glad you enjoyed the music, too! Glad if it brought happy memories. Hugs!

      Liked by 1 person

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