PETER GABRIEL - RED RAIN

RED RAIN

PETER GABRIEL

SONGWRITER: PETER GABRIEL

COUNTRY: U. K.

ALBUM: SO

LABEL: GEFFEN

GENRE: PROGRESSIVE ROCK

YEAR: 1986

"Red Rain" is the first track on English rock musician Peter Gabriel's 1986 solo album So. In the USA, it was the second single from the album and reached number three on Billboard magazine's Mainstream Rock chart in 1986, where it stayed for three weeks between July and August. In the rest of the world it was not released until 1987 and received less airplay and sales, peaking at 46 in the UK singles chart after entering the chart in July of that year. A live version also charted in the US and the UK in 1994.

The song is a combination of several inspirations. The lyrics directly reference a recurring dream Gabriel was having where he swam in his backyard pool drinking cold red wine. Another version of the dream had bottles in the shape of people falling from a cliff. Once they smashed with impact onto the ground, the people-shaped bottles had red liquid coming out, and then it began to rain the same red liquid.

Earlier in his solo career, Gabriel had an idea for a movie, Mozo. In it, villagers were punished for their sins with a blood-red rain. "Red Rain" was to be the theme song. This idea was eventually scrapped, although there was a mention of Mozo in the song "On the Air" in Peter Gabriel (II). "Down The Dolce Vita", "Here Comes The Flood", and "Exposure" reference the Mozo story, as well.

Peter Brian Gabriel (born 13 February 1950) is an English singer, songwriter, and record producer who rose to fame as the original lead singer and flautist of the progressive rock band Genesis. After leaving Genesis in 1975, Gabriel launched a successful solo career with "Solsbury Hill" as his first single. His 1986 album So, is his best-selling release and is certified triple platinum in the UK and five times platinum in the U.S. The album's most successful single, "Sledgehammer", won a record nine MTV Awards at the 1987 MTV Video Music Awards and is MTV's most played music video of all time.

Gabriel has been a champion of world music for much of his career. He co-founded the WOMAD festival in 1982. He has continued to focus on producing and promoting world music through his Real World Records label. He has also pioneered digital distribution methods for music, co-founding OD2, one of the first online music download services. Gabriel has also been involved in numerous humanitarian efforts. In 1980, he released the anti-Apartheid single "Biko". He has participated in several human rights benefit concerts, including Amnesty International's Human Rights Now! tour in 1988, and co-founded the Witness human rights organisation in 1992. Gabriel developed The Elders with Richard Branson, which was launched by Nelson Mandela in 2007.

Red rain is coming down

Red rain

Red rain is pouring down

Pouring down all over me

I am standing up at the water's edge in my dream

I cannot make a single sound as you scream

It can't be that cold,the ground is still warm to touch

Hay ay ay we touch

This place is so quiet, sensing that storm

Red rain is coming down

Red rain

Red rain is pouring down

Pouring down all over me

Well I've seen them, buried in a sheltered place in this town

They tell you that this rain can sting and look down

There is no blood around see no sign of pain

Hay ay ay no pain

Seeing no red at all, see no rain

Red rain is coming down

Red rain

Red rain is pouring down

Pouring down all over me

Red rain

Haahhh

Haahhh

Putting the pressure on much harder now

To return again and again

(Back voice) Red rain

Just let the red rain splash you

Let the rain fall on your skin

(Back voice) Red rain

I come to you defences down

( Back voice ) oh oh

With the trust of a child

Hayyy ay red rain coming down

Red rain

Red rain is pouring down

Pouring down all over me

And I can't watch anymore

No more denial

It's so hard to lay down in all of this

Red rain coming down

Red rain is pouring down

Red rain is coming down all over me

I see it

Red rain coming down

Red rain is pouring down

Red rain is coming down all over me

I'm bathing in

Red rain coming down

Red rain is coming down

Red rain is coming down all over me

I'm begging you

Red rain coming down

Red rain coming down

Red rain coming down

Red rain coming downnnn

Over me in the red red sea

Over me

Over me

Red rain.