Los Lobos is a Mexican-American rock band from East Los Angeles, California… Read Full Bio ↴Los Lobos is a Mexican-American rock band from East Los Angeles, California, USA, heavily influenced by rock and roll, Tex-Mex, country music, folk, blues, and traditional Spanish / Mexican music such as boleros and norteño.

Vocalist/guitarist David Hidalgo and drummer Louie Pérez met at Garfield High School in East Los Angeles, and bonded over their mutual affinity for obscure musical acts such as Fairport Convention, Randy Newman and Ry Cooder. Pérez recalls, "We’re looking at each other, 'You like this stuff? I thought I was the only weird one.' So I went over to his house one day for about a year, which we spent listening to records, playing guitars, and starting to write songs." The two borrowed reel-to-reel recorders from a friend and created multi-track recordings of music spanning from parody songs to free-form jazz. They later enlisted fellow students Cesar Rosas and Conrad Lozano to complete the group's line-up in 1973.

Formed in the late 1970's, band members Dave Hidalgo, Cesar Rojas, Steve Berlin, Louie Pérez and Conrad Lozano became the bellwether for Mexican-American music in the U.S. when they recorded the music for "La Bamba" in 1987, which added popular acclaim to the critical praise they had received for their 1984 album "How Will the Wolf Survive?".

They have since become one of the mainstays of the Latin music scene as well as rock music in general, staying together through over 20 albums, and for almost three decades, through changing music climate and personal tragedies, they've continued cranking out albums and touring to dedicated fans.

Can't Stop The Rain
Los Lobos Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

What's the use in trying
She'll never compromise
She's putting out the fire
Heart's as cold as ice

I know she's out there running
With another man
That woman never learns

She'll never understand

I can't stop the rain
Can't stop the rain from falling down

She's got me in a trance
A mojo's in the work
A pitted little soul
I ain't nothin' but a jerk

I fell for her compassion
It hit me like a bomb
And now I'm counting pennies
I ain't nothin' but a bum

But I can't stop the rain
Can't stop the rain from falling down
Can't stop the rain
Can't stop the rain from falling down
Never stop the rain

So here I sit up crying
Ain't nothin' but the blues
Rememberin' sweet little nothings
She made me so amused

I can't stop the rain
Can't stop the rain from falling down
I can't stop the rain
Can't stop the rain from falling down

I can't stop the rain
Can't stop the rain

Can't stop the rain
Can't stop the rain

Overall Meaning

In "Can't Stop The Rain," Los Lobos tell a tale of heartbreak and resignation. The singer is clearly in love with a woman who is unattainable and unworthy of his affection. He knows that she'll never compromise, and that she's "putting out the fire" between them. Her heart is "as cold as ice," but he can't help his feelings for her. In fact, he's so mesmerized by her that he feels as if he's under a spell. He fell for her "compassion" like a bomb, and now he's "counting pennies" and feeling like nothing but a "bum."

The woman in question is clearly not faithful to the singer, as she's "running with another man." The singer seems to know that she'll never change, and that her lack of understanding will only serve to make matters worse. He's resigned to his fate, feeling helpless to stop the rain from falling down. The singer is left to sit and cry, consumed by the blues and the sweet memories of the time when the woman he loved was still his.

Overall, "Can't Stop The Rain" is a mournful lament about the pain of loving someone who doesn't love you back. The singer is left feeling like a victim of his own love, helpless against the forces that drive him towards someone who will never be faithful or kind to him.

Line by Line Meaning

What's the use in trying
There's no point in putting in effort

She'll never compromise
She won't make any concessions

She's putting out the fire
She's extinguishing the passion

Heart's as cold as ice
She has no warmth or emotion

I know she's out there running
I'm aware that she's with someone else

With another man
In the company of another guy

That woman never learns
She never gains knowledge

She'll never understand
She'll never comprehend

I can't stop the rain
I can't prevent my sadness

Can't stop the rain from falling down
I can't stop my tears from falling

She's got me in a trance
I'm mesmerized by her