Have You Ever Seen the Rain?

For the Stanley Turrentine album, see Have You Ever Seen the Rain (album).
"Have You Ever Seen the Rain"
Single by Creedence Clearwater Revival
from the album Pendulum
B-side"Hey Tonight"
ReleasedJanuary 1971
Recorded1970
Genre
Length2:39
LabelFantasy
Songwriter(s)John Fogerty
Producer(s)John Fogerty
Creedence Clearwater Revival singles chronology
"Lookin' Out My Back Door"
(1970) 		"Have You Ever Seen the Rain"
(1971) 		"Sweet Hitch-Hiker"
(1971)
Music video
"Creedence Clearwater Revival - Have You Ever Seen The Rain (Official)" on YouTube

"Have You Ever Seen the Rain" is a song by American rock band Creedence Clearwater Revival, written by John Fogerty and released as a single in 1971 from the album Pendulum (1970). The song charted highest in Canada, reaching number one on the RPM 100 national singles chart in March 1971.[3] In the U.S., in the same year it peaked at number eight on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.[4] On the Cash Box pop chart, it peaked at number three. In the UK, it reached number 36. It was the group's eighth gold-selling single.[5] In March 2023, the song surpassed one billion streams on Spotify.[6]

Cash Box called the song "as close to a ballad as anything from CCR."[7]

Fogerty released a live version of the song on his The Long Road Home - In Concert DVD which was recorded at the Wiltern Theatre in Los Angeles, California, on September 15, 2005. A music video was released for the band's 50th anniversary on December 11, 2018.

On the 2013 John Fogerty album Wrote a Song for Everyone a new recording of the song featuring Alan Jackson was included.[8]

Lyrics

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In his review of the song for AllMusic, Mark Deming suggests that "Have You Ever Seen the Rain" is about the decline of the countercultural political idealism of the 1960s during the Nixon administration, in light of events such as the Altamont Free Concert and the Kent State shootings.[9] However, John Fogerty has said in interviews and prior to playing the song in concert that it concerns tensions within Creedence Clearwater Revival themselves and the imminent departure of his brother Tom Fogerty from the band. In a 2020 interview with American Songwriter, Fogerty stated that the line "Have you ever seen the rain, coming down on a sunny day?" was inspired by the band's feelings of unease and depression at the height of their fame and commercial success. The band would ultimately split in October 1972, following the release of the album Mardi Gras.[10]

In a literal sense, the song describes a sunshower, such as in the lyric "It'll rain a sunny day" and the chorus, "Have you ever seen the rain, comin' down on a sunny day?" These events are particularly common in the Deep South due to localized atmospheric wind shear effects.[11]

Music video

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For the band's 50th anniversary in 2018, a music video was released for "Have You Ever Seen the Rain" The video stars then up-and-coming actors including Jack Quaid, Sasha Frolova, and Erin Moriarty. The video was shot in Montana by director Laurence Jacobs who described it as "a coming-of-age story" and "something distinctly real that encapsulated identity. Not teenage years, but specifically your early 20s when you're still growing and trying to become someone." The story, cowritten by Jacobs and Luke Klompien, is of "three best friends hanging in Montana until one of them moves away", and includes scenes of the cast "skipping rocks into the river", "driving through the countryside in a vintage red Chevy pickup truck watching the sunset and bonding by the fire."[12][13] A behind-the-scenes featurette about the making of the video was released June 26, 2019, featuring interviews with the cast and director, and also shows dialogue between the actors.[14]

Quaid and Moriarty would go on to star in Amazon Prime's The Boys, a satirical take on the superhero genre. Quaid and Moriarty star as main characters/love interests Hugh "Hughie" Campbell Jr. and Annie January / Starlight.

Charts

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Certifications and sales

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Certifications and sales for "Have You Ever Seen the Rain?"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[39] 8× Platinum 560,000‡
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[40] Gold 30,000‡
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[41] Platinum 90,000‡
Germany (BVMI)[42] Gold 250,000‡
Italy (FIMI)[43]
sales since 2009 		Platinum 50,000‡
New Zealand (RMNZ)[44] 7× Platinum 210,000‡
Portugal (AFP)[45] 2× Platinum 20,000‡
South Africa — 100,000[46]
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[47] 3× Platinum 180,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[48]
2005 release 		Platinum 600,000‡
United States (RIAA)[49] 3× Platinum 3,000,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Bonnie Tyler version

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"Have You Ever Seen the Rain?"
Single by Bonnie Tyler
from the album Faster Than the Speed of Night
B-side"Time"
Released17 June 1983 (1983-06-17)
GenrePop rock
Length4:08
Label
Songwriter(s)John Fogerty
Producer(s)
Music video
"Bonnie Tyler - Have You Ever Seen the Rain? (Video)" on YouTube

Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler covered the song on her 1983 album Faster Than the Speed of Night. The track was released as the album's third single in June 1983.

Charts

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Chart performance for "Have You Ever Seen the Rain?" by Bonnie Tyler
Chart (1983) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[50] 69
Ireland (IRMA)[51] 13
UK Singles (OCC)[52] 47
West Germany (GfK)[53] 63

Other cover versions

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Boney M. covered the song on their 1977 album Love for Sale. This was later sampled in Modjo's "Music Takes You Back".

Minutemen covered the song on their 1985 album 3-Way Tie (For Last).

Johnny Cash covered the song for his 1985 album Rainbow.

Joan Jett and the Blackhearts covered the song on their 1990 album The Hit List.

Spin Doctors covered the song for the soundtrack of the 1993 film Philadelphia.

The Ramones included the song on their 1994 covers album Acid Eaters.

Smokie covered the song on their 1995 album The World And Elsewhere.

Rod Stewart included the song on his 2006 covers album Still the Same... Great Rock Classics of Our Time.

Willie Nelson and his daughter Paula Nelson covered the song for his 2013 album To All the Girls...[54]

Versions in other languages

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Spanish

Portuguese

References

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  1. ^ "Creedence Clearwater Revival 50th Anniversary". 26 February 2021.
  2. ^ Breithaupt, Don; Breithaupt, Jeff (October 15, 1996). "Revoluncheon: Late Sixties Continued". Precious and Few - Pop Music in the Early '70s. St. Martin's Griffin. p. 11. ISBN 031214704X.
  3. ^ "Item: 2736 – Library and Archives Canada". Library and Archives Canada. 17 July 2013. Retrieved 2016-03-03.
    "Item: 2795 – Library and Archives Canada". Library and Archives Canada. 17 July 2013. Retrieved 2016-03-03.
  4. ^ "Creedence Clearwater Revival – Chart history". Billboard. Retrieved 2016-03-04.
  5. ^ Chronicle, Vol. 1 Liner notes
  6. ^ "Creedence Clearwater Revival". Spotify.
  7. ^ "CashBox Singles Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. January 23, 1971. p. 22. Retrieved 2023-04-22.
  8. ^ "Wrote a Song for Everyone - John Fogerty | Album | AllMusic". AllMusic.
  9. ^ Deming, Mark. "Have You Ever Seen the Rain – Creedence Clearwater Revival | Listen, Appearances, Song Review". AllMusic. Retrieved 2014-08-21.
  10. ^ Scott, Jason (July 14, 2020). "Behind the Song: Creedence Clearwater Revival, "Have You Ever Seen the Rain?"". American Songwriter. Retrieved July 27, 2022.
  11. ^ Mahan, Simon (September 2, 2016). "Did a rock band explain why wind power will work in the south, 45 years ago?". Southern Alliance for Clean Energy. Archived from the original on November 11, 2018. Retrieved September 2, 2016.
  12. ^ Lewry, Fraser (December 11, 2018). "Creedence Clearwater Revival unveil new "Have You Ever Seen the Rain" video". Louder Sound. Retrieved July 24, 2022.
  13. ^ Sands, Nicole (December 11, 2018). "Jack Quaid Stars in Creedence Clearwater Revival's Video for "Have You Ever Seen the Rain"". People. Retrieved July 24, 2022.
  14. ^ Sexton, Paul (June 26, 2019). "Watch Making-of Video for Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Have You Ever Seen the Rain"". uDiscoverMusic. Retrieved July 24, 2022.
  15. ^ "Argentina's Best Sellers" (PDF). Cash Box. Vol. 32, no. 47. May 15, 1971. p. 45. Retrieved July 16, 2021 – via World Radio History.
  16. ^ a b c d e f "Hits of the World". Billboard. April 17, 1971. p. 53. Retrieved July 16, 2021 – via Google Books.
  17. ^ "Creedence Clear Water". Hung medien. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
  18. ^ "Ultra Top – Charts". Ultratop. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
  19. ^ "Hits of the World". Billboard. May 1, 1971. p. 53. Retrieved July 16, 2021 – via Google Books.
  20. ^ "Item Display – RPM – Library and Archives Canada". Retrieved 2017-04-04.
  21. ^ "Hits of the World". Billboard. April 7, 1971. p. 57. Retrieved July 16, 2021 – via Google Books.
  22. ^ "flavour of new zealand – search listener". www.flavourofnz.co.nz. Archived from the original on 2021-06-13. Retrieved 2021-08-28.
  23. ^ "Hits of the World". Billboard. May 8, 1971. p. 69. Retrieved July 16, 2021 – via Google Books.
  24. ^ "SA Charts 1965 – 1989 Songs H-I". South Africa's Rock Lists. Retrieved September 29, 2018.
  25. ^ "Creedence Clearwater Revival Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved August 3, 2024.
  26. ^ "Cash Box Top 100 3/13/71". tropicalglen.com. Archived from the original on 7 June 2015. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
  27. ^ "Creedence Clearwater Revival Chart History (Canadian Digital Song Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved July 18, 2022.
  28. ^ "Creedence Clearwater Revival". Billboard.
  29. ^ "Creedence Clearwater Revival Chart History (Digital Song Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved July 16, 2022.
  30. ^ "Creedence Clearwater Revival Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
  31. ^ "Creedence Clearwater Revival Chart History (Global 200)". Billboard. Retrieved August 20, 2024.
  32. ^ "Veckolista Singlar, vecka 9, 2024". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved March 2, 2024.
  33. ^ "Official Independent Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 9, 2024.
  34. ^ "Forum – 1970 (ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts)". Australian-charts.com. Archived from the original on 2016-06-02. Retrieved 2017-05-07.
  35. ^ "Item Display – RPM – Library and Archives Canada". collectionscanada.gc.ca.
  36. ^ "Top 20 Hit Singles of 1971". Retrieved 2 September 2018.
  37. ^ "Cash Box YE Pop Singles – 1971". tropicalglen.com. Archived from the original on 6 October 2016. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
  38. ^ "Top Selling Singles of 2023". Recorded Music NZ. Archived from the original on December 20, 2023. Retrieved December 22, 2023.
  39. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2024 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved May 16, 2024.
  40. ^ "Brazilian single certifications – Creedence Clearwater Revival – Have You Ever Seen the Rain" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil. Retrieved July 3, 2024.
  41. ^ "Danish single certifications – Creedence Clearwater Revival – Have You Ever Seen the Rain". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved June 7, 2023.
  42. ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Creedence Clearwater Revival; 'Have You Ever Seen the Rain')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
  43. ^ "Italian single certifications – Creedence Clearwater Revival – Have You Ever Seen the Rain" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
  44. ^ "New Zealand single certifications – Creedence Clearwater Revival – Have You Ever Seen the Rain?". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 2024-11-20.
  45. ^ "Portuguese single certifications – Creedence Clearwater Revival – Have You Ever Seen the Rain?" (PDF) (in Portuguese). Associação Fonográfica Portuguesa. Retrieved August 16, 2024.
  46. ^ Feldman, Peter (March 18, 1972). "From The Music Capitols of the World – Johannesburg". Cash Box. p. 54. Retrieved April 19, 2020 – via Google books.
  47. ^ "Spanish single certifications – Creedence Clearwater Revival – Have You Ever Seen the Rain". El portal de Música. Productores de Música de España. Retrieved August 26, 2024.
  48. ^ "British single certifications – Creedence Clearwater Revival – Have You Ever Seen the Rain". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved March 24, 2023.
  49. ^ "American single certifications – Creedence Clearwater Revival – Have You Ever Seen the Rain". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved December 9, 2020.
  50. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 316. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  51. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Have You Ever Seen the Rain". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 4 March 2023.
  52. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 4 March 2023.
  53. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Bonnie Tyler – Have You Ever Seen the Rain?" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 4 March 2023.
  54. ^ Moore, Bobby (October 23, 2021). "Hear Willie Nelson Cover "Have You Ever Seen the Rain" With Daughter Paula Nelson". Wide Open Country. Retrieved October 2, 2022.
  55. ^ "The Fevers – Não Devo Mais Ficar (Have You Ever Seen the Rain)". YouTube. 2 November 2010. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21. Retrieved 23 April 2021.
  56. ^ "Gilberto e Gilmar – Não Devo Mais Ficar (Have You Ever Seen the Rain)". YouTube. 20 December 2016. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21. Retrieved 23 April 2021.
  57. ^ "- YouTube". YouTube. Retrieved 23 April 2021.[dead YouTube link]
  58. ^ "Paulo Ricardo "Eu Não Devo Mais Ficar"". YouTube. 22 September 2013. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21. Retrieved 23 April 2021.
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