Walking In The Rain

Album

I Cry When I Laugh

Label

Philles Records

Genre

Rhythm & Blues

Composer(s)

Barry Mann;Cynthia Weil;Phil Spector

Entered Chart

Oct 24, 1964

Peak Date

Dec 5, 1964

Released

October 1964

Recorded

Unknown

Catalog #

Philles 123

B-Side

How Does It Feel?

Phil Spector co-wrote this song with the husband-and-wife songwriting team of Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil. It was the Ronettes' final Top 40 hit in the US. Despite the song's title of "(Walking) In the Rain," this song is actually about a desire to find the right person to love. This song contains special effects of a rainstorm. It received a Grammy in 1965 for Best Sound Effects. Cher is featured on this song as a backup vocalist. During the bridge of this song, the backup vocalists sing a certain number of male names and the lead singer (Ronnie Spector in this song) rejects all of them. These particular musical actions were previously done in the bridge of the Crystals' first hit "There's No Other (Like My Baby)." A version by Jay & the Americans reached #19 in the US in 1970. >> Ronnie Spector recorded her vocals for this song in just one take. She recalled to Uncut magazine in 2016: "They (Mann, Weil, Spector) were writing it while we were in London. When I came back, I told them I loved the English rain and fog - we had to stop the tourbus with the Stones to wait for the fog to lift. When it came to the vocal, I went in the booth, closed my eyes and - boom! I said, "Shall I do it again?' And they said, 'No, that was it.' Back in the '60s, you hadn't the technology, so you had to do each song, or vocal, over and over. But this was one take. So it means more to me than just the lyrics. It was the fact I had my eyes closed, I stepped up to the mic and it just melted out of me."

I want him, and I need him,
And someday someway woo I'll meet him
He'll be kind of shy, and real good lookin' too
And I'll be certain he's my guy by the things he'll like to do

Like walking in the rain (like walking in the rain)
And wishing on the stars (and wishing on the stars) up above
And being so in love

When he's near me, I'll kiss him,
And when he leaves me woo I'll miss him
Though sometimes we'll fight, I won't really care
And I'll know it's gonna be alright 'cause we've got so much we share

Like walking in the rain (like walking in the rain)
And wishing on the stars (and wishing on the stars) up above
And being so in love

(Johnny) no no he'll never do
(Bobby) no it isn't him too
They would never no they'd never never ever ever love
Walking in the rain (like walking in the rain)
And wishing on the stars (and wishing on the stars) up above

And being so in love

Oh oh oh where can he be oh oh