Have You Ever Seen The Rain? - Creedence Clearwater Revival

Artist: Creedence Clearwater Revival
Song: Have You Ever Seen the Rain?
Year: 1970
Album: Pendulum

Many have suggested that this song is about the Vietnam war or about the loss of innocence of the sixties. While those are all decent analogies for "Have You Ever Seen The Rain?", the song is really about the tensions that were beginning to mount among the members of CCR. This preceded Tom Fogerty leaving the band.

I would hear this song on my local classic rock station every time that it rained. They would pair this up with "Who'll Stop The Rain". I enjoyed both songs immensely, but I would groan whenever the station would play them in that situation.

I think the key phrase is "there's a calm before the storm". It signifies the uneasy feelings going on between band mates. The song almost comes right out and says that the band is in its decline. Not musically, but emotionally. CCR had a long history of fights and lawsuits after the band broke up. Most of the problems came from the record company.

Lyrics:

Someone told me long ago,
There's a calm before the storm,
I know, and it's been comin' for some time.

When it's over so they say,
It'll rain a sunny day,
I know, shinin' down like water.

I wanna know, have you ever seen the rain
I wanna know, have you ever seen the rain
Comin' down on a sunny day?

Yesterday and days before,
Sun is cold and rain is hot,
I know, been that way for all my time.

'Til forever on it goes,
Through the circle fast and slow,
I know, and it can't stop I wonder.

I wanna know, have you ever seen the rain
I wanna know, have you ever seen the rain
Comin' down on a sunny day?

Yeah!

I wanna know, have you ever seen the rain
I wanna know, have you ever seen the rain
Comin' down on a sunny day?

Yeah!