Guess Who: Rain Dance Meaning

Song Released: 1971

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Rain Dance Lyrics

Here are the lyrics..

I remember in those days we really didn't have an internet to look up lyrics.. We guessed and argued all the time about songs.. Carley Simons cool "You're so Vain" was tough on a few lines.
It's funny that after 42...

1. DrBlues

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   Jan 20th report

   Here is an interview with Burton Cummings from 2016 that explains part of the song:
   
   Q: I’ve always been curious about the lyrics to that song. Who were Christopher, the Astronomer, and John with the gun?
   
   Burton Cummings: "There was no Christopher or an astronomer, those were just words I chose to rhyme with “Where’d you get the gun John.” John was my next door neighbor and one day I went over and he was sitting on the steps cleaning his rifle. He was a duck hunter. Kurt came over one day and he was just playing that 1-5 drone on my piano; [don’t you want a rain dance, don’t you wanna rain dance]. I thought it was pretty cool and I had this bit that went [changing just a few things]. I had had that before. That song was finished in about 25 minutes. We just put all those pieces together, had a cold beer, put it on a reel-to-reel, then went to Chicago and made a record of it."
2. anonymous

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   Mar 31st 2020 report

   I think that ANYONEBUTHIM needs to learn how to use quotation marks. As far as this hugely enjoyable and catchy song goes, the pregnancy idea seems right and I love the chilling, foreboding gun line ... but damned if I can make much more sense of it.
3. anonymous

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   Feb 11th 2020 report

   I listened to this song over and over when I was little but the only part I remember was “don’t you want to rain dance with me” part....now that I’m older and listen to it I have no clue what they’re talking about or what they are trying to say....I wish I did though it’s a very interesting song and I love that beat.
4. GBITO

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   Nov 14th 2019 report

   Fifi said to Don, the Baker, "Can you show me how to bake another bun, Don?". Meaning, she wants to get pregnant, have another child.
   
   And I'm still sitting with my next-door neighbor saying, "Where'd you get the gun, John?". Meaning, he lost Fifi's love and attention, and indeed is contemplating using a gun. Is it intended to be used for the Baker? For Fifi? Or for himself?
   
   Christopher was asking the astronomer
   "Can your telescope tell me where the sun's gone?". Meaning, my world is now dark, I see no point in living, I can no longer find happiness.
   
   Don't you wanna rain dance with me? Meaning, in my dark mood with all my loneliness and depression, come walk in the rain with me. It can't get any worse.
5. anonymous

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   Nov 24th 2017 report

   he,s contemplating suicide,he is depressed..one neighbor,boring guy"Show me how to bake another bun"the other neighbor,a real "thinker"a progressive,still dont do it,Ya wanna rain dance?the rain dance brings "rain"the solution to the problem"Yos wanna die with me?"
6. anyonebuthim

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   Dec 16th 2013 report

   I finally heard the song after AGES!
   
   I remember well in 1971 when it came out.
   
   It's weird, has a great beat , and makes no real sense at all. I have done a pretty'
   good look online and can't find a single
   comment about this song which I find unusual.
   I'll look further , but I'd thought I'd
   shout out here. I believe I'm the first or so.
   
   I haven't found the artist's comments on line either.
   yet but I'll have a go at interpretation.
   Very dangerous indeed
   
   So I think..
   First The song has a great drum.. a little like
   "Cherokee People by Paul and the Raiders..
   And I remember as a kid (13) "digging" the cool
   "John Gun" part..especially the voice.
   It was the 70s, so I recall, things were
   "re examined" in a new critical light"
   Groups like the Beatles, Doors were saying all kinds of "mysterious" "meanings" and
   symbolism all over the place.
   I think sometimes in this kind of
   climate it was easy for
   some groups to make up nonsense lyrics that
   sounded cool and let others "interpret" the way they wish. Some were more complex and mysterious like "American Pie" a bit later.
   So I'm not sure this song has a "real meaning". What do you think?

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