It’s time again for Friday on My Mind. Our weekly blog post where we look at videos centered around one common theme. This is a collaborative effort between KEXP and King 5 News.
So in case you’ve been locked deep away in a windowless basement, it is indeed Fall and the rains have returned to Seattle. Despite what has now become legend, when it comes down to it, Seattle doesn’t really get that much rain. Especially when you compared our city with others throughout the country. In fact, Seattle doesn’t even rank in the top 10. We fall way down in ranking at #44 when pitted against other major cities in the annual rainfall department. Seattle measures in at a measly 38 inches of rainfall each year. We get beaten out by Houston, Memphis, and Miami. MIAMI. So it begs the question. Why the hell does is Seattle considered notorious for rain? I for one blame Tom Hanks for one, but it can also be chalked up to distribution. Compared to other cities, Seattle is through the roof when it comes down to amount of days a year with rain. Most cities that outrank us in yearly rain percentages, actually average less actual rainy days every year than Seattle. We just drag those days out. As well, Seattle doesn’t have a very uniform distribution of cloudy or rainy days from month to month like Boston, New York, and many other major U.S. cities have. As a rule, it pretty much is cloudy with occasional light drizzles from October through March in Seattle. Then from April through September, Seattle gets almost no rain and from June through September almost no cloudy days. So now, let us provide you with some songs to add to your rainy day music mixes….Led Zeppelin - The Rain Song
From 1973’s Houses of the Holy, were busting out the Led for “The Rain Song” as our first song choice. Led Zeppelin consider this song this the very first ballad that they wrote. Supposedly is was written in response to a comment that George Harrison had made to John Bonham saying they lacked ballads, which was indeed true at that particular time. All four members of the band contributed to the writing of the song, which was a rare occurrence.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxEu0QN6nzk
The Beatles - Rain
The song was recorded during the same sessions that resulted in the album Revolver. “Rain” did not make the album, but did manage to become the B-side to the single for “Paperback Writer”. And although a B-side, “Rain” received more attention many years later when it was released as a Record Store Day exclusive in 2010. Three different promotional videos were made for “Rain”, which at that pre-MTV time was a completely novel idea. Here is one of those promotional videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3znOTuT4K8
The Temptations - I Wish It Would Rain
Found on their 1967 effort, The Temptations Wish It Would Rain, our third song choice is “I Wish It Would Rain” by The Temptations. This is one of their the few completely melancholy songs released by The Temptations who are known for being upbeat.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrjJeP1GGxY
Honorable Mentions:
Creedence Clearwater Revival - Have You Ever Seen the Rain?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gu2pVPWGYMQ
Everything But the Girl - Missing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4sPkS8b62Q
It’s time again for Friday on My Mind. Our weekly blog post where we look at videos centered around one common theme. This is a collaborative effort between KEXP and King 5 News.
It’s time again for Friday on My Mind. Our weekly blog post where we look at videos centered around one common theme. This is a collaborative effort between KEXP and King 5 News.
It’s time again for Friday on My Mind, our weekly blog post where we look at videos centered around one common theme. This is a collaborative effort between KEXP and King 5 News.
