No Rain

Album: Blind Melon (1992)
Charted: 17 20
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Songfacts®:

  • Blind Melon bass player Brad Smith wrote this song before he formed the band. He had moved from Mississippi to Los Angeles, where he fell into a funk. Brad told Songfacts: "The song is about not being able to get out of bed and find excuses to face the day when you have really, in a way, nothing."

    At the time, Brad was dating a girl who was going through depression (she would sleep through sunny days and complain when it didn't rain), and for a while he told himself that he was writing the song from her perspective. He later realized that he was also writing about it himself.
  • "No Rain" has a very intriguing video featuring a girl dressed in a bee costume. The bee girl, Heather DeLoach, was 10 years old when she starred in it, creating one of the most enduring images on MTV.

    The concept for the video was inspired by the Blind Melon album cover, which features a 1975 photo of Georgia Graham, the younger sister of Blind Melon drummer Glenn Graham. DeLoach was the first to audition for the role, and because she resembled Graham's sister so much, director Samuel Bayer (who also directed "Smells Like Teen Spirit") chose her.

    The bee girl parlayed the role into a credible acting career, appearing in the movie Balls of Fury, a remake of the Shirley Temple film A Little Princess, and the TV shows ER and Reno911. She got married in 2017. DeLoach recalled to MTV News her audition for the bee girl: "They told me Sam didn't look at any other tapes. I went in with my hair in braids and wearing those chunky glasses, because they said to look nerdy. My mom said we had to find some glasses before we went in, so we ran to a local mall right before the audition and bought them, and Sam liked them so much they're the same ones I used in the video."

    The video made #22 on MTV's Greatest Videos Ever Made countdown at the end of 1999.
  • This was a hit on a variety of formats. It reached #1 on the AOR (classic rock), Modern Rock and Metal charts.
  • The first performances of this song were on Venice Beach, where Brad Smith would do his busking. "That's where the lyric and the song was inspired from, is just having to write songs," he said. "Then being in the state of mind I was in and having to come up with material to go play down on the beach for change. I played that song on the beach for change for over a year before Shannon Hoon actually joined the band and really made that song a hit."
  • The band didn't always appreciate this song. When they opened some shows for The Rolling Stones in 1994, they left it off their setlist. Their tour manager, Paul Cummings, explained: "They had become one of those bands that hate their hit - at least at that point. I couldn't understand it, but it's not my call. That probably would have been the only song that crowd would have recognized."
  • A hallmark of Brad Smith's lyrics is a feeling of melancholy, which doesn't always match the music he puts to the song. He describes the music to this song as a "jaunty little happy halfway island beat," which sounds like "Don't Worry, Be Happy." He explained: "A lot of my songs come from a darker place. And if you just met me walking down the street, you'd say, 'Oh, you're such a happy guy, Brad. Why the dark songs?' I'm like, 'I don't know.' For me, it just has more meaning if you can get inside someone's soul and identify with them on a heavier level and try to connect with them on that level. Because when you're sad and you're down, you're the most vulnerable, and you feel the most alone."
  • Blind Melon's songs, including this one, were credited to the entire band even when one member wrote the vast majority of the song, as Brad Smith did with this one. Brad says that even though he wrote it, lead singer Shannon Hoon took it to a new level with his vocal. "That was a good song, and Shannon made it a great song," he told Songfacts.
  • In 1993, Heather DeLoach reprised her role as Bee Girl in the Weird Al Yankovic video for "Bedrock Anthem" (a parody of "Give It Away" by the Red Hot Chili Peppers).
  • The inertia described in this song sounds typical of the stoner ennui like that described in "Because I Got High," but you can't blame this one on the herb. "I wasn't even on drugs or drinking," Brad Smith told Songfacts. "It was just a tough point in my life. And the cool thing about that song, I think a lot of people do interpret those lyrics properly and can connect with it on that level, where 'I don't understand why I sleep all day and I start to complain that there's no rain.' It's just a line about, I'd rather it be raining so I can justify myself by laying in the bed and not doing anything. But it's a sunny day, so go out and face it."
  • In 2003, this was used in a commercial where a girl in a hot dog costume meets a guy in a Pepsi costume. Love blooms.
  • Pearl Jam has a song called "Bee Girl" that they first performed in 1994. With lyrics like, "Bee girl, you're gonna die. You don't wanna be famous, you wanna be shy," the track was seen as a very accurate warning to Shannon Hoon that he was on a path of destruction. The song can be found on their Lost Dogs rarities album.
  • In 2016, the pop singer Mandy Jiroux released a song called "Insane" using many elements of "No Rain," including the signature riff. Her song has similar but different lyrics, for instance:

    All I can say is that my life's not really plain
    I like dancing in puddles that gather rain


    In places where Shannon Hoon sang "no rain," Jiroux substituted "insane."

    This prompted Blind Melon to file a lawsuit using the same lawyer who won big bucks for Marvin Gaye's estate in the "Blurred Lines" case. Had Jiroux simply covered the song, it wouldn't be an issue, but Blind Melon claimed that she created a "derivative work" that requires licensing.

    The suit is unusual in that the plaintiff is trying to prove that the defendant didn't make the song similar enough.
  • This song was featured in the 2004 comedy movie Without A Paddle. >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Anto - Numurkah, Australia
  • In the book Shannon, bee girl Heather DeLoach explained how the music video changed her life. "I was just enjoying the ride," she said. "I was having so much fun. I kept getting to wear the costume over and over again. I got to do the VMAs, I got to do Jay Leno. I really had a great family foundation and my mom was amazing. There was talk at one point about going on tour with them. And my parents made the decision not to. I didn't even know until later on that that's what they were approached to do."

    "I loved being the Bee Girl," she added. "I look back on some of the interviews, and I'm like, 'Wow, my confidence is a little too much there.'"

Comments: 54

  • Moosehead from ScMy second daughter loves this song...and is a lot like the bee girl. Agent 42 i love you!
  • Anon E from Kirkland, Wa@Charles Boris -- I think you're thinking of Green Day Basket Case?
  • Joel from Birmingham AlThis is probably my favorite song of many favorite songs. It has a special significance though, any girl I dated I played this song for them and thought was if they said "I'll always be there when you wake" they had to be the one. I can't believe no girl ever got that, well except for my wife. She said it immediately after the song and meant it. We have been married for 19 years and have 3 amazing kids. She has always been there when I wake. Thank you Blind Melon!!! You helped me find my sole mate and the woman I will spend the rest of my life being there when she wakes. I get the melancholy vibe of the song and it being about depression and drugs, but I'm sorry this song is more than that, it always makes me feel great and I can't think of many songs that after 20 years I stop and sing along to and still love so much. Blind Melon was a great band! Live they rocked! It's sad that it ended the way it did, but they left us with some great music and they left me with the best life I could have ever hoped for. So I don't know, maybe that makes it a happy song! At least to me it does! Have a blessed day and God Bless the members of Blind Melon, living and dead!
  • Moanin' Lisa from Chillicothe Mo.Still love this song from 1992. My first boyfriend in high school loved this and the band too. Loved their sound. I can still be their video and that cute bee girl in my memory. These days I hear it on radio more often than I did a few years ago. Gasp! Has it really been over 20 years now??!!
  • Charles Boris from New JerseyHey, maybe someone can help me. There's a song that sounds a lot like the intro to No Rain. It's from a similarly related artist. The riff in the beginning of No Rain (as far as the notes AND guitar effect) sound really similar, except the song I'm thinking of repeats over and over through out the song, and get heavier at times. Anyone have any ideas? I'm stumped and have been trying to figure out what song I'm think of for a while. ANY HELP IS APPRECIATED!
  • Megan from Stevenson, AlThis song is amazing!!! Fell in love when I first heard it...grew up with this! Brings back memories!!!
  • Kaylah from Stoneville, Nclove this song! It makes meh happy ^-^
  • Harry from Leeds, United Kingdomthis feels like an uplifting song to me too, solene. even though though it isnt, the guitar and the singing just feels happy to me
  • Andrea Antonczak from Cleveland, OhAt Woodstock '69 the group started chanting "No Rain" to try to ward off the bad weather. Of course that was before this song was written. Could Blind Melon have gotten the idea from many chants that were yelled at Woodstock over 40 years ago?
  • Linc from Beaumont, TxThis used to be my cellphone ringtone and now when ever I hear it, it triggers me to answer or look of my phone - it's not even my ringtone anymore. I think Pavlo would say this was something about a cinditioned response...:)
  • Derrick from Spring, TxThe album version of this song is, in fact, far from their usual material. However, there are more free spirited versions where that you can find if you search "paper scratcher" along with "No Rain". For those of you interested in Shannon Hoon's work try searching "Mouthful of Cavaties"; an older song of theirs recorded with Jenna Kauss. This, in my opinion, is one of the best Blind Melon songs ever recorded.
  • Selena from Jonesboro Originally, GaI don't know why but, this is a very happy, uplifting son to me. It puts a smile on my face every time I hear it. My Happy Song!!!!!
  • Derek from Auburn, CaShannon was 28 when he died. He just missed the 27 Club.
  • Mel!ssa from Pittsburgh, PaShannon was also 27 when he died. Just like...Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Kurt Cobain etc.
  • Brian from Vancouver, CanadaShannon Hoon died of a drug overdose in 1995. It was overlooked by the public because of what happened to Kurt Cobain a year and half earlier, he deserves a lot more recognition.
  • Alan from Syracuse, NyGreat song! Is it me or does this sound like Grateful Dead?
  • Shane from Baton Rouge , LaI drive a Taxi Cab in Baton Rouge Louisiana. I drove Brad Smith to a place to play tennis today. He was a great guy, you never know what kind of stuff a rock star might be interested in.
    He was very positive about life in general. Got me free passes to see them perform at the Varsity Tuesday Night, April 22 2008 and I got an autograph!
  • Lateeka from Kelowna, CanadaJane's addiction does an awesome cover to this song ... "alll I can say is that velvet underground is great , while im sitten watching puddles gather rainn" I guess they customized it a bit. haha
  • Nora from Small Town , FlEven tho this song is about depression and drugs, this song always seems to get me out of a funk. I love to sing this song. I love the part when he says "you dont like my point of veiw" great song. great band, like so many great singers & song writers it's a real shame they die soo soom !
  • Chuck from Houston, TxLove the song - I have heard from word of mouth that the herion that Shannon died from was bought right in my hometown of Houston. Can anyone back this up or am I just crazy???
  • Jeff from La Pine, Ori love this song out of any song done by any band this is my favorate i can listen to it when im mad or depressed and just automatically be in a good mood
  • Dillon from Windsor, On, CanadaLead singer Shannon Hoon was the cousin of Axl Rose and appeared on the Guns N' Roses Use Your Illusion albums. cuz there both amazing! and have amazing voices! too of my fabvourtie bands: wide variety, but the vocals and both are amazing
  • Austin from Charlotte, Ncwhen i was losing my virginity this song was playing in my head. for no reason at all. wish i would have a had a more romantic song in my head instead.
  • Maich from Toronto, CanadaNot only did it appear at 22 in '99, but on Much More Music's greatest videos of all time list in '05, it was at 16.
  • Brandon from Yuma, AzThis song's about heroin. That's why he sleeps all day. So many vague drug references in this song.
  • Kyle from Loveland, CoThis is a pretty good song, but it's nowhere close to being their best.
  • Rob from Vancouver, CanadaHoon took a leak into the crowd at his last show at the commodore ballroom in Vancouver. Other than that they were a great band. Much harder than this song.RIP Shannon.
  • Joe from South Philadelphia, PaGreat chill song when you're in a mellow mood.Blind Melon also does a cover of "Three is a magic number" off the School House Rock!,Rocks CD.Excellent cover by a great band!
  • Andy from Arlington, VaThis song should also be listed under "Songs about Depression."
  • Chris from Slidell, LaMany people consider Blind Melon to be the most underated band of the 90's and this is my opinion. Sadly, they are mostly remembered for the "bee girl" and No Rain. Btw, Axl Rose was not Hoon's cousin, he was from the same town(Lafayette, Indiana) as Hoon.
  • Tanya from Dallas, TxI don't know what it is about this song, but it always cheers me up. It is just my happy song. Eveb before the video, I felt joy when it cam eon the radio. Maybe I'm clueless and it's actually a sad song, but I choose to remain clueless. We all need a happy song.

    Tanya-Dallas
  • Amy from Tacoma, United Statesi relate to this song soo much that it scares me.... makes me paranoid. as if someone had written it for me. often times you go to write something (song/letter/poem/journal entry) about someone else or some situation, but in the end it turns out to be something about yourself. i like to think of it as your concsiouse mind sending you hidden messages. im a writer myself, so this happends allot to me. my final product never turns out what i origionally was writing about. overall i think this song is one of the most powerfull songs. grunge is such a "REAL" genre. blind melon was REAL. and you can see that their songs were just as real as there life. honestly i beleive that music these days are fake. not all bands..... but 99% of them. its sad that not as many bands can make true music. we should learn to appreciate true music more. as in led zepplin, pink floyd, bob marley, and jimmy hendrix.... just to name a few of my favorites. i <3 blind melon
  • Christine from Tracy, Cathis is my favorite song of all time. i watch the video daily. it gets me by. shannons voice is amazing. i love the little be girl. i am the little bee girl, everyone has a little bee girl inside of them.
  • Ashley from Moncton, CanadaThis is one of my all-time favourite songs. I just really like very much
  • Mia from Wellston, MiFor the longest time i thought shannon hoon was a girl...
  • K from Columbus, OhThis song is not happy, it's about depression and loneliness.
  • Aja from Gloucester, Mai want to hang out in the feild in the video, minus the bee chicks. with some nice stereos and some pina cooladas, i'll be set. what else does a girl need? really?
  • Teresa from Benicia, CaThis is one of my all-time favorite songs. " I just want someone to say to me (ohohohohohh)'I'll always be there when you wake.'" makes me teary and happy. In junior high this waqs one of the few "non-rap" songs I'd listen to
  • Mike from Youngstown, Ohthis was like the come back of hippie music .. but it never caught on
  • Dani from Winnipeg, Canadasuch a good song.
  • Casper from Safd, Nei herd when they shot the music video that they were on shrooms and thats why they were wearing sun glasses
  • Stiv from Bathurst, CanadaDoesnt matter that much, but Shannon was not axl's cousin. Shannon was a friend of axl's sister and they were both from Indiana, Lafayette.
  • Bluejay from Kearny, Njthe song allows for a variety of personal meanings, however, when you combine it with the video, it's pretty clear that it's about having others in your life and how people who appreciate you can make life less plain. He wants someone to be there when he wakes up and to keep his cheeks dry (no longer crying)
  • Karan from Bangalore, IndiaI kinda think this song is bout a "needy" relationship as Erik says but its also got a lil optimistic feel to it which makes it such a great song to listen to when ur down!! :D
  • Katie from Halifax, Nova Scotia, CanadaBlind melon was the most under-rated band of the 90's. This is my favourite song of all time.
  • Dan from Pittsburgh, PaAt woodstock the announcer said over the PA system for everything to chant to get rid of the rain. People chanted "NO RAIN! NO RAIN! NO RAIN!" over and over again.

    Blind Melon were kind of known as the hippies of the 90's.
  • Becca from Hamilton, CanadaI used to dislike this song very much. I thought it sounded "too country."

    Now,I find myself listening to it all the time. Its a great song!
  • Bryan from Spring, TxThis song was cool when I was in the eighth grade, and it is still cool to this day.
  • Dae from Paraparaumu, New ZealandI remember reading somewhere that the band were quite shocked when it made them famous as it isn't their usual style of music.
  • Jodie from Toronto, CanadaThe song is about battling depression.
  • Sarah from Missoula, Mtthis song is awesome, it makes you happy
  • Heather from Mead, Nethis is one of my favorite songs of all time. i cant listen to it just once eaither i have to listen to it 3 or 4 times in a row. the video is great too. it's been my favorite since i was little.
  • Ryan from Tucson, AzIt's really to bad that Shannon Hoon died before his time, alot of good music could have come from this band, this song very much shows signs of roots in music of The Beatles and other origional rock bands.
  • Erik from Davis, CaThe song is about co-dependancy. This was written by Bassist Brad Smith. It's about his ex-girlfriend and their mutually "needy" relationship.
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