Upon release, "Rain" received positive reviews from music critics, who highlighted it as a standout on Erotica and praised Madonna's vocal delivery. The single achieved moderate commercial success, peaking at number 14 on the US Billboard Hot 100, reaching number two in Canada, and entering the top ten in the United Kingdom.
In early 1992, Madonna founded her own multi-media entertainment company, Maverick, consisting of a record label (Maverick Records), a film production arm (Maverick Films), and divisions for music publishing, television broadcasting, book publishing, and merchandising.[1] The first two projects from the venture were her fifth studio album, and a coffee table book of photographs entitled Sex.[1][2] For the album, titled Erotica, Madonna primarily collaborated with American producer Shep Pettibone, with whom she had worked during the 1980s on remixes of several singles.[3] The first batch of songs they developed included the album's title track, "Deeper and Deeper", "Thief of Hearts", and "Rain".[4] Pettibone would create the music while Madonna wrote the lyrics.[4] The producer recalled that they came up with "Rain" the night before the singer was scheduled to come into the studio; "It was a Sunday, it was raining — ha! — and she wrote the words, and sang the song and harmonies all in that day. ['Rain'] came together very quickly".[5] According to publicist Liz Rosenberg, "Rain" is one of two Madonna songs —along with "Angel" (1985)— intended as a tribute to singer Karen Carpenter, whose vocals Madonna cited as an influence.[6] The Northampton Herald & Post later reported that the track had originally been written for a musical adaptation of Wuthering Heights.[7]
In the United States and the United Kingdom, "Rain" was released as the final single from Erotica on August 5, 1993.[8][a] The commercial single contained four tracks: the radio remix and album version of "Rain", a remix of Erotica track "Waiting" with a rap by House of Pain frontman Everlast, and the non-album cut "Up Down Suite".[9] The radio remix of "Rain" differs only slightly from the album version, featuring a subtly altered production.[9] When the song was later included on Madonna's 1995 balladcompilationSomething to Remember, the album version was used, leaving the radio remix exclusive to the single release until it was reissued digitally in 2022.[9][11][12]
"Rain" was written and produced by Madonna and Shep Pettibone.[13] It was recorded at the Mastermix and Soundworks Studios in New York City, along with the rest of the Erotica album.[13] Personnel working on the song included Pettibone on sequencing, keyboard arrangement, and programming; Anthony Shimkin on drum programming; Dennis Mitchell and Robin Hancock as recording engineers; and Goh Hotoda as mixing engineer.[13]
Described as an "optimistic" pop ballad with R&B, trip hop, and new-age influences,[b] "Rain" drew comparisons to the work of Peter Gabriel and Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis.[14][18] The lyrics use water and rainfall as a metaphor for love, portraying both as cleansing forces that wash away past heartache.[19][20] Anthony Violanti from The Buffalo News pointed to "heartfelt intensity" in the lines, "When you looked into my eyes / And you said goodbye / Could you see my tears / When I turned the other way", while Chuck Arnold of Billboard argued that it "envisions a love in the age of AIDS".[21][22]Billboard further described the song as having a "slow and seductive rhyme base surrounded by cascading, sparkling synths".[23] Its arrangement was said to evoke a "purifying effect", with rhythmic patterns likened to raindrops on a roof and production influenced by British downtempoelectronica and trip hop.[20]Orchestral stabs suggest lightning bolts, while a surging bridge with electric guitar-like snarls resolves the tension into optimism.[20]The Independent noted that its "backwards tom-toms and rhythmic synthesiser trick, like the noise of water in a pipe", seemed to be lifted directly from Scritti Politti's 1985 track "Perfect Way".[24] The literal rain sounds were likened to the typewriter and smashing glass effects used on other Erotica tracks by the Orlando Sentinel's Parry Gettelman.[25]
According to Rikky Rooksby, author of The Complete Guide to the Music of Madonna, the bridge shifts from B♭ major to C major and features two spoken passages with harmonies.[19] Around the two-minute, forty-six-second mark, the synths build into a middle eight in which Madonna's vocals alternate between the left and right channels, reciting, "By sheer force of will / I'll raise you from the ground / And without a sound, you'll appear and surrender to me, to love."[26] It builds into a crescendo in which she repeats "Here comes the sun", a nod to the Beatles' 1969 song, which John Myers of Yahoo! Voices described as an "escape from the deluge of the rain with the breaking of the sun".[19][27]
Critical reception
Upon release, "Rain" received generally positive reviews, with critics ranking it as one of the standout tracks on Erotica.[c]Larry Flick from Billboard called it "gorgeous" and "wonderfully constructed", while Giles Smith of The Independent described it as the closest the album came to "the Madonna of Like a Prayer [...] a big and solemn ballad".[23][24] Writing for the Waterloo Region Record, Neil Randall praised it as "creative and gripping" and "every bit as soul-probing as we've seen of her".[33]MRC's Stephen Sears deemed it Erotica's "sole expression of pure love", a "swooningly romantic" track that revisited the "oceanic sonic landscape" of Madonna's 1986 single "Live to Tell".[26] Similarly, the Alexandria Daily Town Talk's Rheta Grimsley Johnson described it as "one happy, open-hearted love song", a sentiment echoed by The New York Times', who highlighted "Rain" as one of the album's softer moments.[34][35] By contrast, Arion Berger from Rolling Stone identified it as one of the songs that helped sustain the album's "icy tone".[36]
Madonna's vocals on "Rain" were likened to those of Karen Carpenter (pictured in 1973)
Madonna's vocal delivery was praised. Randall found her performance "even more vocally inspiring" than her work with Stephen Sondheim on I'm Breathless (1990).[33] Despite regarding the song as "highly commercial", Tom Ford of the Toledo Blade singled out Madonna's "vocal versatility".[37]Slant Magazine's Sal Cinquemani commended her "rarely acknowledged harmonies", which Stephen Thomas Erlewine of The A.V. Club described as "comforting and consoling".[3][16] Troy J. Augusto from Cash Box noted that at times she "almost sounds like Karen Carpenter, all tender and shy", a comparison echoed by author Matthew Rettenmund, who described "Rain" as a ballad that could make the late Carpenter "green with envy".[38][39]
Not all assessments were favorable. Matthew Jacobs of HuffPost felt "Rain" was not "terribly distinctive" among Madonna's ballads while Rooksby regarded its lyrical theme as overused.[40][19] Others considered its production heavy-handed: Tom Moon of the Knight Ridder called it a "full-fledged arena-rock anthem" that ultimately "sounded calculated", while Gettelman dismissed the rain effects as "so literal they're hokey".[41][25] Chris Willman of the Los Angeles Times criticized its "terribly banal rhymes".[42] Even some positive appraisals were tempered, with Deborah Wilker of the Sun-Sentinel branding it a "mere also-ran" despite calling it a highlight of Erotica.[30] Alfred Soto (Stylus Magazine) and Chuck Campbell (The Mississippi Press) also dismissed it as derivative and out of place on the album.[43][44]
In retrospect, "Rain" has been repeatedly ranked among Madonna's best songs.[d] Saeed Saeed of The National highlighted it as one of her most "criminally underrated" works, calling it an "ethereal beauty".[51] Matthew Barton of The Quietus deemed it one of the singer's "most gorgeous" ballads.[52] Critics including Cinquemani, AllMusic's Jose F. Promis, and Classic Pop magazine's Rik Flynn argued that "Rain" anticipated the softer "post-Sex" sound and image Madonna would adopt in the mid-1990s.[50][53][9] Mayer Nissim from PinkNews noted that its "shimmering, trippy Gaia vibe" foreshadowed the musical direction she would pursue on 1998's Ray of Light.[47] Similarly, Sebas E. Alonso of Spanish website Jenesaispop described "Rain" as a precursor to songs from that album, such as "Swim" and "Nothing Really Matters", as well as later works like "Wash All Over Me" (2015).[46]
Commercial performance
In the United States, "Rain" debuted at number 52 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the issue dated July 24, 1993.[54] It peaked at number 14 on September 11 and spent a total of 20 weeks on the chart.[55] On Billboard's Adult Contemporary ranking, the song reached number seven.[56] At the end of 1993, it placed 67th on the Hot 100 year-end list and 38th on the Adult Contemporary chart.[57] As of August 2024, Billboard ranked it as Madonna's 40th most successful Hot 100 entry.[58] In Canada, Rain entered the RPM 100 Hit Tracks chart at number 95 on July 17, 1993.[59] It eventually peaked at number two, kept from the top spot by Mariah Carey's "Dreamlover".[60] It also reached number seven on RPM's Adult Contemporary Tracks chart and finished as the 15th best-selling single of the year in Canada.[61][62]
In the United Kingdom, "Rain" debuted and peaked at number seven on the UK Singles Chart on July 31, 1993, spending a total of eight weeks on the chart.[63] By 2008, Music Week reported sales of more than 130,000 copies.[64] Elsewhere in Europe, the single reached the top ten in Ireland and Italy,[65][66] the top 20 in Sweden and Switzerland,[67][68] and the top 30 in Austria and Germany.[69][70] In the Netherlands, it barely entered the top 40.[71][72] Across the continent, "Rain" peaked at number 15 on the European Hot 100 Singles chart.[73] In Australia, "Rain" debuted at number 21 and peaked at number five.[69] It was certified gold by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) for shipments of 35,000 units.[74] In New Zealand, the single was less successful, stalling at number 20.[75]
Music video
Background and filming
Mark Romanek (pictured in 2010) directed the music video.
The music video for "Rain" was directed by American filmmaker and photographer Mark Romanek.[76] Madonna sought him after admiring his work on En Vogue's "Free Your Mind" (1992) and Lenny Kravitz's "Are You Gonna Go My Way" (1993).[76] Romanek initially declined, feeling "intimidated" by the idea of handling a romantic song and wanting the project to depart from Madonna's "ostentatious antics" of the period.[77] He eventually agreed after proposing a futuristic concept, contrasting with the singer's preference for a black-and-white, traditionally romantic treatment.[76] The final concept portrayed her as a "doe-eyed ingénue" shooting a music video in Japan, the only Occidental on set to emphasize her outsider status.[77][78] The aesthetic drew from Japanese designers Yohji Yamamoto and Rei Kawakubo, and from a Jean-Baptiste Mondino/Yves Saint Laurent commercial starring Catherine Deneuve.[78]
For the role of the director in the video-within-a-video, Madonna approached Jean-Luc Godard and Federico Fellini, though both declined;[76] Fellini reportedly sent a handwritten note of apology.[78] The part ultimately went to Ryuichi Sakamoto, chosen for being what Romanek called the "most iconic and famous and attractive Japanese icon".[76] Argentine model Daniel Rossi, then rumored to be romantically linked to Madonna, also appeared in the video, alongside American model Jenny Shimizu, who was likewise linked to the singer at the time.[79][80] Filming took place from May 16 to 19, 1993, in a hangar at Santa Monica Airport.[78] The space was arranged as a studio with visible equipment, including wires, cameras, and lights, while the Japanese crew moved freely in front of the cameras and around Madonna.[78] The production team included producer Krista Montagna, stylist David Bradshaw, editors John Murray and Jim Haygood, cinematographerHarris Savides, and production designer Jan Peter Flack.[77] Among the set pieces was Marc Newson's 1986 Lockhead Lounge chaise.[81]
Romanek sought to avoid a literal interpretation of the song, using two large water walls on either side of Madonna to evoke its "crystalline" quality.[77] Half-day camera tests were conducted for colored closeups of her face, using a German lighting fixture to create a "modern, yet classic" look.[77] Her appearance was inspired by 1940s Paris and Édith Piaf: close-cropped black hair, spiky bangs, intensely blue contact lenses, porcelain-toned makeup, and rosy lips.[78][82] She additionally regrew her eyebrows at Romanek's request.[82] Wardrobe was provided by Rei Kawakubo of Comme des Garcons and Vivienne Westwood.[82]
Synopsis, reception, and analysis
The video shows Madonna in a white dress with headphones, composing music, and in closeups singing into a blue-toned microphone. Other scenes show her pausing between takes, receiving direction from Sakamoto, and being styled by makeup artists. She also appears kissing a long-haired man and standing in a black dress between walls of cascading water. Later, she kisses through a water-streaked glass wall, poses before a wall of bright lights, and dances against a stormy sky backdrop. The video ends with an aerial view of black umbrellas as fire sprinklers pour down.
Final shot from the "Rain" music video, showing an overhead view of Madonna surrounded by black umbrellas.
Upon release, the music video for "Rain" received positive reviews. Commentators highlighted Madonna's appearance, with Billboard's Deborah Russell calling it "chic yet vulnerable, glamorous yet sweet", and Maureen Sajbel of the Los Angeles Times noting her elegant, restrained presentation.[77][82] The staff of The Advocate described the video as "gorgeous" and praised its enduring quality, while Bryant Frazer of website Studio Daily commended it for pushing "the boundaries of telecine work at the time".[45][83]Dave Marsh and James Bernard included it in The New Book of Rock Lists (1994) as an example of Japanese cultural influence on contemporary arts.[84] At the 1993 MTV Video Music Awards, Jan Peter Flack won Best Art Direction and Harris Savides won Best Cinematography,[85] while at the Billboard Music Video Awards it was nominated for Clip of the Year and earned Romanek the Director of the Year award.[86][87] Russell later ranked "Rain" the ninth best music video of 1993.[88]
Scholarly commentary has examined the video in the context of Orientalism.[89] In Reconceptualizing the Digital Humanities in Asia: New Representations of Art, History and Culture, Kaby Wing-Sze Kung noted Madonna's styling and the inclusion of Shimizu, as well as the decision to frame the narrative around an all-Japanese crew directed by Sakamoto.[89] The author identified the use of "racist cosmetology" in the video, situating it within a broader tradition of white performers adopting Asian-inspired aesthetics to project archetypes such as the "lotus blossom".[89] Kung argued that, in "Rain" and later videos like "Take a Bow" (1994) and "Nothing Really Matters" (1999), Madonna drew on these tropes to negotiate a more subdued and unconventional public persona.[89]
Retrospective commentary has cited "Rain" among Madonna's finest music videos.[e] MRC's Mike Neid called it "sheer class" for its "gorgeous set pieces and stunning cinematography".[90]Slant Magazine placed it 70th on their list of the 100 greatest music videos, with Sal Cinquemani and Ed Gonzalez calling it one of the singer's "most beautiful" works and a "refreshing break" from the "sex-drenched" Erotica era.[91] Christopher Rosa of VH1 described it as "simple, [and] electric", dubbing it one of her most underrated videos and comparing her cropped hairstyle to Mia Farrow's.[92] Jef Rouner of the Houston Press ranked it the ninth-best video directed by Romanek, calling it "light-hearted" and a "fascinating treatise on the act of creating a music video itself".[93] "Rain" has since appeared on Madonna's compilations The Video Collection 93:99 (1999) and Celebration: The Video Collection (2009), as well as on the DVD The Work of Director Mark Romanek (2005).[94][95][96]
On the Celebration Tour (2023―2024), "Rain" was staged with a dancer embracing Madonna, dressed in a long cape, before "pull[ing] her into the darkness", as observed by PopMatters' Chris Rutherford.[106][107]OutInPerth described the number as "anti-climactic", while André Hereford of Metro Weekly praised it as a "powerful vocal [performance] in a night where her lungs and body worked prodigiously".[106][108]
In 2000, British gothic rock band Rosetta Stonecovered "Rain" for the tribute album Virgin Voices 2000: A Tribute to Madonna, which AllMusic's Heather Phares regarded as one of its finest moments.[109] A year later, a rendition by Who's That Girl! was featured on Exposed, released through Almighty Records.[110] The Vitamin String Quartet recorded the track for The String Quartet Tribute to Madonna (2002), while Los Angeles–based band Motor Industries contributed their version to The Dancefloor Tribute to Madonna (2003).[111][112] In 2008, the Da Capo Players and Vitamin String Quartet included a cover of "Rain" on Strung Out on Madonna: The String Quartet Tribute.[113] That same year, Melissa Totten released a remix titled the "Klubkidz House Party Mix" on her album Forever Madonna.[114]
In May 2016, Donna De Lory and Niki Haris issued an acoustic recording of "Rain" as a digital single, accompanied by a remix from Willie Ray Lewis;[115][116] an extended play (EP) with four additional remixes followed in October.[117] Explaining their choice to revisit the song, Haris told HuffPost: "[The lyrics] are indicative of the many years [Donna and I] have been together, alternating between sunshine and stormy [...] We feel blessed every time we sing [it]".[118] "Rain" was later featured in the 2019 film Uncut Gems, playing during a scene in which Adam Sandler's character returns to his apartment to find it empty and dark.[119]MEL magazine's Joseph Longo highlighted its use as a rare "moment of calm" that contrasted with the film's otherwise relentless tension.[119]
↑ Madonna's official website reports a release date of August 5, 1993. Other sources, including AllMusic and biographer Daryl Easlea, however, cite July 1993.[9][10]
↑ Verna, Paul (October 24, 1992). "Album reviews"(PDF). Billboard. Vol.104, no.43. p.60. ISSN0006-2510. Archived from the original(PDF) on January 25, 2021. Retrieved January 27, 2022– via World Radio History.
↑ Augusto, Troy J. (July 19, 1993). "Pop Singles"(PDF). Cash Box. Vol.56, no.14. p.13. ISSN0008-7289. Archived(PDF) from the original on July 29, 2020. Retrieved August 15, 2025– via World Radio History.
↑ Convertini, Horacio (July 12, 2019). "Buscando al novio argentino de Madonna"[Searching for Madonna's Argentine boyfriend]. Clarín (in Spanish). Archived from the original on January 11, 2021. Retrieved September 17, 2022.
↑ "Topp 40"(PDF). Vísir (in Icelandic). August 12, 1993. p.20. Archived from the original(PDF) on October 3, 2018. Retrieved August 16, 2025– via Timarit.is.
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