I Wish It Would Rain



"I Wish It Would Rain" is a 1967 song recorded by the Temptations for the Motown label (under the "Gordy" imprint) and produced by Norman Whitfield.

Background
The song is one of the most melancholy in the Temptations repertoire, with lead singer David Ruffin delivering, in a pained voice, the story of a heartbroken man who wants to hide his sorrow. His woman has just left him, and he wishes that it would start raining, to hide the tears falling down his face because "a man ain't supposed to cry". Accompanying Ruffin's mourning vocal are the vocals of his bandmates (Eddie Kendricks, Melvin Franklin, Paul Williams, and Otis Williams) alongside the subdued instrumentation of The Funk Brothers studio band, and, courtesy of Whitfield, sound effects depicting the "sunshine and blue skies", with the sound of chirping seagulls, and the sound of thunder and rain described in the song. Producer Norman Whitfield devised much of the musical structure of the song, with former Motown artist Barrett Strong composing the song's signature piano intro on a piano with only ten working keys. Motown staff writer Rodger Penzabene provided the song's lyrics.

More so than a number of other Motown songs, there is real sentiment and pain behind the song's words. Lyricist Penzabene had just found out his wife was cheating on him with another man. Unable to deal with the pain and unable to stop loving his wife, Penzabene expressed his pain in the lyrics of this song and its follow-up on the Temptations' release schedule, "I Could Never Love Another (After Loving You)". The distraught Penzabene committed suicide on New Year's Eve 1967, a week after the single's release.

Release and other artists' versions
Issued with the Melvin Franklin-led "I Truly, Truly Believe" as its B-side, "I Wish It Would Rain" peaked for three weeks in February and March 1968 at number four on the Billboard Hot 100 pop singles chart and at the number-one position on the Billboard R&B singles chart. The single was the focal point of the Temptations' 1968 album The Temptations Wish It Would Rain.

"I Wish It Would Rain" has been covered by a number of artists, including Percy Sledge (1994 on his Blue Night album), Gladys Knight & the Pips (peaking in the US at number 41 pop and 15 R&B). Marvin Gaye, Aretha Franklin from Get It Right (1983), Little Caesar, have also recorded versions of the song. Overseas, The Faces, recorded a 1973 cover and  was a hit in the United Kingdom. Gaye's version, produced under a funk sound and featuring just him in vocals, was the B-side to his number-one hit "Let's Get It On".

Australian singer songwriter, Jon Stevens recorded and released a version of the song in 1994, with money raised benefitting drought-stricken farmers. The song peaked at number 49 in New Zealand.

Renée Geyer released a version as the lead single from her album Dedicated'' (2007)

Personnel

 * Lead vocals by David Ruffin
 * Background vocals by Eddie Kendricks, Melvin Franklin, Paul Williams, and Otis Williams
 * Written by Norman Whitfield, Barrett Strong, and Rodger Penzabene
 * Produced by Norman Whitfield
 * Instrumentation by The Funk Brothers.