Rainmaker

Producers

In “Rainmaker”, a conman profits off the desperation of drought-stricken farmers by promising to bring them rain. Much like “Magic”, however, this is not just a tale of one… Read More

Oct. 23, 20201 viewer17.5K views

Rainmaker Lyrics

[Verse 1]
Parched crops dying 'neath a dead sun
We've been praying but no good comes
The dog's howling, home's stripped bare
We've been worried but now we're scared

[Verse 2]
People come for comfort or just to come
Taste the dark sticky potion or hear the drums
Hands raised to Yahweh to bring the rain down
He comes crawlin' 'cross the dry fields like a dark shroud

[Chorus]
Rainmaker, a little faith for hire
Rainmaker, the house is on fire
Rainmaker, take evеrything you have
Sometimes folks need to bеlieve in something so bad, so bad, so bad
They'll hire a rainmaker

[Verse 3]
Rainmaker says white's black and black's white
Says night's day and day's night
Says close your eyes and go to sleep now
I'm in a burnin' field unloadin' buckshot into low clouds

[Chorus]
Rainmaker, a little faith for hire
Rainmaker, the house is on fire
Rainmaker, take everything you have
Sometimes folks need to believe in something so bad, so bad, so bad
They'll hire a rainmaker

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[Bridge]
Slow moving wagon drawing through a dry town
Painted rainbow, crescent moon, and dark clouds
Brother patriot, come forth and lay it down
Your blood brother for king and crown
For your rainmaker

[Verse 4]
They come for the smile, the firm handshake
They come for the raw chance of a fair shake
Some come to make damn sure, my friend
This mean season's got nothin' to do with them

[Verse 5]
They come 'cause they can't stand the pain
Of another long hot day of no rain
'Cause they don't care or understand
What it really takes for the sky to open up the land

[Chorus]
Rainmaker, a little faith for hire
Rainmaker, the house is on fire
Rainmaker, take everything you have
Sometimes folks need to believe in something so bad, so bad, so bad
They'll hire a rainmaker
Rainmaker
Rainmaker
Rainmaker

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About

In “Rainmaker”, a conman profits off the desperation of drought-stricken farmers by promising to bring them rain. Much like “Magic”, however, this is not just a tale of one sinister character- the central theme is demagogy, with Springsteen comparing the political exploitation of ignorance to the predatory tactics of the conman.

Given the close release date to US Election Day, some fans speculated that the song was written as a direct response to President Donald Trump, who Springsteen has vocally criticised. According to Rolling Stone, it actually predates the Trump administration by several years; nevertheless, “Rainmaker” was indeed selected for its political message, making it an exception in the otherwise deliberately personal album.