Early Morning Rain
| "Early Morning Rain" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by George Hamilton IV | ||||
| from the album Steel Rail Blues | ||||
| Released | 1966 | |||
| Genre | Country | |||
| Length | 2:45 | |||
| Label | RCA | |||
| Writer(s) | Gordon Lightfoot | |||
| George Hamilton IV singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Early Morning Rain" (sometimes "Early Mornin' Rain") is a song composed and recorded by Canadian singer-songwriter Gordon Lightfoot. The song appears on his 1966 debut album Lightfoot! and in a re-recorded version on the 1975 compilation Gord's Gold.
Lightfoot composed the song in 1964, but the genesis of the song took root during his sojourn in Westlake, Los Angeles during 1960. During this time Lightfoot became homesick and would go out to the Los Angeles airport on rainy days to watch the approach of aircraft.[1] The imagery of the flights taking off into the overcast sky was still with him when in 1964, about five years later he was caring for his 5-month-old baby son and he thought “I’ll put him over here in his crib, and I’ll write myself a tune.” "Early Morning Rain" was the result.
The lyrics suggest someone down on his luck, standing at an airport fence and observing the thunderous takeoff of a Boeing 707 jetliner. The general narrative of the song can be taken as a jet-age musical allegory to a hobo of yesteryear lurking around a railroad yard attempting to surreptitiously board and ride a freight train to get home. Lightfoot reflects that being able to capture this narrative was due to his steady improvement as a song writer.
Notable recordings and performances
The Canadian husband and wife duo Ian & Sylvia were the first artists to release this song in 1965. There was over a year's time lag between their recording and Lightfoot's recording and its release in 1966. The Grateful Dead also recorded the song in 1965. Funk super-group Cameo frequently performs the song live as an homage to Lightfoot's influence on the band. We Five released a version of the song on their 1970 album, Catch the Wind.[2] "In the early morning rain" is also noted as a US Army tune sung in unison, in marching formation as 'Jodie': "In the early morning rain with my weapon in my hand, I will make a final stand, and pocket full of sand", sung in cadence as the soldiers marched.
Hit singles
- 1965 – Peter, Paul and Mary - #91 on the Billboard Hot 100[3]
- 1966 – George Hamilton IV - #9 on the country chart[4]
- 1971 – Oliver, Prism - #38 on the adult contemporary chart and #124 on the Billboard Hot 100[5]
- 2005 – Paul Weller - #40 in the United Kingdom
Appearances on hit albums
- 1965 – Ian & Sylvia, Early Morning Rain - #77 on the Billboard 200[6]
- 1965 – Judy Collins, Fifth Album - #69 on the Billboard 200[7]
- 1965 – Peter, Paul and Mary, See What Tomorrow Brings - #11 on the Billboard 200[8]
- 1966 – Chad & Jeremy, Distant Shores - #61 on the Billboard 200[9]
- 1966 – George Hamilton IV, Steel Rail Blues - #3 on the Country Albums chart[10]
- 1967 – Roy Drusky, Now is a Lonely Time - #31 on the USA Country.
- 1970 – Bob Dylan, Self Portrait - #4 on the Billboard 200[11]
- 1971 – Jerry Reed, Ko-Ko Joe - #153 on the Billboard 200, #7 on Country Albums[12]
- 1972 – Elvis Presley, Elvis Now - #43 on the Billboard 200[13]
- 1973 – Jerry Lee Lewis, The Session - #37 on the Billboard 200[14]
- 1975 – Gordon Lightfoot, Gord's Gold - #34 on the Billboard 200[15]
- 1977 – Elvis Presley, Elvis in Concert - #5 on the Billboard 200[13]
- 2004 – Wendy Matthews, Café Naturale - #42 on the Australian Album Charts
References
- ↑ Gordon Lightfoot: Extended Interview Retrieved 29th June, 2015.
- ↑ We Five, Catch the Wind Retrieved February 28, 2012.
- ↑ Peter, Paul and Mary charting singles Retrieved February 28, 2012.
- ↑ George Hamilton IV charting singles Retrieved February 28, 2012.
- ↑ Oliver Chart Singles Discography Retrieved March 11, 2012.
- ↑ Ian & Sylvia charting albums Retrieved February 28, 2012.
- ↑ Judy Collins charting albums Retrieved February 28, 2012.
- ↑ Peter, Paul and Mary charting albums Retrieved February 28, 2012.
- ↑ Chad & Jeremy charting albums Retrieved February 28, 2012.
- ↑ George Hamilton IV charting albums Retrieved February 28, 2012.
- ↑ Bob Dylan charting albums Retrieved February 28, 2012.
- ↑ Jerry Reed charting albums Retrieved June 30, 2013.
- 1 2 Elvis Presley charting albums Retrieved February 28, 2012.
- ↑ Jerry Lee Lewis charting albums Retrieved February 28, 2012.
- ↑ Gordon Lightfoot charting albums Retrieved February 28, 2012.