Fishbone first assembled with John Norwood Fisher (bass), his brother Philip "Fish" Fisher (drums), Angelo Moore (vocals, saxophones and theremin), Kendall Jones (guitar), "Dirty" Walter A. Kibby II (vocals, trumpet), and Christopher Dowd (keyboards, trombone, vocals). They achieved their greatest success in the late 1980s and early 1990s, after which they went through many personnel changes. From 2003 to 2010, John Norwood Fisher and Angelo Moore were the last remaining original members of the band. In the 2010s, all the other original members except Kendall Jones rejoined the band for various reunions and anniversary activities.
Pouring Rain
Fishbone Lyrics
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And the wind will always blow
Some think life's a breeze
Others feel love is sin
I've found beauty in dancing stars
To you, your dreams may be a farce
And you think that you can't feel pain?
Can you sing out in the pouring rain
Can you sing out, can you sing out
He had one foot in the gutter
Another on dry land
His ship sailed without him
Across life's burning sands
He cried out in the distance
And no one, no one heard a word
For a prophet's not respected in his own world
Can you sing out in the pouring rain
Can you sing out, can you sing out
And all the things I've said
And all these things
And all the things I've said
That you doubt and disbelieve
Are shoved back in your face
By the spite of mankind's greed
You choose to close you eyes
And the rest of the world will bleed
You choose to close your eyes
And the rest of the world will bleed
Can you sing out in the pouring rain
Can you sing
out, can you sing out
In Fishbone's song Pouring Rain, the lyrics appear to be a commentary on the different perspectives people have on life and love. The verses appear to be addressing those who believe life to be easy and those who see love as sinful. The chorus challenges the listener to sing out in the pouring rain, which could be interpreted as a metaphor for enduring through difficult times and expressing oneself regardless of adversity. The lyric "And you think we can't feel at all" suggests that those who dismiss the challenges of life and love lack empathy.
The second verse appears to be a reflection on a person who has been left behind, watching their ship sail away without them. The words "no one heard a word" suggest that this person's cries for help or understanding went unnoticed. The line "For a prophet's not respected in his own world" could be interpreted as a critique of society's tendency to overlook or undervalue those who offer insights or solutions to problems.
The final verse speaks to the impact of greed and closed-mindedness on the world. The line "And the rest of the world will bleed" suggests that by willfully ignoring the problems facing society, individuals bring about a kind of suffering or harm to others. The chorus, repeated for a final time, seems to be a plea to resist apathy and instead choose to sing out and speak up.
Line by Line Meaning
The sun will shine on brighter
Life will get better and brighter.
And the wind will always blow
There will always be change and movement.
Some think life's a breeze
Some people find life easy and effortless.
Others feel love is sin
Other people view love as a negative and sinful thing.
I've found beauty in dancing stars
Personally, I see beauty in the stars and their movements.
To you, your dreams may be a farce
Your dreams might seem unrealistic or unachievable to someone else.
And you think that you can't feel pain?
Do you believe that you are invincible and can't experience emotional or physical pain?
And you think we can't feel at all
Do you believe that other people are incapable of feeling emotions?
Can you sing out in the pouring rain
Are you capable of expressing yourself freely, even when things are tough?
Can you sing out, can you sing out
Can you sing your true feelings loud and clear?
He had one foot in the gutter
This person was in a very low and desperate state.
Another on dry land
This person was in between two different and contrasting situations.
His ship sailed without him
He missed out on an opportunity.
Across life's burning sands
Through a difficult and harsh journey.
He cried out in the distance
He called out for help or recognition, but was far away and unheard.
And no one, no one heard a word
No one listened or responded to his calls.
For a prophet's not respected in his own world
People often do not appreciate or recognize the wisdom and insight of those closest to them.
And all the things I've said
These are the things I have expressed and shared with you.
And all these things
These things refer to my expressed ideas and opinions.
That you doubt and disbelieve
You are skeptical and do not fully believe what I am saying.
Are shoved back in your face
I am being confronted by your strong resistance and rejection to my expressed thoughts.
By the spite of mankind's greed
This rejection is likely caused by human greed and selfishness.
You choose to close you eyes
You deliberately avoid and ignore the harsh realities of the world.
And the rest of the world will bleed
Others will suffer consequences or pain because of your inaction and avoidance.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: CHRISTOPHER DOWD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind