The Guardian has described Reich as one of the few composers to have "altered the direction of musical history."
Reich often cites Pérotin, J.S. Bach, Debussy and Stravinsky as composers he admires, whose tradition he wished as a young composer to become part of. Jazz is a major part of the formation of Reich's musical style, and two of the earliest influences on his work were vocalists Ella Fitzgerald and Alfred Deller, whose emphasis on the artistic capabilities of the voice alone with little vibrato or other alteration was an inspiration to his earliest works. John Coltrane's style, which Reich has described as "playing a lot of notes to very few harmonies", also had an impact; of particular interest was the album "Africa/Brass", which "was basically a half-an-hour in F." Reich's influence from jazz includes its roots, also, from the West African music he studied in his readings and visit to Ghana. Other important influences are Kenny Clarke and Miles Davis, and visual artist friends such as Sol Lewitt and Richard Serra.
Reich's music is published by Boosey & Hawkes Music Publishing, www.boosey.com/reich.
Steve Reich won the Polar prize in 2007.
Its Gonna Rain
Steve Reich Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
for forty days and for forty nights". And the people didn't believe him
And they begin to laugh at him. And they begin to mock him
And they begin to say: "It ain't gonna rain!"
It's gonna rain
It's gon'
It's
They didn't believe it was gonna rain. But glory to God. Hallelujah!
Bless God's wonderful name this evening. I said, this evening
After a while, they didn't believe it was gonna rain. But sure enough, it began to rain. Hallelujah!
They began to knock upon the door. But it was too late. Hoo!
The Bible tell me, they knocked upon the door until the skin came off their hands
Whoo! My Lord! My Lord! I say, until the skin came off their hand. They cried
I can just hear their cry now. I can hear 'em say: "Oh Noah! Would you just open the door?"
But Noah couldn't open the door; it had been sealed by the hand of God
Glory to God
God
Had been sealed
Couldn't open the door
Noah! Noah!
They cried
Just open the door
Couldn't open the door
But sure enough
Hallelujah!
Steve Reich's song "It's Gonna Rain" tells a story that starts with a man warning people about an impending rain that would last for forty days and nights, but no one believed him. The lyrics continue with the non-believers mocking the man for making such a statement. The repetition of the phrase "It's gonna rain" throughout the song indicates the coming of the downpour.
The second stanza of the song talks about the days when the rain finally came. People started believing it would rain after all. They tried knocking on doors seeking shelter, but it was too late. The door had been sealed by the hand of God, and Noah couldn't open it for them. The consequences of their lack of belief led to their misfortune, making them cry out for help in panic.
The song draws its inspiration from the biblical story of Noah's ark, where God warns Noah to build an ark to protect his family and two of every animal because he planned to flood the earth. Surprisingly, no one else believed in Noah's warning, making them the victims of the great deluge.
Line by Line Meaning
He began to warn the people. He said: "After a while, it's gonna rain after a while
for forty days and for forty nights". And the people didn't believe him
They didn't believe it was gonna rain. But Noah kept warning them about the upcoming flood for 40 days and 40 nights without any avail.
And they begin to laugh at him. And they begin to mock him
And they begin to say: "It ain't gonna rain!"
Even though Noah warned them, people chose to laugh and mock him, claiming that he was wrong about the impending flood.
It's gonna rain
It's gon'
It's
Rain
The repeated lines are an indication of impending doom, emphasizing that the rain is inevitable.
After a while, they didn't believe it was gonna rain. But sure enough, it began to rain. Hallelujah!
Despite their disbelief, Noah's words came true, and the rain started pouring down.
They began to knock upon the door. But it was too late. Hoo!
As the floodwaters began to rise, people realized their mistake and asked to be given shelter in Noah's ark.
The Bible tell me, they knocked upon the door until the skin came off their hands
Whoo! My Lord! My Lord! I say, until the skin came off their hand. They cried
I can just hear their cry now. I can hear 'em say: "Oh Noah! Would you just open the door?"
People's desperation was evident as they knocked the door with all their might, causing their skin to tear down. They cried out to Noah for help.
But Noah couldn't open the door; it had been sealed by the hand of God
Noah was unable to help the people since it was God's will that the flood should happen. The ark was therefore sealed, and no one could enter or leave.
Glory to God
God
Had been sealed
Couldn't open the door
Noah! Noah!
They cried
Just open the door
Couldn't open the door
But sure enough
Hallelujah!
The final repeated lines emphasize the helplessness of people trapped outside the ark who could not escape their fate. Noah couldn't open the door, and the flood commenced, fulfilling the prophecy.
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: Steve Reich
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@davidmehnert6206
On a happier mote, perhaps ... don’t think the dusting of Steve Reich and electronica didn’t trickle into disco, notably the recording of this track, laid down in Salt Lake City with a Mormon genius behind it
I mean, I can hear the connection .. so why can’t everyone? 💙
Donna Summer, “I Feel Love”
https://youtu.be/Nm-ISatLDG0
Disco Reign
Disco Reign
Disco Reign.....
@nwoah33
Music as art and art as a means of conveying meaning and emotion: that which has something to say, but says it in such a way as to communicate textures and meanings and feelings uncommunicatable through words.
Look into minimalism and soundscapes and perhaps you'll be able to figure out what is happening here. It is honestly brilliant.
try to understand the context and the magnitude of what is literally being said by the preacher and by the piece as a whole
the first part is the pronouncement, the anticipation, the anxiety, the waiting, the confusion, the idea which lingers and dominates
the second part is the coming, the clamor, the madness, the eternal judgment of glory upon millions, the fear, the disaster, and the coming of what consumes
there is a lot more to get out of it, but this is a piece of art, and must be interpreted as such
@jak3186
When I was a DJ we used to fire this up around midnight, on the FM dial... And we would sit and watch the phone lines light up 1 2 3 4... It's a brilliant piece of music and how important it is to pretty much all sampling culture since then... But it's still riles people up even to this day LOL... I don't think we ever played all 17 minutes all the way through on air... We used to do Sister Ray all the time too LOL...
@hunterrat
this song reminds me of trying to open a combination lock by systemically trying every single combination
@SJohnTrombley
This is a better description of process music than you probably intended
@davidmehnert6206
But as many as there were who did not enter into a covenant, and who did still continue to have those secret murders in their hearts, yea, as many who were found breathing out threatenings against their brethren were condemned and punished according to the law.
And thus they did put an end to all those wicked, and secret, and abominable combinations, in the which there was so much wickedness, and so many murders committed.
- 3 NEPHI 5:5-6, The Book of Mormon
@adamkumpmusic
@@davidmehnert6206 I was not expecting to see anyone reference the Book of Mormon in this type of forum of experimental music, nice.
@davidmehnert6206
Adam Kump — and nobody expected Secretariat to run the Belmont in an etherial 2:24, either.... ‘and also the reins...’
https://youtu.be/CMIfR6LfGZ0
@davidmehnert6206
On a happier mote, perhaps ... don’t think the dusting of Steve Reich and electronica didn’t trickle into disco, notably the recording of this track, laid down in Salt Lake City with a Mormon genius behind it
I mean, I can hear the connection .. so why can’t everyone? 💙
Donna Summer, “I Feel Love”
https://youtu.be/Nm-ISatLDG0
Disco Reign
Disco Reign
Disco Reign.....
@torilongstaff5591
It's a phase, mom
@WearySisyphus
nice.
@matthiasasiedu-yeboa7091
Fantastic.