Origins And Early Successes
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Originally inspired by The Beatles, the Cowsills developed their musicianship and harmonized vocals in performances at school dances and churches in their hometown. They were encouraged by their parents, Barbara and Bud Cowsill, who drove them around to shows in the family's station wagon. Bud had retired from a long career in the US Navy to manage his children's career together with his wife.
The band drew increasing attention through the 1960's as their musical proficiency improved. In late 1965, the initial four members were hired as a regular act on Bannisters Wharf in Newport where they would sing "The Beatles" songs hour after hour. They also produced their first recordings, and released them on Mercury Records. Despite their appeal, the company passed on a record contract for reasons never specified. In 1966, the band was signed by MGM records, and shortly after Barbara - who would become known to their fans affectionately as "Mini-Mom" due to her diminutive stature - joined the group to record The Rain, The Park and Other Things. Shortly thereafter the band was expanded yet again to include siblings Susan and Paul.
With the success of "The Rain, The Park and Other Things" the band quickly became a popular act in the U.S., and achieved significant airplay in England and other parts of Europe. "The Rain, The Park and Other Things" wound up reaching #2 on the Billboard charts, and sold some three million copies in its first release.
Bob Cowsill is quoted as follows on the band's early days:
"Although Bill and I performed at a very young age, and Bill, myself, Barry and John did a lot of frat parties at Brown University and clubs in Newport ... the most memorable performance of what I would view as the precursor of what The Cowsills would be was at King's Park in Newport (right at the foot of Halidon Hall) at some carnival. The family angle just evolved ... first Bill and me, then Bill me and Barry, then Bill, me, Barry and John, then Bill, me, Barry, John and Mom, then Bill, me, Barry, John, Mom and Paul, then later, me, Paul, John, Barry, Mom and Susan, then back to Bill, me, Barry and John (very briefly in the end) and then to me, Paul, John and Susan. Our first real break came when we were playing the MK Hotel in Newport (in the basement there) and a guy from the Today show saw us and asked if we wanted to be on the Today show. We weren't famous or anything but we were young and we were related and we were quite good. So we went on the Today show (I doubt a tape exists of that but if it did it would be priceless to see) and someone from Mercury Records saw us which ultimately led to our signing with that label and putting out "Most Of All" (a great "school's out" song that should have been our first hit in my opinion) which led to Artie Kornfeld and Steve Duboff. Mercury dropped us, but Artie and Steve had written "The Rain, The Park and Other Things" and we went in and recorded that song at A&R studios in New York and took the whole package to MGM who decided wouldn't it just be terrific if their mother performed with them and, voila, the rest, as they say, is history. "
In 1969 they had another number two hit with their version of the title song from the musical Hair.
The Cowsills are often cited as the inspirtation for TV's "The Partridge Family."
The Rain The Park & Other Things
The Cowsills Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Raindrops falling on her
She didn't seem to care
She sat there and smiled at me
Then I knew (I knew, I knew, I knew, I knew)
She could make me happy (happy, happy)
(She could make me very happy)
Flowers everywhere (everywhere)
(I love the flower girl) (I love the flower girl)
Oh, I don't know just why
She simply caught my eye
(I love the flower girl) (I love the flower girl)
She seemed so sweet and kind
She crept into my mind
(To my mind) (to my mind)
I knew I had to say hello (hello, hello)
She smiled up at me (hello, how do you do)
And she took my hand
And we walked through the park alone
And I knew (I knew, I knew, I knew, I knew)
She had make me happy (happy, happy)
(She had make me very happy)
Flowers in her hair (in her hair)
Flowers everywhere (everywhere)
(I love the flower girl) (I love the flower girl)
Oh, I don't know just why
She simply caught my eye
(I love the flower girl) (I love the flower girl)
She seemed so sweet and kind
She crept into my mind
(To my mind) (to my mind)
Suddenly, the sun broke through (see the sun)
I turned around, she was gone (where did she go)
And all I had left
Was one little flower in my hand
But I knew (I knew, I knew, I knew, I knew)
She had make me happy (happy, happy)
(She had make me very happy)
Flowers in her hair (in her hair)
Flowers everywhere (everywhere)
(I love the flower girl) (I love the flower girl)
Was she reality
Or just a dream to me
(I love the flower girl) (I love the flower girl)
Her love showed me the way
To find a sunny day
(Sunny day) (sunny day, sunny day)
(I love the flower girl) (I love the flower girl)
Was she reality
Or just a dream to me
The lyrics of The Cowsills's song "The Rain The Park & Other Things" tell the story of a man who sees a girl sitting in the rain, completely oblivious to it all. He is instantly captivated by her beauty and thinks to himself that she can make him happy. He approaches her, takes her hand, and they walk through the park together. After a while, she disappears, and all he has left is a single flower in his hand. The singer wonders if she was even real and if his encounter with her was merely a dream.
The song's lyrics are simple, conveying a sense of innocence and wonder. The flower girl represents hope and happiness, and the singer feels drawn to her. The rain could symbolize the difficulties and struggles of life, while the flowers could represent beauty and hope. The sudden appearance and disappearance of the flower girl could represent the elusive nature of happiness and the fleeting nature of life.
Overall, the song is a beautiful ode to happiness and the joy that a chance encounter with a beautiful stranger can bring. It is a reminder to seize the moment and never let go of the things that make us happy.
Line by Line Meaning
I saw her sitting in the rain
The singer noticed a woman sitting in the rain.
Raindrops falling on her
The woman was getting wet from the rain.
She didn't seem to care
The woman was unperturbed by the rain.
She sat there and smiled at me
The woman smiled at the artist.
Then I knew (I knew, I knew, I knew, I knew)
The artist had a strong intuition about what was going to happen next.
She could make me happy (happy, happy)
The singer believed that the woman could make them happy.
(She could make me very happy)
The singer was really convinced that the woman could make them happy.
Flowers in her hair (in her hair)
The woman had flowers in her hair.
Flowers everywhere (everywhere)
There were flowers all around.
(I love the flower girl) (I love the flower girl)
The artist was in love with the woman with flowers in her hair.
Oh, I don't know just why
The singer was unsure why they were in love with the flower girl.
She simply caught my eye
The woman stood out to the artist.
She seemed so sweet and kind
The singer thought the woman was charming and good-hearted.
She crept into my mind (To my mind) (to my mind)
The woman had made a significant impression on the singer.
I knew I had to say hello (hello, hello)
The singer felt compelled to introduce themselves to the woman.
She smiled up at me (hello, how do you do)
The woman greeted the artist with a smile and exchanged pleasantries.
And she took my hand
The woman held the artist's hand.
And we walked through the park alone
The singer and the woman strolled through the park together.
Suddenly, the sun broke through (see the sun)
The sun became visible after being obscured by clouds.
I turned around, she was gone (where did she go)
The woman had disappeared from the artist's sight.
And all I had left
The only thing the artist was left with was...
Was one little flower in my hand
...a single flower that the woman had given them.
Was she reality
The singer wondered if the woman had actually existed or if they had dreamed her up.
Or just a dream to me
The artist wondered if the woman was just a figment of their imagination.
Her love showed me the way
The experience with the woman opened the singer's heart and mind.
To find a sunny day (Sunny day) (sunny day, sunny day)
The singer was able to find joy and positivity after their encounter with the woman.
Lyrics © AKBESTAL MUSIC INC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Artie Kornfeld, Steven William Duboff
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind