It had to be the first on my list. The song's about acid, of course, but it's got one of the deadliest deadpan putdown of people averse of getting wet in the rain (or baked in the sun, for that matter).
I remember listening to this song after watching footage of Katrina- and the annual cyclones that wreck the Gangetic Delta, and being chilled to the bone by Dylan's gravelly voice gravely declaiming "There's nothing standing here, high water everywhere."
Most people have just heard the Led Zep version, but this is the Real McCoy, genuinely scary, partly because of the inevitability of the plain yet terrifying opening line, "If it keeps on raining, levee's going to break." And we all know what that means of course.
Okay, he might have more specific rain songs, but this one for me captures the atmosphere of imminent rainfall just right, from the buoyant guitar to the changing breeze which quickens and slackens.
I love the metaphor of the rain disguising the tears of a broken heart; its an intensely compelling image. The Doc's voice lives the heartbreak.
Its a force of nature, is Muddy's voice. Its all thunderous desire.
Another lonely heart in the rain, but what a pretty song.
This song always reminds me of the days I spent in my balcony in Calcutta as a kid loving the continuous rain and hating it too, as I couldn't go out.
Another song that builds an intimate atmosphere and then builds on it some more, and finally tops it with a beautiful, blink and you miss it solo.
Predictable, yes, but its also the song that I love shouting out when I'm getting drenched.
p.s. If you're done being happy, please vent your righteous indignation at this great post here.
16 comments:
Thank you! Oh the original of 'levee breaks', is scary..haven't heard it in a long time. hehe like the way u end it with CCR. :)
Thanks Harman.
oh very nice post. i have a list of songs then... perhaps playing them ritualistically (or backward?) will have some effect on the weather?
Maybe :) or maybe you'll hear "Turn me on dead man"
I haven't listened to CCR in ages what with my cassette player giving up the ghost some time last year. :(
Sue: Nor had I for many a year, until on Sujoy's LP recently. In a way, I've heard enough CCR for one lifetime :) If I can play them perfectly in my head, why bother?
"Where did the blue sky go o o o!"
Playing in my head since morning.
I know, I thought about including it, so it gets an honourable mention :)
How about "tip tip barsa paani"? :D
Nice collection. How about the old cliches? Rhythm of the falling rain? or Purple Rain [Prince] or Raindrops keep falling on my head? whadayathunk?
Devil May Care- Of course, those are always there, along with many others I can think of..."Why does it always rain on me?" for one...as I said, its a very subjective list :)
Toy Chat- Tip tip barsa pani indeed!
Man, you like the blues! There aren't too many like you in Calcutta that I know of.
Somehow it's Joy Division's Decades which is inextricably stuck in my mind as the rainiest song I've heard.
Rainy Day or Any day : Great indoor Activities
I like this site. So beautiful blog.
Post a Comment