Song Meaning
“RAIN” opens with a striking image of perception versus reality: the narrator appears dry when reflected in another person, yet wet in a puddle. This immediate contrast sets a tone of subtle emotional complexity. The lyrics quickly establish a world where "magic will someday break," hinting at a quiet understanding of life's impermanence.
The central tension of the lyrics lies in this push and pull of opposing feelings. The narrator repeatedly asks, "What should I call this feeling?" when experiencing emotions that are "like happy, like about to cry" or "like wanting to escape, like my heart is dancing." This struggle to name a complex, bittersweet state is deeply relatable, capturing the nuance of human experience.
Craft-wise, the repeated refrain about the rainbow and the rain is particularly effective. "Rain was falling in the sky where a rainbow arched," the lyrics state, emphasizing that beauty often emerges from difficulty. While "rainbows will eventually disappear," the rain itself "nurtures plants," suggesting that the less glamorous, enduring elements are what truly sustain life. This powerful metaphor grounds the transient nature of joy in the essential, ongoing process of growth.
Ultimately, these lyrics resonate by acknowledging life's inherent impermanence without succumbing to despair. The final lines, with flowers blooming in a rain-stopped garden and the narrator preparing for "the next rainy day," offer a quiet, resilient hope.