Amos Lee (born 1978 as Ryan Anthony Massaro) is an American singer-songwrit… Read Full Bio ↴Amos Lee (born 1978 as Ryan Anthony Massaro) is an American singer-songwriter whose musical style encompasses folk, rock and soul. His self-titled debut album is full of folk and soul, with a jazz twist. The Flower Songfacts state that his fourth album, Mission Bell, which was released on January 25, 2011 debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 with 40,000 copies sold in its first week; these sales were the lowest for a #1 debut in the Nielsen SoundScan era.

Lee grew up in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Cherry Hill, New Jersey, USA. He has been quoted as saying that he is fortunate to have seen different sides of life in America. Lee enrolled at the University of South Carolina in 1995. He began to play guitar and write songs seriously while he studied English. After graduating with an English degree, Lee moved back to Philadelphia to teach elementary school. He later made the tough decision to stop teaching in order to pursue a career in music. Shortly thereafter, he released a self-produced EP that featured five of his original songs, which did extremely well in Philadelphia and created a buzz. Norah Jones was the person who finally gave Lee his big breakthrough when she asked him to open for her 2004 tour. Lee then went on to produce his self-titled debut album. In March and April of 2005 Lee opened for the tour that Merle Haggard and Bob Dylan were both embarking on, all 3 performers were extremely well received by critics as the tour went by, with Dylan receiving some of his strongest reviews in years. On October 3, 2006, Lee released his second album, "Supply & Demand" to critical and commercial acclaim.

At the age of only 27, Amos Lee has enjoyed notable success with his debut album and looks to have a promising future in the music business. His favorite artists and sources of inspiration include Stevie Wonder, Neil Young, John Prine, Bill Withers, and James Taylor.

It Started To Rain
Amos Lee Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Sally Jane
How did it end up this way
With our boxes packed
And not one word to say

The children play
As your car pulled away
I didn't realize 'til then

It was really goodbye

With your wheels on the gravel
I felt my heart strings unravel
As it started to rain
It started to rain
It started to rain

Forty days
It started to rain
The neighbors came
And they bought what remained

Of the life we built
With lovin', with laughter
Then my heart started sinking
'Cause I couldn't help thinking
Their fate would be the same

It started to rain
It started to rain
Forty days

It started to rain
It started to rain

Overall Meaning

The song "It Started To Rain" by Amos Lee is a heart-wrenching ballad that manages to capture the complex emotions that come with the end of a relationship. The first verse of the song introduces Sally Jane, indicating that she is a central character, and the singer is left wondering how things ended up in such a sorry state. The boxes are packed, and nobody has anything left to say, leaving a sense of unresolved tension/feelings. The second verse speaks of the aftermath of Sally Jane’s departure and how the children play as she drives away, and it hits the singer that this is really goodbye, triggering intense feelings of sadness and regret. As Sally Jane drives away, and the sound of her car perishes to the distance, it starts raining, which further establishes an atmosphere of sorrow and pain.

The song's chorus wails: “It started to rain, it started to rain, it started to rain, forty days,” which can be construed with a biblical narration of the aftermath of the flood story in Genesis. The genesis of the story from the Bible tells of a rain that lasted for 40 days and 40 nights, which can be compared to the storm of feelings that the singer represents in the song. The neighbors show up in the next verse, purchasing whatever remains of their life built with love and laughter, and that is when the singer realizes that he's not alone in his predicament. He anticipates their fate would be the same, still going around the same vicious cycle of love and disappointment. The song conveys an overall sense of loss and sorrow, but it is not entirely without hope.

Line by Line Meaning

Sally Jane
Addressing or calling someone named Sally Jane.

How did it end up this way
Expressing confusion and disbelief about the current situation.

With our boxes packed
Referring to the act of packing up and moving out.

And not one word to say
Emphasizing the lack of communication or closure in the situation.

The children play
Depicting the scene of children playing, possibly unaware of the situation.

As your car pulled away
Describing the moment of departure.

I didn't realize 'til then
Suggesting a moment of realization or understanding.

It was really goodbye
Acknowledging the finality and gravity of the situation.

With your wheels on the gravel
Describing the sound and scene of the car leaving.

I felt my heart strings unravel
Expressing a deep emotional response, such as sadness or heartbreak.

As it started to rain
Connecting the physical weather with the emotions of the situation.