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