Coolidge's early career was as a backing vocalist, for artists such as Joe Cocker, Eric Clapton, and Leon Russell. Her performance of "Superstar" on the Cocker/Russell Mad Dogs and Englishmen album helped gain her attention. She became known as "The Delta Lady" and inspired Leon Russell to write a song of the same name for her. It was during this time that she met Kris Kristofferson; the two married in 1973. With him, she recorded several duet albums which sold well, and earned them a Grammy Award for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal in 1974 for From the Bottle to the Bottom, and in 1976 for Lover Please.
In 1997, Coolidge was one of the founding members of Walela, a Native American music trio, that also includes Coolidge's sister Priscilla and Priscilla's daughter Laura Satterfield. The trio released albums in 1997 and 2000. Walela means hummingbird in Cherokee.
Rainy Blue
Rita Coolidge Lyrics
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You're still here. Like you were yesterday
I can make your heart stands still.
I'm the only one who ever will
You never left and you never went away
If my heart could lie I would'nt feel you here inside
I never smile. I never just pretend
I never really care
Rainy blue oh oh you took the sun away with you
Rainy blue is the color of my heart
They say if love is true.
It will come back to you
I'll be waiting here with open arms
If I had one wish I ask nothing more than this
You hear the words I said to make you mine
If you'll call my name maybe I'll stopped the rain
To see you smiling in the sunshine
Rainy blue oh oh you took the sun away with you
Rainy blue is the color of my heart
They say if love is true.
It will come back to you
I'll be waiting here with open arms
Rainy blue oh oh you took the sun away with you
Rainy blue is the color of my heart
They say if love is true.
It will come back to you
I'll be waiting here with open arms
It's a rainy blue. It's a rainy blue
Cause you took away the sun with you
Rainy blue is the color of my heart
It's a rainy blue. It's a rainy blue
Maybe I would stop the rain for you
Rainy blue lonesome night.
The song Rainy Blue by Rita Coolidge is a heart-wrenching ballad about lost love and longing. The lyrics are filled with nostalgia and regret, as the singer reflects on a past love that they can't seem to forget. The opening lines, "If I close my eyes and let my heart go back in time / You're still here, like you were yesterday" are a powerful reminder of the lasting impact that love can have on a person's life. Despite the passage of time, the memories of this lost love are still vivid and present.
The singer of the song seems to be struggling with the idea that they were never more than friends with this person. "This time my heart fails / we were never more than friends," they sing, revealing the pain that comes from unrequited love. The chorus repeats the phrase "Rainy Blue," which seems to allude to the melancholic mood of the song. The rain is often used as a metaphor for sadness and melancholy, creating a somber atmosphere that pervades the lyrics.
The final lines of the song reveal the singer's hope that love can overcome even the greatest distances and separations. "Maybe I would stop the rain for you," they sing, suggesting that they are willing to do anything to be reunited with their lost love. Ultimately, Rainy Blue is a powerful and emotional song that speaks to the universal experience of heartbreak and longing.
Line by Line Meaning
If I close my eyes and let my heart go back in time
Remembering the past brings me back to you
You're still here. Like you were yesterday
I can still feel your presence as if it were yesterday
I can make your heart stands still.
My love has the power to stop everything for you
I'm the only one who ever will
No one else can love you like I do
You never left and you never went away
You may be physically gone, but you're still with me
If my heart could lie I would'nt feel you here inside
My heart is true to you and I can still feel your presence
I never smile. I never just pretend
I can't fake happiness or pretend to love
I never really care
My love is real and I always care
This time my heart fails we were never more than friends
My heart failed to make you mine, we were always just friends
Rainy blue oh oh you took the sun away with you
Your absence has left me feeling sad and blue
Rainy blue is the color of my heart
My heart is filled with sadness and loneliness
They say if love is true.
It's said that true love always finds a way
It will come back to you
Love will return to where it belongs
I'll be waiting here with open arms
I'll be ready to welcome you back with love
If I had one wish I ask nothing more than this
All I wish for is to be with you
You hear the words I said to make you mine
I hope you hear my words of love and desire
If you'll call my name maybe I'll stopped the rain
Your love can stop my sadness and loneliness
To see you smiling in the sunshine
To see your happiness is all I wish for
It's a rainy blue. It's a rainy blue
My heart is still filled with sadness and loneliness
Cause you took away the sun with you
Your absence has left me feeling empty and sad
Rainy blue lonesome night.
Loneliness and sadness fill my nights
Contributed by Lila Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.