McRae was born in Harlem, New York, on the 8th April 1920, and studied piano as a child. As a teenager she came to the attention of Teddy Wilson and his wife, the composer Irene Kitchings Wilson. Through their influence, one of McRae’s early songs, "Dream of Life", was recorded by Wilson’s longtime collaborator Billie Holiday.
By the late 1940s she was well known among the modern jazz musicians who gathered at Minton's Playhouse, Harlem’s most famous jazz club, where she was the intermission pianist. But it was while working in Brooklyn that she came to the attention of Decca’s Milt Gabler. Her five year association with Decca yielded twelve LPs.
The musicians she sang with include Benny Carter, Mercer Ellington, Count Basie, Sammy Davis Jr, Dave Brubeck, and Louis Armstrong. She was married once (and briefly), to drummer Kenny Clarke.
McRae died on the 10th November 1994.
Here
Carmen McRae Lyrics
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Funny, but here's that rainy day
Here's that rainy day they told me about
And I laughed at the thought that it might turn out this way
Where is that worn out wish that I threw aside
After it brought my lover near
It's funny how love becomes a cold rainy day
Funny how love becomes a cold rainy day
Funny, that rainy day is here
Carmen McRae's song "Here's That Rainy Day" presents a reflection on lost love and the regret that often follows. The song begins with a sense of remorse, as the singer says "Maybe I should have saved those left over dreams," implying that they wish they had held on to hopes that may have been dashed due to their past mistakes. The title of the song is repeated twice in the opening verse, creating a sense of inevitability and finality, as if the rainy day is a harbinger of doom that the singer had always known was coming.
The second verse of the song picks up on the imagery of lost dreams and uses it to talk about the fleeting nature of love. The singer wonders where their "worn out wish" went, the one that had brought their lover near. The sudden shift from past tense to present tense in the following lyric, "It's funny how love becomes a cold rainy day," reinforces the idea that love can disappear quickly, leaving those left behind to cope with the aftermath.
Overall, the song communicates a sense of melancholic resignation, reminding listeners that sometimes love doesn't last and that life can be unpredictable. The repetition of the refrain underscores this sense of inevitability and adds emotional weight to the song.
Line by Line Meaning
Maybe I should have saved those left over dreams
I regret not pursuing my unfulfilled aspirations and desires.
Funny, but here's that rainy day
It's ironic that the day I was warned about has finally come.
Here's that rainy day they told me about
I was previously warned about a difficult time, and now it has arrived.
And I laughed at the thought that it might turn out this way
I didn't take the warning seriously, and now I realize my mistake.
Where is that worn out wish that I threw aside
I am searching for a desire that I previously abandoned or ignored.
After it brought my lover near
This wish led to me finding my romantic partner.
It's funny how love becomes a cold rainy day
It's peculiar how something that was once joyful and warm can turn to something cold and bleak.
Funny, that rainy day is here
I find it ironic that my difficult time is now, when I didn't expect it.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
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John Benn
GOD--How good is this??
From a mad keen 74yo Aussie fan.
In my opinion.the finest Jazz vocalist of all time.