“Let It Rain On Me” (Portrait of J.D. Souther)
Pencil and watercolor
2016 (NFS)
JD has, since the mid-seventies, been one of those folks-in-the-business in regard to whom most people say “Who?”……and then I respond with “Oh…tell me you don’t know THIS”…….and I play one of ten or so hits by The Eagles or or twelve or so by Linda Ronstadt, and folks instantly/predictably respond with “Oh, I LOVE that song”. He’s often been referred to as “the fifth member of the Eagles” (a description I would agree with, with the caveat that his songs are devoid of the nasty vein of misogyny that characterizes all too many of the Eagle’s fuck-’em’&’leave-’em songs). He’s still writing and recording (and even acting, surprisingly enough).
This is JD, back in his early, long-lean-&-hungry look (I’ve learned, over the years, that women just SWOON over this “look”; James Taylor was The King of it), in those early days.
Unexpectedly enough? Over the years, I’ve been friends with four of his former lovers (and, for that matter, his personal-assistant/ dog-walker). It’s not difficult to find women who’ve fallen in love with the boy.
As for the obviously Orbison-inflected song from which I stole the title?…..I just listened to it again, and it made me smile (wistfully, at this age. It should have been the playbook theme-song for my twenties and thirties. I still love/admire (JD’s a masterful songwriter) the lyrics. Go to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-U9MVlvtQas
“I don’t know how you go on with your sorrows
Weighing you down like a stone.
But then I don’t know how I can sit there
And give you advice, dying for home.
You could be the girl I’m searching for
But I hardly know your name….
But, please, why don’t you love me anyway?
Won’t you do what your little heart’s tryin’ to say?
Baby, go ahead and rain on me.
See, I don’t know why we keep standing around here like
Little boy lost and his girl
But you won’t let me in, and I can’t say goodnight
And just drive away in my world.
Cause you’re the face that I always see
When I close my eyes and dream….
So, please?… why don’t you love me anyway?
Won’t you do what your little heart’s tryin’ to say?
Baby, go ahead and rain on me
You know this old world would keep spinning around
Without a lucky guy like me…
But please… won’t you love me anyway?
Go ahead and do what you little heart’s trying to say?
Baby, go ahead and rain
‘Cause maybe things will never be the same again
Baby, go ahead and rain on me
Go ahead and rain on me….”