Sparkle in the Rain is the sixth studio album by Simple Minds, released on 6 February 1984. A breakthrough commercial success for the band, the record peaked at number one in the UK Albums Chart on 18 February 1984, and reached the top 20 in numerous other countries around the world, including New Zealand,Netherlands,Sweden,Canada,Switzerland,Germany,Norway, and Australia. Receiving mostly positive reviews in the United Kingdom and the United States,Sparkle in the Rain was ultimately certified double platinum in the UK by the British Phonographic Industry, and significantly increased media interest in the band.
Background
Signs of a possible change in musical direction into a more stadium-oriented sound first became apparent during a series of live performances in the summer months of 1983 by Simple Minds to huge European crowds. Lead singer Jim Kerr returned to a natural, unadorned facial and hair style, as "whatever they would have to say would be in the music." "Those gigs brought us back to the rawest kind of state, I think," Kerr said. "In places like that, 50,000 people, there's just no room for subtlety, and there's no need for it, there's no want for it." This foresaw the band coming into direct contact with U2 for the first time at the Belgian rock festival Torhout-Werchter; upon meeting the two bands immediately developed a strong liking for each other. Kerr remarked, "we saw a lot of ourselves in them and vice versa," and refuted the accusation that Simple Minds were merely joining the "new rock" led by U2. "We get this thing levelled at us of being influenced by them, but they're equally influenced by us. It might be in a much subtler sense, in dynamics or some of the sounds."
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The song was written by Tony Hester and was released in February 1972. The song is noted for the use of the sound of rain and thunder, first heard before the song's introduction, as well as throughout the instrumental and chorus sections of the song.
The Rain were the Manchester band that eventually evolved into Oasis. The band formed in Manchester, England in 1991, taking their name from The Beatles' B-side, "Rain". Founding members were Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs (guitar), Paul "Guigsy" McGuigan (bass), Chris Hutton (vocals). Drummer Tony McCarroll joined shortly after the band formed to replace their drum machine and Hutton was replaced as vocalist by Liam Gallagher, who became the band's songwriter, in partnership with Arthurs. In this partnership, they wrote several songs including "Take Me" and "Life in Vain". The band rehearsed only one day a week and did not perform at shows often.
Shortly after Liam joined, the band was renamed Oasis, at his suggestion. Various explanations of the origins of the name have been offered, however, it came about when Liam’s older brother Noel roadied for the Inspiral Carpets at a venue in Swindon called the Oasis Leisure Centre. Liam reportedly liked the name's "resonance of imagery."
One day in August 1991, Noel, having recently returned from the Inspiral Carpets' tour of the U.S., went to watch his brother's band perform at the Manchester Boardwalk, supporting a band called Sweet Jesus. Noel offered to join, reportedly on condition that he would be the lead guitarist and they would perform only his songs. Noel made an instant impact on the band, he began to introduce new sounds and ways of creating music. After a few small warm up gigs in towns such as Middlesbrough, the band decided to produce Definitely Maybe, under the name of Oasis.
The song was released to U.S. radio stations on May 20, 1997, and the Hype Williams-directed video was released to video shows starting June 3, 1997. The song entered the Hot R&B Airplay chart in mid-June, and peaked at #6 the week of August 9, 1997. It peaked at #51 on the Hot 100 Airplay chart the following week.
The song was released as the album's lead single on July 2, 1997 (see 1997 in music), and reached the top twenty in the United Kingdom and New Zealand. VH1 ranked the song 99th on VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of the '90s. And in 2010 Pitchfork Media included the song at number 33 on their Top 200 Tracks of the 90s. In 1998, "The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)" was named the fourth-best single of 1997 by the The Village Voice's annual-year end Pazz & Jop critics' poll.
Get in get out of the rain I'm gonna move on up to the waterfront Step in step out of the rain I'm gonna walk on up to the waterfront Said one million years from today I'm gonna step on up to the waterfront Get in get out of the rain Come in come out of the rain So far, so cool, so close, yet still so far So far, so cool, so close, yet still so So far [3X] The rain I'm gonna move on up to the waterfront Step in step out of the rain I'm gonna walk on up to the waterfront Said one million years from today Step on up to the waterfront Said come in come out of the rain [3X] I'm gonna move on up to the front I'm gonna walk on up to the front I'm gonna live on up by the front I'm gonna walk on up to the front Come in come out of the rain Come in come out of the rain Said come in come out of the rain Come in come out of the rain Move on up So step on up Walk on up Live on up File away [3X] So, walk away So far I walk away So, so, walk away Up to the waterfront Up to the waterfront So far So far ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
