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The Rain Song Lyrics

This is the springtime of my loving
The second season I am to know
You are the sunlight in my growing
So little warmth I�ve felt before.
It isn�t hard to feel me glowing
I watched the fire that grew so low.

It is the summer of my smiles
Flee from me keepers of the gloom.
Speak to me only with your eyes
It is to you I give this tune.
Ain�t so hard to recognize
These things are clear to all through
Time to time. ooooh...

Talk talk
I�ve felt the coldness of my winter
I never thought it would ever go
I cursed the gloom that set upon us...
But I know that I love you so
But I know that I love you so.

These are the seasons of emotion
And like the winds they rise and fall
This is the wonder of devotion
I see the torch we all must hold.
This is the mystery of the quotient-
Upon us all a little rain
Must fall.
Just a little rain?
Ooooh, yeah yeah yeah
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Cover art for The Rain Song lyrics by Led Zeppelin

so i was bored one day and was listening to this song, and using some other comments i wrote a small text document about what i thought the song was about. should probably share it since the previous comments helped me understand the song.i was also on drugs when i wrote it so it may seem a bit out there...ha.

The opening of the song is surreal and seems a bit trippy. It has a somber sound, and it makes it seem as if the song is a sad one. But after careful dissection of the lyrics, it is clearly about the ups and downs of love, not the complete loss of love. The season metaphor is present throughout the song, and it is a brilliant metaphor at that. This opening stanza to me symbolizes the beginning of what Plant thought of as true love, which he juxtaposes with spring, and how it grows into warmth. The rain in the spring is not sad, rather a beginning. It is rain which brings the beauty of spring and summer to life. The line "You are the sunlight in my growing - so little warmth I've felt before. It isn't hard to feel me glowing - I watched the fire that grew so low" is about how his love makes him feel...She is the "sunlight" that causes him to grow as a person, and it is a feeling that has never been felt in his life (so little warmth i've felt before). He is so happy with her that he is so outwardly obvious about his happiness (it isn’t hard to feel me glowing), and he watches their love grow from a spark to a fire (i watched the fire that grew so low).

The following stanza to me is far less in depth, as he is now using the summer metaphor to describe how his love is present. He casts away any sadness, and then he gives his dedication to his woman, saying that he wants to look into her through her eyes, and he feels that he is able to do such. He then says "Ain't so hard to recognize - These things are clear to all from time to time." This line to me is him saying that he is convinced that he had found true love, and that every now and again things that someone is absolutely certain about become clear, as his love for his woman has become totally clear to him.

The third stanza is a bit of a retraction, as he is recalling the sadness he used to have. The weird thing about this song is that one single word in this stanza can change the entire meaning of the song. For years i thought the line was "I never though you would ever go," which would insinuate that he had lost his love. Only recently, when i looked at the liner notes of the LP, did i notice the line was "it would ever go," a reference to the winter. The winter to him symbolized loneliness and his lack of love for a woman in his life, and he never thought he would escape the wretches and toil that winter sets upon some people. And from here starts the notion that there will be bumps in a relationship, as noted by "I curse the gloom that set upon us," but throughout all of the gloom he knows that he will still love her.

The final stanza summarizes the song and the idea Plant tried to convey. Love is just like the seasons, and like the winds they will rise and fall...there will be ups and downs. The wonder of devotion to one person, he see the feelings (the torch) that we all must have in a relationship. The term quotient refers to division or in the case of this song, proportion. The mystery is that we need to have a balance of sorrow and jubilation, and that it is inevitable, as undesirable sorrow may be. The final line sums up the song: "Upon us all, a little rain must fall...just a little rain..." The rain of course in this case being the sad times in a relationship.

My Interpretation

my ex had made listen dis song.. after break up i always felt sad listening to this music. I read the meaning of this music and it has changed my attitude towards this song. This is by far the best interpretation i have come across for this song. Thanks for sharing ur inputs with everyone :)

This was amazing to read. Some things I already figured out myself, but some other things you said made this song so much more valuable to me! Thanks

@flipsaari2 This is a beautiful interpretation. I feel it\'s the correct and best one, too.

Cover art for The Rain Song lyrics by Led Zeppelin

This song makes me wish I'd lived in 70's.

Growing up in a time with such crap as Linkin Park really depresses me when I hear a song like The Rain Song. The sheer beauty and feeling in the lyrics and guitar (the guitar!) makes everything in my generation sound half-baked, disconnected, manufactured.

The song itself is a masterpiece; I can't believe I didn't hear about it before I heard it. Here's my take on the lyrics: this person loved somebody who didn't necessarily love them back. Then the lover thinks the lovee loves him, and he gets his hopes up (the summer of my smiles--the warmth of love). Finally, the lovee hooks up with someone else, and the lover is disappointed, but figures this is just the way things go.

The acoustics of this song are simply phenomenal. The guitars, the piano...again, you simply don't get this in new music.

bring it back i couldnt agree more the music of our day sucks dick , rap is cool if ur like at a party or somthing, but it has no meaning what so ever and is just made to make money wish i grew up in the 70s

Not Valid

Agreed. I am 45 and grew up in the 70s and thought I was in nirvana with 60s and 70s motown, rock, funk, prog rock, punk, hard rock, metal, even some of the pop music was good - at least it was fun. Then came the 80s - ugh! - and everything started going down hill. Don't get me wrong - I still like some of the music today but it doesn't have the passion or musical virtuosity of the earlier periods. There were so many genres, so many styles - it was like a musical banquet for your ears.

Record...

Not Valid

I agree man, I was born in 1995. I spent the first 10 years of my life listening to crap like the Backstreet Boys, because it was catchy.

A couple years ago I got into Led Zeppelin, The Who, Jethro Tull, Bruce Springsteen... and now I refuse to listen to almost anything that isn't classic rock, besides the good ones like Foo Fighters and Kings of Leon.

But anyway, this might be my favorite Led Zep song. I don't think I can add anything to what it means, but I love it. Especially because it's somewhat obscure... it's so beautiful.

Not Valid
Cover art for The Rain Song lyrics by Led Zeppelin

re: Quotient A quotient refers to division, or in this case, proportion. The "mystery of the quotient" is that our lives have a balance or sorrow and jubilation.

You rule! I've been turning that phrase "mystery of the quotient" over in my head for two days trying to make something concrete out of it...

I only wish I had been alive when zep was still together, to see them in concert...

Not Valid
Cover art for The Rain Song lyrics by Led Zeppelin

Is it just me or is this the most soothing song of all time?

Cover art for The Rain Song lyrics by Led Zeppelin

Like most Zep fans, it is nearly impossible to tag any of their songs as "the best" or as your favorite... there are just too many works of art to choose from!

This song is definitely one of my favorites, no doubt. I would say that it is their most emotionally touching work.

As for the song itself, I think many fans are missing the true meaning of the song. It is not about a dead or dying relationship that has run its course. It is about a vibrant and growing one. The first verse speaks of the "winter" in the past tense, as does the third.

The key verse to me is not the last one - it merely states the fact that rain WILL fall on us. It is the previous verse that really hits me:

"This is the wonder of devotion - I see the torch we all must hold."

Our relationships are destined to have "winters", some short and some long, but if you are devoted to your loved one, the torch of love will see you through the rain.

omg. i agree! i wanna say this is my favorite, but there are so many that i love, that i can't even say it without doubting myself. really, i think every song of there's is just beautiful and amazing.

Not Valid
Cover art for The Rain Song lyrics by Led Zeppelin

It seems that everyone is missing the point of the website--"song meanings". I think there are probabaly other sites out there named "who thinks they are smart", and "who is the greatest Led Zeppelin fan" or even "I am bette than you.com" or something like that.

Anyways, the Rain Song is not a tenuous reference to a bible quote, nor is it some cheap attempt at a ballad. Sure, Harrison may have helped influence the song, but ultimately, it is a love song.

The song deals with a relationahip that has gone sour, but will be rekindled once again. The winter is the time that things aren't going that smoothly, the spring time is the relationship beginning again. Sunlight, rain is all love. you need sunlight and water to grow a plant, which in this case, is the love or relationship.

Ultimately, this song proabably deals with Robert Plants usually tumultuous relationship with wife, but really, it applies to everyone.

Great song.

ps> Music is not black and white, and there is no way to quantify one song versus another. The comparisons and judgements based upon Stairway is ridiculous.

Cover art for The Rain Song lyrics by Led Zeppelin

Well, it is simple. This song is about lost love, new love, and the loneliness it replaced. Hence "This is the springtime of my loving; the second season I'm to know....." The singer lost his passion...and his love... "I watched the fire that grew so low...." His new love has enervated him...."You are the sunlight in my growing". OK? "So little warmth, I've felt before"..... He lost his love, his world had turned cold and dark and gray......She gave him sunlight and,,,,,,,,well c'mon people!!!!!!!! And..... Emotions rise and fall, and, in any event, a little rain MUST fall. (Shit happens!!!) But in the end, his new love came and saved him. (Our intrepid hero! !!)....... I can relate to this song in a VERY real way. For 10 years now; so I have had a long time to think about it and put it into perspective. Anyhoo....keep loving the ZEP!!!!!! Oh, and make sure you go on YouTube and look up videos for the "Band of Joy". It is a pre-Zeppelin Plant and Bonham group. Way cool...................BYE JOE

Finally! Someone who get's the meaning of the song and doesn't try to fold it into some little obsolete corner of their life.

Fantastic Interpretation Joe!!!! I felt the same about the song but I couldn't nail it down. I used to think of the ups and downs of the same girl but I believe you're correct. He lost a first love, felt down and then got restored by a new one. The sound of the song supports your hypothesis. Because of you Joe, I enjoy the song more. Thanks very much. John.

Cover art for The Rain Song lyrics by Led Zeppelin

Isn't sad to listen to this song and then listen to the music of our generation.....man, Led Zeppelin surely had 4 incredible musicians (the best at each instrument). Deep deep lyrics and beautiful music.

Cover art for The Rain Song lyrics by Led Zeppelin

1) Springtime=New growth/New feelings. The person of their affection is the sunlight that makes the feelings grow, after a cold spell of discontent. A low flame was burning before, but now the flame has grown higher. 2). So now, that desire is full blown happiness and warmth of Summer smiles. No room for dark and gloomy in this happy place. It's not hard for people to recognize the passion displayed by the two. 3). Life went on, things happen as they often do in relationships and once again the bitterness of the cold crept back in. Hating the inevitable gloom that it brought...but knowing that the flame (though low), was still burning. 4). "These are the seasons of emotion, and like the winds they rise and fall. This is the wonder of devotion, I see the torch we all must hold.". Upon us ALL a little rain will fall in each relationship. But if the love is true it won't be more than you can handle with a sturdy umbrella. Ooooh, yeah yeah yeah.💗

My Interpretation
Cover art for The Rain Song lyrics by Led Zeppelin

1). Spring=New beginnings/New feelings are blossoming. This person brings a ray of sunlight and warmth into the life of the singer. Feelings that started as a low flame and have now grown bright and full. 2) These feelings have brought on content and happiness (like a beautiful summer day), that chased away the singers loneliness. And they let the person know that this happiness was because of them. Their affection was noticeable to all that ever felt that way in their life. 3). But alas, times change, and so do relationships. The singer once again is feeling low and feeling that old familiar cold. He hates where they've landed now, BUT the flame is still lit. Low...but it's still burning and the love is still there. 4). "THESE are the seasons of emotion. And like the winds they rise and fall.". But, that's the wonder of DEVOTION, because upon all relationships a little rain must fall. Hopefully nothing a sturdy umbrella can't handle. Ooooh yeah, yeah, yeah! Lovely song!

My Interpretation