It's Raining Today
Scott Walker Lyrics


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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

Overall Meaning

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.


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
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@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



All comments from YouTube:

@Pyrrhic537

My mother was a friend of the lady who's eye appears on the album cover. RIP Pamela Mccarthy. What an amazing song and singer.

@thrownforaloop57

Cool 😎

@stevencuevas3563

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🤘🏽

@pierpaolocapovilla4222

wow! so beautiful!

@bartoszgolibroda8081

I wódeczka ma być zimna.. i gęsta

@michalkos9627

Kupa czy szkło

@san.absekt4617

No i nie podobasz mi się

@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.

@caesarblack6144

The Polish series 'Blinded By The Lights' on demand brought me here. Damn good show!
Love this song!

@alexcrow4429

I just finished watching that show and indeed it was a damn good one! I will remember that intro for a while...

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