Helen O'Connell joined the Jimmy Dorsey band in 1939 and achieved her best selling records in the early forties with "Green Eyes", "Amapola", and "Tangerine". In each of these Latin-influenced numbers, Bob Eberly crooned the song which Helen then reprised in an up-tempo arrangement. Helen won the 1940 Metronome magazine poll for best female vocalist. She was one of the first "girls" on NBC's The Today Show, and at one point had her own television show.
Helen retired from show business upon her first marriage in 1943. Helen had four daughters and eight grandchildren. When the first marriage failed, she embarked on a solo career in 1951, achieving some chart success and becoming a regular television performer. Helen has married a total of four times.
She co-hosted the Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants with Bob Barker from 1972 to 1980.
In her last marriage, she was married to arranger/conductor/composer Frank De Vol when she died in San Diego, California from a battle with hepatitis C resulting in primary liver cancer (hepatoma).
When The Sun Comes Out
Helen O'connell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And that rain stops beatin' on my windowpane
When the sun comes out
There'll be bluebirds 'round my door
Singin' like they did before
That old storm broke out
And my man walked off and left me in the rain
If he'll stay away for good
I'd stop living if he should
Love is funny
It's not always peaches, cream and honey
Just when everything looked bright and sunny
Suddenly the cyclone came
I'll never be the same
Till that sun comes out
And that rain stops beatin' on my windowpane
If my heart holds out
Let it rain and let it pour
It may not be long before
There's a knockin' at my door
Then you'll know the one I love walked in
When the sun comes out
"When the Sun Comes Out" by Helen O'Connell is a song that is packed with emotions and is an ode to love, loss, and the hope for a brighter tomorrow. The song's lyrics describe a woman who is going through a tough time after her man walked off and left her in the rain. She is waiting for the sun to come out, the rain to stop, and the bluebirds to return so that she can feel happy again. There is certainly a strong sense of longing and hope in the song's lyrics, which speaks to the human experience.
The lyrics in the first verse describe a woman who is tired of feeling down and low. She wants the sun to come out, meaning she wants her spirits to be lifted, and the rain to stop beating on her window pane, meaning she wants her troubles to go away. She is longing for a better day, and when the sun comes out, she hopes the bluebirds will return, and they will be singing like they did before, probably referring to happier times with her man.
The second verse speaks to the uncertainties of love. Love is beautiful, but it can be painful too, especially when someone we love leaves us. The woman in the song is hopeful that her man will return to her and doubts that he'll stay away for good. In the end, she knows that if he never comes back, she'll never be the same. However, she remains optimistic that the sun will eventually come out, and a brighter tomorrow awaits.
Line by Line Meaning
When the sun comes out
A hopeful feeling arises in me when I see the sun shining
And that rain stops beatin' on my windowpane
I feel relieved and safe when the storm stops and there is no more beating rain on my window
When the sun comes out
I become optimistic that things will get better when the sun shines, it fills me with hope
There'll be bluebirds 'round my door
I will be welcomed by the presence of bluebirds outside my door as they sing, and this remind me of a happy past
Singin' like they did before
The bluebirds sing as if they are bringing back memories of a time when I was truly happy and content
That old storm broke out
There was a time when there was a storm in my life and it brought sadness and sorrow
And my man walked off and left me in the rain
The man I love left me feeling alone and rejected, and it was like he abandoned me and left me in the rain
Though he's gone, I doubt
Even though he left, I still hold onto hope that he will return
If he'll stay away for good
I'm afraid he may never come back, which terrifies me because I can’t imagine life without him
I'd stop living if he should
If he never does come back, I fear that it would be too much for me to handle and I would feel like I’d never be able to find happiness again
Love is funny
The world of love can be strange and unpredictable
It's not always peaches, cream and honey
Love doesn’t always go as smoothly as we would like it to, it can sometimes be painful and full of obstacles
Just when everything looked bright and sunny
Just when I thought I was happy, something comes along and it changes everything
Suddenly the cyclone came
Suddenly, things change unexpectedly in a negative way, and I'm left feeling lost and confused
I'll never be the same
The situation left such an impact on me that I've changed completely and will never be the same again
Till that sun comes out
As I wait for the sun to come out, I'm filled with anticipation of brighter things to come
And that rain stops beatin' on my windowpane
The storm needs to end so that I can move on from the past and look towards the future
If my heart holds out
If I remain hopeful and strong amidst the trials, stress and pain that comes with love
Let it rain and let it pour
If I let go of all my worries and just face the challenges presented to me, it will help me in overcoming all my fears and negativity
It may not be long before
I truly believe that things will begin to look up for me very soon
There's a knockin' at my door
I am hopeful that someone will come back into my life once again, and I'm eager to open my heart to them
Then you'll know the one I love walked in
I'll know that it is the one I love if I see it, feel it, and hear it when they come back into my life, as if the sun has truly come out and the storm is finally over
Lyrics © S.A. MUSIC
Written by: HAROLD ARLEN, TED KOEHLER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@potdog1000
hard to believe she was only 19/20 when the recorded this, truly amazing
@dylangintherofficial
Such an icon
@chadaemalloy
Love it, Barbra Streisands version brought me here. I'm 29 and i wish music as mind blowing as this was still being made.
@martinplatt5928
I always believed that the composer deserves a lot of credit here. Many people have never heard of Harold Arlen. After Arlen's death, Irving Berlin summed up his life at a tribute, saying: "He wasn't as well known as some of us, but he was a better songwriter than most of us and he will be missed by all of us." Perfect rendition here and arguably better than Peggy Lee's 1962 version. What a backing too!!
@russellcandy9850
Fantastic!! Helen and Judy are neck and neck with this song!! Thank you!!
@timechimp1142
Would have loved to be in the studio after that performance. Helen destroyed and so did the band
@neb2351
One of the greatest. I'm 89 and and had the opportunity to see her in person about 35 plus years ago at DisneyWorld.
@dylangintherofficial
So lucky
@maddyclayne
im assuming you’ve passed by now but you were a very lucky man :)
@Halo101st
The incomparable Helen O'Connell... what more needs be said.