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.
September in the Rain
Carmen McRae Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Remember, in September, in the rain
The sun went out just like a dying amber
That September in the rain
To every word of love I heard you whisper
The raindrops seemed to play our sweet refrain
Though spring is here, to me it's still September
To every word of love I heard you whisper
The raindrops seemed to play our sweet refrain
Though spring is here, to me it is still September
That September in the rain
That September that brought the pain
That September in the rain
In Carmen McRae's song "September In The Rain," she wistfully reflects on a September past, remembering the way the leaves fell in brown heaps and the sun set like a fading ember. Despite the rain, she found beauty in the moments shared with a lover. The raindrops seemed to create a sweet refrain, echoing the words of love whispered between them. Though spring has come, McRae still feels the heavy weight of that September, which brought both joy and sadness.
The imagery in the song is both lovely and melancholy, painting a picture of a moment frozen in time. McRae's voice is tender and emotive, adding to the nostalgic feeling of the lyrics. The repetition of the lines about the rain and the refrain emphasize the importance of memory, and how even the smallest details of a moment can be preserved and cherished long after it has passed.
Overall, "September In The Rain" is a bittersweet reflection on love and the lingering impact of a single moment in time.
Line by Line Meaning
The leaves of brown came tumbling down
The leaves that were once green fell to the ground and turned brown
Remember, in September, in the rain
Recall the memory of September while it was raining
The sun went out just like a dying amber
The sun disappeared slowly like a dying ember
That September in the rain
Referring to the specific September that was rainy
To every word of love I heard you whisper
Every loving word you whispered was heard by me
The raindrops seemed to play our sweet refrain
The sound of the rain matched the sweet notes of our love
Though spring is here, to me it's still September
Even though it's currently Spring, I feel like it's still September
That September in the rain
Referencing the specific September that was rainy
That September that brought the pain
That specific September was the one that caused great emotional pain
That September in the rain
Reminding of the emotionally painful experience of that specific September while it was raining
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Harry Warren, Al Dubin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind