Founded in 1976, by Den Hegarty along with Griff Fender, Rita Ray and Horatio Hornblower, all former members of the band Rocky Sharpe and the Razors. Joining the band was Thump Thompson, George Currie and John Dummer, all ex members of the John Dummer's Blues Band. The line-up was completed by Hammy Howell and ex Mickey Jupp singer Bob Fish. They built up a large following playing clubs and universities, although their break came after they appeared on the Charlie Gillet's show on BBC Radio London in October 1976. This secured the band a recording contract with Magnet Records, where they were teamed up with record producer Tommy Boyce who had previously produced The Monkees. Covering 1950s rock and roll hits they scored their first UK hit in December 1977 with a medley of "Daddy Cool" (originally a U.S. 1957 hit for The Rays) and Little Richard's 1957 hit "The Girl Can't Help It". More cover versions followed in 1978 with "Come Back My Love" (originally recorded by U.S. R&B group The Wrens in 1955), "The Boy from New York City" (originally a U.S. hit for The Ad Libs in 1965). Their next single of 1978 was an original song "It's Raining" written by band member Griff Fender (real name Ian Collier). All three of the aforementioned hits reached number 2 in the UK Singles Chart[1] and sold a combined total of 1.25 million copies.[citation needed]
Following "It's Raining" in September 1978, Hegarty left the band to tend to his terminally ill father, and he was replaced by Kenny Andrews. Their final hit of 1978 was "Don't Let It Fade Away" (written by George Currie). "Get It" (written by Horatio Hornblower, under his real name Nigel Trubridge), followed in early 1979 and they also covered Gene Chandler's U.S. 1962 hit "Duke of Earl", produced by former Wizzard frontman Roy Wood. This was their last UK Top 10 hit, their only other sizeable hit coming in 1980 with a cover of The Four Seasons "Let's Hang On!". During the year, the line-up changed with Currie, Fish and Dummer leaving the band. Duncan Kerr (guitar) and Keith Gotheridge (drums), both formerly with Plummet Airlines joined,[2] and ex-Mud guitarist Rob Davis briefly joined the band, before moving into songwriting and production work. By the end of 1980 their hits had dried up and in 1983 they began to do theatre work appearing in the theatre production of Yakety Yak.
In 1981, Hegarty became a television presenter, most notably on children's programme, Tiswas. In 1985 Fender and Ray managed and produced the UK a cappella girl group The Mint Juleps who scored two minor chart entries with "Only Love Can Break Your Heart" (originally by Neil Young) in 1986 and "Every Kinda People" (originally by Robert Palmer) in 1987.
The band is still in the Top 500 selling list according to the Guinness Book of British Hit Singles.
It's Raining
The Darts Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Dede-dedede
It's raining, raining down on me, yeah (uh-uh-uh)
I'm drowning, I'm drowning in misery, yeah (uh-uh-uh)
I'm thinking that now I'm alone (uh-uh-uh)
I just want to be going home (uh-uh-uh)
I wish you were by me to hold me (dede-dum-dede)
Girl, I'm crying, crying out to you (uh-uh-uh)
And I'm hoping, hoping I'm getting through (uh-uh-uh)
I've never been feeling so low (uh-uh-uh)
But I can't let my pain ever show (uh-uh-uh)
But from your eyes (uh-uh)
I have to hide these feelings inside (uh-uh-uh-oh)
That's why I'm crying
Tadada-tadada-tadada
Tadada-tada-tada-ohah
That's why I'm saying
It's raining, I'm crying, I'm sinking, I'm dying
It's raining, I'm crying, I'm sinking, I'm dying
Oh, I'm sinking, I'm sinking in the crowd (dede-dum-dede)
Sinking in the crowd (dede-dum-dede)
I'm praying (dede-dum-dede)
I'm praying out loud (dede-dum-dede)
I'm praying out loud
Will this ache in my soul ever cease?
Ache in my soul ever cease
Can I sleep and find myself some peace
Find myself some peace
Outside I play cool
But inside I'm hurting for you
(Uh, mamama) Oh, darlin'
Outside I play cool
But inside I'm hurting for you
Oh-oh-oh, oh, little darling (dede-dum-dede)
I'm dying inside (dede-dum-dede)
Oh, I'm thinking about you, yeah (dede-dum-dede)
My my my my my my my my, little girl (dede-dum-dede)
Uhh
I want you by my side
"It's Raining" is a song by the all-female garage rock band The Darts. The song is about a woman who is heartbroken and alone during a rainy day. She wishes her lover was with her to comfort her during this tough time. The lyrics depict her sorrow while acknowledging her need for emotional support. She desperately reaches out to her lover to share her feelings, but she realizes that she has to hide her pain from everyone else. The chorus repeats the line "It's raining, I'm crying, I'm sinking, I'm dying," which highlights the singer's emotional breakdown, emphasizing how the rain expresses her inner turmoil.
The song's melody is a mixture of rock and roll style and pop elements. The use of intricate chords and harmonies at the beginning, coupled with the catchy melody, creates a dynamic pop sound. The raw and emotional vocals of the lead singer, Sharone, contribute to the song's sense of urgency and vulnerability. The song's overall upbeat tempo provides an interesting contrast with the sad subject matter, representing the tension between holding oneself together under overwhelming emotional stress.
Line by Line Meaning
It's raining, raining down on me, yeah (uh-uh-uh)
The singer feels down and overwhelmed, as if it is raining on him and weighing him down.
I'm drowning, I'm drowning in misery, yeah (uh-uh-uh)
The singer feels like he is suffocating in his unhappiness.
I'm thinking that now I'm alone (uh-uh-uh)
Being alone, the singer realizes he needs someone to lean on.
I just want to be going home (uh-uh-uh)
The singer wants comfort and familiarity, just like home.
I wish you were by me to hold me (dede-dum-dede)
The singer is missing someone to hold and comfort him.
And help me pull through
The singer needs someone to help him get through the tough times.
Girl, I'm crying, crying out to you (uh-uh-uh)
The singer is reaching out for help and comfort.
And I'm hoping, hoping I'm getting through (uh-uh-uh)
The singer is trying to communicate his unhappiness and needs to someone.
I've never been feeling so low (uh-uh-uh)
The singer has never been so unhappy and down before.
But I can't let my pain ever show (uh-uh-uh)
The singer feels the need to hide his pain and emotions to look strong.
But from your eyes (uh-uh)
The singer wants the person to whom he pours his heart out to understand him.
I have to hide these feelings inside (uh-uh-uh-oh)
The singer feels like he must contain his emotions and not show his vulnerable side.
That's why I'm crying
The reason the singer is crying is because he can't express his emotions freely.
It's raining, I'm crying, I'm sinking, I'm dying
The singer feels like he is being washed out and drowning in his pain.
Oh, I'm sinking, I'm sinking in the crowd (dede-dum-dede)
The singer feels lost and anonymous in the crowd of people around him.
I'm praying (dede-dum-dede)
The singer is reaching out to a higher power for help.
I'm praying out loud (dede-dum-dede)
The singer is vocalizing his appeal for help.
Will this ache in my soul ever cease?
The singer wonders if and when his emotional pain will stop.
Can I sleep and find myself some peace
The singer is seeking rest and tranquility from his emotional turmoil.
Outside I play cool
The singer is pretending to be stronger and happier than he really is on the outside.
But inside I'm hurting for you (Uh, mamama) Oh, darlin'
Although he may seem fine on the outside, the singer is really missing someone and really wants them back by his side.
My my my my my my my my, little girl (dede-dum-dede)
The singer is addressing the person he misses with affection and longing.
Uhh
An exclamation of sadness and loneliness.
I want you by my side
The singer is expressing his need and desire to be close to the person he loves.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Ian Collier
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@christopherwright2576
Rip Bob Fish - A truly great voice. Sad loss for a fantastic, underrated band.
@daniellateague9232
My favourite song , never get tired hearing his voice.xx
@peterherrington3300
Stop with the underrated nonsense ffs.
They were huge at the time , get over yourself
@christopherwright2576
Peter, I loved the Darts . Your comment was rather juvenile, they should have enjoyed greater success for their talent.
@peterherrington3300
@@christopherwright2576
Your underrated comment is massively overused & in this case , completely inaccurate.
They were very successful , those who knew , knew.
They never aimed for the masses or desired mainstream attention.
So like I said originally , get over yourself
@lesterjohnston8888
I'll say
@glenwhite4494
What is not to like about this fantastic song? It'll remain as fresh as the day it was recorded, forever.
@CMDR_Hal_Melamby
And the B side Messing Shoes Blues?
My mum disapproved when I bought the single in 78!
@user-em3xx3vo2s
A fantastic band and fantastic singer
@mollyhatchet4807
Fantastic sound...Darts were so underrated...so talented....Great memories from when music was cool.....Wish I could go back to those times.