I Love A Rainy Night

Album: Horizon (1980)
Charted: 53 1
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Songfacts®:

  • Eddie Rabbitt was a country singer and songwriter, but this was a huge crossover hit, going to #1 on the Pop, Adult Contemporary and Country charts. The song is about the peaceful and cleansing feeling a thunderstorm can bring. >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Bertrand - Paris, France
  • According to The Billboard Book of #1 Hits, Rabbitt first got the idea for the song in the '60s when he was sitting in his small apartment on a rainy night. He sang, "I love a rainy night, I love a rainy night" into a tape recorder, but didn't complete the song until 1980, when he discovered the tape in his basement. He finished the song with the help of fellow songwriters Even Stevens and David Malloy.
  • Even Stevens told The Tennessean that whenever the songwriting trio got together, Rabbitt would bring up the 'rainy night' song title: "He really didn't have the melody, but he had this little idea," said Stevens, "and he says, 'I just thought, one night, I wasn't depressed during a rainstorm. I was really happy, and I put this little thing down. We ought to write that.' He'd bring it up, and I'd go, 'Eh, I don't know what to do with it.'... And then one night, it just clicked."

Comments: 9

  • Doug Burke from Park City, UtahI interviewed Even Stevens on the backstory and inspiration of "I Love A Rainy Night." Unfortunately, Eddie has passed away but Even Stevens is with us and one of the nicest guys and funniest songwriters you would ever meet. https://www.backstorysong.com/the-songs/eddie-rabbitt-i-love-a-rainy-night
  • Jennifur Sun from RamonaI love them too, especially thunderstorms: even though I know they can be destructive.
  • Esskayess from Dallas, TxI always wondered how there could be any moonlight shadows on a rainy night.
  • Matthew from Toronto, OnPull on your slicker and slap on your rubber boots, and go dancing in the rain to this one. A raucous, happy song about the pleasures of enjoying one of nature's most basic gifts: a rainstorm.
  • Paul from Detroit, MiJennifer.. I agree. Step By Step is my favorite by him. A truly beautiful song, although I loved this one too. RIP Eddie.
  • Mike from Matawan, NjThere's another Metsie connection Jay. This was Doug Flynn's favorite song if I'm not mistaken. Flynn was traded from the Mets to the Expos for....Gary Carter.
  • Billy from West Unity, OhI love the lead guitar break in this song. It changed the way I way I looked at country music forever. Great tune!!!
  • Jay from Brooklyn, NyIn 1986, after the Mets won the World Series, a radio station here in New York played songs dedicated to as many members of the team as they could. For instance, they played "Strawberry Fields Forever" for Darryl Strawberry, maybe "Little Darling" for Ron Darling, "Doctor My Eyes" for Dwight "Dr. K" Gooden, "New Kid in Town" for Gary "Kid" Carter, "You've Got to Change Your Evil Ways" for Rafael Santana, and "Hawaii 5-0" for Hawaiian-born Sid Fernandez. There were more, but I don't remember everything. When they got to Series MVP Ray Knight, the station played this song. Why? Because Eddie Rabbit mumbles a little and it kind of sounds like "I Love-a Ray Knight." Even today on the occasion I hear this song, I sing the "Ray Knight" lyric.
  • Jennifer Harris from Grand Blanc, MiI like this song,but my favorite is Step By Step.I first heard it on the bus in 1st grade. The bus driver always listened to country music,which I didn't like at the time.untill Step By Step came on WTAC,now defunct. It's now WSNL,a gospel station,I how have the cd which has Step by Step.
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