The New York Dolls were a rock group formed in New York City in 1971, now f… Read Full Bio ↴The New York Dolls were a rock group formed in New York City in 1971, now famous as a proto-punk band. Though they found limited success during their initial run, the New York Dolls prefigured much of what was to come in the punk rock era, particularly among other NYC bands such as the Ramones. And, even later; the Dolls' over-the-top crossdressing and sexual tone influenced the look of many glam metal groups, especially that of early Mötley Crüe and Poison, and their shambling and sloppy but highly energetic playing style set the tone for many later rock n roll bands.

Their self-titled album was an underground sensation, particularly with smooth 70s easy listening ruling the airwaves back then. Chrissie Hynde once commented that every punk band ("And I knew them all") had both New York Dolls albums, illustrating the Dolls' influence. Still, the original line-up experienced many problems, particularly with the mainstream record industry that didn't know what to do with the wild group. Upon their break-up, frontman David Johansen had a moderately successful solo career.

In 2004, the three surviving members reunited for some sporadic touring. In 2006, now down to two surviving members, the band released a new album, 'One Day It Will Please Us to Remember Even This'. Two albums followed after this: 'Cause I Sez So', in 2009, followed up by a revamped lineup for 2011's 'Dancing Backward in High Heels'.

Sylvain Sylvain died on January 13, 2021. He was 69 years old.

Final lineup
* David Johansen - vocals, harmonica (1971-1977, 2004-2011)
* Sylvain Sylvain - guitar, bass, piano (1971-1977, 2004-2011; died 2021)
* Claton Pitcher - guitar (2011)
* Kenny Aaronson - bass (2021)
* Brian Delaney - drums (2005-2011)

Past members
* Johnny Thunders (deceased) - guitar, vocals (1971-1975)
* Rick Rivets - guitar (1971)
* Arthur Kane (deceased) - bass guitar (1971-1975, 2004)
* Billy Murcia (deceased) - drums (1971-1972)
* Jerry Nolan (deceased) - drums (1972-1976)
* Blackie Lawless - guitar (1975)
* Peter Jordan - bass (1975-1977)
* Chris Robison - keyboards (1975-1977)
* Tony Machine - drums (1976-1977)
* Gary Powell - drums (2004)
* Steve Conte - guitar (2004-2010)
* Sami Yaffa - bass (2005-2010)
* Frank Infante - guitar (2010-2011)
* Brian Koonin - keyboards (2005-2006)
* Earl Slick – guitar (2011)
* Jason Hill – bass (2010–2011)

Making Rain
New York Dolls Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Hate how the myth of separation
Really cast a spell on me
Never missing one occasion
Of the infinite varieties of agony
Passin' down our borrowed anguish
Blasted joys and jubilant despair
Leave us crying out here to languish
Poor outcast, it's too much to bear

Creating rain
Making rain
It's always raining here

Sometimes I need a little shove, yeah
Remind me of my providence
Learn to bear the beams of love, yeah
Mending my conflict with circumstance

Making rain, making rain
It's always raining here
Heart's in pain, crying in the rain
Here comes that rain again
Exacerbation's, excruciations
That's the tears of things
Exacerbation's, excruciations
Well, that's the tears of things

Waiting in a railway station
In some godforsaken neighborhood
It's as if my blood was dreaming
And resolved itself into melody

Making rain, here comes the rain
Hearts in pain, it's always raining here
Creating rain, here comes the train
Making rain, it's always raining here
Yeah, making rain, making rain
It's always raining here
Making rain, yeah rain
It's always raining here
Yeah rain, yeah rain
Yeah rain, yeah rain

Rain
Here comes that rain again...

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to New York Dolls' song "Making Rain" explore the theme of emotional pain and how it seems to be constantly present. The singer expresses their frustration with the idea of separation and how it affects them deeply. They also speak about the borrowing of other people's pain and how it contributes to their own agony. The repetition of the phrase "making rain" reinforces the idea that the pain is always present, like a never-ending storm.

Despite this, the singer acknowledges the need to find a way to deal with the pain and move forward. They mention the importance of reminding themselves of their own worth and using love to mend their conflicts with life circumstances. The song culminates with the image of waiting in a railway station, where the singer's emotions take shape as a melody.

The lyrics of "Making Rain" suggest a universal truth of the human experience - that pain and heartache are constantly present, and sometimes we need to face them and find ways to cope. The song's repetitive chorus, as well as its use of poetic language, gives it a melancholic, almost surreal atmosphere.

Line by Line Meaning

Hate how the myth of separation
I despise how the fictitious idea of being separate from things and people has taken hold of me

Really cast a spell on me
It has truly influenced me and taken control of my thoughts and actions

Never missing one occasion
I never miss an opportunity

Of the infinite varieties of agony
To experience the vast range of emotional and physical pain that exists

Passin' down our borrowed anguish
Sharing or inheriting burdens of pain from others

Blasted joys and jubilant despair
Experiencing extreme emotions, whether positive or negative

Leave us crying out here to languish
Leaving us to suffer and struggle here

Poor outcast, it's too much to bear
As a rejected person, it's unbearable

Creating rain
Expressing emotions that cause tears to fall

Making rain
Causing the tears to flow

It's always raining here
The emotions are constantly overwhelming

Sometimes I need a little shove, yeah
Occasionally, I need a push to remind me of my inner strength and resilience

Remind me of my providence
To remind me of my innate qualities, such as my ability to provide and care for myself

Learn to bear the beams of love, yeah
To learn to accept and embrace the love and positivity that comes my way

Mending my conflict with circumstance
Resolving my inner struggle with difficult situations and circumstances

Heart's in pain, crying in the rain
My heart is hurting and I'm expressing it through tears

Exacerbation's, excruciations
Aggravation and intense pain

That's the tears of things
These tears are the result of life's struggles and hardships

Waiting in a railway station
Sitting at a train station, waiting for something to happen

In some godforsaken neighborhood
In a deserted and forgotten part of town

It's as if my blood was dreaming
It feels as if I'm in a dreamlike state

And resolved itself into melody
And the surroundings have inspired a tune or song within me

here comes the train
a representation of the approaching changes or moving on from current struggles

Yeah rain, yeah rain
The repetition of raining represents a never-ending cycle of pain and struggle

Rain
The elemental expression of sadness or depression

Here comes that rain again...
The rain or sadness will never truly go away and will always come back

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: BRIAN DELANCY, DAVID JOHANSEN, SAMI TAKAMAKI, STEVE CONTE, SYLVAIN MIZRAHI

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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