“You’ve gotta be nuts to try and sing that song after David Ruffin sang it,” confessed Bruce Springsteen to Andy Greene in Rolling Stone. “But I found my own little part of it… I found the hurt and the center of human emotion in it.”
Honestly, he didn’t have to look very hard.
“I Wish It Would Rain” ranks as one of the most heart-wrenching songs in the Motown catalog, peaking at #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1968 and topping the R&B chart. Audiences viscerally responded to David Ruffin’s anguished, impassioned vocals, but few knew the tragedy that imbued the lyrics.
In the spring of 1967, songwriter Roger Penzabene discovered his wife was having an affair. Consumed with betrayal, he poured his pain into a song about a man so miserable that he hides himself from the world, hoping for rainfall to mask his tears so that he might walk the world freely and without shame.
The Temptations recorded “I Wish It Would Rain” that summer and released it on December 21st. Ten days later, Penzabene took his own life.
Unaware of the tragic backstory, audiences nevertheless flocked to “I Wish It Would Rain,” drawn in by Ruffin’s vocals set starkly against a minimalist arrangement.
When the strings enter about halfway through, one can’t help but notice the similarity to The Temptations’ earlier hit, “My Girl.” In fact, from the very first line (“Sunshine, blue skies, please go away”), “I Wish It Would Rain” sounds like a mournful answer song. I’ve never seen it hypothesized, much less confirmed, but I wouldn’t be at all surprised if that was by design.
“I Wish It Would Rain” climbed the charts swiftly, peaking in February. It soon became a melancholy R&B standard, covered over the years by heavyweights like Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye, Tina Turner, and Gladys Knight.
That’s some serious talent to throw down with, but Springsteen wasn’t deterred. He understood that “I Wish It Would Rain” dares any contender to meet it in a place of anguish, and Bruce gave it his all. He matched Ruffin growl for growl while adding a layer of vulnerability via his inimitable falsetto.
The arrangement is faithful, even if the antagonist isn’t, and the lyrical changes are tactfully minor. (Bruce sings “My girl has found another and gone astray” instead of “gone away,” a small but fitting substitution.)
The finished track is one of Bruce’s favorites on the album. “I just felt great,” he recollected to Greene. “It came out great, so we used it.”
It’s one of my favorites, too. If that rumored Only the Strong Survive mini-tour ever comes to pass, maybe we’ll even get to hear it live someday.
I Wish It Would Rain
Recorded: 2021
Released: Only the Strong Survive (2022)
Never performed
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“Consumed with betrayal, he poured his pain into a song about a man so miserable that he hides himself from the world, hoping for rainfall to mask his tears.” Sounds like the protagonist wishes he were blind. Thanks for the “cover”.
Yay!
Yay! Was so excited to see this today! I’ve been missing these. Thank you for your great analysis as always, Ken! Really hoping for ROTD write-ups on Rosalita and NYC Serenade soon since the 50th anniversary of WIESS is coming up! 🙂
One of the best from the Temptations…played that song to death .. Day IN, day Out, my tears they stained, PRESSED against the window PANE…..my eyes searched the skies, DESPERATELY for RAIN…cause raindrops HIDE my teardrops that no one will ever know, why I am crying, crying, crying not to go outside..
Remember something like that,..sung that song to forever! .
😂
BILLY B.
I prefer “gone away” as it was Intended and as it is. R.I.P. Roger Penzabene.
God Bless Everyone Thanks Temps.