Written by Pat McLaughlin and Liz Rose, Gary Allan released his mid-tempo ballad “Song About Rain” on November 17, 2003, with his fifth studio album, See If I Care. The song charted No. 12 on Billboard Hot Country Songs and ranked 57 on the Billboard Hot 100, joining Allan’s top-charted hits like “Man to Man,” “Tough Little Boys,” and “Nothing On but the Radio” during the early 2000s.
The California country singer had a unique spin to the song by referencing a few popular songs about rain, such as Gordon Lightfoot’s “Early Morning Rain,” Elvis Presley’s “Kentucky Rain,” and Willie Nelson’s “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain.”
Although the song didn’t climb to the music charts’ top ten, “Songs About Rain” gained favorable reviews for its stirring lyrical compositions and was played on outlaw country radio stations. One of the critics from Allmusic, David Jeffries, described the song as a “bittersweet winner” that proves Allan’s title as “master balladeer.”
It contributed to Allan’s See If I Care album’s success, which sold millions of copies in the United States (US) and became a platinum record at the time.
Meaning Behind the Song
Gary Allan’s recognizable reedy voice was accompanied by flawlessly blended mellow guitar chords and elicit percussion that interpreted the melancholic lyrics of the “Songs About Rain.” The track opens with a dramatic guitar tune and proceeds to narrate how he finds it difficult to move on from his past lover with the lyrics: “So, I’m driving around in circles; And I’m thinking about you.” Hearing her being married to another man left him hanging on a heartache to an extent he never thought possible.
For You
Directed by Kristin Balowe, Allan is shown driving his boat as she sees a mysterious woman in the damp woods. This highlights his longing for the woman he once loved and the agony of dealing with a serious breakup. As the song reaches its climax, the singer sings into the woods and imagines her former lover beside him while the rain is pouring heavily. He has flashbacks of them riding a motorcycle together as they leave everything behind.
In the end, the rain stopped pouring, and he was alone in the woods, with sunlight shining through the barren woods.
“Songs about Rain” metaphorically represents the singer’s pain during a lonely heartbreak. The song’s power to evoke old memories makes it an ultimate anthem for those experiencing the same situation. Entertainment Weekly perceived his style as “dark and dreamy,” whereas Rolling Stone deemed him a “maverick” for his soulful ballads.
Whether it’s raining or not, now is the right time to play Gary Allan’s “Song About Rain” through the video below.
