Red Rain (song)

Infobox Single
Name = Red Rain


Artist = Peter Gabriel
from Album = So
Released = 1987
Format = 7", 12", CD
[ Recorded = ]
Genre = Rock
Length = 5:39
Label = Geffen
[ Writer = ]
Producer = Peter Gabriel, Chris Hughes and Daniel Lanois
Last single = "Big Time"
(1987)
This single = "Red Rain"
(1987)
Next single = "Biko Live/No More Apartheid"
(1987)"Red Rain" is the first track on Peter Gabriel's 1986 solo album "So". In the USA, it reached #3 on Billboard magazine's Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. Stewart Copeland from The Police played the hi-hat for the rain-like background sound.

The song is a combination of several inspirations. The lyrics directly reference a recurring dream Gabriel was having where he swam through red water.Fact|date=February 2007

Earlier in his solo career, Gabriel had an idea for a movie, "Mozo". In it, villagers were punished for their sins with a blood red rain. "Red Rain" was to be the theme song. This idea was eventually scrapped, although there was a mention of "Mozo" in the song "On the Air" in "Peter Gabriel (II)".

According to the sleeve notes from the remastered version of "So", it is also a reference to acid rain. The song was covered by Ill Niño on The Under Cover Sessions. Based on one interpretation of some of the lyrics it is also thought to refer to nuclear fallout.

"Red Rain" album appearances:

*"So" (1986)
*"Shaking the Tree" (1990)
*"Secret World Live" (Live, 1994)
*"Hit" (2003)

Track listing

# "Red Rain"
# "In Your Eyes" (special mix)
# "Gaga"

"Gaga" is the instrumental track of tune "I Go Swimming" only published on the "Plays Live" record.

In popular culture

* Red Rain was used in the soundtrack to the Miami Vice TV show third season episode Stone's War, first aired in October 1986.Fact|date=February 2008

* A blood-red rain, composed of a fine grit from the Sahara, fell on Gabriel’s native southern England in the summer of 1968. [http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/news/arts_life/story.html?id=c1627bd9-334a-428a-8d5f-a7c532c44ec2&p=1]

References