Have You Ever Seen The Rain
Ramones Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Someone told me long ago there's a calm before the storm,
I know; it's been comin' for some time
When it's over, so they say, it'll rain a sunny day,
I know; shinin' down like water

I want to know, have you ever seen the rain?
I want to know, have you ever seen the rain?
Comin' down on a sunny day

Yesterday, and days before, sun is cold and rain is hard,
I know; been that way for all my time
'Til forever, on it goes through the circle, fast and slow,
I know; it can't stop, I wonder

I want to know, have you ever seen the rain?
I want to know, have you ever seen the rain?
Comin' down on a sunny day

Yeah!
I want to know, have you ever seen the rain?
I want to know, have you ever seen the rain?
Comin' down on a sunny day

Someone told me long ago there's a calm before the storm,
I know; it's been comin' for some time
When it's over, so they say, it'll rain a sunny day,
I know; shinin' down like water

I want to know, have you ever seen the rain?

I want to know, have you ever seen the rain?
Comin' down on a sunny day

Overall Meaning

The song "Have You Ever Seen The Rain" by the Ramones speaks of a calm before the storm that has been brewing for some time now. The melancholic lyrics suggest that even though there might be brighter days ahead, the storm must still be weathered. The singer talks of how the sun is cold and the rain is hard, a statement hinting at the harsh realities of life. He also mentions the age-old notion of the cyclical nature of life. The circle will continue to rotate, some days faster, other times slower, but it will not stop.

As the song continues, the listener can detect a tone of longing for hope, and the phrase "comin' down on a sunny day" begs the question of whether the rain will bring relief or make things worse. The chorus, "I want to know, have you ever seen the rain?" can be interpreted in different ways. It could be a question of whether the listener has ever seen the rain bring hope, or a subtle message asking the listener if they have ever been in a similar situation where they need to question whether dark times will ever end.

In all, "Have you ever seen the rain" is a song that speaks volumes about the nature of life, hope, and the cyclical nature of all things. The Ramones did an excellent job of portraying these emotions through simple and meaningful lyrics that continue to resonate with different generations.

Line by Line Meaning

Someone told me long ago there's a calm before the storm,
I was told that before things get really rough, there is usually a period of peace and quiet in which things appear to be calm.

I know; it's been comin' for some time
I am aware that something significant is about to happen, and I have felt it coming for a while now.

When it's over, so they say, it'll rain a sunny day,
People have told me that when the difficult times finally come to an end, things will start to look up and I will be able to enjoy a brighter, happier future.

I know; shinin' down like water
I have faith that one day everything will fall into place and I will be able to bask in the warmth and brightness of a new day.

I want to know, have you ever seen the rain?
I wonder if you have ever experienced hardship or difficult times, the kind of storm that seems to go on forever and never really ends.

Comin' down on a sunny day
And if so, have you ever faced that kind of challenge when you are seemingly blessed with good fortune and everything around you looks fine?

Yesterday, and days before, sun is cold and rain is hard,
The world can be a harsh and unforgiving place where sunny days can seem just as cold as rainy ones, and both can bring challenges that feel insurmountable.

I know; been that way for all my time
This has been my experience throughout my entire life, and I have come to accept that sometimes the good times are hard to come by.

'Til forever, on it goes through the circle, fast and slow,
This is a cycle that seems to repeat itself endlessly, with periods of calm giving way to storms and then eventually back again, sometimes quickly and sometimes slowly.

I know; it can't stop, I wonder
I know that this cycle is inevitable and cannot be avoided, but I still wonder if there is a way to break it or at least lessen its impact.

Yeah!
This feeling resonates with me so deeply that I can't help but react with an affirmative shout of agreement.

Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: John Fogerty

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS