I Can't Stand the Rain
Cassandra Wilson Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

I can't stand the rain 'gainst my window
Bringing back sweet memories
Ican't stand the rain 'gainst my window
Cause he's not here with me
Hey window pain do you remember
How sweet it used to be
When we were together
Everything was so grand, yes it was
Now that we've parted
There's one sound that I just can't stand
Alone with the pillow
Where his head used to lay, yeah
I know you've got some sweet memories
But like a window you ain't got nothin' to say
I can't stand the rain 'gainst my window
Bringing back sweet memories, hey
I can't stand the rain, ooh
'Gainst my window, oh no no
Cause he's not here with me, uh
Alone with the pillow uh uh
Where his head used to lay, yeah
I know you've got some sweet memories
But like a window you ain't got nothin' to say, hey hey
Uh, uh, I can't stand the rain
(I can't I can't I can't can't stand the rain)
Baby, uh, uh, uh, hey hey
Ooh, ooh, uh, uh, hey
Don't you know, 't you think...
No no ooh oooohh hey hey hey hey hey, no
Dum dum dum dum dum dum dum dum dum dum dum
Oohh ! Get off my window
(I can't I can't I can't can't stand the rain)
Get off my window now, get off my window




Get off my window nah, I can't stand the rain
I can't stand the rain, ooh, can't stand the rain, oh

Overall Meaning

The song "I Can't Stand the Rain" by Cassandra Wilson is a melancholic ballad about a past lover who left and the pain of being reminded of them every time it rains. The opening lines of the song, "I can't stand the rain against my window, bringing back sweet memories" set the tone of the song, highlighting the sadness of remembering a love that's gone, and the physical feeling of hearing the raindrop against the window. The singer expresses how the sound of the rain further amplifies how much she misses her lover.


The song references the idea of a window, a supposedly transparent object, much like memories. The singer addresses the "window pane" asking, "Do you remember how sweet it used to be when we were together?" This reference implies that the window pane is now opaque, reflecting how the past doesn't seem as clear as it once did. The song also delves into the feeling of being alone, without her lover's company, and how the memories of their time together can be both comforting and heart-wrenching. Present-day pain and past happiness are intertwined to create a powerful reminder of a lost love.


Line by Line Meaning

I can't stand the rain 'gainst my window
The sound of rain hitting my window fills me with sadness and nostalgia


Bringing back sweet memories
The sound of rain reminds me of happy times in the past


Cause he's not here with me
The reason I can't stand the rain is because the person I loved is no longer with me


When we were together Everything was so grand, yes it was
I remember how wonderful my relationship was when we were together


Now that we've parted There's one sound that I just can't stand
Since we broke up, the sound of rain hitting my window has become unbearable


Alone with the pillow Where his head used to lay, yeah
I am alone in bed, where my partner used to sleep next to me


I know you've got some sweet memories But like a window you ain't got nothin' to say
I am reminded of happy memories, but there is no one to share them with – not even my window


Hey window pain do you remember How sweet it used to be
I ask my window if it remembers how happy my relationship was


I can't stand the rain, ooh 'Gainst my window, oh no no
Once again, the sound of rain is too painful for me to bear


Uh, uh, I can't stand the rain (I can't I can't I can't can't stand the rain)
I repeat again that I cannot bear the sound of rain


Get off my window (I can't I can't I can't can't stand the rain)
I tell the rain to stop hitting my window and causing me pain


Oohh ! Get off my window
I express my frustration and desperation for the rain to stop




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Ann Peebles, Bernard Miller, Don Bryant

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

Sonja Rogers

Wow.. Listening to this using my Bose headphones... Hearing every instrument and that voice.. Omg I've been taken on a long journey.. Loving it! Thanks Cassandra....

Regina Boh

Powerful voice, love it!! And great sound of guitar too!! :)

ice la honk

haunting version, very well recorded

Iris Mendoza Burgos

Fantástico!!!!!! <3

Gina Blair

Sing it girl just like only you can do!

roy gumpel

if you haven't already, I hope people look up chris Whitley, who is the unmistakeable guitarist on this!! One of the best.... and sadly died way too young.

Matt K

Whitley also accompanies her on a version of Strange Fruit which is equally awesome ...

Just Me

Soothing, sounds like rain drops falling in a bucket he playing that tin guitar.

Linda Foreman

Soulful skilled pair

Larry C

maybe the best version of this classic I've heard.......

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