It’s raining again so grab a brolly and choose a tune to lighten the mood
◆ So what if raindrops keep falling on your head, hum along with this lot
After a month of rain my new passion is streaming songs about it through my headphones to cheer me up as I splash through the everincreasing puddles eddying around the potholes of the capital’s streets. Rain is a topic that has inspired songsmiths since for ever, often shading towards the melancholy with raindrops synonymous with tears and downpours with downfall and it’s no surprise that there’s a high quotient of Scottish artists on my playlist.
Purple Rain by Prince is ostensibly about endings and beginnings, for me it’s about my friend’s newly home-dyed hair and a lesson learned about taking an… Umbrella, thanks Rihanna.
The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly) – Missy Elliot knows how to dress for wet weather (see the video), inspired by Ann Peebles classic I Can’t Stand the Rain.
A Hard Rain’s A-gonna Fall, or any of Bob Dylan’s songs about rain, including Buckets of Rain, Shelter from the Storm or Rainy Day Women.
Why Does It Always Rain on Me? by Travis is more upbeat, especially if you’re watching a sodden Scotland winning at Hampden – a reminder that rain doesn’t mean you can’t be happy.
Which brings us to Only Happy When it Rains, Garbage’s invocation to lean into the mood, relish the rainfall and enjoy being miserable.
Raintown from Deacon Blue has a nice pacy drumbeat to keep you splashing along at a lick on slick city streets.
Bless the Weather from John Martyn is a good accompaniment to the fantasy that maybe a good-looking stranger will snag you with their umbrella – ignore the bit about it going wrong.
Rains on Me from Tom Waits is good for Day Five of a week-long washout.
Waterfront, with its “get in get out of the rain” lyric is Simple Minds’ sound advice.
Stop the Rain, Dundee’s own Average White Band – that funk drips.
Here Comes The Rain Again, The Eurythmics – Aberdeen’s finest, Annie Lennox, knows what she’s singing about.
Have You Ever Seen the Rain, Creedence Clearwater Revival, yes we have, but you’re from sunny California so we prefer the gravelly Rod Stewart version, since his dad hailed from Leith and we reckon Scottish rain runs through his veins.
Carole King’s It Might As Well Rain Until September... just no.