Blame It On The Rain

Album: Girl You Know It's True (1989)
Charted: 47 1
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This song tells a tale of heartache after a girl has left her man. The song has a lighthearted approach, saying just to blame it on the rain. It was written by Diane Warren, who writes relatable songs with memorable titles, often with very impressive results.
  • "Blame It On The Rain" was Milli Vanilli's last of three US #1 hits before a scandal revealed that the duo did not actually sing on their album but were simply a front for performances where they would lip-synch. The Girl You Know It's True album was cobbled together by various studio musicians and producers, and the slick, catchy songs became huge hits. Rob Pilatus and Fab Morvan, who fronted Milli Vanilli, were chosen for their distinctive look and their energy.
  • The club mix version of the song was included on the US remix album All Or Nothing, which included fragments of other rain-themed songs, like "Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head" and "Walking In The Rain." This version didn't appear on any Milli Vanilli albums until the Greatest Hits release in 2006.
  • This song was re-recorded by Sam Moore and Fantasia in August 2006 on their album Overnight Sensational.
  • This song was featured in an episode of the TV show Full House. Kimmy Gibbler and D.J. Tanner are singing it while they're doing their homework, then Michelle Tanner sings, "Rain.. Rain.. Go Away..."
  • The pop-rock band Barenaked Ladies referenced this in their song "Blame It On Me," singing, "Milli Vanilli told you to blame it on the rain - If all else fails, you can blame it on me." >>>
    Suggestion credit:
    Landon - Winchester, OH, for all above
  • When "Blame It On The Rain" reached #1 it knocked another Diane Warren-written song off the top spot: "When I See You Smile," recorded by Bad English. This made Warren the first female songwriter to have back-to-back chart-toppers.
  • "Blame It On The Rain" found a new audience when it was used in the Netflix documentary The Menendez Brothers, about the brothers who murdered their parents in 1989. In the film the brother sing along to the song in a car.
  • Diane Warren once described her songwriting process as a blend of relentless persistence and improvisational genius - qualities that uniquely shape her work. A self-taught musician, Warren embraces her lack of formal training as a strength. While writing "Blame It on the Rain," her hand accidentally slipped on the keyboard, producing a sound her guitarist declared "totally wrong." Instead of discarding the idea, Warren leaned into it, showcasing her instinct to turn happy accidents into chart-topping hits. "The good thing about me not being a trained musician," she quipped on the Today show, "is I don't know what's not correct."

Comments: 1

  • Joseph from OregonGirl you know it's *record scratch* Girl you know it's *record scratch* Girl you know it's *record scratch*
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Muhammad Ali: His Musical Legacy and the Songs he Inspired

Muhammad Ali: His Musical Legacy and the Songs he InspiredSong Writing

Before he was the champ, Ali released an album called I Am The Greatest!, but his musical influence is best heard in the songs he inspired.

John Parr

John ParrSongwriter Interviews

John tells the "St. Elmo's Fire (Man In Motion)" story and explains why he disappeared for so long.

Donnie Iris (Ah! Leah!, The Rapper)

Donnie Iris (Ah! Leah!, The Rapper)Songwriter Interviews

Before "Rap" was a form of music, it was something guys did to pick up girls in nightclubs. Donnie talks about "The Rapper" and reveals the identity of Leah.

Johnette Napolitano of Concrete Blonde

Johnette Napolitano of Concrete BlondeSongwriter Interviews

The singer/bassist for Concrete Blonde talks about how her songs come from clairvoyance, and takes us through the making of their hit "Joey."

Barney Hoskyns Explores The Forgotten History Of Woodstock, New York

Barney Hoskyns Explores The Forgotten History Of Woodstock, New YorkSong Writing

Our chat with Barney Hoskyns, who covers the wild years of Woodstock - the town, not the festival - in his book Small Town Talk.

Actors With Hit Songs

Actors With Hit SongsMusic Quiz

Many actors have attempted music, but only a few have managed a hit. Do you know which of these thespians charted?