So, it turns out I like Facebook. I didn’t think I would, but it’s fun to reconnect with high school classmates and keep up with family members across the country. And, sometimes the posts give me some good fodder for my blog.
For example, my friend, Lori, up in Washington State posted, “So I did me some talkin’ to the sun, and I said I didn’t like the way he got things done, sleepin’ on the job, NO!…” Being a Washington native myself, I immediately knew what she was talking about without even asking her: It was the Nth day in a row of gray, rainy skies and she was tired of it. I smiled and continued looking at the other posts, then left my computer to tend to other tasks.
But the familiar tune of Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head got stuck in my mind. I hummed it absentmindedly as I washed the dishes and then started to softly sing the lyrics. Wait a minute, I thought to myself, becoming conscious of what I was singing. What were those words?
The first couple of verses talk about being down:
Raindrops keep falling on my head
And just like the guy whose feet are too big for his bed
Nothin’ seems to fit
Those raindrops are falling on my head, they keep falling
So I just did me some talking to the sun
And I said I didn’t like the way he got things done,
Sleepin’ on the job
Those raindrops are falling on my head, they keep falling
Then, anthem-like, the singer describes the attitude I’ve heard from so many resilient people:
But there’s one thing I know
The blues they send to meet me won’t defeat me
It won’t be long ‘til happiness steps up to greet me
Raindrops keep falling on my head
But that doesn’t mean my eyes will soon be turnin’ red
Crying’s not for me
‘Cause I’m never gonna stop the rain by complaining
Because I’m free
Nothing’s worrying me
I love these last two verses! I like the way the singer defiantly says that, although life has its setbacks, he knows that, if he waits long enough, things will get back to normal and he’ll even be happy again. But more than that, he says in the last verse, complaining about setbacks isn’t going to get him anywhere. Instead, he remembers that he’s free to choose his own reactions and his own way of being.
Raindrops will always fall on our heads. (Especially if you’re in Washington.) Will we complain to the sun about it, or remember that we’re free to see the rain as vital to our own growth?
By the way, is the song stuck in your head now? Good.
Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head, lyrics by Burt Bacharach, 1969
Thanks Bobbi,
I don't believe that I've ever inspired a blog post before.
One of my favorite quotes, is one I heard from my aunt (who happens to live in SOCAL). "Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass. It is about learning to dance in the rain." That being said, as you know, up here in Washington state, it is really easy to get 'weary of the dreary.' That is never more evident then on a blue-skied, sunny spring day. Regardless of the temperature, people have shorts on, sunroofs are open and music is blaring. Washingtonians rarely take sunshine for granted.
We also "dance in the rain" (umbrellas are for tourists) but sometimes I just feel like I need to make sure the sun is paying attention.
Thank you for sharing all of the lyrics to that song. I didn't really feel like I was "complaining to the sun." I "just did me some talking to the sun," to let it know that I felt it was really slacking, just as it had most of the summer.
(We did get over 3 inches of rain during that 24hr period)
Yes, the song is stuck in my head. Thank you my friend.
Hi Lori,
I didn't really think you were complaining, just giving me a good idea for the blog! And who wouldn't talk to the sun after 3 inches of rain in 24 hours?
I like your point, too, that the rain in our lives really makes us appreciate the beautiful days even more.