Have you ever seen the rain?
It comes as a classic question, queried by lovers of weather, feelings, and classic rock fans from all over.
In 1971, Creedence Clearwater Revival released this song as a single from their album Pendulum. Upon its release, it enjoyed much success, peaking at number eight on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. But with the song’s success also came much speculation. Just what was Fogerty getting at?
Many have speculated that the song’s lyrics provide a reflection of the destruction endured in the Vietnam War. Some have gone on to say that the “rain” is a metaphor for bombs falling from the sky. Others have mused that the song is about the idealism of the 1960s, and hope lost for many issues in the 1970s.
However, the exact truth of the song is that Fogerty wrote it to encompass the tough divide that the band was internally experiencing at the time.
Creedence Clearwater Revival, one of the most iconic roots-rock bands of the 1960s, suffered a collapse following a prolific series of gold and platinum records.
Tensions rose in the band, and Fogerty’s brother Tom announced his departure just before the 1971 album was released.
John’s answer to the tension was the song’s titular question. He admitted to Rolling Stone magazine in a 1993 interview:
“The band was breaking up. I was reacting, ‘Geez, this is all getting serious right at the time when we should be having a sunny day.'”
Despite the fact that the band was on top of the charts and surpassed all their wildest dreams of fame and fortune, the internal strife was too much to contain. Despite every reason for happiness, the band members were depressed and unhappy. Despite the sun, there was only rain.
Such emotions you can certainly hear in the song.
Fogerty’s signature throaty howls illustrate his heartache and frustration of the time and place.
And this, coupled with the simple lyics, provide something both effective and relatable.
Something Fogerty still proves he has in this 2010 performance!
In this video, he performs the song for the Night of the Proms in Belgium.
The Night of the Proms is a series of concerts held annually across Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany and Luxembourg.
Many well-known musicians gather to participate, and Fogerty’s contribution in 2010 was just as strong as ever.
Since it was posted, the video has had over 16 million views and 69,000 likes! It’s safe to say that Fogerty’s fans are here to support him in all of his ventures.
One watch of this heartfelt performance, and you’ll see just how it showcases this beloved song in all its glory.
With a smile and a raspy growl, Fogerty leads the song and the audience soon follows in a massive sing-along.
In later years, Fogerty has admitted that while this was once a sad song, it has gained new life and meaning for him.
In a 2012 concert in Arizona, he confided in the audience:
“It started out as a sad song many years ago . . It was about a sad occasion in my life, but I refuse to be sad now. These days, it’s a very happy song, because it reminds me of my beautiful, little baby girl, Kelsy, and that is the truth. Kelsy rules my world . . . and she knows it. Anyway, Kelsy is a rainbow in my life, and this song has a rainbow in it.”
Enjoy this uplifting performance for yourself in the video below!
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Sources: YouTube/ogmuk, American Songwriter, Wikipedia
