Here in the Golden State we really only have two seasons: wet and dry. Okay, if you factor in mudslides, firestorms and earthquakes, we have five seasons that us Californians, um, enjoy during any given year. It’s always quite comforting on a warm October day when someone reminds you that it’s earthquake weather, or when the weather report includes how acrid the air is because there’s a fire burning out of control somewhere. Yeah, it’s not all beaches and movie stars in California, but one thing that’s always welcome here is rain. We don’t get nearly enough to supply the water needs of the state, but when it pours, there’s a kind of underlying comfort that you can flush your toilet or take an extra minute or two in the shower without the water police reminding you how much we need to conserve. Alas, the rainy season hasn’t quite started. Oh, we’ve had a few storms, but nothing that will add significantly to the snow pack in the Sierras, fill the lakes and reservoirs, or allow me to hose down the back patio without feeling guilty.
In the realm of music, though, rain has been a popular theme for decades. Sometimes it’s a metaphor for redemption, sometimes misery, and sometimes it’s not a metaphor at all — sometimes, it’s just a song about rain. So, here we go with six songs that, for me, are a not-so-subtle rain dance to the weather gods. (more…)
