Daryl Hall began performing professionally while he was a student at Temple University. In 1966, he recorded a single with Kenny Gamble and the Romeos; the group featured Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff, and Thom Bell, who would all become the architects of Philly soul. During this time, Hall frequently appeared on sessions for Gamble and Huff. In 1967, Hall met John Oates, a fellow Temple University student. Oates was leading his own soul band at the time. The two students realized they had similar tastes and began performing together in an array of R&B and doo wop groups. By 1968, the duo had parted ways, as Oates transferred schools and Hall formed the soft rock band Gulliver; the group released one album on Elektra in the late '60s before disbanding.
After Gulliver's breakup, Hall concentrated on session work again, appearing as a backup vocalist for The Stylistics, The Delfonics, and The Intruders, among others. Oates returned to Philadelphia in 1969, and he and Hall began writing folk-oriented songs and performing together. Eventually they came to the attention of Tommy Mottola, who quickly became their manager, securing the duo a contract with Atlantic Records. On their first records — Whole Oates (1972), Abandoned Luncheonette (1973), War Babies (1974) — the duo were establishing their sound, working with producers like Arif Mardin and Todd Rundgren and removing much of their folk influences. At the beginning of 1974, the duo relocated from Philadelphia to New York. During this period, they only managed one hit — the number 60 "She's Gone" in the spring of 1974.
After they moved to RCA in 1975, the duo landed on its successful mixture of soul, pop, and rock, scoring a Top Ten single with "Sara Smile." The success of "Sara Smile" prompted the re-release of "She's Gone," which rocketed into the Top Ten as well. Released in the summer of 1976, Bigger than the Both of Us was only moderately successful upon its release. The record took off in early 1977, when "Rich Girl" became the duo's first number one single.
Although they had several minor hits between 1977 and 1980, the albums Hall & Oates released at the end of the decade were not as successful as their mid-'70s records. Nevertheless, they were more adventurous, incorporating more rock elements into their blue-eyed soul. The combination would finally pay off in late 1980, when the duo released the self-produced Voices, the album that marked the beginning of Hall & Oates' greatest commercial and artistic success. The first single from Voices, a cover of Righteous Brothers' "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling," reached number 12, yet it was the second single, "Kiss on My List" that confirmed their commercial potential by becoming the duo's second number one single; its follow-up, "You Make My Dreams" hit number five. They quickly released Private Eyes in the summer of 1981; the record featured two number one hits, "Private Eyes" and "I Can't Go for That (No Can Do)," as well as the Top Ten hit "Did It in a Minute." "I Can't Go for That (No Can Do)" also spent a week at the top of the R&B charts — a rare accomplishment for a white act. H20 followed in 1982 and it proved more successful than their two previous albums, selling over two million copies and launching their biggest hit single, "Maneater," as well as the Top Ten hits "One on One" and "Family Man." The following year, the duo released a greatest-hits compilation, Rock 'N Soul, Pt. 1, that featured two new Top Ten hits — the number two "Say It Isn't So" and "Adult Education."
In April of 1984, the Recording Industry Association of America announced that Hall & Oates had surpassed Everly Brothers as the most successful duo in rock history, earning a total of 19 gold and platinum awards. Released in October of 1984, Big Bam Boom expanded their number of gold and platinum awards, selling over two million copies and launching four Top 40 singles, including the number one "Out of Touch." Following their contract-fulfilling gold album Live at the Apollo with David Ruffin & Eddie Kendrick, Hall & Oates went on hiatus. After the lukewarm reception for Daryl Hall's 1986 solo album, Three Hearts in the Happy Ending Machine, the duo regrouped to release 1988's Ooh Yeah!, their first record for Arista. The first single, "Everything Your Heart Desires," went to number three and helped propel the album to platinum status.
However, none of the album's other singles broke the Top 20, indicating that the era of chart dominance had ended. Change of Season, released in 1990, confirmed that fact. Although the record went gold, it only featured one Top 40 hit — the number 11 single, "So Close." The duo mounted a comeback in 1997 with Marigold Sky, but it was only partially successful; far better was 2003's Do It for Love and the following year soul covers record Our Kind of Soul.
Heavy Rain
Daryl Hall & John Oates Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Heavy rain, lightning too
Heavy rain, when I'm with you
Seems like a thousand years
Since we both felt free
We've seen a million faces
All staring at you and me
But just like Humphrey Bogart said
Here's looking at you kid
And the rocky road ahead
Heavy rain, lightning too
Heavy rain when I'm with you
You know the thunder comes like a lion's roar
But it leaves me now
When you walk out the door
Listen to that northern wind
It's singing a sad old song
A melody so sick and tired
Been blowing much too long
Ain't it time to feel the weather change
You know it's overdue
Love is gone, we can't go on
Pretending old is new
[Chorus]
Rain down
[Chorus]
And the daylight comes
As a sweet surprise
Heavy rain
Filling up my eyes
Heavy rain
The song Heavy Rain by Daryl Hall & John Oates is a poetic exploration of a couple that has been through a lot together and is currently struggling to stay together. The heavy rain and lightning serve as a metaphor for the emotional turmoil they are both experiencing, yet they still feel drawn to each other despite it all. The chorus emphasizes this point, with the repetition of "heavy rain, when I'm with you" highlighting that their relationship is one of highs and lows.
The second verse reflects on the past and present of the couple's relationship. They have "seen a million faces" staring at them, suggesting that they have faced many challenges and scrutiny in their relationship. However, they also share a poignant moment of connection, with the reference to Humphrey Bogart's iconic line from the movie Casablanca, "Here's looking at you kid." This line is often used to express admiration or affection, and it suggests that the couple still cares for each other deeply.
The final verse acknowledges that change is necessary to move forward. The "northern wind" sings a "sad old song" that has "been blowing much too long," suggesting that the couple has been stuck in a negative pattern for too long. It's time for them to "feel the weather change" and move forward in a new direction, even if it means acknowledging that their love has run its course.
Overall, Heavy Rain is a poignant and introspective reflection on a relationship that has seen its fair share of challenges. Despite the emotional turmoil they experience, the couple still feels drawn to each other, but they also realize that change is necessary to move forward.
Line by Line Meaning
Heavy rain, lightning too
The rain is heavy and accompanied by lightning
Heavy rain, when I'm with you
When the singer is with their partner, the rain seems heavier
Seems like a thousand years
It feels like it has been a very long time
Since we both felt free
It's been a while since the artist and their partner felt free in their relationship
We've seen a million faces
The artist and their partner have been seen by many people
All staring at you and me
These people were staring at the singer and their partner
But just like Humphrey Bogart said
The singer refers to a quote by Humphrey Bogart
Before he passed out on his bed
The quote was said by Bogart before he fell asleep
Here's looking at you kid
The quote was 'Here's looking at you, kid'
And the rocky road ahead
The artist and their partner are facing a difficult time in their relationship
You know the thunder comes like a lion's roar
The thunder is very loud
But it leaves me now
The sound of the thunder goes away
When you walk out the door
The thunder goes away when the singer's partner leaves
Listen to that northern wind
The singer references the sound of the wind
It's singing a sad old song
The singer tells us that the wind makes a sad sound
A melody so sick and tired
The sound of the wind is repetitive
Been blowing much too long
The wind has been blowing for a while now
Ain't it time to feel the weather change
The singer wonders if it's time for a change in their relationship
You know it's overdue
The singer thinks that the change should have happened already
Love is gone, we can't go on
The love is no longer present in the relationship
Pretending old is new
Both the artist and their partner are pretending that their old relationship is still new and exciting
Rain down
The artist mentions the rain again
And the daylight comes
The sun rises
As a sweet surprise
The artist is surprised by the arrival of daylight
Filling up my eyes
The singer's eyes are full of tears
Heavy rain
The song ends with a final mention of the heavy rain
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DAVID ALLAN STEWART
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind