It's Raining Today
Scott Walker Lyrics
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And I'm just about to forget
The train window girl
That wonderful day we met
She smiles through the smoke
From my cigarette
It's raining today
And dark little rooms
And sleep in late afternoons
Those moments descend
On my window pane
I've hung around too long
Listening to the old landlady's hard-luck stories
You out of me, me out of you
We go like lovers
To replace the empty space
Repeat our dreams to someone new
It's raining today
And I watch the cellophane streets
No hang-ups for me
'Cause hang-ups need company
The street corner girl's
A cold trembling leaf
It's raining today
It's raining today
The opening line "It's raining today" sets the mood for this melancholic song by Scott Walker. The song talks about a past love that the singer is trying to forget. He reminisces about meeting a girl on a train, and how they shared a special moment together. However, he is now trying to move on from these memories. The verse "She smiles through the smoke, from my cigarette" shows the simplicity and sweetness of their encounter. The line evokes an image of two strangers sharing a brief moment of intimacy, as they share a smoke together.
The chorus is repeated twice, this repetition reinforces the idea of the singer's melancholy state. The second verse describes a time in the past when the singer was happy and content with his love interest. We can imagine the singer in a small room with his lover, surrounded by darkness and summer warmth. These are the moments that "descend on his window pane," where he relives the past.
As the song continues, the singer acknowledges that he has "hung around too long." He listens to the old landlady's hard-luck stories instead of moving on from his own sadness. He recognizes the need to replace the empty space left by his past lover. He feels the need to find a new partner, to "repeat our dreams to someone new." The final two stanzas suggest a sense of desolation in the singer's life, as he observes the streets through the rain.
Interesting facts:
Interesting Facts
Note: This section uses generative AI, which can be inaccurate.
Line by Line Meaning
It's raining today
The weather is currently rainy
And I'm just about to forget
I am almost ready to forget something
The train window girl
A girl I saw through the window of a train
That wonderful day we met
The day we met was wonderful
She smiles through the smoke
She smiled even though there was smoke in the way
From my cigarette
Which I was smoking at the time
But once there was summer and you
There was a time when there was summer and you
And dark little rooms
We spent time in small, dark rooms
And sleep in late afternoons
We would sometimes sleep during the late afternoon
Those moments descend
Those memories come back to me
On my window pane
As I look out the window
I've hung around too long
I have stayed in one place for too much time
Listening to the old landlady's hard-luck stories
I have been listening to my landlady's stories about her difficulties
You out of me, me out of you
We have separated from each other
We go like lovers
We move on as if we were once lovers
To replace the empty space
To fill the void left by our separation
Repeat our dreams to someone new
We retell our shared hopes and aspirations to another person
And I watch the cellophane streets
I observe the plastic-like, shiny streets
No hang-ups for me
I am free from emotional baggage
'Cause hang-ups need company
People with emotional issues tend to seek out others with similar problems
The street corner girl's
The girl on the corner
A cold trembling leaf
She is shaking, vulnerable, and possibly feeling alone in the rain
It's raining today
The weather is still rainy and possibly adding to the somber tone of the song
It's raining today
The weather is still rainy and possibly adding to the somber tone of the song
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Scott Engel
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Neurodisco77
It's raining today
And I'm just about to forget
The train window girl
That wonderful day we met
She smiles through the smoke
From my cigarette
It's raining today
But once there was summer and you
And dark little rooms
And sleep in late afternoons
Those moments descend
On my window pane
I've hung around too long
Listening to the old landlady's hard-luck stories
You out of me, me out of you
We go like lovers
To replace the empty space
Repeat our dreams to someone new
It's raining today
And I watch the cellophane streets
No hang-ups for me
'cause hang-ups need company
The street corner girl's
A cold trembling leaf
It's raining today
It's raining today
Chris Sawyer
Track Listing
Sample Title/Composer Performer Time Stream
1
It's Raining Today
Scott Walker
Scott Walker
4:01 SpotifyAmazon
2
Copenhagen
Scott Walker
Scott Walker
2:22 SpotifyAmazon
3
Rosemary
Scott Walker
Scott Walker
3:22 SpotifyAmazon
4
Big Louise
Scott Walker
Scott Walker
3:10 SpotifyAmazon
5
We Came Through
Scott Walker
Scott Walker
1:58 SpotifyAmazon
6
Butterfly
Scott Walker
Scott Walker
1:42 SpotifyAmazon
7
Two Ragged Soldiers
Scott Walker
Scott Walker
3:06 SpotifyAmazon
8
30 Century Man
Scott Walker
Scott Walker
1:29 SpotifyAmazon
9
Winter Night
Scott Walker
Scott Walker
1:45 SpotifyAmazon
10
Two Weeks Since You've Go
Scott Walker
Scott Walker
2:48 SpotifyAmazon
11
Sons Of
Jacques Brel / Gérard Jouannest / Mort Shuman
Scott Walker
3:44 SpotifyAmazon
12
Funeral Tango
Jacques Brel / Gérard Jouannest / Mort Shuman
Scott Walker
2:55 SpotifyAmazon
13
If You Go Away
Jacques Brel / Mort Shuman
Scott Walker
4:56 SpotifyAmazon
June Asiimwe
RIP Scott Walker, one of the most haunting voices to ever exist.
Steven Cuevas
Simply, one of the most perfect pieces of sound ever recorded. Sublime and perfect from start to finish. It makes me afraid, reassured, drunk, sober, hopeful. 🤘🏽SCOTT🤘🏽
pierpaolo capovilla
wow! so beautiful!
Random Avenger
This song sounds like it could has been recorded in any year between 1920 and 2020.
Jermy Hopkisn
Well, if we're being serious it really couldn't have sounded quite like this anytime before the early 60's.
david weston
@Jermy Hopkisn And they seem to have put just the right amount of reverb too. Not soaking wet like some of this era. (not that there is anything wrong with that, especially for Quincy Jones's Soul BossaNova which couldn't have worked so well any other way.)
Seppo Innanen
Even in 2021 this song and performance is ahead of its time
Growler the 2nd
It was🤣
babyshambler
Perhaps the best example of art-meets-life for me was when I left for a shift, locked the door, hit play and this song came on. 20 seconds later as "It's raining..." kicked in, indeed it did begin to rain. Water on my arm. I was in a film. Amazing coincidence. Amazing. talent. RIp, Mr Walker.
Louis Relf
Those string arrangements are genius, especially from 1:45 to 2:10. Reminds me of Bjork. In fact this whole thing sounds like it could’ve been from the 1990s. RIP Scott Walker