Blame It On The Rain

Album: Girl You Know It's True (1989)
Charted: 47 1
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This song tells a tale of heartache after a girl has left her man. The song has a lighthearted approach, saying just to blame it on the rain. It was written by Diane Warren, who writes relatable songs with memorable titles, often with very impressive results.
  • "Blame It On The Rain" was Milli Vanilli's last of three US #1 hits before a scandal revealed that the duo did not actually sing on their album but were simply a front for performances where they would lip-synch. The Girl You Know It's True album was cobbled together by various studio musicians and producers, and the slick, catchy songs became huge hits. Rob Pilatus and Fab Morvan, who fronted Milli Vanilli, were chosen for their distinctive look and their energy.
  • The club mix version of the song was included on the US remix album All Or Nothing, which included fragments of other rain-themed songs, like "Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head" and "Walking In The Rain." This version didn't appear on any Milli Vanilli albums until the Greatest Hits release in 2006.
  • This song was re-recorded by Sam Moore and Fantasia in August 2006 on their album Overnight Sensational.
  • This song was featured in an episode of the TV show Full House. Kimmy Gibbler and D.J. Tanner are singing it while they're doing their homework, then Michelle Tanner sings, "Rain.. Rain.. Go Away..."
  • The pop-rock band Barenaked Ladies referenced this in their song "Blame It On Me," singing, "Milli Vanilli told you to blame it on the rain - If all else fails, you can blame it on me." >>>
    Suggestion credit:
    Landon - Winchester, OH, for all above
  • When "Blame It On The Rain" reached #1 it knocked another Diane Warren-written song off the top spot: "When I See You Smile," recorded by Bad English. This made Warren the first female songwriter to have back-to-back chart-toppers.
  • "Blame It On The Rain" found a new audience when it was used in the Netflix documentary The Menendez Brothers, about the brothers who murdered their parents in 1989. In the film the brother sing along to the song in a car.
  • Diane Warren once described her songwriting process as a blend of relentless persistence and improvisational genius - qualities that uniquely shape her work. A self-taught musician, Warren embraces her lack of formal training as a strength. While writing "Blame It on the Rain," her hand accidentally slipped on the keyboard, producing a sound her guitarist declared "totally wrong." Instead of discarding the idea, Warren leaned into it, showcasing her instinct to turn happy accidents into chart-topping hits. "The good thing about me not being a trained musician," she quipped on the Today show, "is I don't know what's not correct."

Comments: 1

  • Joseph from OregonGirl you know it's *record scratch* Girl you know it's *record scratch* Girl you know it's *record scratch*
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Lip-Synch Rebels

Lip-Synch RebelsSong Writing

What happens when Kurt Cobain, Iron Maiden and Johnny Lydon are told to lip-synch? Some hilarious "performances."

Kim Thayil of Soundgarden

Kim Thayil of SoundgardenSongwriter Interviews

Their frontman (Chris Cornell) started out as their drummer, so Soundgarden takes a linear approach when it comes to songwriting. Kim explains how they do it.

The Fratellis

The FratellisSongwriter Interviews

Jon Fratelli talks about the band's third album, and the five-year break leading up to it.

Tony Banks of Genesis

Tony Banks of GenesisSongwriter Interviews

Genesis' key-man re-examines his solo career and the early days of music video.

History Of Rock

History Of RockSong Writing

An interview with Dr. John Covach, music professor at the University of Rochester whose free online courses have become wildly popular.

Michael W. Smith

Michael W. SmithSongwriter Interviews

Smith breaks down some of his worship tracks as well as his mainstream hits, including "I Will Be Here For You" and "A Place In This World."