Gillan was born in Hounslow, Middlesex, England. He joined the band Deep Purple in 1969. In 1970, he sang the part of Jesus in Jesus Christ Superstar. After leaving Deep Purple in 1973, he went into brief retirement before forming the Ian Gillan Band. The early band sound had a distinct jazz-rock aspect which proved unpopular and was replaced by a more high powered hard rock sound as Gillan reformed the lineup and shortened the groups name to Gillan. With the release of Mr. Universe Ian Gillan was back in the UK charts and through several more line up changes released a string of hit singles and successful albums including Glory Road, Future Shock, Double Trouble, and finally Magic.
Then he announced the band would fold as he needed to rest his damaged vocal cords. In 1983 he joined Black Sabbath to record the Born Again album before rejoining a reunited Deep Purple shortly after completing the Born Again tour in early 1984. He left Purple again in 1989, but rejoined for good in 1992. He remains in the band today.
Gillan is now working on a project to document his 40-year career, tentatively called Gillan's Inn. Tony Iommi, Jeff Healey, various members of Deep Purple and many others will be featured on this 2006 DVD project.
Clouds and Rain
Ian Gillan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Without a movement a word, without a sound
Love comes crashing in again
Brings along the clouds and rain
You've got to take a chance you haven't got a choice
Somewhere in the rain you hear a distant voice
Love has come to stake its claim
If I close my eyes I can picture you
This is the place I get the clearest view
Beyond the happiness and pain
This is place they call the clouds and rain
First you are a lover then you become a friend
And then you start to wonder will it ever end
I'd like to ask you just the same
Without feeling any shame
Did you touch the clouds and rain
I'd like to ask you just the same
Without feeling any shame
Did you touch the clouds and rain
In the song Clouds and Rain by Ian Gillan, the singer speaks about the perpetual presence of love and how it influences one's life without any warning even in the darkest hours. He sings that love comes crashing in again, bringing along the clouds and rain, which is a metaphorical representation of how love can turn someone's life upside down by bringing unpredictable changes that can be both good or bad. He also suggests that love is always present in one's life and one should take a chance when it comes, even though there may not be a choice. The singer then talks about how picturing his lover in his mind can give him a clear view of this place they call clouds and rain that goes beyond happiness and pain.
As the verses progress, Gillan changes the lyrics to talk about different initial phases of a relationship. First, he sings, one becomes a lover then develops into a friend. Then, he wonders, will the love ever end. The lyric 'Did you touch the clouds and rain' is asking whether his partner has ever experienced the depth of their love, as indicated in the earlier part of the song. This is a song that speaks about love and how it can affect one's life with no warning and how it is always present in one way or another.
Line by Line Meaning
The time is always now the call is always loud
The moment to take action is always present and demanding
Without a movement a word, without a sound
The call to action does not need an explicit invitation
Love comes crashing in again
Love smashes through barriers and defies expectations
Brings along the clouds and rain
Love's arrival brings blessing and difficulty
You've got to take a chance you haven't got a choice
Certain opportunities and risks require immediate action
Somewhere in the rain you hear a distant voice
Amidst the chaos of life, there may yet be a voice to lead you
Love has come to stake its claim
Love possesses the power to make bold declarations
When you reach the clouds and rain
After overcoming obstacles, one may arrive at the place of love's manifestation
If I close my eyes I can picture you
Memory and imagination can conjure a vivid image of a loved one
This is the place I get the clearest view
In the midst of tribulation, one may still see with clarity
Beyond the happiness and pain
Deeper than joyful or harmful experiences lies an ultimate reality
This is the place they call the clouds and rain
In the midst of life's storm, there is a place where love resides
First you are a lover then you become a friend
Relationships evolve over time, but love must remain constant
And then you start to wonder will it ever end
Love raises questions of impermanence, prompting reflection
I'd like to ask you just the same without feeling any shame
Without feeling embarrassed, one may inquire about another's experience of love
Did you touch the clouds and rain
Did you experience the power and beauty of love amidst life's struggles?
Writer(s): Ian Gillan, Roger David Glover
Contributed by Alexandra M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@smokinjz
The time is always now the call is always loud
Without a movement a word, without a sound
Love comes crashing in again
Brings along the clouds and rain
You've got to take a chance you haven't got a choice
Somewhere in the rain you hear a distant voice
Love has come to stake its claim
When you reach the clouds and rain
If I close my eyes I can picture you
This is the place I get the clearest view
Beyond the happiness and pain
This is place they call the clouds and rain
First you are a lover then you become a friend
And then you start to wonder will it ever end
I'd like to ask you just the same
Without feeling any shame
Did you touch the clouds and rain
I'd like to ask you just the same
Without feeling any shame
Did you touch the clouds and rain
@h2hotels94
This album is so underrated!!!
@paularrowsmith5761
Beautiful! Gives me goosebumps every time I hear it
@courgan09
Just brilliant, super musicians made a super job!
@Lil1943
Ian has said this is his favorite album of those he's done. I love One Eye to Morocco, but this one is beautiful - so relaxed.
@user-dr8hu9li8z
Гиллан-это всегда супер💜👍👏👏👏
@goslings53
Absolutely brilliant!
@smokinjz
The time is always now the call is always loud
Without a movement a word, without a sound
Love comes crashing in again
Brings along the clouds and rain
You've got to take a chance you haven't got a choice
Somewhere in the rain you hear a distant voice
Love has come to stake its claim
When you reach the clouds and rain
If I close my eyes I can picture you
This is the place I get the clearest view
Beyond the happiness and pain
This is place they call the clouds and rain
First you are a lover then you become a friend
And then you start to wonder will it ever end
I'd like to ask you just the same
Without feeling any shame
Did you touch the clouds and rain
I'd like to ask you just the same
Without feeling any shame
Did you touch the clouds and rain
@vaneipontes8517
Thx for posting man 🎵🎼🎶🎹🎤🎸😎👊
@alexandraglass1339
Beautiful!!!
@nickgeorge7367
Thank you. Feel the rain.😏