In September 1938, the Miller band began making recordings for the RCA Victor Bluebird Records subsidiary. In the spring of 1939, the band's fortunes improved with a date at the Meadowbrook Ballroom in Cedar Grove, New Jersey, and more dramatically at the Glen Island Casino in New Rochelle, New York. With the Glen Island date, the band began a huge rise in popularity. In 1939, Time magazine noted: "Of the twelve to 24 discs in each of today's 300,000 U.S. jukeboxes, from two to six are usually Glenn Miller's." There were record-breaking recordings such as "Tuxedo Junction", which sold 115,000 copies in the first week. 1939's huge success culminated with the Miller band in concert at Carnegie Hall on October 6, with Paul Whiteman, Benny Goodman, and Fred Waring also the main attractions.
From 1939 to 1942, Miller's band was featured three times a week during a broadcast for Chesterfield cigarettes, originally with the Andrews Sisters and then on its own. On February 10, 1942, RCA Victor presented Miller with the first gold record for "Chattanooga Choo-Choo". "Chattanooga Choo Choo" was performed by the Miller orchestra with his singers Gordon "Tex" Beneke, Paula Kelly and the vocal group, the Modernaires. Other singers with this orchestra included Marion Hutton, Skip Nelson, Ray Eberle and to a smaller extent, Kay Starr, Ernie Caceres, Dorothy Claire and Jack Lathrop. Pat Friday ghost sang with the Miller band in Sun Valley Serenade and Orchestra Wives with Lynn Bari lip synching.
Blue Rain
Glenn Miller & His Orchestra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But when you return there'll be a rainbow
After the blue, blue rain
And there's a blue star
Looking down asking where you are
But when you return there'll be a sunbeam
Hiding the blue, blue star
Skies will be much brighter than they were before
Then there'll be no more blue rain
Just the sound of my heart's refrain
Singing like a million little blue birds
After the blue, blue rain
The song "Blue Rain" by Glenn Miller & The Army Air Force Band features lyrics that portray a sense of loneliness and longing. The opening line, "Blue Rain, falling down on my window pane," sets a melancholic tone, as the singer appears to be experiencing a difficult time. However, the lyrics also suggest that hope is on the horizon. The singer mentions a rainbow and a sunbeam that will appear when the person they are missing returns. The blue star, which represents the singer's missing loved one, will also disappear, and the skies will become brighter. The repetition of the phrase "blue rain" throughout the song emphasizes the sadness the singer feels, but the final lines suggest that once the person they are missing returns, their heart will sing like a million little blue birds.
Line by Line Meaning
Blue Rain, falling down on my window pane
The singer is feeling sad and lonely, probably due to missing someone, and is expressing this feeling with the metaphor of blue rain falling on the window pane.
But when you return there'll be a rainbow
The singer is hopeful that the person they are missing will return and bring happiness, symbolized by the rainbow after the rain has ended.
After the blue, blue rain
This line simply repeats the metaphor of the blue rain representing sadness or loneliness.
And there's a blue star
The artist sees a blue star and relates it to their current state of sadness, as if the star is also feeling blue or empathizing with the artist's emotions.
Looking down asking where you are
The artist imagines the blue star is wondering where the person they miss is, perhaps implying that the star represents the artist's feelings and thoughts.
But when you return there'll be a sunbeam
The singer is once again hopeful that the return of the person they miss will bring happiness, symbolized by the sunbeam replacing the blue star.
Hiding the blue, blue star
The sunbeam, representing happiness or love, will replace the blue star and its sadness or loneliness.
Skies will be much brighter than they were before
The arrival of the person the artist is missing will metaphorically brighten up their life, represented by the skies becoming brighter.
When you and love come strolling through the door
The tone becomes more positive as the artist imagines the person they miss coming back with love, implying that a romantic relationship may be involved.
Then there'll be no more blue rain
The arrival of the person they miss and the love they bring will end the artist's sadness and loneliness, represented by the end of the blue rain.
Just the sound of my heart's refrain
The singer will no longer feel the loneliness they expressed at the beginning of the song, instead their heart will be filled with the sound of joy and love.
Singing like a million little blue birds
The artist's heart will be filled with happiness and they will express it joyfully, represented by the metaphor of singing like little blue birds.
After the blue, blue rain
This line once again repeats the original metaphor of the blue rain, but it now adds the implication that the rain will inevitably end and be replaced by happiness, giving the song an ultimately optimistic tone.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: JOHNNY MERCER, JIMMY VAN HEUSEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@corazon6325
This has to be one of my top 3 Miller songs! What an amazing start it has, it instantly sets me in the mood to feel nostalgic! A shame it’s been forgotten to time almost .
@mabel8179
The orchestration is gorgeous!
@micolsen9824
Ray Eberle delivers the goods.
@Bill.G
Fabulous recording of a great composition.
@swingman5635
A wise choice for Victor. This has long been a favorite of mine, thanks to the wartime reissue.
@td3993
This was re-issued as the flipside of Caribbean Clipper, and well suited for re-release during the war.
@jesusjimenez2421
Esta si era música de las grandes bandas de los 40 a k tiempos aquellos k ya no volverán
@josevidal1840
Maravillosa melodía vuela en el infinito azul del tiempo incontenible
@jesusjimenez2421
Música de mi época
@banbi2793
It is typical grate Miller sound !