Laughter in the Rain
"Laughter in the Rain" is a song composed and recorded by Neil Sedaka, with lyrics by Phil Cody. It includes a 20-second saxophone solo by Jim Horn.[2]
"Laughter in the Rain" | ||||
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45 single cover in Germany | ||||
Single by Neil Sedaka | ||||
from the album Sedaka's Back | ||||
B-side | "Endlessly" (US); "Kiddio" (UK); "Betty Grable" (Belgium); "For The Good Of The Cause" (Brazil) | |||
Released | October 1974 | |||
Recorded | 1974 | |||
Genre | Pop, soft rock[1] | |||
Length | 2:53 | |||
Label | Rocket (US); Polydor (Europe) | |||
Songwriter(s) | Neil Sedaka and Phil Cody | |||
Producer(s) | Neil Sedaka and Robert Appere | |||
Neil Sedaka singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
" Laughter In The Rain (audio)" on YouTube |
Background
The song was released on Elton John's Rocket Records.
After hearing a version of "Laughter in the Rain" by singer Lea Roberts on the radio several weeks before the planned release of his single, Sedaka phoned Elton John to have MCA Records rush the Sedaka version to release within five days.[3]
The opening chord of the chorus was based on that used by John in "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road", which Sedaka has described as a "drop-dead chord."[3] He combined that with a pentatonic melody inspired by Aaron Copland.[4] Cody claims to have written the lyrics in about five minutes after smoking marijuana and falling asleep under a tree for a couple of hours.[5]
Chart performance
In the U.S., "Laughter in the Rain" reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 on February 1, 1975 (Sedaka's first single to top the Hot 100 since 1962).[6] The song spent two weeks at the top of the adult contemporary chart.
The record was also a major hit in Canada, reaching #2 on the pop singles chart and #1 on the adult contemporary chart. It was also released in the U.K., where it spent nine weeks on the Singles Chart, peaking at #15 on June 22, 1974.[7]
Weekly charts
- Lea Roberts
Chart (1974) | Peak position |
---|---|
US Billboard Bubbling Under the Hot 100[8] | 109 |
US Billboard R&B | 20 |
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Year-end charts
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Personnel
- Neil Sedaka – lead vocal, piano
- Danny Kortchmar – electric guitar
- Dean Parks - acoustic guitar
- Leland Sklar – bass guitar
- Russ Kunkel – drums
- Jim Horn – tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone
- William "Smitty" Smith – Hammond organ, background vocals
- Abigail Haness, Brenda Gordon, Brian Russell – background vocals
Cover versions
- This song was covered by Johnny Mathis on his 1975 album titled When Will I See You Again.
- This song was covered by Asha Puthli on her 1975 album titled She Loves to Hear the Music.
- This song was covered by Ace Spectrum on their 1975 album entitled Low Rent Rendezvous.
- The song was covered by Earl Klugh on his 1976 self-titled album, by Thomas Anders (of Modern Talking fame) in his 1992 album Down on Sunset and by Pepe Jaramillo on his Mexican Tijuana / Mexican Gold album.
- The Weather Girls covered the song on their 1985 album Big Girls Don't Cry.
- In 2007 Donny Osmond released a cover of the tune on his solo studio album Love Songs of the '70s.
- The Ray Conniff Singers recorded a vocal harmony arrangement of the song on their 1975 album, Laughter in the Rain.
- There was also a Finnish cover version performed by Markku Aro, entitled "Kun sä Vierelläin Sateessa Oot".[17]
- Disco funk-soul outfit Vitamin E covered this song on their 1977 release Sharing, featuring horns by Randy Brecker.[18]
References
- "Billboard Top Soft Rock Hits: 1974 - Various Artists | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic" – via AllMusic.
- "Bob Weir & Neil Sedaka: West Meets East (Coast)" at elmoremagazine.com
- Professor of Rock - Neil Sedaka - The Story of Laughter In The Rain, retrieved 2019-12-02
- "Today's Mini-Concert - 9/2/2020 - YouTube". www.youtube.com.
- "Songwriter Interviews: Philip Cody" at songfacts.com
- "Music: Top 100 Songs - Billboard Hot 100 Chart". Retrieved 8 October 2016.
- "Neil Sedaka". officialcharts.com/. 2013. Retrieved August 16, 2013.
- Joel Whitburn's Bubbling Under the Billboard Hot 100 1959-2004
- "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Archived from the original on 2016-10-10. Retrieved 2016-10-09.
- "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Archived from the original on 2016-08-17. Retrieved 2016-10-09.
- "laughter in the rain | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com.
- "Adult Contemporary Music Chart - Billboard". Retrieved 8 October 2016.
- "Cash Box Top 100 2/01/75". cashboxmagazine.com.
- "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Archived from the original on 2016-10-10. Retrieved 2016-10-09.
- "Top 100 Hits of 1975/Top 100 Songs of 1975". Retrieved 8 October 2016.
- "Top 100 Year End Charts: 1975". Cashbox Magazine. Retrieved 2015-01-17.
- Markku Aro - Kun Sä Vierelläin Sateessa Oot on YouTube
- "Vitamin E (3) - Sharing". Retrieved 8 October 2016.
Other sources
- Whitburn, Joel (1996). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits, 6th Edition (Billboard Publications)