Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head

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"Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head"
Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head.jpg
From the motion picture, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
Single by B. J. Thomas
from the album Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head
B-side "Never Had It So Good"
ReleasedOctober 1969 [1]
Recorded1969
Studio A & R (New York City) [2]
Genre
Length3:02
Label Scepter
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
B. J. Thomas singles chronology
"Pass the Apple Eve"
(1969)		"Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head"
(1969)		"Everybody's Out of Town"
(1970)
Audio
"Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head" on YouTube

"Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head" is a song written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David for the 1969 film Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid . [5] [6] The uplifting lyrics describe somebody who overcomes his troubles and worries by realising that "it won't be long till happiness steps up to greet me." [7] [8]

Contents

The single by B. J. Thomas reached No. 1 on charts in the United States, Canada and Norway, and reached No. 38 on the UK Singles Chart. [6] It topped the Billboard Hot 100 for four weeks in January 1970 and was also the first American No. 1 hit of the 1970s. The song also spent seven weeks atop the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart. [9] Billboard ranked it as the No. 4 song of 1970. According to Billboard magazine, it had sold over 2 million copies by March 14, 1970, with eight-track and cassette versions also climbing the charts. [10] It won an Oscar for Best Original Song. [6] Bacharach also won Best Original Score.

Composition and recording

Bacharach and David composed the song for Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid . Director George Roy Hill wanted something for a particular scene involving a romantic bike ride. [2] Ray Stevens was first offered the opportunity to record it for the film, but turned it down. Bob Dylan is supposed to have been approached for the song, but he reportedly declined too. [11] Carol Kaye played electric bass on the song. [12]

B. J. Thomas accepted the offer to record the song, and he recorded the version heard in the film in seven takes, after Bacharach expressed dissatisfaction with the first six. Thomas had been recovering from laryngitis, which made his voice sound huskier. The film version featured a separate vaudeville-style instrumental break in double time while Paul Newman performed bicycle stunts. [13] Two weeks later Thomas re-recorded the song at A & R Studio in New York City for its single release. [2]

Reception

Some felt the song was the wrong tone for a western film like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid , but Hill insisted on its inclusion. [5] Robert Redford, one of the stars of the films, was among those who disapproved of using the song, though he later acknowledged he was wrong: [5]

"When the film was released, I was highly critical: How did the song fit with the film? There was no rain. At the time, it seemed like a dumb idea. How wrong I was, as it turned out to be a giant hit." [5]

Legacy

Gold record presented to backup singer Linda November for her work on "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head" LindaNovember-Raindrops.jpg
Gold record presented to backup singer Linda November for her work on "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head"

In 2004, it finished at number 23 on AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs survey of top tunes in American cinema. In 2008, the single was ranked 85th on Billboard's Hot 100 All-Time Top Songs [14] and placed 95th in the 55th Anniversary edition of the All-Time Hot 100 list in 2013. [15] Billboard Magazine also ranked the song 15th on its Top 50 Movie Songs of All Time list in 2014. [16]

The song, initially when it came out, I believe it was October of 69, the movie didn't come out until December, it did get some bad reviews. It was a very unique and different sounding song, Bacharach and David never had any qualms about trying to do anything different, or push the envelope so to speak. So nowadays, it sounds pretty tame, but back then, radio resisted it to some degree. But, when the movie came out it hit hugely and sold about 200,000 to 300,000 records a day [and continued selling] for about three years.

— B.J. Thomas, Interview, Pods o' Pop (August 22, 2011) [17]

On December 3, 2013, the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences announced that the single would be inducted into the 2014 Grammy Hall Of Fame. [18]

Chart performance

Certifications and sales

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada) [30] Gold100,000 [30]
United States (RIAA) [31] Gold2,000,000 [32]
Summaries
Worldwide—3,000,000 [32]

Cover versions

See also

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References

  1. ↑ "Audio Single: Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head - B.J. Thomas (October 1969)". SHS - secondhandsongs. Retrieved 2011-05-15.
  2. 1 2 3 DeMain, Bill (September 2006). ""Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head"". Performing Songwriter. Retrieved August 28, 2024.
  3. ↑ "Soft Rock Music Songs". AllMusic .
  4. ↑ Abercrombie, Olivia; Mitchell, Matt (March 10, 2024). "The 50 Best Original Songs Written for Films". Paste . Retrieved March 11, 2024.
  5. 1 2 3 4 McEvoy, Colin (February 9, 2023). "What It Was Like to Work with Burt Bacharach, in the Words of his Collaborators". Biography . Retrieved February 11, 2023.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 136. ISBN   1-904994-10-5.
  7. ↑ Liebenson, Donald (25 September 2019). "Remembering Butch Cassidy's Controversial Smash Hit, "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head"". Vanity Fair. Retrieved Dec 15, 2020.
  8. ↑ "Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head - BJ Thomas". Nporadio2.nl. Retrieved Dec 15, 2020.
  9. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (1996). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits, 6th Edition (Billboard Publications)
  10. ↑ "Photo caption". Billboard . 14 March 1970. p. 1. Retrieved 3 January 2015.
  11. ↑ "A.Song.A.Day – Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head". Musicaloud.com. 8 November 2009. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
  12. ↑ "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid". Library of Congress.
  13. ↑ Dominic, Serene (2003). Burt Bacharach: Song by Song: The Ultimate Burt Bacharach Reference for Fans, Serious Record Collectors, and Music Critics. Omnibus Press. ISBN   978-0825672804.
  14. ↑ "The Billboard Hot 100 All-Time Top Songs (90-81)". Billboard . Archived from the original on Sep 29, 2008. Retrieved Dec 15, 2020.
  15. ↑ Bronson, Fred (2 August 2013). "Hot 100 55th Anniversary: The All-Time Top 100 Songs". Billboard Magazine. Retrieved 3 August 2014.
  16. ↑ Dan, Reilly (27 February 2014). "Top 50 Movie Songs Of All Time". Billboard Magazine. Retrieved 3 August 2014.
  17. ↑ B.J. Thomas (2011). Pods o' Pop-BJ Thomas Interview and Songs (MP3). Pods o' Pop. Event occurs at 34m 18s. Archived from the original (Audio) on December 12, 2013. Retrieved 7 December 2013.
  18. ↑ "2014 Grammy Hall of Fame". Raindrops Keep Fallin' on my Head. THE RECORDING ACADEMY. 3 December 2013. Archived from the original on 3 December 2013. Retrieved 3 December 2013.
  19. ↑ "Cash Box - International Best Sellers" (PDF). worldradiohistory.com. Cash Box. 13 June 1970. p. 53.
  20. ↑ Nimmervoll, Ed (January 24, 1970). "National Top 40". Go-Set . Waverley Press. Retrieved May 16, 2014. Note: Australian pop singer, Johnny Farnham's cover version sits at No. 1 (first week), while B. J. Thomas' version is at No. 20.
  21. ↑ "Billboard "Hits of the World"". 11 July 1970. p. 77. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
  22. 1 2 3 "Hits of the world". Billboard . February 18, 1970. p. 65. ISSN   0006-2510 . Retrieved February 19, 2022.
  23. ↑ "Flavour of New Zealand". Flavourofnz.co.nz. Archived from the original on 2 April 2016. Retrieved 27 November 2014.
  24. 1 2 Nimmervoll, Ed. "Go-Set Australian Charts – Top Records for the Year of 1970: Number One Singles 1970". Go-Set. Waverley Press. Retrieved May 16, 2014.
  25. ↑ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. 17 July 2013.
  26. ↑ "Top 20 Hit Singles of 1980". Rock.co.za. Retrieved 9 September 2018.
  27. ↑ "Top 100 Hits of 1970/Top 100 Songs of 1970". Musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved 2016-10-02.
  28. ↑ "Cash Box Year-End Charts: Top 100 Pop Singles, December 26, 1970". Archived from the original on July 22, 2019. Retrieved July 9, 2017.
  29. ↑ "Billboard Hot 100 60th Anniversary Interactive Chart". Billboard. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
  30. 1 2 "B.J. Thomas Receives Compo Gold" (PDF). RPM . May 23, 1970. p. 3. Retrieved February 19, 2022.
  31. ↑ "American single certifications – B.J. Thomas – Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head". Recording Industry Association of America.
  32. 1 2 Murrells, Joseph (1985). Million selling records from the 1900s to the 1980s : an illustrated directory. Arco Pub. p. 294. ISBN   0668064595. By the end of January 1970, sales were estimated at two million in the US.A. alone. ... and the disc solve over a global three million
  33. 1 2 3 Liebenson, Donald (25 September 2019). "Remembering Butch Cassidy's Controversial Smash Hit, "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head"". Vanity Fair. Condé Nast. Retrieved February 19, 2022.
  34. ↑ Groening, Matt; Richmond, Ray; Coffman, Antonia (1997). The Simpsons: A Complete Guide To Our Favorite Family (1st ed.). New York, NY: HarperPerennial. p. 249. ISBN   978-0-06-095252-5.
  35. ↑ Joel Whitburn's Bubbling Under the Billboard Hot 100 1959-2004
  36. ↑ Farnham, John (1969). "Raindrops keep fallin' on my head / Bacharach - David ; [performed by] Johnny Farnham. Two / [written and performed by] Johnny Farnham". National Library of Australia. Retrieved 30 July 2014. Sydney : Columbia [1969], DO-8965 7XCT3526 7XCT3527
  37. ↑ "Pedro Biker - Regndråber Drypper I Mit Hår/Sjælens Karrusel". Discogs. 1970. Retrieved 30 July 2014. Polydor - 2054 005, Denmark
  38. ↑ "Dionne Warwick - I'll Never Fall in Love Again Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic". AllMusic .
  39. ↑ "Our Way". Album Cover Notes. Stereophonic. Retrieved 10 April 2014.
  40. ↑ "Our Way". MTV. Archived from the original on April 10, 2014. Retrieved 10 April 2014. Label: Reboot Stereophonic
  41. ↑ Aspden, Peter (22 May 2015). "The Life of a Song: 'Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head'". Financial Times. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
  42. 1 2 Price, Simon (2 June 2016). "And If You Need An Explanation: Manic Street Preachers interviewed". Quietus. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
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  44. ↑ Price, Simon (1999). Everything (A Book About Manic Street Preachers). Virgin. p. 220. ISBN   0-7535-0139-2.
  45. ↑ Gallo, Phil (1998-04-14). "Bacharach: One Amazing Night". Variety. Retrieved 2023-10-29.
  46. ↑ "Lisa Miskovsky - Lisa Miskovsky (New Version)". Discogs. 2004. Retrieved 30 July 2014. Stockholm Records - 986 737-6
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