"Fire and Rain" is a folk/rock song written and performed by James Taylor. Appearing on his second album, Sweet Baby James, it attracted widespread attention. The album was released in February 1970, with the song being released as a single that month. "Fire and Rain" quickly rose to number three on the Billboard hot 100 charts. It was soon covered by Anne Murray, on her album Honey, Wheat and Laughter, also in 1970.
Moody and introspective, "Fire and Rain" became something of a prototype for the singer-songwriter genre that would boom in the few years following its release. Its apocalyptic imagery proved provocative to would-be interpreters. The sparse arrangement, centered on Taylor's ringing acoustic guitar figures, came to represent Taylor's signature sound, and was influential among other performers. Carole King is the pianist on the song.
"Fire and Rain" is in the 227th position on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 greatest songs of all time.
Read more about Fire And Rain: Origin of The Song, Cover Versions
Famous quotes containing the words fire and, fire and/or rain:
“And where two raging fires meet together;
They do consume the thing that feeds their fury.
Though little fire grows great with little wind,
Yet extreme gusts will blow out fire and all.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)
“The fire in leaf and grass
so green it seems
each summer the last summer.”
—Denise Levertov (b. 1923)
“... his voice and hands,
Within whose warm spring rain of loving care
Each dwells some twenty seconds. Now, dear child,
What’s wrong, the deep American voice demands,
And, scarcely pausing, goes into a prayer
Directing God about this eye, that knee.”
—Philip Larkin (1922–1986)