Come Rain or Come Shine
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"Come Rain or Come Shine" is a popular music song written by Harold Arlen, who composed the music, and Johnny Mercer, who wrote the lyrics. The song was written for the musical St. Louis Woman, and was published in 1946.
Recordings were made in 1946 by Sy Oliver (with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra), Dinah Shore, Helen Forrest & Dick Haymes, Margaret Whiting, and Ray Charles. Although the song did not actually make the charts in the period following its publication, it has become a standard.
Notable Recordings
1940s
- The Sy Oliver/Tommy Dorsey version was recorded on January 31, 1946. The recording was released by RCA Victor Records as catalog number 20-1819.
- The Margaret Whiting version was recorded on February 17, 1946. The recording was released by Capitol Records as catalog number 247.
- The Dinah Shore version was recorded on March 18, 1946. The recording was released by Columbia Records as catalog number 36971. Dinah performed it on the May 16, 1946 edition of the Birds Eye Open House radio programme.
- The Helen Forrest/Dick Haymes version was recorded on April 14, 1946. The recording was released by Decca Records as catalog number 23548.
1950s
- Sarah Vaughan recorded it for Columbia in 1950 with her first husband George Treadwell and His All-Stars for her album Sarah Vaughan in Hi-Fi.
- Jo Stafford recorded the song for two different albums. A recording on Columbia Records was made on June 27, 1952 and released as catalog number CL 6238, and a recording on Capitol Records was made on January 4, 1963 and released as an LP entitled The Hits of Jo Stafford (catalog number ST 1921).
- Marlene Dietrich has a version wherein she repeats the lyrics in spoken word between sung variations (1952).
- Dinah Washington performed this song on her live album Dinah Jams (1954)
- Billie Holiday recorded it in on August 25, 1955 for her album Music for Torching.
- Georgia Gibbs recorded a version of it in 1955.
- Judy Garland recorded the song on March 3, 1956 for her album Judy, conducted by Nelson Riddle and released the same year. It also appears on her legendary concert album Judy at Carnegie Hall (1961).
- Claire Austin recorded a version on her album When Your Lover Has Gone on the Bethlehem label (1956).
- Jerry Lewis recorded a version of this song as a B-side to "Rock-a-Bye Your Baby With A Dixie Melody" in 1956 on the Decca label.
- Ray Charles recorded the song on his album The Genius of Ray Charles (November 1959). This version charted in both 1960 and 1968.
- The Bill Evans trio recorded a jazz instrumental version of the song on December 28, 1959 for inclusion on his LP Portrait in Jazz. Three other versions are also on his posthumously released "Live at Birdland" sessions performed by the same trio in early 1960, recorded from a radio broadcast.
- The song appears on the 1959 Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers album Moanin'.
1960s
- Art Pepper recorded an instrumental version of the song for his 1960 album Intensity.
- Ella Fitzgerald included her rendition on the 1961 Verve two-record set Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Harold Arlen Songbook.
- In 1961 pianist Wynton Kelly released an interpretation on his record Someday My Prince Will Come.
- Frank Sinatra recorded the song on November 22, 1961 for inclusion on his 1962 LP Sinatra and Strings. It was released on Reprise Records as catalog number 27020. This recording is known for its strings and horn arrangements by Don Costa. He later re-recorded the song as a duet with Gloria Estefan for his album, Duets in 1993. He also regularly performed it in concert.
- Jack Jones recorded the song for his 1963 album, Wives and Lovers.
- James Brown recording the song for his album Out Of Sight for King Records in 1964.
- Petula Clark covered the song for her 1966 album I Couldn't Live Without Your Love
1970s
- Liza Minnelli recorded the song for her third A&M Records studio album New Feelin' in 1970.
- Johnny Mercer recorded the song for his 1974 album, My Huckleberry Friend.
- James Booker performed it live in Zurich in 1977, and the recorded track can be found in the Album New Orleans Piano Wizard: Live!
- Barbra Streisand covered the song for her 1979 concept album, Wet. She sang it live in her 2006 concert, Streisand: Live in Concert 2006.
1980s
- Dr. John recorded a solo instrumental take for his 1982 album The Brightest Smile In Town.
- Diane Schuur recorded a version arranged by Dave Grusin and Johnny Mandel for her Timeless album of Jazz standards in 1986. This album was awarded a Grammy for "Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Female."
- A live version by Keith Jarrett's "Standard Trio" was released on their Still Live (ECM Records, 1986).
- Helen Merrill recorded a duet version with jazz bassist Ron Carter for their collaborative album Duets issued on Emarcy in 1988.
1990s
- Bette Midler recorded a version for her film For the Boys (1991) soundtrack.
- Michael Crawford included this song in his second album, With Love in 1991.
- Jazz guitarist John Abercrombie, accompanied by other notable musicians such as John Surman, recorded in 1992 an instrumental version of the song for his album November issued on ECM Records.
- Alison Eastwood recorded it in 1992 for the soundtrack of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. The film was set in Savannah, Georgia and the soundtrack was dedicated to songs by Johnny Mercer, a Savannah native.
- Joe Sample recorded his version of this song in his 1993 album Invitation.
- Saxophonist David Sanborn covered the song from his 1995 album Pearls.[1]
- Don Henley recorded a version of this song for the 1995 soundtrack to Leaving Las Vegas.
- Chet Baker's trio version with vocals was captured in 1957, but it was unreleased until 1995 with his posthumous Embraceable You.
- Jack Kerouac recorded the song, which can be found on his 1999 album of selected readings and songs, Jack Kerouac Reads 'On the Road'.
- Dr. John & Dianne Reeves recorded a version for Blue Note records on the soundtrack of the 1999 film Just the Ticket.
- Idina Menzel has done a recording of this song as well. While it does not appear on any album, it was leaked onto the Internet after speculation that it was intended and then dropped from the film soundtrack of the 1999 The Other Sister spread.
2000s
- Eric Clapton recorded a version of this song with B.B. King for the album Riding with the King released on December 6, 2000.
- Richard Rodney Bennett performs this song on a Harold Arlen compilation issued in 2001.
- Katharine McPhee sang a version on Season 5 of American Idol and was given rave reviews from the judges (2006).
- Tarriii recorded a reggae version with Njoa pinning down the romantic styling of Billie Holiday's version (2006).
- A live recording by Rufus Wainwright appears on his 2007 album, Rufus Does Judy at Carnegie Hall.
- Natalie Cole recorded a version of this song for her 2008 album Still Unforgettable.
- Danny Gokey sang a version on Season 8 of American Idol and was highly praised by the judges (2009).
- Sylvia Brooks recorded this song on her Dangerous Liaisons album released in 2009.[2]
- Lynda Carter covered this song on her 2009 jazz album At Last.
- Franck Amsallem recorded a version of this song for his 2009 album Amsallem Sings.
2010s
- Barbra Streisand recorded this song on her Partners (Barbra Streisand album) album, released in 2014. She collaborated on the track with John Mayer.
In popular culture
- Martin Scorsese's 1983 film The King of Comedy features Ray Charles' recording of the song in its opening credits. Later in the film, the character of Masha (played by Sandra Bernhard) sings the tune for the kidnapped Jerry Langford (Jerry Lewis) during their "date" as he's being held hostage in her apartment.
- Kazuo Ishiguro's collection of short stories Nocturnes features a story named "Come Rain or Come Shine". The Sarah Vaughan recording is played at the story's climax.
- Patti LuPone sang a part of this song at the 34th Annual Kennedy Center Honors in 2011 honoring Barbara Cook.