Credit: Libby Hamant
Songs I Wish I Wrote is a monthly column that assembles old and new songs for Ohio State’s music lovers.
In his 1922 poem “The Waste Land,” T.S. Eliot famously labeled April “the cruelest month.” His assertion is easily defendable; just when sunshine seems here to stay, merciless storms lead to canceled plans and rather gloomy views.
But, for all their delays on spring picnics and aimless strolls, stormy days also present refreshing opportunities to slow down a bit — maybe watch a movie curled up under a fluffy blanket, unearth a nostalgic recipe to bake or simply reflect on life while listening to the patter of raindrops outside.
Below is a playlist to enhance April’s infamous rainy days, whether they prompt pensive reflections or incite cozy pleasures.
“Banana Pancakes” by Jack Johnson
Waking up to a rain-streaked window need not precipitate melancholy. In “Banana Pancakes,” Jack Johnson indulges in the comfort and joy of having “no need to go outside.”
Johnson’s effortlessly smooth voice and subdued guitar picking render his proposal to “sleep in” and “pretend like there’s no world outside” simply irresistible. It’s hard to argue against settling into this mellow track’s coziness on a rainy day — ignore the ringing phone, be soothed into a doze by raindrops’ steady tapping and “wake up slow” with a soul-warming, homemade breakfast, like a stack of “banana pancakes.”
“Suzanne” by François Hardy
Though I don’t understand the French language, I believe its lush and beautiful sound lends itself to lovely soundtracks for days spent indoors.
In particular, François Hardy’s cover of Canadian singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen’s wistful tune “Suzanne” exudes the contemplative quality of dismal weather. Still, the charmingly intricate acoustic guitar picking and Hardy’s wispy vocals give the song a rather romantic air, providing listeners enough tranquility to flip through a book or perhaps prepare a hot cup of tea while gazing out the window.
“Topical Solution” by Duster
“Slowcore” — an alternative-rock subgenre generally characterized by a downbeat tempo and muted instrumentation — epitomizes both the languor and comfort of a drowsy rainy day.
While I would recommend the entirety of lo-fi band Duster’s stand-out album “Stratosphere” for April showers, one of my favorite tracks off the record is the lackadaisical “Topical Solution.”
This track’s hushed, fuzzy instrumentation and hazy vocals mirror a rainstorm’s blur and fog, providing a subdued vibe for relaxing indoors or sloshing along on a walk outside. A brighter riff in the chorus helps the track feel bright, just slightly cutting through its cloudiness, which should be welcomed by listeners feeling disheartened by bleak weather.
“The Last Time I Saw Richard” by Joni Mitchell
While Joni Mitchell doesn’t mention rain in this meditation on hopeless romanticism, it’s easy to imagine showers pouring down outside the “dark café” where the titular Richard imagines all romantics eventually end up, “cynical and drunk and boring someone.”
Though the song’s somber piano and gently devastating lyrics would complement hours spent taking in a dreary scene outdoors, reminiscing about lost loves and unrealized dreams, Mitchell offers hope for the storm — literal or figurative — to pass. Her distinctive voice, fragile and gorgeous as a butterfly emerging from its chrysalis, maintains that her own “dark café days” are only a “phase” before she develops her own “gorgeous wings and [flies] away” to brighter times.
But until then, sometimes the best one can do during dreary days is cling to faith in “love so sweet.”
“Long Gone Day” by Mad Season
Gloomy and heavy, grunge rock — made famous in the notoriously rainy Seattle — is among the best music genres for taking in stormy weather.
Featuring members from influential grunge bands Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam and Screaming Trees, supergroup Mad Season’s moody single “Long Gone Day” encapsulates an emotional storm, lyrically depicting a dreary scene of the “sky comin’ down” and questioning “who ever said we’d wash away with the rain?”
A genre-bending track, its bluesy saxophone and evocative marimba render it both musically compelling and suitable for a moody, rainy day.
Singers Mark Lanegan (The Screaming Trees) and Layne Staley (Alice in Chains) seamlessly alternate lyrics, providing a special treat for fans of two distinctive grunge-rock voices. Lanegan’s deep, gruff voice anchors the forlorn mood and enhances the song’s bluesy feel, and Staley’s howl to God to “bring [his] sunny day”— the song’s arresting final lyric — reverberates with palpable anguish that listeners will long be struck by, especially those with metaphorical storms pouring down in their own heads.
“Rainmaker” by Sparklehorse
Boasting a title fit for any rainy day, “Rainmaker” reflects the wonderful weirdness of experimental bedroom pop-rock artist Sparklehorse, a project by the late Mark Linkous.
The song’s jarringly crunchy guitar, vocal distortion and rollicking drumbeat are striking in their intensity and sure to seize listeners’ attention. Relentlessly fuzzy, the song emanates a fog of its own while being jaunty enough to reinvigorate any listeners who feel a touch lackadaisical come springtime.
Additionally, it offers unfamiliar listeners an excellent taste of Linkous’ oddly charming, whimsical and breathtakingly unique lyricism. From a third-person point of view, Linkous sings of the titular “rainmaker,” an enigmatic character who sleeps on “piles of dry leaves,” has “been known to introduce himself as a scientist” and may be spotted “relaxing in a spirit ditch” — whatever that may be.
But, one can be sure that not unlike April’s inevitable rain showers, he’s “coming to soak us with water.”
