"It's Raining" is a soul/R&B ballad, written by Allen Toussaint under the name "Naomi Neville". It was first recorded in November 1961 by Irma Thomas, and produced by Allen Toussaint. The song has emotional ties to Louisiana, having been written and sung by people born in that state, being released on a New Orleans–based record label and enduring in the Deep South as a regional classic.[1]
"It's Raining", alongside "Ruler of My Heart" and "I Done Got Over It", remain some of Thomas' best-known recordings.[2]
History
Initially Thomas recorded for Ron Records but, in 1961, she left for Minit Records, feeling that her original label did not pay her due royalties.[2] This move paired her with Allen Toussaint, who both wrote and produced most of her work with Minit. As well as "It's Raining", Thomas recorded "Time Is on My Side" and "Ruler of My Heart."[3] The name "Naomi Neville" was Toussaint's mother's name, which he used on many of his early compositions.[1] Although most of her 1961–63 Minit recordings were written and produced by Toussaint, only one of these, "Two Winters Long", made the national charts. It spent three weeks on the Cashbox R&B chart in February 1963, peaking at no. 43. Her version of "It's Too Soon to Know" (Minit 633) was another that failed to chart, however all sold well regionally.[2]
The origin of the song came when Thomas visited Allen Toussaint's parents' house in New Orleans. She sat at the piano where Toussaint composed many of his early songs. Toussaint later stated "I remember when I was writing 'It's Raining,' she was sitting right there, and it began raining outside," he said. "I just wrote that song then and handed it over to her and sung a little bit of it, just to show her the melody, and it fit like a gown."[4] Toussaint captured the solitude possible in the depths of a rain sodden night.[5]
The opening falsetto harmonies captured the drip-drop of rain and tears by using a late 1950s doo-wop singing style. That it became a regional favorite is summed up by one journalist who noted that "Maybe it's because although it speaks to a universal sentimental human experience - romantic heartbreak - it does so with dignity, rather than pour on the sap."[1] Nevertheless, "It's Raining" did not reach any national chart.[1]
