Rainer Maria is an emo band formed in Madison, Wisconsin in 1995. Bassist C… Read Full Bio ↴Rainer Maria is an emo band formed in Madison, Wisconsin in 1995. Bassist Caithlin De Marrais, guitarist Kaia Fischer, and drummer William Kuehn formed the band in the late summer of 1995 and named the band after the German poet Rainer Maria Rilke. They're known for their poetic lyrics and resounding metaphors. The lineup never changed during their eleven-year career.

In its earlier days, the band had duel vocals performed by De Marrais and Fischer; later, De Marrais would become the lead vocalist in the majority of their songs. The band's many tours and intimate live shows at venues such as Brooklyn's Northsix (now Music Hall of Williamsburg), Washington, D.C.'s The Black Cat, Bowery Ballroom in NYC, and Chapel Hill's Cat's Cradle helped to grow its fan base and fuel album sales.

On November 6, 2006, the band announced, through Pitchfork Media, that the December 16th show at New York City's Bowery Ballroom would be their last. They played one more show on December 17th at Northsix, which De Marrais referred to as "home" because it also served as the band's rehearsal space.

The band reformed in 2014 with a reunion show at Bowery Ballroom on December 31. Additional shows were added for February 14 and April 18, 2015 at Lincoln Hall in Chicago and Union Transfer in Philadelphia, respectively.

In 2017 the band released S/T, their first album in 11 years.

Rain Yr Hand
Rainer Maria Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

how important
all ages shows have been
to the identity formation for me.
that night, you grasp and pull my wrist.
you grasp my wrist and pull me past,
imagining what we will do alone.
that night, a tree had fallen across the highway,
blocking our way home.

wet with rain, your hand on mine.
a breath of hesitation,
your skin that night.
you and i feel as if we
can escape calamity.

that night, you and i, seventeen,
make out.

Overall Meaning

In Rainer Maria's song Rain Yr Hand, the lyrics describe a pivotal moment in the singer's life - a moment of identity formation, a moment of unexpected obstacle, and a moment of connection with another person. The singer notes the importance of all-ages shows in their development, perhaps suggesting that this night is a continuation of the exploration of self that these shows have facilitated. However, the night takes an unexpected turn when a fallen tree blocks the way home. In this moment, the singer is alone with another person, and the possibilities of that intimacy seem to loom large - "imagining what we will do alone."

But the moment of hesitation - a "breath of hesitation" - creates a sense of tension, of anticipation. And when the other person's hand touches the singer's, wet with rain, the moment crystallizes into something meaningful - "you and I feel as if we can escape calamity." Calamity could mean the physical obstacle of the fallen tree, but it could also be a metaphor for the uncertainty and fear that often accompany moments of great change or discovery. And for the singer, this moment of connection and escape is embodied in a physical act - "you and I, seventeen, make out."

Overall, Rain Yr Hand feels like a small but significant moment in the singer's life, a moment that encapsulates the sense of excitement, uncertainty, and possibility that often accompany moments of self-discovery.

Line by Line Meaning

how important
The significance of something

all ages shows have been
Concerts open to all age groups have played a major role in shaping my identity

to the identity formation for me.
In molding my character and personality

that night, you grasp and pull my wrist.
On that particular occasion, you took hold of my hand and drew me closer to you

you grasp my wrist and pull me past,
You gently took control of my hand and led me somewhere

imagining what we will do alone.
Thinking of the things we could do privately

that night, a tree had fallen across the highway,
On that evening, a tree obstructed our path on the road

blocking our way home.
Preventing us from returning to our respective homes

wet with rain, your hand on mine.
While rainwater covered us, your hand lay over mine

a breath of hesitation,
A momentary pause or uncertainty

your skin that night.
The texture of your skin on that very evening