The Rainmakers are a Kansas City, Missouri-based original rock band whose m… Read Full Bio ↴The Rainmakers are a Kansas City, Missouri-based original rock band whose members include:

Bob Walkenhorst,
Steve Phillips (later a member of The Elders),
Jeff Porter,
Rich Ruth,
Pat Tomek,
Michael Bliss (replaced Rich Ruth in 1995).

Missouri has long boasted of being the home of two of America's greatest artists, Mark Twain and Chuck Berry. However, it wasn't until The Rainmakers thundered into the national music spotlight in 1986, had anyone combined the guitar power of Berry with the social wit of Twain into a unique brand of Missouri rock n' roll.

Originally formed in 1983 as a 3-piece bar band known as Steve, Bob, & Rich, these Kansas City rockers became an instant favorite throughout the Midwest. Soon, fans were standing in line to see this trio they described as "energetic," "intense," but most importantly "fun." Within months of finishing their first independent release, Steve, Bob, and Rich had signed a multi-album contract with Polygram Records, added a fourth member, and had changed their name to The Rainmakers.

Heralded as "America's Great Next Band" by Newsweek Magazine, The Rainmakers were soon drenched in critical acclaim. Feature articles in Rolling Stone, CMJ, USA Today and others poured in singing the praises of this hard working Midwest band who provided new life to a traditional rock format.

Critics particularly enjoyed the unique writing style of Bob Walkenhorst, whose talent for choosing unusual and sometimes controversial subjects provided an eye-opening perspective of life, sprinkled with sarcastic humor. The Rainmakers received notoriety for their songs' lyrical content, including Music Connection's award for Lyric Line of the Year: "The generation that would change the world is still looking for its car keys," and in the unlikely source of author Stephen King, who twice quoted lyrics from Rainmakers songs in his best seller The Tommyknockers, and again in his 1991 novel Gerald's Game.

But success did not stop at the U.S. borders, as European countries supported the band increasingly with each new release. The song "Let My People Go-Go" gave the Rainmakers their first Top-20 single on the British charts in early 1987. Critics abroad sang the band's praises, with feature articles in New Musical Express, Kerrang!, Rock Power, etc. Frequently, The Rainmakers could be spotted on European television with live appearances on Top Of The Pops, and The Tube, and video play on MTV Europe.

European concert dates grew in number each year, with The Rainmakers often enjoying headline status on festival bills. Their reputation as an electrifying concert act eventually led to the recording of a live album at a sold-out show in Oslo, Norway for release solely in Scandinavian markets.

In 1990, after four albums, five videos, 500,000+ records sold, and concert dates too numerous to count, The Rainmakers put band business on hold to allow time for their personal lives and agendas. In 1994, the band returned to the studio to record a new album, entitled Flirting With The Universe - an album which achieved GOLD certification in Norway within 2 months of release.

Overwhelmed by the response to Flirting..., The Rainmakers reemerged from the studio in 1996 with Skin. With this effort, Bob Walkenhorst has again proved that no subject matter is too controversial by taking aim at pornography and its societal impact, via his unique perspectives - a Rainmakers trademark. A release, which in true Rainmaker form, is designed to provoke.

In 2011, the Rainmakers reformed and released another album, 25 ON, with bassist Rich Ruth returning to the group in place of Bliss, while long-time guitarist Steve Phillips was replaced by Jeff Porter. On March 5, the band was inducted into the Kansas Music Hall of Fame with a ceremony and concert at Liberty Hall in Lawrence, Kansas.

The Rainmakers are: Bob Walkenhorst (Vocals, Guitar); Jeff Porter (Lead Guitar, Vocals); Rich Ruth (Bass, Vocals); Pat Tomek (Drums)

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Knock On Wood
The Rainmakers Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

The truth comes down
Like a rock on my head
Just when I'm thinkin'
That I got it made in the shade
When the sun beats down
You know the heat I take
Dark clouds a whippin' up a spell
And a cold chill that I can't shake

CHORUS

Well knock on wood, knock on wood
'Cause when you got it bad
It just gets worse
Knock on wood, knock on wood
When you got it good babe
Knock on wood

Caught red handed in the naked rain
Just get it together, you're busted again
No doctor no lawyer no nothin' to hide
No secrets no business and
Nobody on the inside

CHORUS

Bad belly luck in this brutal game
Give it everything ain't got no one else to blame
I been roughed up and ripped off
And I'm fit to be tried

Still I'm a man on a mission babe
Chuck a luck--chuck a luck!

Overall Meaning

In the song "Knock on Wood" by The Rainmakers, the singer seems to be reflecting on his good and bad luck, highlighting the unpredictability of life. The opening lines refer to the truth hitting the singer suddenly, like a rock on his head. This could suggest an unexpected revelation or realization that changes his perception of his life. He then talks about feeling like he has everything under control, "made in the shade," but the sun beats down on him and he experiences heat and discomfort. This transition from comfort to discomfort could represent the fickle nature of fortune.

The chorus of the song emphasizes the importance of acknowledging both good and bad luck by knocking on wood. This superstition suggests that by performing a physical action, you can avoid tempting fate to bring you bad luck. The verses that follow refer to being caught in the rain with nothing to hide, experiencing bad luck and having no one to blame but oneself, and feeling like one has been ripped off in a brutal game. The final line of the song, "Still I'm a man on a mission babe, Chuck a luck--chuck a luck!" seems to suggest that despite his setbacks, the singer is determined to continue on his path.

Overall, "Knock on Wood" is a thoughtful rumination on luck and its role in our lives. The chorus's repetition of the phrase "knock on wood" creates a catchy hook while also emphasizing the crucial message of embracing both good and bad luck.

Line by Line Meaning

The truth comes down
An unexpected realization has hit me

Like a rock on my head
It is hitting me really hard

Just when I'm thinkin'
At the time when I am feeling very confident

That I got it made in the shade
That everything is going as per my plan

When the sun beats down
When things seem perfect

You know the heat I take
I face fierce opposition from the world still

Dark clouds a whippin' up a spell
Trouble is brewing and it could get really bad

And a cold chill that I can't shake
The fear of what is to come is affecting me badly

Well knock on wood, knock on wood
I hope for the best but prepare for the worst

'Cause when you got it bad
The situation will only deteriorate further

It just gets worse
Things will go from bad to worse without warning