History:
The group were discovered by radio producer Joe Calloway, who heard them singing while preparing a news broadcast from the prison. He arranged for the group to perform on the radio, a performance which was eventually brought to the attention of Sam Phillips of Sun Records. He arranged for the group to be transported under armed guard to Memphis to record. A few weeks later, Just Walkin' in the Rain was released and quickly sold 50,000 copies.
Their success was such that they were allowed out on day passes to tour throughout the state of Tennessee. The band became favorites of the state's governor, Frank G. Clement, and frequently performed at his mansion.
The Group's legacy was confirmed when Just Walkin' in the Rain, written by Bragg, was recorded by '50s pop legend Johnnie Ray. Ray's version was one of the best selling singles of the decade.
Deaths:
Johnny Bragg's sentence was commuted in 1959 and he continued recording after his release. He died of cancer in 2004. William Stewart died of a drug overdose in a rundown Florida motel in 1959, Marcel Sanders died in the late '60s, Ed Thurman was killed in an accident in 1973 and John Drue Jr. died of cancer in 1977.
Just Walkin' In The Rain
The Prisonaires Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Getting soaking wet
Torturing my heart by trying to forget
Just walking in the rain
So alone and blue
All because my heart still remembers you
They always stare at me
Shaking their heads in sorrow
Saying, Who can that fool be
Just walking in the rain
Thinking how we met
Knowing things have changed
Somehow I can't forget.
The Prisonaires' song "Just Walking in the Rain" tells the story of a heartbroken protagonist who seeks solace in the rain but is reminded of past love. The rain serves as an apt metaphor, as it mirrors the tears and heartache that the singer is experiencing. Despite his attempts to forget, memories of his lost love persist, bringing him a sense of loneliness, which he bravely confronts as he walks alone in the rain.
The lyrics paint a picture of the singer's emotional state, as people watch him trudge through the rain and pity him. However, the singer is not ashamed of his sorrow and instead, embraces it as an inevitable part of the healing process. The song's raw emotion and somber tone effectively capture the pain of heartbreak, which is sure to resonate with listeners.
Overall, "Just Walking in the Rain" is a poignant track that speaks to the universal experience of heartbreak. It beautifully conveys the sense of loneliness and longing that we feel after a relationship ends, especially if it has ended abruptly.
Line by Line Meaning
Just walking in the rain
I am aimlessly wandering in the rain
Getting soaking wet
I am drenched and my emotions are overwhelming
Torturing my heart by trying to forget
I am attempting to erase you from my mind, though it pains me greatly
So alone and blue
I feel incredibly isolated and melancholy
All because my heart still remembers you
My heart is fixated on thoughts of you and it's causing me great distress
People come to their windows,
Onlookers watch me from afar
They always stare at me
I am a spectacle to them
Shaking their heads in sorrow
They pity me
Saying, Who can that fool be
They wonder who I could be and why I'm walking alone
Thinking how we met
I'm reflecting on our initial encounter
Knowing things have changed
I realize that our relationship is not the same
Somehow I can't forget.
Despite my efforts to move on, thoughts of you still haunt me
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Downtown Music Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Johnny Bragg, Robert Stanley Riley Snr
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@jawuanbragg2382
Grandad Still The Goat 🐐 ❤️
@LaurenceOConnor-fg4dk
You're a descendant of the lead singer?
@fayemoore5632
I was around 12 yrs of age when my mentor and friend, Fowler Stanton, a band director at Smith Co High was asked by Mr. John Watts, Deputy Warden of Tenn State Prison, to do a musical development program at the prison. I attended some of his night time visits to the prison. He developed the Prisonaires group, took tours with them, did the recording of this hit song. They became very popular. They did a concert at my high school in Jackson Co. Then the story hit the papers. The Warden at Sing Sing hit the ceiling about such a thing! So, the Prisonaires were grounded. No more concerts or travel outside prison!
@wolfgang4468
Thanks for sharing this info!
@juniorwalker9201
Beautiful Story 🕊
@uranazidar
Took a road trip to Graceland in 2014 and while in Memphis visited Sun studios and took a tour . The guide told us about the Prisonaires and how the the warden loved their music and how they would perform at private parties for him and other shows they would be allowed to be temporarily released for so they could perform . Not saying it was right but too bad these guys couldnt stay out of prison and enjoy more musical and financial success in the free world . Thanks for sharing your story and giving a little more info on these guys
@kelliintexas3575
Here is the story of how a young Presley in 1953 helped Johnny record this Demo. That's why they were his favorite. They kept in touch Elvis' entire life...
https://youtu.be/r76OCAgAZw8
@lioneldelamotte8692
Thanks for the story!
@mdmphd
I had no idea the Johnny Ray was a cover - but it was the 50s so I should've known. Thank you so much for posting - this is stunning.
@cm-oo1td
He used to visit jail and buy songs from people, he didn't pay too much for them either