THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

832-B.J. Thomas-Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head.

1969-Number 38 single.

Best Bit-At 2.26. It’s a glass half full song, and if you can catch some of them raindrops, it will be even fuller.

‘Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head’ was written by the legendary songwriting team of Burt Bacharach, (1928-2023) and Hal David, (1921-2012) (see also best songs 902-815-740-644-376 and 224) for the 1969 American Western film ‘Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,’ which starred Paul Newman, (1925-2008) and Robert Redford. ‘Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head,’ which would become the first million selling recording for the songwriting duo, was first offered to the American Country singer Ray Stevens, who turned it down, it was also supposedly offered to Bob Dylan, who also declined. It was Dionne Warwick (see also best songs 224) who recommended B.J. Thomas to Bacharach and David, as she had already recorded many of their songs, and shared the same record label, ‘Sceptor Records’ with Thomas.

‘Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head’ was written and produced for B.J. Thomas, by Bacharach and David, and became the first American Billboard Number 1 single of the 1970’s, staying at the top of the chart for four weeks. The vocals on the single, are a re-recording by Thomas, as when he recorded the vocals for the film version, he had been recovering from laryngitis, which made his voice sound huskier, but the films producers liked the ‘raspy’ quality, and decided to use it. In the film version the song is played while Paul Newman performs stunts on a bicycle, in order to impress his girlfriend. Halfway through the film version of the song, a ‘Vaudeville-style’ instrumental break, cuts in, while on the 7 inch singles release, the song ends with a horn solo. Burt Bacharach has said about the song,’That is my title, ‘Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head.’ Hal tried to change it and come up with another lyric, but it never seemed to work as well. I watched the film so much when I was scoring it.’ While B.J. Thomas said,’I was in the right place at the right time, and probably got their best song ever.’

B.J. Thomas was born Billy Joe Thomas on August 7th, 1942, in Hugo, Oklahoma, United States, he died from lung cancer on May 29th, 2021, at the age of 78. B.J. Thomas first tasted chart success as a member of the ‘Triumphs’ in 1966, when a cover version of the Hank Williams song ‘I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry,’ reached Number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. As a solo artist B.J. Thomas recorded in the genres of ‘Country,’ ‘Pop,’ ‘Rock,’ and from 1986, ‘Contemporary Christian’ music. His discography includes 59 official Albums released between 1966-2017, and 71 singles issued in the same time period. In America on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, 13 of his tracks have made the top 40, with ‘Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head,’ and ‘(Hey Won’t You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song,’ both making the Number 1 spot, with the later having the longest song title ever to become a Billboard Hot 100 Number 1 single. In the UK, ‘Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head,’ is his only chart entry.

‘Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head,’ which won the ‘Oscar’ for ‘Best Song From A Motion Picture,’ at the 1970 awards, is an uplifting song, with the narrator being an optimist. He has his fare share of troubles and worries, but knows that,’It won’t be long till happiness steps up to greet me.’ Some of those who worked on the film, felt that the song set a wrong tone for a Western, but the films director George Roy Hill (1921-2002) insisted on it’s inclusion. Robert Redford who was one of the films stars, was one of those apposed to the songs use, but later on he admitted he was wrong, saying, ‘When the film was released, I was highly critical. How did the song fit with the film? There was no rain. At the time, it seemed like a dumb idea. How wrong I was, as it turned out to be a giant hit.’ Other significant, and hit versions of ‘Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head’ include, the 1970 recording by the British born Australian Johnny Farnham, which spent seven weeks at Number 1 in Australia on the ‘Go-Set National Top 40.’ Also in 1970 the French singer Sacha Distel (1933-2004) recorded a version in French called ‘Toute La Pluie Tombe Sur Moi,’ which went to Number 10 in France, his English recording also reached Number 10 in the UK, becoming the biggest hit version of the song in that country. The one other version of the song to chart in the UK, is the 1970 recording by Bobby Gentry, which reached Number 40. Another version worth checking out is the 1995 recording by the Welsh Rock band the ‘Manic Street Preachers,’ who have said that they were always fans of the film, and from their earliest days together, they would incorporate the song in to their live sets.

‘But there’s one thing I know, the Blues they send to meet me, won’t defeat me. It won’t be long ’til happiness steps up to greet me.’