Born in Tacoma, Washington, vocalist Diane Schuur has earned respect and ga… Read Full Bio ↴Born in Tacoma, Washington, vocalist Diane Schuur has earned respect and garnered praise from such legendary musicians as Dizzy Gillespie, Count Basie and B.B. King. Known for her three-and-a-half octave vocal range, Schuur’s remarkable career began at age nine with her first professional gigs, including those at the local Holiday Inn. While still a student at the Washington State School for the Blind, a 16-year-old Schuur was performing original material and wowing audiences with her playful and distinctive voice. Then, Schuur made her Monterey Jazz Festival debut in 1975. The legendary Stan Getz became one of her biggest fans and an important mentor after hearing her perform at the Festival. The rest is history.

Since then, Schuur has become a legend herself. She has been nominated for five and received two GRAMMY® Awards for "Best Jazz Vocalist," as well as headlined many of the world's most prestigious music venues, including Carnegie Hall. Schuur has toured the world and has performed with such greats as Stan Getz, B.B. King, Maynard Ferguson, Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, and Quincy Jones. She has performed countless times on The Tonight Show, has performed at The GRAMMY’s and at the White House.

The Good Life
Diane Schuur Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Every time it rains
It rains pennies from heaven
Don't you know each cloud contains
Pennies from heaven
You'll find your fortune
Fallin' all over town
Be sure that your umbrella is upside down
Trade them for a package of sunshine and flowers

If you want the things you love
You must have showers
So when you hear it thunder
Don't run under a tree
There'll be pennies from heaven
For you and me

Trade them for a package of sunshine and flowers
If you want the things you love
You must have showers
So when you hear it thunder
Don't run under a tree

There'll be pennies from heaven
For you and me

Overall Meaning

Diane Schuur's The Good Life is a song that focuses on the idea of finding silver linings in life's challenges. The lyrics use the metaphor of raining pennies from heaven to convey the message that even in difficult times, we can find unexpected blessings that can lead to happiness and success.

The first verse of the song sets the stage by saying that every time it rains, it brings pennies from heaven. This is a reference to the idea that with every obstacle or challenge that we face, there can come a silver lining that can lead to unexpected fortune or success. The verse goes on to say that you'll find your fortune falling all over town, but you have to be ready to receive it by having your umbrella upside down.

The second verse brings in the idea of trading pennies from heaven for a package of sunshine and flowers. This symbolizes the idea that if you want the things you love, you have to be willing to go through some tough times to get them. The verse ends with the message that when you hear thunder, don't run under a tree, as it's during these tough times that the pennies from heaven are most likely to fall.

Overall, the song encourages listeners to stay optimistic and to look for the good even in the most challenging of situations.

Line by Line Meaning

Every time it rains
Each time rain falls from the sky

It rains pennies from heaven
Small pieces of money fall from the sky during a rainstorm

Don't you know each cloud contains
Do you not realize that every cloud holds

Pennies from heaven
Small pieces of money that seem to come from a higher power

You'll find your fortune
Opportunities to better your life will present themselves

Fallin' all over town
Happening everywhere

Be sure that your umbrella is upside down
Be ready to catch everything life has to offer

Trade them for a package of sunshine and flowers
Exchange your newfound wealth for happiness and joy

If you want the things you love
To achieve the things that make you happy

You must have showers
You must experience the tough times to appreciate the good ones