Dickson was born in Dunfermline. Her singing career started in folk clubs around her native Fife in the sixties, exposing her to a rich combination of traditional and contemporary music. In the early seventies, she sang at a Liverpool folk club run by a young student teacher called Willy Russell. He showed Barbara the first draft of what would later become the award winning musical, ‘John, Paul, George, Ringo….and Bert’ and asked her to perform the music. The combination of fine writing, a superb cast of young unknowns, (including Antony Sher, Bernard Hill and Trevor Eve), and Barbara’s idiosyncratic interpretation of Beatles songs made the show hugely successful.
The show’s co-producer, Robert Stigwood, signed Barbara to his record label, RSO Records, where she recorded the album ‘Answer Me’, the title track becoming a top ten hit in 1976. This led to her guest residency on the much-loved series ‘The Two Ronnies’, which brought Barbara’s singing to the attention of more than 10 million BBC viewers every week.
Also impressed by Barbara’s performance were Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, who invited her to record ‘Another Suitcase in Another Hall’ from the new musical ‘Evita’, which became her second hit in 1977.
Other hits including ‘Caravan Song’ and ‘January, February’, followed in 1980.
In 1982, Willy Russell asked Barbara to star in his new musical ‘Blood Brothers’ in the pivotal role of the mother, Mrs. Johnstone. Although at first reluctant to accept, having never acted before, (not even in a school play!), she rose to the challenge, in the process garnering critical acclaim as well as Actress of the Year in a Musical from the Society of West End Theatres in 1984.
Later that year, Tim Rice approached Barbara to take part in the cast album recording of the musical ‘Chess’, which included the song ‘I Know Him So Well’, a duet sung with Elaine Paige. The song was a worldwide hit and remained at number one in the UK charts for many weeks.
During the 1990s Barbara appeared in various TV dramas including ‘Taggart’, the award winning ‘Band of Gold’ and ‘The Missing Postman’.
Acclaimed writer and director Chris Bond created a show for Barbara in 1996 called ‘The Seven Ages of Woman’ which won her the Liverpool Echo Actress of the Year Award. It premiered at the Liverpool Playhouse and toured extensively in 1997 and 1998.
In 1999, Barbara starred in ‘Spend, Spend, Spend’, a new musical by Steve Brown and Justin Greene. The show, based on the rollercoaster life story of pools winner, Viv Nicholson, played in the West End to capacity audiences. For her portrayal of Viv, Barbara was awarded ‘Best Actress in a Musical’ at the 2000 Laurence Olivier Awards.
Barbara continues to appear in concert and on record. She has in the last few years had great success with ‘The Platinum Collection’, which featured some of her most successful recordings.
Her last album, ‘Full Circle’, a journey back through her musical history, was hugely admired and well reviewed. Barbara’s most recent CD is an eclectic collection of the songs of Lennon, McCartney and Harrison called ‘Nothing’s Gonna Change My World.’
During 2006 she has appeared as the Timekeeper in Alan Ayckbourn and Denis King’s fantasy musical play
‘Whenever’ for BBC Radio 4 and presented ‘Finding A Voice’, also for BBC Radio 4.
Married with three teenaged sons, Barbara lives in Lincolnshire. An O.B.E. was conferred upon her in the Queens’ New Year’s Honours in 2002.
Rain
Barbara Dickson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They might as well be dead
If the rain comes, if the rain comes
When the sun shines they slip into the shade
And sip their lemonade.
When the sun shines,
When the sun shines
Rain, I don't mind
Shine, the weather's fine
I can show you that when it starts to rain
Everything's the same
I can show you, I can show you
Rain, I don't mind
Shine, the weather's fine
Can you hear me, that when it rains and shines
It's just a state of mind?
Can you hear me, can you hear me?
Rain, I don't mind
Shine, the weather's fine
The lyrics of Barbara Dickson's song Rain are about the different reactions people have towards rain and sunshine. The first few lines assert that people run and hide their heads when it starts raining, and this makes them appear dead as if they have given up on their lives. The next few lines describe how people slip into the shade and sip lemonade when the sun is shining bright. These two distinct reactions to different types of weather imply how people's mood and outlook on life can be greatly influenced by external factors.
However, the singer of the song, Rain, doesn't mind either kind of weather, rain or shine. The lyrics suggest that everything remains the same to the singer, regardless of the weather. The singer invites the listeners to see the same as well and explains that it is all just a state of mind. Through the lyrics, the singer tries to make people realize that their perspective on things is what makes all the difference in how they perceive life.
Overall, the meaning behind the lyrics of Rain is about how people react differently to the same situation, and it is only through changing one's perspective that one can enjoy life's ups and downs.
Line by Line Meaning
If the rain comes they run and hide their heads
People fear rain and take shelter when it arrives, as if the arrival of rain means they might as well be dead
They might as well be dead
The fear of rain is so strong that it causes people to believe that simply being exposed to it would be the end of them
If the rain comes, if the rain comes
The songwriter repeats the line to emphasize the fact that people's behavior changes drastically when it starts to rain, and they take shelter as quickly as possible
When the sun shines they slip into the shade
On sunny days, people seek the shelter of shady areas to escape the heat of the sun, and take refreshing drinks like lemonade
And sip their lemonade
In the shade, people take it easy and enjoy a refreshing drink
When the sun shines, when the sun shines
The songwriter repeats the line to emphasize the fact that people's behavior also changes when the weather is sunny, and they take refuge in the shade
Rain, I don't mind
The songwriter suggests that she doesn't fear the rain and doesn't let it bother her
Shine, the weather's fine
The songwriter suggests that she is fond of sunny weather and enjoys the warmth and light of the sun
I can show you that when it starts to rain
The songwriter offers to demonstrate that the world doesn't end when it starts to rain, and that life goes on as before
Everything's the same
The songwriter explains that, despite people's fears, nothing significant or dangerous happens when rain arrives - life simply goes on, unchanged
Can you hear me, that when it rains and shines
The songwriter asks the listener to understand that the weather is a state of flux, and changes all the time, with or without rain or sun
It's just a state of mind?
The songwriter asks the listener to consider whether their reactions to rain or sun are simply a matter of their own perspective, and that they could choose to see things differently
Can you hear me, can you hear me?
The songwriter repeats the line to emphasize the importance of understanding this point of view
Contributed by Jayden C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.