Building on yesterday’s classic tune, the Carpenters’ “Rainy Days and Mondays,” today’s rain-themed classic song of the day is “Rainy Day People” by Canadian troubadour Gordon Lightfoot. Released in March of 1975, this one went to #26 on the Billboard Hot 100, #1 on Billboard’s Easy Listening chart, and #1 on the Canadian RPM Adult Contemporary chart.
According to Mr. Lightfoot’s song, rainy day people are a special breed:
Rainy day people always seem to know when it’s time to call
Rainy day people don’t talk, they just listen till they’ve heard it all
Rainy day lovers don’t lie when they tell you they’ve been down like you
Rainy day people don’t mind if you cry on a tear or two
In Mr. Lightfoot’s own words, “Rainy Day People” is “about the person waiting in the wings for a relationship to subside so he can move in.” As the lyrics say, “Rainy day people don’t hide love inside, they just pass it on.”
“Rainy Day People” was the fourth of six U.S. Top 40 hits for Mr. Lightfoot. The other hits were “If You Could Read My Mind” (#5 in 1970), “Sundown” (#1,1974), “Carefree Highway (#10, 1974), “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” (#2, 1976), and “The Circle is Small (I Can See It in Your Eyes)” (#33, 1977). He had more hits on the adult contemporary charts and even more on both the mainstream and easy listening Canadian charts.
I always found Gordon Lightfoot’s songs to be well-constructed and often moving. He was an engaging performer who was on stage in front of adoring crowds almost until the day he died on May 1, 2023, just about a year ago. He was 84 years old.
