Who'll Stop the Rain

Background

"Who'll Stop the Rain" is the flipside of "Travelin' Band", the first single Creedence Clearwater Revival released in 1970. It also appears on the Cosmo's Factory album.

The tune was inspired by Creedence Clearwater Revival's experience amid the deluge of Woodstock in 1969. Right after the festival, John Fogerty wrote the song which had a slight folk-rock feel in it. It describes the late 60's dichotomy of generations: young people feeling quite another thing than the old people, starting with the government and the Vietnam war. Fogerty considered rain elemental and inescapable reality. Therefore, it became a metaphor for this baloney represented by the government (Tom Pinnock, Interview with John Fogerty, The Uncut, August 10, 2012).

Recording session

On "Who'll Stop the Rain", backing vocals are done by Tom Fogerty and Stu Cook (John Fogerty, Fortunate Son, 2015; (Matt Hurwitz, Interview with Russ Gary, The Mix, March 1st, 2009). According to engineer Russ Gary, Tom and Stu also play acoustic guitar in the recorded version

Trivia

With the line “I went down Virginia" John Fogerty is talking about Washington, DC. In “I watched the tower grow” he is talking about BS (John Fogerty, Fortunate Son, 2015).

The line, “I went down Virginia, seekin’ shelter from the storm” gave Bob Dylan the idea for the title of his 1975 song “Shelter From The Storm” (Society of Rock, January 20th, 2016).  

Collector's notes

The "Travelin' Band" b/w "Who'll Stop the Rain" single was released with a similar cover sleeve in Argentina, France, Germany, Italy, and the USA. It was different from the one launched in Belgium, Denmark, India, Israel, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal and Sweden (Peter Koers, Green River, 1999).  

Live versions

The one and only documented Creedence Clearwater gig with "Who'll Stop the Rain" in the set list is the homecoming concert at Oakland Coliseum on January 31, 1970 - one day before the release of the single. It also appears on The Concert album recorded that night and In Concert TV show broadcast in summer 1971. Quite interestingly, the CCR trio never performed the song live. 

During his solo career, John Fogerty performed "Who'll Stop the Rain" live for the first time at Vets Rousing Welcome Home Concert on July 4th, 1987. 

After beginning regular touring in spring 1997, "Who'll Stop the Rain" has remained a regular number in the John Fogerty live shows. Fogerty usually accompanies the song on acoustic guitar on stage. 

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Who'll Stop the Rain appears on two of his three live DVDs: Premonition (1998) and The Long Road Home (2006).

Extraordinary renditions of "Who'll Stop the Rain" include the unplugged version in VH1 Storytellers in June 1997. Another acoustic solo version of the song was delivered by Fogerty to the listeners of WPLJ 95.5 in New York, on June 5th, 1997.

In the movies and TV series

"Who'll Stop the Rain" is usually featured in the films where the storyline touches the Vietnam War. The movies where the song has been used include 

• December Boys (2007)

• Matkalaukkukostaja (1991)

• Philadelphia (1993)

• Powwow Highway (1989)

• The War (1994)

• Who'll Stop the Rain (1978)

TV series include

• Married With Children, episode Hot off the grill (1989)

• Mike and Mike in the Morning, episode dated June 26th, 2014

• Tohuwabohu, episode Pol. Nr. 000033 (1996)

• Under the Dome, episode Force Majeure (2014)

Critical reception

""Who'll Stop the Rain" has the same commercial feel, and amounts to Fogerty's version of a sizable production number with a somber message delivered at a ballad's pace." -John Grissim, The Rolling Stone, September 3rd, 1970. 

"The beautiful ringin' ballad 'Who'll Stop The Rain' would have easily earned the album at least a solid nine: it has simply no analogs in the band's previous catalog efforts! The heavenly riff ('raining' guitar), Fogerty's inspired, soulful vocals, a delicate, echoey production and Cosmo's bombastic drumrolls over the place make it perhaps the best place to start with CCR if catharsis and utmost emotional uplift is what you're searching for." -George Starostin. 

"It has one of John Fogerty's most gentle melodies, yet a singable and memorable one that he invests with passion (particularly in the latter part of the verses), and one with yet another rousing, hooky, almost spiritual harmonized chorus. It's also sprinkled with nice touches like a moody chord progression in the instrumental break that appears nowhere else in the song; the way the harmonized chorus briefly becomes a cappella the last time it's sung; and the half-minute fadeout, reinforcing the central motif of a rain that goes on and on and on." -Richie Unterberger, All Music. 

Fans' views

"I love how the phrase, "Who'll stop the rain?" is sort of unique in how it stops right there and adds emphasis to the song's message."

"I love the line "clouds of mystery pouring confusion on the ground..." ... the song itself describes how everyman feels at one point or another in his life -- lost and scared."

"Reference to Woodstock and love the chord changes leading into third verse."

"Great drivin' tune when you're coming home from a road trip and mellowing out."

Legacy

The Rolling Stone placed "Who'll Stop the Rain" at number 188 on its list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time in 2011. 

Dave Marsh ranked "Who'll Stop The Rain" number 26 in his book The Heart Of Rock & Soul - The 1001 Greatest Singles Ever Made.

The 2013 remake

John Fogerty recorded a new version of the song with Bob Seger for the collaboration album Wrote a Song for Everyone that was released in May 2013. The new version was cut at Blackbird in Nashville. After hearing Seger strumming and singing and rehearsing a low-key style on guitar in the corner, John Fogerty then persuaded him to do the same on the record. 

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