Edited by Azizi Powell
Revised: February 21, 2019
This post presents lyrics and four YouTube examples of the African American Gospel song "Didn't It Rain".
Information about "Didn't It Rain" is also included in this post.
The content of this post is presented for historical, cultural, religious, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to the composer of this song and thanks to various arrangers of this song, including Henry Thacker Burleigh. Thanks also to the featured artists as well as the publishers of the videos that are featured in this post. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post.
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INFORMATION ABOUT 'DIDN'T IT RAIN'
The original publication of this post erroneously credited Roberta Martin as the composer of this song. Here's corrected information:
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Didn%27t_It_Rain
" "Didn't It Rain", sometimes given as "Oh, Didn't It Rain", is an American gospel song.[1] It originated as a Negro spiritual or work song,[2] and appeared in sheet music for piano art song form in a 1919 arrangement by Henry Thacker Burleigh (1866–1949).[3]
References:
1. The American Journal of Religious Psychology and Education 3, p. 350. Granville Stanley Hall, Alexander Francis Chamberlain - 1909: "The present-day song that apparently originated in the above song is less elaborate, having only portions of the old song, and not being much in demand. It, too, is called "Didn't it rain?" God told Noah 'bout de rainbow sign — Lawd, didn't it ".
2. Newman I. White, American Negro Folk-Songs, 1928, p. 141: "Did n't it rain" occurs in Negro work songs. Cf. Odum, 1925, p. 129. Old Jonah got mad cause de rain kept a droppin', Did n't it rain, O didn't it rain! It rained forty days; forty nights without stoppin', O did n't it rain, Did n't it rain! C Reported from [text ends here]"...
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LYRICS
(as sung by Roberta Martin Singers)
Didn't it rain, children
Talk 'bout rain, oh, my Lord
Didn't it, didn't it, didn't it oh my Lord
Didn't it rain?
Didn't it rain, children
Talk 'bout rain, oh, my Lord
Didn't it, didn't it, didn't it, oh my Lord
Didn't it rain?
It rained 40 days, 40 nights without stopping
Noah was glad when the rain stopped dropping
Knock at the window, a knock at the door
Crying brother Noah can't you take one more
Noah cried no, you're full of sin
God got the key and you can't get in
Just listen how it's rainin'
Will you listen how it's rainin'
Just listen, how it's rainin'
All day, all night
All night, all day
Just listen how it's rainin'
Just listen how it's rainin'
Just listen how it's rainin'
Some moaning, some groaning
Some groaning, some praying
Well, a oh
Didn't it rain till dawn
Rain, oh my Lord
Didn't it, didn't it
Didn't it, oh
Oh, my Lord
Didn't it rain
Ooh, God sent a raven to spread the news
To hoist his wings and away he flew
And to the north, and to the south
And to the east, and to the west
All day, all night, all night, all day
Well just listen how it's rainin'
Well just listen how it's rainin'
Oh, listen how it's rainin'
Some prayin', some cryin'
Some runnin', some moanin'
Will you listen how it's rainin'
Just listen how it's rainin'
Just listen how it's rainin'
Didn't it rain, children
Rain oh my Lord
Didn't it, didn't it, didn't it, oh
Oh, my Lord, didn't it rain
Rain, rain, rain, rain, rain
Source: http://www.metrolyrics.com/didnt-it-rain-lyrics-mahalia-jackson.html *
*I made minor changes to that transcription.
Here's another version of this song
from https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=24290
Lyr Add: DIDN'T IT RAIN
From: wysiwyg
Date: 07 Feb 02 - 02:29 PM
"DIDN'T IT RAIN Traditional
REFRAIN:
Didn't it rain children, talk about rain oh my Lord
Didn't it, Didn't, Didn't, oh my Lord Didn't it rain
Didn't it rain children, talk about rain oh my Lord
Didn't it, Didn't it, Didn't it, oh my Lord Didn't it rain
Rain, rain, oh my Lord
Didn't it, Didn't it, Didn't it, oh my Lord Didn't it rain
When you read in the Good Book you'll understand
Why Noah lived as a righteous man
The Lord called Noah and gave him a plan
Said: "Build me an ark at my command"
Just listen how it's raining, all day, all night
Water rising in the east, water rising in the west
Men groaning in the north, some moaning in the south
All day, all night oh oh oh oooo
Just listen how it's raining all day all night
Didn't it rain, talk about rain oh my Lord
Didn't it, Didn't it, Didn't it, oh my Lord Didn't it rain
Rain, rain oh my Lord Didn't it, Didn't it, Didn't it, oh my Lord Didn't it rain
Then the Lord told Noah take 'em two by two
The ox and the fox an the kangaroo
The wicked man if he don't repent
Leave 'em there until my judgment
Just listen how it's raining all day all night
Water rising in the east, water rising in the west
Men groaning in the north, men moaning in the south
All day all night, well well well well well well well well
Let me hear you groan some tune
Let me hear you moan some children
All day, all night,
Water rising in the east, water rising in the west
Men groaning in the north, some moaning in the south
All day, all night
Didn't it rain, talk about rain oh my Lord
Didn't it, Didn't it, Didn't it, oh my Lord Didn't it rain
Rain, rain oh my Lord
Didn't it, Didn't it, Didn't it, oh my Lord Didn't it rain."
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FEATURED VIDEOS
These videos are presented in chronological order based on their posting dates with the oldest videos given first.
Example #1: Didn't It Rain - James Cleveland & Chicago Metro GMWA Mass Choir (Sallie Martin)
matthew5and9 Uploaded on Dec 20, 2008
James Cleveland ministers in Chicago with Metro GMWA Mass Choir and a cast of all time greats
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Example #2: Mahalia Jackson - Didn't It Rain
iamlikeasea, Uploaded on Oct 22, 2010
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Example #3: Sister Rosetta Tharpe - Didn't It Rain
180boring Uploaded on Jul 15, 2011
Rosetta Tharpe plays 'Didn't It Rain'. Recorded in Manchester, England in 1964.
Taken from the DVD 'The American Folk Blues Festival: The British Tours'
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Example #4: LRBC 21 - Ruthie Foster Gospel Jam - Didn't it Rain Children!
rd350c, Published on Oct 30, 2013
The Legendary Rhythm and Blues Cruise #21 - 10/18 - 10/25 2013.
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Visitor comments are welcome
Back in the early to mid 1950s my sister and I spent time at our neighbor's house when my mother went to work. One of the things we enjoyed was going through our neighbors' old record collection they kept in their garage. They had a variety of old 78s and 45s, and told us we could play any record we wanted, which would kept us occupied for hours. Without really knowing it, I was developing an eclectic taste in music.
ReplyDeleteOne of those old 45s was "Didn't It Rain". We had never heard that old gospel style before and it made us want to dance. When I got older and entered college, I was a music major, mainly focusing on classical music, but with forays into other musical styles.
About 15 years ago, or so, I sang in the Los Medanos College Gospel Choir, under the gifted leadership of sylvester henderson. You can see him rehearsing his choir (of a more recent time) at this link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=alevB7oaVHA
That experience was a thrill, and left me with an enthusiastic appreciation of black gospel choral music. Today I happened across this site while I was doing a search to see if I could rediscover that old recording of "Didn't It Rain". Rev. James Cleveland says in the video that Sallie Martin recorded it in 1943. That could very well have been the record my sister and I heard. His rendition came the closest to the feel I got from the original recording.
Anyway, I'm thankful you have posted the info on this song. It touched me when I was a boy, and now I've replaced vague recollections with a bit of history. Thanks and God bless!
Michael D. Day
Greetings, Michael!
DeleteThanks for sharing your comment. How you developed an eclectic taste in music by experiencing different music styles via your neighbor's collection of old records reminds of how I developed an interest in world cultures through looking at my neighbor and former techer's old collection of National Geographic magazines and other old magazines.
I'm glad you found this blog.
Here's a link to that video of the Los Medanos College Gospel Choir directed by Sylvester Henderson:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=alevB7oaVHA
That video gave me an idea for a future pancocojams post on college/university Gospel Choirs.
Thanks again!