The old man down on the corner
Is drowning in his pain
I can see the sorrow in his eyes
His tears, they leave a stain
The streets have left him broken
He's in the final phase
It's been a long hard road
From his glory days
There's a tattoo of his sweetheart
Fading on his arm
He talks of painful tragedy
How he lost his lucky charm
His memory is clouded
From the thunder in his vein
He's vanishing, vanishing gone
In the Harlem rain

Harlem rain coming down
Another shattered soul
In the lost and found
One more night
On the street of pain
Getting washed away by the Harlem rain

On desperation avenue
The devil takes his tall
Where the pushers and the poverty
Slowly claim your soul
When you reached the realization
That you just can't break the chain, no
You're vanishing, vanishing gone
In the Harlem rain

Harlem rain coming down
Another shattered soul
In the lost and found
One more night
On the street of pain
Getting washed away by the Harlem rain
( Harlem rain )

In your search for tender mercy
No one seemed to care
The faith that used to be your crutch
Is now your cross to bear

You lost yourself so long ago
You don't know who to blame
You're vanishing, vanishing gone
Vanishing, vanishing gone
Vanishing, vanishing gone
In the Harlem rain


Lyrics submitted by Demau Senae

Harlem Rain Lyrics as written by Richie Supa Richard S Sambora

Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

Harlem Rain song meanings
Add Your Thoughts

4 Comments

sort form View by:
  • 0
    General Comment
    This is one of the greatest rock ballads ever.. I had to write something when I noticed nobody else had. It's about loosing faith and trust in the world, and it's penned down like a true poem.
    Samborafpon March 15, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    I agree with you, Samborafp. This is an amazing song. Richie Sambora is amazing! It's so beautiful. It's one of my favorites.
    Roses and Revolverson March 24, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    Richie's voice is absolutely beautiful in this song. It's just perfect. I agree with you as well Samborafp.
    live4musicon March 26, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    Quite possibly the most beautiful song in the world. No one could've done it better, and the guitar intro is achingly gorgeous.
    torrance21on April 02, 2006   Link

Add your thoughts

Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.

Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!

More Featured Meanings

Album art
Sunglasses at Night
Corey Hart
In the 1980s, sunglasses were a common fashion for people who wanted to adopt a "tough guy" persona (note all the cop shows from that era -- Simon & Simon, Miami Vice, etc. -- where the lead characters wore shades). So I think this song is about a guy who wears shades as a way of hiding his insecurity after learning that his girlfriend is cheating on him. He's trying to pretend that he's a "tough guy" to hide the fact that his girlfriend's affair is disturbing him.
Album art
System
Mel And Kim
Just listening for the 784,654th time....and it's just perfect in every way. Just incredible. The only reason it was remade was to scoop up a boatload of money from a more modern and accepting audience. But it is a completely different song than the other one that sounds slapped together in a few takes without a thought for the meaning. This song captivates me still, after 50+ years. Takes me to the deep South and the poverty of some who lived thru truly hard times. And the powerful spirit of a poor young girl being abandoned to her future with only a red dress and her wits to keep her alive. She not only stayed alive, she turned her hard beginnings around, became self sufficient, successful and someone with respect for herself. She didn't let the naysayers and judgers stop her. She's the one sitting in the drivers seat at the end. So, not a song about a poor girl, but a song of hope and how you can rise up no matter how far down you started. There is a huge difference between a singer who simply belts out a song that is on a page in front of them, and someone who can convey an entire experience with their voice. Telling not just a story with words, but taking you inside it and making you feel like you are there, with their interpretation.
Album art
Muffin
KIITA
This standout track comes off the artist's latest studio album titled "empathetic". The track was produced by Danny Score and released via notable digital streaming platforms such as Apple Music and Spotify on January 1, 2021.
Album art
Real Groove
Kylie Minogue
This standalone single marks the latest collaboration between the artists. It was produced by Nico Stadi & Teemu Brunila and released on December 31, 2020.
Album art
Hypnotized
River Tiber
This standout psychedelic track was produced in its entirety by River Tiber, being released to all major digital streaming platforms on December 29, 2020.