Music for a Rainy Night

Clockwise: Darren Ockert; Janis Ian; Matt Gold; and Dave Koz.

Here on the East coast, the rain started during the middle of the night, and has continued all day, at least for us. There are some reports it might change to snow, but so far, it has not. As I look out the window, I can hardly see, for the rain has beaten through the screen, causing a watery blur to make outside seem distant. So the cold and damp day also makes me want to reach for a blanket to curl up on the sofa, or even to crawl back into bed, snug in a warm blanket or two. All this made me think of a song or two, perfect to capture this feeling. It was then the light bulb went on, and I knew what I was going to post about - the rain. So I opened up iTunes, typed in 'rain' to see what came up. And a stunning 472 possibilities came up, giving me plenty of room to pick and choose. I decided to go with artists who were out and proud members of the LGBT community, making beautiful music. I still trimmed further, simply by picking some favorite songs. And one of those favorites is by Darren Ockert, an ElectroPop singer/songwriter. His song "Out of the Rain" is off his album 'Anything Is Possible'. The chorus is so damn catchy, I find the song irresistible.

You can purchase the album 'Anything Is Possible' on iTunes or Amazon. Folk artist Janis Ian is best known for her stunning "At Seventeen", a song that takes a close look at a young woman coming of age, and the pressures that come with maturing into womanhood. Her songs were often stories that were based on her experience, coming straight from the heart. Such is the case for the next song, "Night Rains". The moody song captures the feelings and emotions behind one of the rainy nights. Enjoy Janis Ian singing "Rainy Nights", off the album of the same name.

You can purchase the album 'Night Rains' on iTunes. There is something very sexy about listening to the Jazz Saxophone, which is almost doubled when I know it is a handsome man like Dave Koz. And when it is a song that seems to spen a bit of time steeping, and a little time brooding, all while you listen, I can't help but think this is a wonderful treat. That is how I feel about "Lullaby for a Rainy Night", a hit single off the 1996 album 'Off The Beaten Path'.

You can purchase the album 'Off The Beaten Path' on iTunes or Amazon. For the final song of the post, I picked a song that was written by Harold Arlen with lyrics by great Johnny Mercer. "Come Rain or Come Shine" was published in 1946, and quickly became a favorite of singers around the world. Some of the greatest names in the music business have taken their turn, an a couple have already appeared on this blog. I love when an artist can take a classic like this song, and deliver a performance from their heart that stands by itself, and I think I found that when I heard singer/songwriter Matt Gold take on "Come Rain or Come Shine". This song is a Jazz standard, but in this live performance, Gold makes it sound new and fresh. Listen for yourself.

Unfortunately, Matt Gold's performance of "Come Rain or Come Shine" is not available for purchase. But you can buy his debut album 'Drown Before You Swim' on iTunes or Amazon. And you can also listen to it on his Soundcloud page. I hope you are staying warm and dry this wet and chilly day.

Janis Ian • Between The Lines

Top & bottom left: Janis Ian. Bottom right: Janis with Bruce Springsteen & Billy Joel. Photo by Peter Cunningham.

With a voice so beautiful, with such depth, it is hard not to recognize the voice of Janis Eddy Fink. Her parents, Victor and Pearl Fink, run a summer camp for kids in upstate New York. When not at camp, Victor was a music teacher. This means Ian was exposed to a lot of music, including female pioneers like Odetta and Joan Baez. By the time Janis was thirteen, she had written a song that would be her first release, "Society's Child (Baby I've Been Thinking)." The topic of the song was quite advanced for the time, for it dealt with the societal struggle of an interracial relationship. While it was first released in 1965, it as a new released in 1967 that saw the song go to #14 on the Billboard single chart. This put her in the company of some pretty impressive artists, at a very young age. For some time Ian was labeled a one-hit-wonder, as the songs that followed failed to catch on with the public. With the release of a new album in 1975, that all changed. Between The Lines began with the release of the first single, "When The Party's Over."



The song was a minor hit, going to #20 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart. It certainly showcased the grown-up Ian, now a woman, not a young teen. There was a depth to her voice that was unmistakable, and an international feel to the music. However, it was the second single off the album that would forever banish the thought of one-hit-wonder. After a debut that had a teenager singing about topics beyond her, "At Seventeen" showed a gown-up taking a look back at the teen years with a different focus. Give a listen to the icon "At Seventeen."



In the song, Ian combines her folk mentality with the simplicity of Pop, and just a touch of Jazz to create a song that was hard to forget. Of course, the honesty of the lyric, with a view of the years when most felt the odd-man-out, the ugly kid being bullied by others. While not a single off the album, I remember thinking "Tea & Sympathy" had a beauty that was hard to ignore. And there was such an honesty in her delivery, the aching in her voice while talking about love lost was palpable.



And while the third single off the album did not match the success of "At Seventeen," it scored well on the Adult Contemporary chart. It is surprising, since "In The Winter" had a brooding, dark feel. But I have to tell you, I remember hearing this song and really loving it. This is "In The Winter."



In 1983, Ian divorced her husband of five years, a relationship that was both physically and emotionally abusive. A few years later, Ian met the real love of her live, and in 1993, came out publicly as an out and proud lesbian, in a strong relationship with Patricia Snyder. For many, this added a new layer of understanding of her huge hit, "At Seventeen." For more about Janis Ian, visit her official website. You can purchase Between The Lines as a download on iTunes or order the physical CD on Amazon.

A Million Thank Yous

I wanted to take a moment to thank you all the readers of Soundtrack to my Day, as we hit a new milestone this morning. S2MD has passed 1 Million hits, all because of you. Each and every one of you. To say I couldn't do it without you would be the understatement of the year. Between the readers and the amazing artists I get to write about, I couldn't imagine a greater support base for myself and the blog. Just know that your support is deeply and truly appreciated. I will try to show my thanks in the only way I know how, and that is with a song. So here is out singer/songwriter Janis Ian with "Thanksyous," off her 1974 album Stars.

Thank you. A million times "thank you."