DM's Beatles forums
Beatles forums => Songs => Song Of The Week Series => Topic started by: Hello Goodbye on March 22, 2015, 04:59:45 AM
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Rain
(http://i61.tinypic.com/2qmj3m8.jpg)
It was the first time that we had used a backward voice on a track. This is a song I wrote about people who are always moaning about the weather all the time, you know, whatever it is, it’s OK, it’s meant to be.
John Lennon The Beatles: Off the Record by Keith Badman
I don't think Rain was just John's. We sat down and wrote it together. It was John's vocal and John's feel on the song, but what gave it its character was collaboration.
Paul McCartney Anthology
Rain was written in March 1966 at John Lennon's Kenwood home. On 14 April 1966, the sixth day of the Revolver Sessions, The Beatles entered EMI Studio Three at 2:30 PM to work on two songs that would not be on the album but werer to be released on their next single. By 7:30 PM they had completed Paperback Writer which was to be the A-side. After an hour break, they returned to recording Rain.
Before work on the rhythm track began, an important recording technique was implemented. "One of the things we discovered when playing around with loops on Tomorrow Never Knows was that the texture and depth of certain instruments sounded really good when slowed down," remembers engineer Geoff Emerick in Mark Lewisohn's book The Complete Beatles Recording Sessions. "With Rain, The Beatles played the rhythm track really fast so that when the tape was played back at normal speed everything would be so much slower, changing the texture. If we'd recorded it at normal speed and then had to slow the tape down whenever we wanted to hear a playback it would have been much more work…It all seems very simple now – and, of course, tricks like this are easily accomplished in today's computers – but in 1966 it was a pretty revolutionary technique, one that we would repeatedly use to great effect on Beatles recordings."
Five takes of the rhythm track were recorded during the five hour evening session which featured John and George on electric guitars, Paul on bass and a Ringo on drums. Take 5 was deemed the best and then John's lead vocals were overdubbed. A decision was made to alter the speed of his lead vocals as well, but in the opposite direction. John recorded his vocal track with the tape slowed down to 42 cycles per second instead of the normal 50 cycles per second. This made his voice sound somewhat faster when played back at the regular speed...
The Beatles - Rain (take 5 lead vocal overdub) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WnAF0vgDEYg#)
The Beatles left the studio at 1:30 AM and John asked for a tape of the rough mix to take home.
I took the tracks home to see what gimmicks I could add, because the song wasn’t quite right…I got home from the studio stoned out of my mind on marijuana and, as I usually do, I listened to what I’d recorded that day. Somehow I got it on backwards and I sat there, transfixed, with the earphones on, with a big hash joint. I ran in the next day and said, "I know what to do with it, I know…Listen to this!" So I made them all play it backwards.
John Lennon Anthology
In fact, it was on 16 April that John had Geoff Emerick instruct EMI engineer Phil McDonald to turn the tape copy over so it would play backwards. John's backward vocal was placed into the multitrack at the proper spot at the end of the song. The 45 RPM single was released on 30 May 1966 in the United States...
The Beatles - Rain - 45 RPM - Original Mono Mix (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKZs_Dqhqy8#ws)
It was released on 10 June 1966 in The United Kingdom.
John Lennon - Lead and Harmony Vocals, Rhythm Guitar (1962 Gretsch 6120)
Paul McCartney - Bass Guitar (1964 Rickenbacker 4001S), backing vocals
George Harrison - Lead Guitar (1964 Gibson SG Standard), backing vocals
Ringo Starr – Drums (1964 Ludwig Super Classic Black Oyster Pearl), tambourine
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Promo Take 1...
The Beatles - Rain #1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFKNTPC3Xd4#)
Promo Take 2...
The Beatles - Rain #2 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPxnG-8xYXk#)
And the promo we saw on The Ed Sullivan Show...
The Beatles - Rain - Uncut Promo (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3znOTuT4K8#)
(http://thecurvature.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/beatles-1966.jpg)
(http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/01/31/51/0131517c409428bea1beadeb02478540.jpg)
Hi Ed!
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Eh, its a good song, but its never been one of my favorites. In fact, I think its a bit overrated in the whole Beatles lore.
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Another fantastic flip (it's difficult to think of a poor b-side in the 60s by The Beatles, The Kinks, The Stones, The Who, Jimi Hendrix, The Small Faces etc.) and it would almost certainly have got to no. 1 if switched around.
What exactly constituted a 'b' or double 'a' side in the 60s?
Who decided it?
I mean, was 'Rain' considered a weaker song than, say, 'Come Together' and 'Day Tripper'?
Is 'Eleanor Rigby'/'Yellow Submarine' a stronger pairing than 'I Feel Fine'/'She's A Woman'?
In the Beatles Monthly Poll it came a respectable 62, though I think its stature has probably grown since 1983.
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This was probably the last of the "major" songs of the Beatles I heard. As my older brothers didn't have the paperback writer single I didn't hear it til I was around 15 or 16. So given I was so familiar with the rest of their catalogue by that stage, hearing this for the first time was pretty cool. I've always thought it sounded similar to She Said She Said. Overall I prefer She Said, but this is a good tune too. The main clanger for me is the first two lines which seem a bit forced for John lyrics in that Beatle time period. Rhyming "head" with "dead" was like the anti "moon and June". But it always sounds not right to me.
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Same experience- I didn't hear it until Rareties came out.
Makes my top 10 list easily - simple but evocative lyrics, a big dense sound, timeless but of it's time, the perfect counterpoint to Paul's pristine pop.
Regarding who made he a side b side decisions - I think the most telling story is that regarding Penny Lane/SFF. Epstein wants a single so he goes to George
Martin who gives him these. Not a Beatle mentioned. I expect that to be fairly typical scenario.
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Nice song, fits the period for sure. Like others, didn't get exposure to it at same time as the rest of the catalogue, first exposure was probably in complete Beatles video in mid 80's I think.
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Groovy choon.
8)
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I love this song; seems like it would have fit well on Revolver. I came across it very late, too -- probably 15 years after I first started seriously listening to them.
What exactly constituted a 'b' or double 'a' side in the 60s?
Who decided it?
I always wondered this, too; some of the decisions seem kind of questionable. But maybe that's just 20/20 hindsight on my part.
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I am another one who came to this song late. I knew of it but never heard it until about 10 years ago when I had XM Radio. I thought it was so cool and now I know how they made it sound that way. I also puzzled over what the heck John was saying at the end. When I found out it made the song even better for me. I've often wondered if it had anything to do with my brother's penchant for flipping words around. When I went into 8th grade he said, Oh...you've got Nivlac Raguh for science." I was like "Huh??" LOL All in all I would give this song a lot of credit for making me delve further into the band that I always loved but never pursued, if that makes sense!
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Moogmodule, Kevin.....for your 'Rain' I'll raise you a 'Baby You're A Rich Man'.
I'd got 'Rarities', most of the 45s but not 'All You Need Is Love', and wasn't going to get the 'Magical Mystery Tour' L.P. because I already had the double E.P. and the other 1967 singles, and so I spent an age (probably only about a month) before I heard my final Beatles' song.
I guess it explains my over-the-top and irrational regard for 'Baby You're A Rich Man'.
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Seems this was almost a "lost" Beatle song for many of us. It helps explain Nick Hornby writing in his book, 31 songs, that Rain is valuable as it's a quality Beatle tune that most people haven't heard ad nauseum, so allows you to listen to the Beatles with something like fresh ears.
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From the point of view of someone who heard - and bought - the record the day it was released, it was a definite A/A side among me and my friends. These guys were just getting better, and 'Revolver' sealed the deal a few months later.
:)
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When I started listening to the Beatles, I began buying the original albums plus the Red and Blue Albums, where "Rain" is not included. So as many of you, "Rain" was one of the last Beatles' songs I've listened to. But I remember reading about "Rain" before actually listening to it, and I had big expectations about the song. I can say that I wasn't disappointed when I finally listened to it. I love the sound of the guitars and the extreme separation of the vocals in the stereo version: John on the left channel and Paul and George on the right channel.
I believe the general sound of the song was inspired by the Yardbirds' "Shapes Of Things", released few months earlier, in February 1966.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zn2JFlteeJ0 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zn2JFlteeJ0#)
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Rain is one of my all-time favorite Beatles tracks. John's vocals, lyrics, and philosophical perspective coupled with Paul's bass, Ringo's drumming, and those awesome guitars - rich and full - create a musical tapestry that is unlike anything the Beatles had released to date. Paperback Writer is a nice, catchy, pop-rock song but Rain is from an entirely different astral plane!
As a 2nd-generation Beatles fan (born in '62) I didn't really dig into the Beatles LPs until '77 (age 15). In '77 or '78 I bought the Hey Jude 8-track and Rain blew me away - despite it being the one song to be split between programs on the tape (which led me to promptly buy the Hey Jude LP on vinyl!).
My first car was a '73 Mercury Comet GT with a set of small home-stereo speakers mounted above and behind the back seat - and they produced a lot of sound! My friends and I had many, many great experiences cruising around town with the windows down listening to my collection of Beatles 8-track tapes - and Rain was one of our favorite tracks on which to crank up the volume! As I reflect back on it, I'm sure plenty of folks thought we were just a bunch of obnoxious teenagers playing loud rock-n-roll music.
For the sake of nostalgia, I've posted a photo of that exact Hey Jude 8-track that brings back so many great memories:
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I believe the general sound of the song was inspired by the Yardbirds' "Shapes Of Things", released few months earlier, in February 1966.
[url]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zn2JFlteeJ0[/url] ([url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zn2JFlteeJ0#[/url])
Maybe John was watching Singin' in the Rain when he wrote the song...
HD 1080p "Singin' in the Rain" (Title Song) 1952 ~ Gene Kelly (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w40ushYAaYA#)
Don: Good night, Kathy. See you tomorrow.
Kathy: Good night, Don. Take care of that throat. You're a big singing star now, remember? This California dew is just a little heavier than usual tonight.
Don: Really? From where I stand the sun is shining all over the place.
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(http://i54.tinypic.com/33crj10.jpg)
It's just a state of mind. ;)
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One of the best IMO. Great singing and musicianship. The thing I like the best is it's psychedelic but R&R as well!
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Interesting that in the top photo, George is playing bass. Is it from the Revolver sessions? We know he played bass on She Said, She Said but the story goes that Paul wasn't present when they recorded it?
Hmm....
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And Paul is playing the Country Gentleman.
I'm pretty sure that's Studio Three and it appears to be taken during the Revolver Sessions.
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Maybe John was watching Singin' in the Rain when he wrote the song...
HD 1080p "Singin' in the Rain" (Title Song) 1952 ~ Gene Kelly ([url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w40ushYAaYA#[/url])
Don: Good night, Kathy. See you tomorrow.
Kathy: Good night, Don. Take care of that throat. You're a big singing star now, remember? This California dew is just a little heavier than usual tonight.
Don: Really? From where I stand the sun is shining all over the place.
Yes, and then John listened to "Shape Of Things" on the radio and decided to record the song he wrote in that amorphous way...
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It's attained semi mythic status partly due to reasons already pointed out earlier on this thread (no appearance on early compilations or on any original album) and partly as a trailblazer for the "Revolver" sound of jangling guitars and thunderous drums.
The thing which always struck me about it was how LOUD everything was... a richly textured, powerfully mixed track but the vocals are always top of my tick list on listening to any Beatles number, and they're somewhat swamped here by admittedly spectacular layers of terrific instrumentation - again, each Beatle firing on all of their respective cylinders, with overwhelming results.
For years I thought those lyrics ran "That when it rains and shines...it's just coz they don't mind..." and only ages later twigged that Lennon was referring to a "state of mind..."
"Can you heeeaaarrrr me?"
Not too clearly John, no - there's just too much else going on!
Interested to read drummer tkitna's lukewarm response... is this really Ringo's finest hour at the kit after all?
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Interested to read drummer tkitna's lukewarm response... is this really Ringo's finest hour at the kit after all?
Not even close. Ringo has a ton of songs that he plays better on in my opinion, but sometimes the state of mind and mood that a persons in, plays a lot into how they feel about certain things. Ringo felt good about this one and whatever it was during the creative process hit the right buttons for him. I look at it by a creative and technical standpoint and to say this was Ringo's greatest effort in the Beatles just doesn't gel with me, even if he said so. Here's my initial review of 'Rain' when I dd the microscopes-
Rain - Rain is a good song. It truly is, but it doesn’t blow me away and I think it’s a tad overrated. Sue me. Definitely sounds like it could have fit perfectly on Revolver. The guitar tone is great and the bass sounds amazing. Theres that tambourine again. Ringo’s drums sound good and we all know the story. He loved his playing on this song and thought it was the best he’s ever done. Yes he actually even played it faster while they recorded it and the song was slowed down, but I’m not that impressed. It was one of the first Beatle songs I ever learned and I didn’t think it was all that much. Whatever, good job Ritchie. Johns voice sounds fantastic. 0:33 I don’t like the background vocals. 0:49 I especially don’t like them here. John double tracked I believe. With the guitar strums and the vocals along with the pulsating bass, this section always reminded me of some Scottish tune with bagpipes for some reason. Just me I realize. 2:35 my favorite part with John singing backward vocals. Good song and I wouldn’t give anybody grief for loving it.
It really is a good song and I would never fault anybody for liking it, but it just never bowled me over for one reason or another. I see i'm in a real minority on that opinion though. Oh well.
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I think its very (relative to The Beatles, of course) obscurity has helped 'Rain's cause over the years.
I've never understood why a 60s Radio Station isn't available on the radio dial.
The principal reason for my not listening to Capital Gold and the recent shut-down of 'Absolute 60s' (a dire attempt) is that they always insist(ed) on playing, ad nauseam, the 'hits'.
A station that focused on the likes of 'Rain' and delved into the *back catalogues of all the other 60s groups I'm sure would find a healthy audience.
STOP PRESS -
Buffalo Springfield recorded more than one song. TRUE.
Them recorded more than three songs. TRUE.
It's not illegal to play L.P. tracks or songs by obscure groups like The Artwoods. TRUE.
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I've never understood why a 60s Radio Station isn't available on the radio dial... A station that focused on the likes of 'Rain' and delved into the *back catalogues of all the other 60s groups I'm sure would find a healthy audience.
Oh, man, I hear ya! It's always the same ol', same ol'. There are literally thousands of fantastic tracks that never receive any airtime and it's a shame.
Your comment in general, and this thread focusing on Rain in particular bring to mind a moment from my college days waaaay back in the mid-'80s. The local "live" college radio station was soliciting on air for requests. On this particular day it was raining cats & dogs so I called in and requested they play Rain. I even told them on which LP to find it (Hey Jude). The DJ said it would be the perfect song for the day and thanked me for my request. I listened to that darn show for about three hours afterward and they never played it. My only presumption is the station did not own a copy of Hey Jude.
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Your comment in general, and this thread focusing on Rain in particular bring to mind a moment from my college days waaaay back in the mid-'80s.
That's when I was in college too. Sounds like the DJ knew what you were talking about but like you said he couldn't come up with it. I think you guys would enjoy Pandora radio. Once you I got it "trained" it plays some really cool stuff. I've been introduced to a lot of things I'd never heard before but now love.
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I think you guys would enjoy Pandora radio. Once you I got it "trained" it plays some really cool stuff. I've been introduced to a lot of things I'd never heard before but now love.
You are correct. My daughter listens to Pandora and now I have been exposed to some great music I would otherwise never have known about.
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Oh, man, I hear ya! It's always the same ol', same ol'. There are literally thousands of fantastic tracks that never receive any airtime and it's a shame.
Your comment in general, and this thread focusing on Rain in particular bring to mind a moment from my college days waaaay back in the mid-'80s. The local "live" college radio station was soliciting on air for requests. On this particular day it was raining cats & dogs so I called in and requested they play Rain. I even told them on which LP to find it (Hey Jude). The DJ said it would be the perfect song for the day and thanked me for my request. I listened to that darn show for about three hours afterward and they never played it. My only presumption is the station did not own a copy of Hey Jude.
That's me screwed. I thought the first time I heard Rain was on either rarities or past masters. But I had the Hey Jude album very early on (so early in my Beatle life that I thought it was a "normal" -albeit strange -Beatles album) and I have no recollection of Rain being on it. But it was (I can't find any reference to a dodgy Rainless NZ version). This means that the song had no impact on me whatsoever when I first heard it. Zilch. That's a bummer. Good one brain.
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Nice song, fits the period for sure. Like others, didn't get exposure to it at same time as the rest of the catalogue
If N.A. Capitol records can be given any credit, it is for getting most of those U.K. singles onto an Album, otherwise, your right, it is a hidden gem for new Beatles fans to discover.
(http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk38/rickdelsie/The%20Beatles/logoend_zpsc4dc7a2a.png) (http://s276.photobucket.com/user/rickdelsie/media/The%20Beatles/logoend_zpsc4dc7a2a.png.html)
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A fine analysis of recording Rain...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68oFp5LoL74# (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68oFp5LoL74#)
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A fine analysis of recording Rain...
Very interesting, and much easier to understand than some of the books I've read lately.
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Cool video
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cK5G8fPmWeA# (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cK5G8fPmWeA#)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PiY8iTRLTi0# (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PiY8iTRLTi0#)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAybyd54OH8# (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAybyd54OH8#)
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But John wasn't the first...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYdorfWNNxM# (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYdorfWNNxM#)
...it was Niprut Senga in 1960. ;D
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Promo outtakes...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFd4zozNl9I# (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFd4zozNl9I#)