They began recording during the mid-80s, picking up the name 'Baseball Boys' as a reference from a gang of hooligans from the cult film 'The Warriors'. Changing things around to 'The Outfield', perhaps a hint of their later American success due to their affinity for U.S. culture, they released their first album, titled 'Play Deep', in 1985 through Columbia Records. Picking up critical acclaim for their melodic rock sound, the album reached #9 on the Billboard 200 list and ended up reaching triple platinum status in America. As remarked by an Allmusic reviewer, the band had a knack for making "a harmonious chorus that is overly smooth and rock savvy." Their single "Your Love" reached #6 on the Billboard Hot 100 as well as #7 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock chart, and it soon became their 'signature song. It has went on to be featured in a number of 80s-themed compilation albums, and over a thousand covers and remixes by other artists have been released physically and/or online. Other singles "Say It Isn't So" and "Everytime You Cry" also made it into the top 20 on Mainstream Rock chart.
Though possibly peaking too early, the band continued to record and tour through the 80s and then into the early 90s as the Anglo-American pop rock and power pop scenes evolved. While their second album, titled 'Bangin'', hit the top 20 on the Billboard 200 list had both singles hit the top 40 on the Mainstream Rock chart, the group began losing their popular audience by their third album, 'Voices of Babylon', came out in 1989. Though receiving critical acclaim, the rock mainstream seemed to have shifted considerably underneath them. Drummer Alan Jackman left, and, now as a duo, they recorded 'Diamond Days' in 1991. After the disappointing response to their 1992 album 'Rockeye', which represented a shift towards progressive rock and arena rock, the group essentially disbanded for much of the 90s.
They resumed touring in 1998, and thereafter the band released two live albums via their website. The group's comeback album, 'Any Time Now', was released by Sidewinder Records in March 2006 and constituted a comeback to their traditional pop rock sound. In mid-2009, the Outfield entered a London studio to begin recording their seventh studio album. Titled 'Replay', it saw a June 28, 2011 release, with the band's cult following enjoying deliberately retro sounding songs such as "California Sun". Their music popping up in various places (from Katy Perry recording a Outfield cover titled "Use Your Love" to the 'Grand Theft Auto: Vice City' video game using their music), the guys had somewhat of a resurgence of interest at the tail end of their career. Although popular interest in the band waxed and waned since their 80s musical heyday, their group maintained a devoted fan base among followers of the power pop genre for many years.
Guitarist and songwriter John Spinks died in July 2014, succumbing to liver cancer after a long and tough battle. He was 60. The group released a statement saying: “We are relieved that his passing was peaceful and painless.” After taking a few years off from music, lead singer/bassist Tony Lewis released a solo album in 2018 but died on 19 October 2020 in his house near London.
Kiss the Rain
The Outfield Lyrics
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The rhythm of the rain
Breaks the silence
Beats against my window
As the moment slips away
And I just can't explain
In your absence there is nothing
And a miracle can stay
In my mind forever more
It can take my blues away
But it can't stop the rain
And it won't stop me crying
As the rhythm starts again
Inside my head
The rhythm of your name
Undecided uninvited
Speaks to me just like you? re here again
And I just can't remain
Undecided unprovided
So in vain I tried to kiss the rain
And an orchestra can play
Any song I've ever heard
But they? ll never know my name
And they can't stop the rain
And they won't stop me crying
Oh the rhythm of the rain
Breaking in two
Unstained heart untamed dreams
Unchained love forever
The rhythm of the rain
Breaking the silence beating against my window
As the moment slips away
I just can't explain
In your absence there is nothing
I try in vain but I can't kiss the rain
The Outfield's song "Kiss the Rain" is a melancholic ballad about the pain of missing someone. The lyrics are full of vivid metaphors that convey the singer's inner turmoil as he tries in vain to forget his lover. The opening lines, "The rhythm of the rain/breaks the silence/beats against my window," suggest a sense of isolation and sorrow that the singer is feeling. The sound of rain is often associated with sadness and despair, and in this song, it represents the singer's broken heart.
As the song progresses, the singer laments that he can't "kiss the rain," which is a metaphor for the fact that he can't forget his lover. He knows that he should move on, but he can't help but feel pangs of sadness each time he thinks of her. The singer's desperation is evident in the line "And I just can't remain/undecided unprovided/so in vain I tried to kiss the rain." He realizes that he can't keep living in the past, but he can't help it.
The song's chorus is a poignant reminder of the singer's pain. The lines "And it won't stop me crying/as the rhythm starts again/inside my head" suggest that he's reliving the pain of missing his lover each time it rains. The singer knows that nothing can take away his heartache, but he tries to find solace in the fact that he's not alone. The song's final lines, "Unstained heart - untamed dreams/unchained love - forever," suggest that the singer still holds on to hope, despite his pain.
Line by Line Meaning
The rhythm of the rain
The sound of the rain hitting various surfaces
Breaks the silence
Interrupts the peace and quiet
Beats against my window
Creates a rhythmic sound against a window
As the moment slips away
Time is moving quickly and the current moment is fleeting
And I just can't explain
Unable to describe the emotions or feelings being experienced
In your absence there is nothing
Without the presence of a significant other, there is emptiness
I try in vain - but I can't kiss the rain
Attempting to find solace or comfort in external factors but it is not possible
And a miracle can stay
Something extraordinary can create an everlasting impact or memory
In my mind forever more
Permanently etched in one's thoughts
It can take my blues away
Has the power to alleviate a negative mental state
But it can't stop the rain
External factors or events cannot be controlled
And it won't stop me crying
Emotional or psychological pain cannot be erased easily
As the rhythm starts again
The repeated sound of the rain causes a persistent feeling or thought
Inside my head
Mental or emotional turmoil that cannot be easily resolved
The rhythm of your name
The sound or feeling associated with the name of a loved one
Undecided uninvited
Unsure and uncertain of how to proceed or react
Speaks to me just like you? re here again
Hearing or thinking of someone who is no longer present
And I just can't remain
Unable to continue feeling conflicted or indecisive
Undecided unprovided
Lacking clarity or assurance in a particular situation
So in vain I tried to kiss the rain
Attempting to find comfort where it cannot be found
And an orchestra can play
A group of musicians cannot provide a solution to emotional distress
Any song I've ever heard
Regardless of the message or lyrics of a song, it cannot completely ease emotional pain
But they? ll never know my name
An external source cannot truly understand an individual's innermost feelings or emotions
And they can't stop the rain
External factors or events cannot be controlled
And they won't stop me crying
Emotional or psychological pain cannot be erased easily
Oh the rhythm of the rain
The repeated sound of the rain can create a consistent mood or feeling
Breaking in two
Signifying a moment of intense emotional pain or distress
Unstained heart untamed dreams
A pure and uncorrupted heart with ambitious aspirations
Unchained love forever
A love unbound and free that will last for eternity
The rhythm of the rain
The sound of the rain hitting various surfaces
Breaking the silence beating against my window
Interrupting the peace and quiet with a rhythmic noise
As the moment slips away
Time is moving quickly and the current moment is fleeting
I just can't explain
Unable to describe the emotions or feelings being experienced
In your absence there is nothing
Without the presence of a significant other, there is emptiness
I try in vain but I can't kiss the rain
Attempting to find solace or comfort in external factors but it is not possible
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: JOHN FREDRICK SPINKS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Robert Cochran
on Your Love
Winter of '84, 4 feet of snow drops on Harrisburg, PA the night the Romantics are to play the local club The Metro, Called to find out the band were there. Took the girlfriend to a venue of a dozen people and the band. They played that song at least 6 times, once me sing it on stage. Best concert I was ever at.