Stewart's music career began in 1962 when he took up busking with a harmonica. In 1963, he joined The Dimensions as a harmonica player and vocalist. In 1964, Stewart joined Long John Baldry and the All Stars before moving to the Jeff Beck Group in 1967. Joining Faces in 1969, he also maintained a solo career releasing his debut album that year. Stewart's early albums were a fusion of rock, folk music, soul music, and R&B. His third album, 1971's Every Picture Tells a Story, was his breakthrough, topping the charts in the UK, US, Canada and Australia, as did its ballad "Maggie May". His 1972 follow-up album, Never a Dull Moment, also reached number one in the UK and Australia, while going top three in the US and Canada. Its single, "You Wear It Well", topped the chart in the UK and was a moderate hit elsewhere.
After Stewart had a handful more UK top ten hits, the Faces broke up in 1975. Stewart's next few hit singles were ballads with "Sailing", off the 1975 UK and Australian number-one album, Atlantic Crossing, becoming a hit in the UK and the Netherlands (number one), Germany (number four) and other countries, but barely charting in North America. A Night on the Town (1976), his fifth straight chart-topper in the UK, began a three-album run of going number one or top three in the US, Canada, the UK and Australia with each release. That album's "Tonight's the Night (Gonna Be Alright)" spent almost two months at number one in the US and Canada, and made the top five in other countries. Foot Loose & Fancy Free (1977) contained the hit "You're in My Heart (The Final Acclaim)" as well as the rocker "Hot Legs". Blondes Have More Fun (1978) and its disco-tinged "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy" both went to number one in Canada, Australia and the US, with "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy" also hitting number one in the UK and the top ten in other countries. Stewart's albums regularly hit the upper rungs of the charts in the Netherlands throughout the 70s and in Sweden from 1975 onward.
After a disco and new wave period in the late 1970s and early 1980s, Stewart's music turned to a soft rock/middle-of-the-road style, with most of his albums reaching the top ten in the UK, Germany and Sweden, but faring less well in the US. The single "Rhythm of My Heart" was a top five hit in the UK, US and other countries, with its source album, 1991's Vagabond Heart, becoming, at number ten in the US and number two in the UK, his highest-charting album in a decade. In 1993, he collaborated with Bryan Adams and Sting on the power ballad "All for Love", which went to number one in many countries. In the early 2000s, he released a series of successful albums interpreting the Great American Songbook.
In 2008, Billboard magazine ranked him the 17th most successful artist on the "Billboard Hot 100 All-Time Top Artists". A Grammy and Brit Award recipient, he was voted at No. 33 in Q Magazine's list of the Top 100 Greatest Singers of all time. As a solo artist, Stewart was inducted into the US Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994, the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2006, and he was inducted a second time into the US Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012 as a member of Faces.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rod_Stewart
Studio albums
An Old Raincoat Won't Ever Let You Down (1969)
Gasoline Alley (1970)
Every Picture Tells a Story (1971)
Never a Dull Moment (1972)
Smiler (1974)
Atlantic Crossing (1975)
A Night on the Town (1976)
Foot Loose & Fancy Free (1977)
Blondes Have More Fun (1978)
Foolish Behaviour (1980)
Tonight I'm Yours (1981)
Body Wishes (1983)
Camouflage (1984)
Every Beat of My Heart (1986)
Out of Order (1988)
Vagabond Heart (1991)
A Spanner in the Works (1995)
When We Were the New Boys (1998)
Human (2001)
It Had to Be You: The Great American Songbook (2002)
As Time Goes By: The Great American Songbook, Volume II (2003)
Stardust: The Great American Songbook, Volume III (2004)
Thanks for the Memory: The Great American Songbook, Volume IV (2005)
Still the Same... Great Rock Classics of Our Time (2006)
Soulbook (2009)
Once in a Blue Moon: The Lost Album (2010)
Fly Me to the Moon... The Great American Songbook Volume V (2010)
Merry Christmas, Baby (2012)
Time (2013)
Another Country (2015)
Blood Red Roses (2018)
The Tears of Hercules (2021)
Rainy Night In Georgia
Rod Stewart Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Tryin' to find a warm place to spend the night
A heavy rain is fallin'
Seems I hear your voice callin' "it's all right"
Rainy night in Georgia
Rainy night in Georgia
I believe it's rainin' all over the world
Neon signs flashin'
Taxi cabs and buses passin' through the night
The distant moanin' of a train
Seems to play a sad refrain to the night
Rainy night in Georgia
Rainy night in Georgia
I believe it's rainin' all over the world
Seems like it's rainin' all over the world
How many times I've wondered
And it still comes out the same
No matter how you look at it or think of it
It's life and you just gotta play the game
I find me a place in a box car
So I take out this old guitar to pass some time
Late at night when it's hard to rest
I hold your picture to my chest and I'm alright
Rainy night in Georgia
Rainy night in Georgia
I believe it's rainin' all over the world
Yeah I believe it's rainin' all over the world
I believe it's rainin' all over the world and it's rainin' on me
The lyrics to Rod Stewart's song "Rainy Night in Georgia" paint a vivid picture of a dreary, wet night as the singer searches for shelter. The first verse finds the singer "hoverin' by my suitcase" in search of a warm place to spend the night. As the rain falls heavily, he hears a comforting voice telling him "it's all right." The chorus repeats the phrase "rainy night in Georgia" and the sentiment that "it's rainin' all over the world." The second verse adds to the picture with "neon signs flashin'" and "taxi cabs and buses passin' through the night." The sound of a distant train provides a melancholy backdrop. The lyrics reflect on the human experience, with the singer realizing that no matter how much he wonders, "it's life and you just gotta play the game."
The third verse finds the singer passing the time by playing his guitar in a boxcar, feeling a sense of comfort as he holds a picture of his loved one close. The song ends with a melancholy refrain, with the singer resigned to the fact that it's raining all over the world, including on him. Overall, the song is a poignant reflection on loneliness and the power of memories.
Line by Line Meaning
Hoverin' by my suitcase
I'm standing near my suitcase, hesitating
Tryin' to find a warm place to spend the night
I'm seeking shelter to spend the night as it's cold outside
A heavy rain is fallin'
It's raining heavily
Seems I hear your voice callin' "it's all right"
I imagine hearing your comforting voice saying that everything will be okay
Rainy night in Georgia
It's a rainy night in Georgia
I believe it's rainin' all over the world
I think it's raining everywhere in the world
Neon signs flashin'
I see flashing neon signs
Taxi cabs and buses passin' through the night
I see taxis and buses passing by in the night
The distant moanin' of a train
I hear the faraway sound of a train
Seems to play a sad refrain to the night
It sounds like the train is playing a melancholy tune to the night
How many times I've wondered
I've often wondered
And it still comes out the same
But the same answer comes up every time
No matter how you look at it or think of it
Regardless of how you approach the situation or consider it
It's life and you just gotta play the game
It's simply the reality of life and you have to deal with it and move on
I find me a place in a box car
I locate a spot in a boxcar
So I take out this old guitar to pass some time
To pass the time, I take out my old guitar
Late at night when it's hard to rest
At night when sleeping is challenging
I hold your picture to my chest and I'm alright
I hold your photo close to my heart and it brings me comfort
Yeah I believe it's rainin' all over the world
Yes, I think it's raining all around the world
I believe it's rainin' all over the world and it's rainin' on me
I think it's raining everywhere and it's also raining on me
Lyrics © TUNECORE INC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Tony White
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Genesis
I never knew there were so many singers, that sung this song and all of them did a good job!
Richard Oropeza
The unforgettable rendition of the Scottish/Englishman Stewart who cannot be mistaken for someone else Rod Stewart is truly a voice for the ages! Way to go Rod!
Memory Malunga
"Cannot be mistaken for someone else". So true!
Ron Dreger
My wife and I met Rod sitting at the airport at O"Hare airport in Chicago some years ago. Great guy to talk to, not full of himself like other stars. she got his autograph and years later I took the album cover from one of his CD's and framed it with his autograph and presented it to my wife as a gift. She still has it on her computer desk. Nice to know there are great guys like that out there.
Rosie Brind'amour
Ron Dreger
You and your wife sound like a lovely couple 😊
Tracy Tucci
I love Rod Stewart's music, I grew up with his music throughout my life.
E Olden
I heard this last night on late night radio. No mistake who it was. Beautiful rendition with true feeling. God Bless Tony Jo.
Teresa Bridges
Why do people put such degrading comments about Rod on his site. Get off of it, if you do not appreciate his voice & talent. I always loved this song, by the first artist that did it (the first time I heard it, I was a child & it was a rainy night in Georgia (really) & I fell in love with the song. I think Rod Stewart is a great artist & blew it out of the water!!!!
David Franks
May yrs agoTJW was part of the Memphis club scene back when I was barely legal.Talked to him once(TJW) not ROD "loaned" him a cigarette between sets
Andrew Sohn
Right on Teresa; this is classic song. Tony Joe White (RIP) was a genius