Isabel Designs

Sunshine After Rain

It’s amazing how a sunny day can lift spirits and make a person feel alive! This summer has been perhaps the most rainy on record, and on more than one occasion, it has left me feeling as sluggish as a bog. I use bad weather as an excuse not to get out for walks and fresh air, and of course, these are probably the two things that would help shift a dull mood naturally. This year, having two days of sunshine in a row is great cause for celebration, and I can’t wait to get outside and soak up some much needed vitamin D.

Thankfully there are still many ways to be productive and find inspiration on ‘house-bound’ days. Last week I decided to put together a medley of songs with a rain theme – if I can’t control the weather, I might as well find a way to embrace it. There’s an massive list of rain related songs, and I found at least a dozon that I either already know or would like to learn. Here they are:

• I Love a Rainy Night – Eddie Rabbit
• I Can See Clearly Now – Johnny Nash
• Listen to the Rhythm of the Falling Rain – The Cascades
• Have You Ever Seen the Rain – Credence Clear Water Revival
• Fire and Rain – James Taylor
• I’m a Believer – Monkies
• My Little Runaway – Del Shannon
• It Never Rains in California – Albert Hammond
• It’s Raining Again – Supertramp
• Rainy Days and Mondays – The Carpenters
• In the Early Morning Rain – Gordon Lightfoot
• Here Comes the Rain Again – Eurythmics

An observation I’ve made about rain songs is that they also often make some reference to the sun! So most of the songs I’ve compiled could also be added to a “songs about sunshine” list. Eddie Rabbit sings, “Shadows wash all my cares away, I wake up to a sunny day”. “Rain won’t you tell her that I love her so, please ask the sun to set her heart aglow” is the plea made by the Cascades, and my favorite line from a very familiar standard, “I can see clearly now the rain has gone. I can see all obstacles in my way”.

This rainy day activity proved to be beneficial in a number of ways. First, I got to learn a few new tunes. Finding the lyrics and chords for songs is so much easier with an internet connection, but it is still an excellent way to do some ear and voice training. Secondly, I got to pull out some old songs that I hadn’t played in quite a while. It always surprises me how quickly I am able to recall lyrics and chord progressions. Thirdly, it made me sing! Singing is a fantastic way to make yourself feel better. It produces ‘feel-good’ endorphins, increases oxygen levels and can even help tone body muscles! It’s almost impossible to sing and feel stressed out at the same time. Try it! You really can ‘sing the blues away’!

What’s your favorite ‘rain’ song? Share it here!

Tags: gratitude, inspiration, music, Songwriting

This entry was posted on Tuesday, August 4th, 2009 at 2:23 pm and is filed under Activities, Creativity and Inspiration, Songwriting. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.