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Kentucky Rain

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Words & Music: E. Rabbitt
Seven lonely days
And a dozen towns ago
I reached out one night
And you were gone
Don't know why you'd run,
What you're running to or from
All I know is I want to bring you home

So I'm walking in the rain,
Thumbing for a ride
On this lonely Kentucky backroad
I've loved you much too long
And my love's too strong
To let you go, never knowing
What went wrong

Kentucky rain keeps pouring down
And up ahead's another town
That I'll go walking thru
With the rain in my shoes,
Searchin for you
In the cold Kentucky rain,
In the cold Kentucky rain

Showed your photograph
To some old gray bearded man
Sitting on a bench
Outside a gen'ral store
They said "Yes, she's been here"
But their memory wasn't clear
Was it yesterday,
No, wait the day before

So I fin'ly got a ride
With a preacher man who asked
"Where you bound on such a dark afternoon?"
As we drove on thru the rain
As he listened I explained
And he left me with a prayer
That I'd find you
Recorded: 1969/02/19, first released on single

Reactions

Deano1 (profile/ contact) wrote on Jan 28, 2010report abuse
Here is a true classic! While not a huge hit, it did manage to hit #16 on Pop Chart (US) and it made the top 5 on the easy listening chart (#3) while earning a RIAA gold award. Elvis' singing is flawless, the arrangement is top notch and everything comes together for what is one of Elvis' best tracks ever. This should have been the lead song on a LP ("Pure Gold" in 1975 and being included on "50 Worldwide Gold Award Hits" in 1970 doesn't count). Of course, if the single had been released two years later, RCA would have shown even less respect by releasing it with it's flip side ("My Little Friend) and eight movie (or old LP) songs like they did "Burning Love" and "Separate Ways". An album in early 1970 (instead of "Let's Be Friends" and later "Almost In Love") with "Kentucky Rain", "My Little Friend", "Mama Liked The Roses", "Rubberneckin", "If I'm A Fool", "Who Am I", "Don't Cry Daddy", "I'll Be There", "Almost", "Let Us Pray" and maybe a couple of other older songs such as "Stay Away", "U.S. Male and/or "Clean Up Your Own Backyard" would have been much better than these songs being released sporadically on budget LP's.
bluesboy (profile/ contact) wrote on Jan 28, 2010report abuse
Surprisingly progressive arrangment. Felton did a really good job on this one. Classic, mature performance by Elvis. A personal favouite.
Great Dane (profile/ contact) wrote on Jan 28, 2010report abuse
An all time favourite of mine.His best of ' 69.
LonElvis (profile/ contact) wrote on Jan 28, 2010report abuse
This is one of the best songs Elvis ever recorded. It's practically flawless! It's one of the songs that hooked me as a fan. This is great as is the live version from 1970.
Monster (profile/ contact) wrote on Jan 28, 2010report abuse
A really good song though never one my favourites. Not commercial enough for a single I think but definitely the right kind of direction for Elvis to be exploring and his voice sounded fantastic on it as with all the American recordings.
shoesuedeblues (profile/ contact) wrote on Jan 28, 2010report abuse
Perhaps one of the best tracks to come out of the Memphis sessions. A sizable hit in the UK where it got a generous amount of airplay.
GEORGE (GK) (profile/ contact) wrote on Oct 20, 2008report abuse
Recorded in Memphis from one my favorite, Elvis- Recording sessions. "Kentucky Rain" is one of the best songs, Elvis ever recorded! Its a True Classic, that charted, lower, than it should have. I believe it just missed the TOP 10. Sadly, it gets very Little "Radio Airplay" compared to the other Elvis songs.
sitdown68 (profile/ contact) wrote on Oct 19, 2008report abuse
my avsolute favourite song from those sessions. the mood, the dramatic, and Elvis Presleys feeling and artistry combined with a perfect comopsition yielded a true milestone in music. I love those rainy day songs like nothing else and it is just great he cut that one.
Sundial77 (profile/ contact) wrote on Oct 19, 2008report abuse
Kentucky Rain is like most of the songs from these sessions GREAT, even though it's 40 years old (older than me) i just lve it!!
theoldscudder (profile/ contact) wrote on Oct 19, 2008report abuse
I feel it was more of a strong LP cut than a single. This takes nothing away from this fine song & Elvis's interpertation is flawless. I just dont think it was commercial enough to become a huge hit.
Steve V (profile/ contact) wrote on Oct 19, 2008report abuse
One of the top songs from the Memphis '69 sessions. Should have been a much bigger hit than it was. My friend who lived in the South at the time, said it was constantly played on the country stations there, but not top 40 stations My area (NYC vicinity) hardly played it. Why? Great record & Eddie Rabiit was a truely good songwriter.
Natha (profile/ contact) wrote on Oct 19, 2008report abuse
One of those fantastic singles that had sad enough not enough impact in those days. The warm and touching way Elvis conveys the lyrics is superb. Some of the live versions are as usual great as there is that intrinsic contact with the audience that gave it that extra impetus. Don't miss this one in your private catalogue!
JLpResLey (profile/ contact) wrote on Oct 19, 2008report abuse
This is underrated. But not by the fans. I think this is one of those songs that the fans love the most. I like it much more than "In The Ghetto" for example. I always liked the live versions too, a pity he didn´t do it more often.
JerryNodak (profile/ contact) wrote on Sep 21, 2008report abuse
A definite fave of mine. Very much underrated.
old shep (profile/ contact) wrote on Apr 15, 2008report abuse
I love this Eddie Rabbitt song, the guy was a quality writer and performer.Elvis was really determined to shake of the shackles of all those years making movies, where he had no control of the songs that were put before him, by pools of songwriters with little or no ability. At long last he was given some input into the choice of material hence, Kentucky Rain

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