What Have They Done to the Rain

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"What Have They Done To The Rain"
Single by The Searchers
B-side"This Feeling Inside"
ReleasedNovember 1964 (UK); January 1965 (US)
GenrePop
Length2:33
LabelPye 7N15739 (UK)
Kapp 644 (USA)
Songwriter(s)Malvina Reynolds
The Searchers singles chronology
"When You Walk in the Room"
(1964) 		"What Have They Done To The Rain"
(1964) 		"Goodbye My Love"
(1965)

"What Have They Done to the Rain" is a song by Malvina Reynolds.

Composed in 1962 and first entitled "Rain Song", it was written as part of a campaign to stop nuclear testing in the atmosphere, which was producing fall-out.

The song was recorded by The Searchers, reaching number 29 on the U.S. charts and number 13 in the UK[1] in 1965. It has been recorded by many other artists including Esther & Abi Ofarim on their album That's Our Song (1965), who also recorded a version in French, "Tout est étrange sous la pluie", the same year,[2] The Seekers, Marianne Faithfull, Joan Baez (1962),[3] and Melanie.

The song was recorded by the composer and issued by Columbia on the 1967 album Malvina Reynolds Sings the Truth (reissued on CD by Omni in 2008).[4]

It was also covered by actress Lili Taylor in Nancy Savoca's film Dogfight.

References[]

  1. ^ Paul Gambaccini, Tim Rice and Jo Rice: British Hit Singles, 7th Edition, Guinness Books, 1989, page 230.
  2. ^ http://www.esther-ofarim.de/Disco.htm
  3. ^ Gilliland, John (1969). "Show 19 - Blowin' in the Wind: Pop discovers folk music. [Part 2]" (audio). Pop Chronicles. University of North Texas Libraries.
  4. ^ http://people.wku.edu/charles.smith/MALVINA/records.htm


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