Saturday night’s match between Real Salt Lake and D.C. United was postponed until 7 p.m. MT on Sunday night because of a torrential downpour and lightning storm blazing through the Nation’s Capital. To tide RSL fans over until the match resumes with 29:28 on the clock on Sunday evening, here is Matt Gaschk’s list of 11 songs about rain.
11. Milli Vanilli – Blame It On The Rain. No list would be complete without this pop classic. The No. 1 song on the Billboard Hot 100 for two weeks back in 1989 may be tainted by scandal, but it is quite catchy.
10. Garbage – Only Happy When It Rains. This mid-90’s rocker was the breakthrough single for Garbage and was meant to be ironic before the time when irony was celebrated as it is today.
9. Missy Elliott – The Rain. Who can forget the music video directed by Hype Williams that propelled Missy Elliott into prominence?
8. Led Zeppelin – Fool In The Rain. OK, this one may be personal. Provided the show opening music for a radio show I produced for three years in Seattle. The song is also pretty great and was perhaps the best song on the band’s last record before disbanding. A shame Led Zeppelin never performed it live – although Robert Plant did play it with Pearl Jam at a Hurricane Katrina benefit concert in 2005.
7. Bob Dylan – Shelter From The Storm. Dylan was a renegade voice of a generation that has given evergreen songs that echo through the years. This is no exception and outclasses other offerings Rainy Day Women #12 & 35 and A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall to land on this list.
6. The Doors – Riders On The Storm. The sound of driving rain and thunder in the opening seconds of the song, the driving baritone of Jim Morrison and the piano of Ray Manzarek and drumming of John Densmore are reminiscent itself of a rainstorm. Also, I love the Doors.
5. The Beatles – Rain. If your claim to fame is “Greatest Beatles B-Side,” you are a pretty great song.
4. Creedence Clearwater Revival – Have You Ever Seen The Rain? CCR has a few songs about rain, but this one stands out among the rest as an iconic song from a great band.
3. Adele – Set Fire To The Rain. There are few in recent years to capture the minds of such a broad audience as Adele and this is one of her greatest highlights.
2. Prince – Purple Rain. It’s Prince. At his best.
1. Guns N’ Roses – November Rain. It’s Axl. And Slash. At their best.
Honorable Mention (The Bench)
Blind Melon – No Rain
Travis – Why Does It Always Rain On Me?
Gene Kelly – Singin’ In The Rain
BJ Thomas – Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head
Creedence Clearwater Revival – Who’ll Stop The Rain?
Led Zeppelin – The Rain Song
The Weather Girls – It’s Raining Men
