Well, not about the weather, necessarily, but songs that mention meterological phenomena in their titles. You know what we mean. Anyway, here's our playlist. We'd love to hear your suggestions.
1. Bob Dylan - A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall
Dylan's harrowing apocalyptic prophecy, with its visions of nuclear fallout, still carries an awesome, unsettling power.
2. The Walker Brothers - The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore
From the days when Scott Walker was known for his lugubrious baritone rather than for coaxing sounds from raw meat on impenetrable solo albums.
3. Radiohead - Fog
This unadorned piano lament, a B-side on their Knives Out single, is one of Radiohead's many overlooked gems.
4. Metallica - Ride The Lightning
Forget the polished hooks of Enter Sandman; for true metal heads, this early, bludgeoning thrashout from 1984 is the definitive Metallica anthem.
5. A-Ha - The Sun Always Shines On TV
The soaring "Touch me" chorus was famously pinched by U2 for the middle-eight of Beautful Day. Speaking of whom...
6. U2 - Staring At The Sun
They've always claimed this was rush recorded before they'd had a chance to finish writing it. Even so, it's one of the few moments on 1997's Pop that doesn't leave you shrugging like a Frenchman.
7. Creedence Clearwater Revival - Have You Ever Seen The Rain?
The proto-Kings Of Leon were big on precipitation: also see the maudlin Who'll Stop The Rain?
8. Kate Bush - Cloudbusting
We almost went for The Orb's Little Fluffy Clouds, but Bush's blissed-out, elliptical hit from 1986 (sample lyric: "I hid my yo-yo in the garden" - we've all been there) just had the edge.
9. Garbage - Only Happy When In Rains
With a title inspired by The Jesus And Mary Chain, this buzzsaw ode to self-pity is now 12 years old yet still sounds strangely modern. A seldom-remembered classic.
10. Led Zeppelin - Misty Mountain Hop
Robert Plant's enigmatic lyrics hint at something to do with JRR Tolkien and getting stoned. Just like every other Led Zep track then. Still, top tune.
Posted by statetrooper at 01:12PM | April 20, 2007
What about Lemon Jelly - Nice Weather For Ducks
Come on!
Posted by smeagormskirk at 03:44PM | April 20, 2007
"Rain" by The Beatles
"Rainy Day, Dream Away" by The Jimi Hendrix Experience
"Love, Reign O'er Me" by The Who
"Cold Day in the Sun" by Foo Fighters
"Sun Don't Shine" by Inspiral Carpets
Posted by Taylor Shull at 04:04PM | April 20, 2007
how about raindrops keep falling on my head from butch cassidy and the sundance kid? or cloudburst by oasis or blue skies by caetano veloso
Posted by nicole at 08:22PM | April 20, 2007
Yay, good to see A-ha up there with the Sun always shines.
Don't forget "The sun never shone that day" too by A-Ha, I like that one =)
Posted by Blasky at 10:18AM | April 21, 2007
I remember reading about a doom metal band called Rain Day Fuck Parade.
They didn't sing about the weather.
Posted by brezhnev at 12:45PM | April 21, 2007
What about "Soft Rains of April", "The Blue Sky", "Rolling Thunder", "Here I Stand And Face The Rain" and "Angel in The Snow" by a-ha? ;-)
Posted by Megs at 06:13PM | April 21, 2007
How about "Riders On The Storm"- by The Doors
Or, how about "Rain" by Trivium (thats a good song.)
Posted by chrstian sanchez at 05:15AM | April 22, 2007
Shame on you, how could you forget Madness's The Sun And The Rain, a 3 minute pop gem!
Posted by steph hill at 12:45PM | April 22, 2007
I really like "Rain When I Die" by Alice In Chains, but not all songs about weather are about rain like "Snowblind" by Black Sabbath. The song "Weathered" by Creed actually has the word "weather" in it. I agree that "November Rain" by Guns N' Roses was robbed of a position.
Crowded House's "Weather with you" may be obvious but good nonetheless. However also love the delicious Cocteau Twins "Pearly dewdrops drops". I guess dew is a weather phenomenon, is it?
Posted by Mike Carabine at 01:31AM | April 23, 2007
What about two song from opposite ends of the rock spectrum....'Holiday in the Sun' by the Pistols and Argent's 'Thunder & Lightning'
Posted by Tony Barnes at 01:21PM | April 23, 2007
Fog is one of my all-time favourite Radiohead songs, and yes, painfully overlooked. I perk up whenever it gets a mention, so thanks Q!
Posted by alex at 01:27PM | April 23, 2007
what about travis 'why does it always rain on me?'
Posted by Eadaoin at 01:28PM | April 23, 2007
Wot no 'Thunder in my heart' by Leo Sayer?
For shame!
Posted by sez at 01:56PM | April 23, 2007
"Red Rain" by Peter Gabriel
"Here Comes the Rain Again" by Eurythmics
"Flowers Never Bend with the Rain Fall" by Simon and Garfunkel
"Snow (Hey Oh)" by RHCP
"Dust in the Wind" by Kansas
And on the sunny side of the mix, well, sort of...
"Ain't No Sunshine When She's Gone" by Bill Withers
"Blister in the Sun" by the Violent Femmes
"Black Hole Sun" by Soundgarden
Posted by Marasca at 01:58PM | April 23, 2007
How about Sun Is Shining by Bob Marley?
Posted by Ms BlackNails at 02:02PM | April 23, 2007
1.holidays in the sun - sex pistols
2. four seasons in one day - crowded house
3. mr blue sky - e.l.o.
4. get off of my cloud - rolling stones
5. grey day - madness
6. heatwave - martha & the vandellas.
7. cold wind - arcade fire
8. rainy night in georgia - randy crawford
9. the wind cries mary - jimi hendrix
10. summer wind - frank sinatra
Posted by bjmcquill at 02:41PM | April 23, 2007
I know it doesn't have anything to do with the weather in the title but dreams by fleetwood mac. ("thunder only happens when its raining")
Posted by Josh at 04:18PM | April 23, 2007
Er, is About The Weather by Magazine too obvious to mention?
Posted by David G at 04:37PM | April 23, 2007
How about "Weather With You" by Crowded House. Being Kiwis though, it could be about sheep.
Posted by TGS at 07:40PM | April 23, 2007
- "Weather With You" by Crowded House (it was the first song to pop in my head)
- "Distant Sun" and "Four Seasons in One Day" by Crowded House. (Think they like weather themes.)
- "Why Does It Always Rain on Me" - Travis"
- "Paranoid Android" - Radiohead
- "So. Central Rain (I'm sorry)" - R.E.M.
Posted by Karen at 08:13PM | April 23, 2007
- "Rain" by Madonna
- "Here Comes the Sun" by The Beatles
- "When The Sun Goes Down" by Arctic Monkeys
- "Electrical Storm" by U2
- "Purple Rain" by Prince
-"Sunflower" by Paul Weller
-"The Sun Rising" by The Beloved
-"Raining In My Heart" by Buddy Holly
-"Spit In The Rain" by Del Amitri
-"Velvet Snow" by Kings of Leon
Posted by Leeann Egerton at 08:48PM | April 23, 2007
"black hole sun" Soundgarden, classic
Posted by Jaz at 08:52PM | April 23, 2007
Good Day Sunshine, Beatles
Sunshine on My Shoulders, John Denver
I Can See Clearly Now (artist?)
Walking in the Wind, Traffic
Soak up the Sun, Sheryl Crow
Like A Hurricane, Neil Young
Posted by Swili at 01:51AM | April 24, 2007
"Weatherman" by Boo Hewerdine
Posted by Lesley at 11:17AM | April 24, 2007
'sunshine on a rainy day' by Zoe-two for the price of one!
Posted by sez at 12:21PM | April 24, 2007
1. Raining in my Heart, Buddy Holly.
2. Cold Wind, Arcade Fire.
3. Sunshine Undergroung, Chemical Brothers.
4.Its Raining Today, Scott Walker.
5. Cold as Ice, Foreigner.
6. Hail, Hail, Rock'n''Roll, Chuch Berry.
7. Setting Sun, The Aliens
8. Too Darn Hot, Ella Fitzgerald.
9.In the Summertime, Mungo Jerry.
10. And the Sky Turned Pink, Nathan Fake
Posted by Lynne at 01:30PM | April 24, 2007
How about "I Can't Stand The Rain" by Eruption??
Everyone seems to have forgotten that nice dance
tune from the late '70's...
Posted by Dan The Banjo Man at 06:56AM | April 25, 2007
"Catch the Sun" by Doves and "Alive" by Edwin (Canadian dood) make me feel like Spring has sprung!
Posted by Mike at 01:42PM | April 25, 2007
What?!?!?!?!?! Can somebody PLEASE explain to me WHY Trivium's Rain is not there? C'mon, Q.
Posted by The Rather Unusual Amy at 02:27PM | April 25, 2007
Stormy monday-allman brothers anyone?
Posted by Electroman at 09:55PM | April 25, 2007
Save it for a rainy day by the Jayhawks!!
Posted by Mr. B at 06:29PM | April 27, 2007
"Rain" by California Dreams....
Posted by Kelly Packard at 06:28PM | April 28, 2007
Why isn't Travis' Why Does It Alwaya Rain On Me? not on this list? Classic track