1960s songs, anthem

#355 Have You Ever Seen The Rain- Creedence Clearwater Revival

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There’s a calm before the storm/
I know it’s been comin’ for some time.

The rain is obviously a big motif in “Have You Ever Seen The Rain”, but I am not sure everyone has listened to the true meaning behind what Creedence is trying to say. Fogerty tells us that that it is calm right before the storm. Then the storm will come and the rain will begin to fall. But after the storm, there is a period when the sun starts to shine again portending of future good weather. It can be a great feeling.

Fogerty is not asking if you’ve ever seen rain in a storm, he is asking if you’ve ever experienced that special time after the storm when the rain is falling while the sun is out. It is a time of hope and cleansing.

Have You Ever Seen The Rain Meaning
Creedence Clearwater Revival

Obviously Fogerty isn’t interested in the weather patterns. The reason this song resonates is because it was written during a difficult time in the 1960s. Specifically people were fighting for civil rights and also fighting an unjust was in Vietnam. Fogerty is anticipating the people rising up (the storm) and making things just in the world. That will be a beautiful time like when rain falls down on a sunny day. It will be a time of hope and hopefully it will all have been worth it.

Have You Ever Seen The Rain Lyrics

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’ll reign a sunny day
I know, shinin’ down like water

I wanna know have you ever seen the rain?
I wanna know that 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 life

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

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

Songwriters: John Cameron Fogerty

1970s songs, new love

#354 Day After Day- Badfinger

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I remember finding out about you/
Every day, my mind is all around you.

Badfinger’s “Day After Day” is a declaration of love. It sounds very Beatles-esque. Part of the reason is that everyone in the early seventies was influenced heavily by The Beatles, but also because this song was produced by George Harrison. Do you recognize the slide guitar? It is Harrison.

Day After Day Meaning
Badfinger

This song shares a similar theme with The Hollies “The Air That I Breathe”. “Day After Day” is about a guy talking about his experiences in relation to his bedroom. He remembers the times in his room before he met the girl: he would think of her and he was lonely. He was not certain if she knew he existed. Now, he is remembering times they have been together intimately. The thought of just holding her makes him warm.

In more general terms, the song is about the infatuation you feel when you first began to have feelings for another person. Your mind becomes a bit obsessive as that seems to be all you can think about.

Interestingly, the narrator suspects that she does not quite share the same feelings for him that he does for her. He knows he loves her, and he is waiting for her to find her way there too. Hopefully he won’t wait too long.

Day After Day Lyrics

I remember finding out about you
Every day, my mind is all around you
Looking out from my lonely room, day after day
Bring it home, baby, make it soon
I give my love to you

I remember holding you while you sleep
Every day, I feel the tears that you weep
Looking out of my lonely gloom, day after day
Bring it home, baby, make it soon
I give my love to you

Looking out of my lonely room, day after day
Bring it home, baby, make it soon
I give my love to you

I remember finding out about you
Every day, my mind is all around you
Looking out of my lonely gloom, day after day
Bring it home, baby, make it soon
I give my love to you.

Songwriters: Peter William Ham

 

1970s songs, memories

#353 Theme From Mahogany- Diana Ross

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Now looking back at all we’ve had/
We let so many dreams just slip through our hands

One thing that is exciting about this list is finding out how big of a fan you are of people that you didn’t know you were. It turns out I am a big Diana Ross fan. If I had to guess beforehand how many Diana Ross songs would be on my list, I might have guessed one. But between her work in The Supremes and solo work it is starting to add up. I guess I am a Diana Ross fan!

Theme From Mahagany Meaning
Diana Ross

“Theme From Mahogany” by Diana Ross is produced in an interesting way. Note that almost every instrument in the orchestra plays the solo at least one time during the song. I don’t know if I have heard that before. I think I hear a xylophone, a harp, a flute, a French horn, an oboe, a violin and a piano. I am sure I missed some. The melody is so lovely. It seems like it would be a tough song to compose the lyric for, but the songwriters did a great job.

In the lyric  of “Theme from Mahogany”, it sounds like the narrator is asking an old lover about how things are now and reminiscing about the good old days. She knew that he once loved her, but her spirit was wild and free back then. Did she make the right decision, or did they let their dreams slip through their hands?

She must tell herself that the only open doors are forward, so try to look to the future not the past. It sounds like she may regret some of her decisions or at least picture what that different life would have looked like had she made different choices.

Theme From Mahogany
(Do You Know Where You’re Going To) Lyrics

Do You Know
Where you’re going to?
Do you like the things?
That life is showing you
Where are you going to?
Do you know?

Do you get?
What you’re hoping for?
When you look behind you
There’s no open doors
What are you hoping for?
Do you know?

Once we were standing still, in time
Chasing the fantasies and feeling all nice
You knew how I loved you, but my-spirit was free
Laughing at the questions
That you once asked of me

Now looking back at all we’ve had
We let so many dreams just slip through our hands
Why must we wait so long, before we see?
How sad the answers to those questions can be
Do you get?

What you’re hoping for
When you look behind you
There’s no open doors
What are you hoping for?
Do you know?
Fade Out

Songwriters: Gerry Goffin / Michael Masser